Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 69, Shloka 21

भरतस्य दुःस्वप्नदर्शनम्

Bharata’s Ominous Dream

Devanagari script

इमां च दुस्स्वप्नगतिं निशाम्यतामनेकरूपामवितर्कितां पुरा।भयं महत्तद्धृदयान्नयाति मे विचिन्त्य राजानमचिन्तदर्शनम्।।।।

Transliteration

imāṃ ca dussvapna-gatiṃ niśāmyatām aneka-rūpām avitarkitāṃ purā |

bhayaṃ mahat tad hṛdayān na yāti me vicintya rājānam acintya-darśanam ||

Translation

Al reconocer este curso de un sueño funesto—de múltiples formas y jamás imaginado antes—y al meditar en el rey, cuya condición es incomprensible, un gran temor no se aparta de mi corazón.

Word by Word

• imām: this
• imām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; गतिम् इति विशेषणम्

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात

• dussvapnagatim: the course of the bad dream
• dussvapnagatim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dus-svapna + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (दुःस्वप्नस्य गतिः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• niśāmya: having observed/perceived
• niśāmya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ni-√śam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• tām: that
• tām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (गतिम्) इति अनुवर्तते

• anekarūpām: of many forms
• anekarūpām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (अनेकं रूपं यस्याः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (गतिम्) इति विशेषणम्

• avitarkitām: unforeseen/unthought-of
• avitarkitām: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vitarkita (कृदन्त; vi-√tark क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नञ्-समास/निषेध; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; (गतिम्) इति विशेषणम्

• purā: formerly/before
• purā: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• mahat: great
• mahat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भयम् इति विशेषणम्

• tat: that
• tat: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भयम् इत्यस्य अनुवादक/निर्देशक

• dhṛdayāt: from (my) heart
• dhṛdayāt: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात

• yāti: goes away
• yāti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• me: my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• vicintya: having reflected on
• vicintya: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vi-√cint (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• rājānam: the king
• rājānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• acintadarśanam: of incomprehensible appearance
• acintadarśanam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: acintya + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (अचिन्त्यं दर्शनं यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; राजानम् इति विशेषणम्

Context

I saw my father floating in that pool of cow - dung, drinking oil with cupped palms and bursting into laughter again and again.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Dasharatha (as ‘the king’)

FAQs

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

Dharma is moral wakefulness: Bharata’s fear is not mere panic but a conscientious response to signs that the king’s well-being and the realm’s order may be threatened.

What is the narrative situation?

After recounting the dream, Bharata explains that the strange, unprecedented images and thoughts about the king’s inexplicable state leave him unable to shake off fear.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsibility and truth-oriented concern—Bharata’s mind turns from entertainment to the serious implications for the king and dharma.