Shloka 2.69.15

भरतस्य दुःस्वप्नदर्शनम् — Bharata’s Ominous Dream

Devanagari script

त्वरमाणश्च धर्मात्मा रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनः।रथेन खरयुक्तेन प्रयातो दक्षिणामुखः।।।।

Transliteration

tvaramāṇaś ca dharmātmā raktamālyānulepanaḥ | rathena kharayuktena prayāto dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ ||

Translation

I saw that righteous king, hastening—adorned with red garlands and red unguent—departing southward on a chariot yoked with asses, as though driven toward the realm of death.

Context

Thereafter, I beheld that virtuous monarch bedecked with garlands made of red flowers and his body bedaubed with red sandal-paste, hurrying off southward on a chariot yoked with asses.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• rājā (Daśaratha, implied)
• ratha (chariot)
• khara (asses)
• dakṣiṇā (south)

FAQs

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

Even a ‘dharmātmā’ is subject to mortality; dharma here is the duty of clear-eyed acceptance and timely action—responding truthfully to warning signs, protecting dependents, and placing righteousness above personal comfort.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata’s dream presents the king moving southward on an inauspicious vehicle, a conventional sign of death, intensifying Bharata’s urgency and dread.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s loyalty and filial concern: the dream’s focus on the king’s fate shows Bharata’s deep attachment and sense of duty toward his father and the realm.