Shloka 2.74.36
भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः (Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum)
संरक्तनेत्र श्शिथिलाम्भरस्तदा विधूतसर्वाभरणः परन्तपः।बभूव भूमौ पतितो नृपात्मजश्शचीपतेः केतुरिवोत्सवक्षये।।।।
iti nāga ivāraṇye tomarāṅkuśa-coditaḥ |
papāta bhuvi saṅkruddho niśśvasann iva pannagaḥ ||
Having spoken thus, Bharata—like an elephant in the forest driven by spears and goads—fell upon the earth in wrath, hissing like a serpent.
Prince Bharata, the scorcher of enemies, with blood-shot eyes, raiment in disarray, ornaments tossed about lay fallen on the ground like the banner of Indra (husband of Sachi) at the close of the festival of flag-hoisting.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē catussaptatitamassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the seventyfourth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
The verse depicts the emotional cost of dharma-violation: righteous persons may be overwhelmed by grief and anger when justice and truth are disrupted.
After condemning Kaikeyi and declaring his resolve, Bharata—overcome by rage and sorrow—falls to the ground.
Moral sensitivity: Bharata’s intense reaction signals how deeply he values dharma and how unbearable adharma is to him.