Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.7 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 7
भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः
Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum
मातृरूपे ममामित्रे नृशंसे राज्यकामुके।न तेऽह मभिभाष्योऽस्मि दुर्वृत्ते पतिघातिनि।।।।
mātṛrūpe mamāmitre nṛśaṃse rājyakāmuke |
na te ’ham abhibhāṣyo ’smi durvṛtte patighātini ||
માતાના રૂપમાં રહેલી મારી શત્રુ—નિર્દય, રાજ્યલોભી, દુર્વૃત્ત અને પતિઘાતિની—હું તને સંબોધી પણ નહીં; તારા સાથે વાત નહીં કરું।
O cruel woman, O woman of vicious character! you are an enemy assuming a mother's form, lustful for kingdom. You are a murderess (of your husband) and I shall never speak to you.
FAQs
Dharma includes recognizing and rejecting destructive greed and betrayal within the household; moral boundaries may require refusing association with grave wrongdoing.
In anger and grief, Bharata denounces Kaikeyī publicly, declaring her conduct anti-dharmic and severing speech/relationship.
Bharata’s integrity and uncompromising stance against injustice, even when the wrongdoer is his own mother.
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