Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.39: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 39

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile

Setting: Ayodhyā (inner palace quarters)

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा विषसादैव द्वितीयाप्रियशंसनात् ।

विषण्णवदनो भूत्वा भूयः पप्रच्छ मातरम् ॥३९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.72.39

Transliteration

tac chrutvā viṣasādaiva dvitīyāpriyaśaṃsanāt |

viṣaṇṇavadano bhūtvā bhūyaḥ papraccha mātaram ||39||

Translation

यह दूसरा बुरा सुनते ही भरत बिल्कुल डूब गए। उनका चेहरा उतर गया। फिर से उन्होंने अपनी मा से पूछा।

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Word by Word

• तत्: that
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; श्रुत्वा इत्यस्य कर्म
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having heard’
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• विषसाद: became dejected
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• एव: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)

• द्वितीयाप्रियशंसनात्: from the second unpleasant report
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीया + अप्रिय + शंसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे; समासः द्वितीयं च तत् अप्रियशंसनं (तत्पुरुष; बहुपद-समास)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• विषण्णवदनः: with a downcast face
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषण्ण + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (सः/रामः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्); समासः विषण्णं वदनं यस्य (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• भूत्वा: having become
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having become’
• Role: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)

• भूयः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• मातरम्: mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

Sandhi Notes

• तच्छ्रुत्वा = तत् + श्रुत्वा
• विषसादैव = विषसाद + एव।

Context

Bharata was more distraught on hearing the words that conveyed the second unpleasant tidings. With downcast countenance, he again enquired of his mother thus:

The teaching

When truth wounds, inquiry must continue; grief should not replace discernment.

Duties in tension

• Filial loyalty to mother vs moral revulsion if mother caused harm
• Kṣatriya duty to uphold rightful succession vs obedience to royal decree

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma and kula-dharma under crisis

For your practice

Practice of satya-jijñāsā: in distress, return to clear questioning rather than reactive speech.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Downcast, shaken, urgent

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Grief
• Filial duty

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kausalyā (mother, by context)

FAQs

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

In crisis, dharma begins with seeking truth (satya) responsibly—Bharata does not act rashly but asks again to understand fully.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata, after learning distressing news, continues to inquire for clarity about what has happened.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s conscientiousness and restraint: grief does not erase his commitment to careful understanding.