Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.47: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 47

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile

Setting: Ayodhya

Devanagari script

एवमुक्ता तु कैकेयी भरतेन महात्मना ।

उवाच वचनं हृष्टा मूढा पण्डितमानिनी ॥४७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.72.47

Transliteration

evam uktā tu kaikeyī bharatena mahātmanā |

uvāca vacanaṁ hṛṣṭā mūḍhā paṇḍitamāninī ||47||

Translation

So von Bharata, dem großherzigen, angesprochen, sprach Kaikeyī—erfreut, doch töricht und sich für weise haltend—diese Worte.

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Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• उक्ता: addressed / spoken to
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगार्थ (having been spoken to)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (but/indeed)
• Role: Nipata (निपात)

• कैकेयी: Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• भरतेन: by Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karana (करण)

• महात्मना: great-souled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies भरतेन)
• Role: Karana (करण)

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• वचनम्: words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• हृष्टा: delighted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हृष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifies कैकेयी)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• मूढा: foolish
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• पण्डित-मानिनी: thinking herself wise
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पण्डित (प्रातिपदिक) + मानिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: पण्डिता इव मानिनी (thinking herself learned)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

Sandhi Notes

• एवमुक्ता = एवम् + उक्ता

Context

On hearing the words of great Bharata, that foolish woman Kaikeyi thinking herself to be wise, cheerfully said:

The teaching

Self-deception (moha) can masquerade as wisdom and produce confident speech that deepens adharma.

Duties in tension

• Maternal duty to uphold sons’ welfare without adharma
• Queenly duty to protect dynasty and righteousness
• Truthful counsel vs manipulative self-justification

Ethical theme

Virtue ethics (viveka vs moha)

For your practice

Practice of svādhyāya: noticing how egoic certainty can distort dharmic judgment; cultivate viveka and humility in speech.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bibhatsa (disgust), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Self-deluded, bitter, morally tense

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Narrative
• Ethics
• Characterization

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Bharata

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Self-deception (thinking oneself wise while acting against dharma) is flagged as a cause of moral downfall; true wisdom aligns with righteous conduct.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator transitions into Kaikeyī’s reply to Bharata’s probing questions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s “mahātman” quality (nobility) is highlighted by contrast with Kaikeyī’s delusion.