Shloka 2.88.17

रामशय्यादर्शनम् — Bharata Beholds Rama’s Forest Bed

Devanagari script

हा हन्ताऽस्मि नृशंसोऽहं यत्सभार्यः कृते मम।ईदृशीं राघवश्शय्यामधिशेते ह्यनाथवत्।।।।

Transliteration

hā hantāsmi nṛśaṃso 'haṃ yat sabhāryaḥ kṛte mama |

īdṛśīṃ rāghavaś śayyām adhiśete hy anāthavat ||

Translation

Alas—I am cruel, for because of me Rāghava, together with his wife, lies upon such a bed like one without protection.

Context

Alas, what suffering! Because of a cruel man like me Rama along with his spouse was condemned to recline upon such bed like an orphan.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rāma (Rāghava)
• Sītā

FAQs

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

Moral responsibility and repentance: Bharata refuses to enjoy benefit from wrongdoing and accepts ethical accountability, a key movement toward restoring dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Seeing the austere bedding, Bharata condemns himself, feeling that Rāma’s hardship happened ‘because of me’ (through the chain of events around the throne).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s integrity and remorse—he seeks righteousness over power and comfort.