Shloka 2.73.3

भरतस्य कैकेय्याः प्रति धिक्कारः — Bharata’s Rebuke of Kaikeyi and Affirmation of Ikshvaku Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

दुःखे मे दुःखमकरोर्व्रणे क्षारमिवादधाः।राजानं प्रेतभावस्थं कृत्वा रामं च तापसम्।।।।

Transliteration

duḥkhe me duḥkham akaror vraṇe kṣāram ivādadhāḥ |

rājānaṃ pretabhāvasthaṃ kṛtvā rāmaṃ ca tāpasam ||

Translation

In my sorrow you have added yet another sorrow—like rubbing salt into a wound—by bringing the king to a corpse-like end and turning Rama into a forest ascetic.

Context

You have caused the death of the king and reduced Rama to an ascetic. You have piled one sorrow over sorrow on me like rubbing salt to the wound

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyi
• Rama
• Dasharatha

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed through accountability: actions driven by selfish desire can devastate the household order (gṛha-dharma) and cause cascading suffering to innocents.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata confronts Kaikeyi, accusing her of causing Dasharatha’s death and Rama’s transformation from prince to ascetic through exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s commitment to justice and truth-speaking (satya-vacana), even when it targets his own mother.