Valmiki Ramayana 2.73.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 16
भरतस्य कैकेय्याः प्रति धिक्कारः · Bharata’s Rebuke of Kaikeyi and Affirmation of Ikshvaku Royal Dharma
सोऽहं कथमिमं भारं महाधुर्यसमुद्धृतम् ।
दम्योधुरमिवाऽऽसाद्य वहेयं केनचौजसा ॥१६॥
so 'haṃ katham imaṃ bhāraṃ mahā-dhurya-samuddhṛtam |
damyaḥ dhuram ivā 'sādya vaheyaṃ kena caujasā ||16||
Wie könnte ich diese Last tragen, die nur ein großer, gut ins Joch gespannter Stier zu tragen vermag? Ich bin wie ein ungezähmter junger Stier vor einem schweren Joch — mit welcher Kraft sollte ich es tragen?
Like a young untrained bullock that cannot carry the weight fit for a great bull, with what strength can I bear this burden?
FAQs
Dharma requires fitness for responsibility; accepting rulership without rightful capacity and legitimacy is portrayed as improper and dangerous.
Bharata expresses his unworthiness to shoulder the kingdom’s burden in Rāma’s absence, using a vivid agrarian metaphor.
Self-knowledge and humility—Bharata refuses inflated self-assessment and recognizes the true standard of leadership.
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