Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.43: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 43

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

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

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा भरतस्त्रस्तो भ्रातुश्चारित्रशङ्कया ।

स्वस्य वंशस्य महात्म्यात्प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे ॥४३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.72.43

Transliteration

tac chrutvā bharatas trasto bhrātuś cāritraśaṅkayā |

svasya vaṃśasya mahātmyāt praṣṭuṃ samupacakrame ||43||

Translation

यह सब सुन के भरत का दिल काँप गया। उसको अपने भाई पे शक हो गया कि शायद उसने कुछ गलत किया हो। अपने खानदान की बात याद करके उसने और सवाल पूछने शुरू कर दिए।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• तत्: that (statement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (refers to the statement)
• Role: कर्म (object of ‘श्रुत्वा’)

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); ‘having heard’
• Role: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (prior action)

• भरतः: Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: भरत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता

• त्रस्तः: alarmed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
• Role: कर्ता-विशेषण

• भ्रातुः: of (his) brother
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• चारित्रशङ्कया: from suspicion about conduct
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारित्र + शङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; समासः चारित्रस्य शङ्कया (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः); हेतौ तृतीया
• Role: हेतु (cause)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• स्वस्य: of his own
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; reflexive pronoun
• Role: सम्बन्ध

• वंशस्य: dynasty's
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: सम्बन्ध

• महात्म्यात्: due to greatness
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th case), एकवचन; अपादान/हेतु-अर्थ (from/due to)
• Role: हेतु/अपादान (cause/source)

• प्रष्टुम्: to ask
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + शस्/पृच्छ् (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृदन्त)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त infinitive; ‘to ask/inquire’
• Role: प्रयोजन (purpose)

• समुपचक्रमे: began (again)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + उप + क्रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘set about/began’
• Role: क्रिया

Sandhi Notes

• तच्छ्रुत्वा = तत् + श्रुत्वा (व्यञ्जन-सन्धि)
• भ्रातुश्चारित्रशङ्कया = भ्रातुः + चारित्रशङ्कया (विसर्ग-सन्धि)
• महात्म्यात्प्रष्टुम् = महात्म्यात् + प्रष्टुम्

Context

Conscious of the glory of his race, Bharata continued to enquire if there was any unrighteous conduct on the part of his brother.

The teaching

Even love must be guided by dharma: inquire into truth to protect both person and lineage from adharma and rumor.

Duties in tension

• Fraternal loyalty and trust vs. duty to scrutinize conduct for the sake of royal dharma
• Protecting dynasty’s reputation vs. seeking factual truth

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma / kula-dharma

How it resolves

Investigative discernment (vicāra) before judgment

For your practice

Cultivates satya-vicāra and restraint from rash conclusions; a prompt for self-inquiry when fear or suspicion arises.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Uneasy, probing, foreboding

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Dynastic honor
• Moral anxiety

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Rāma
• Ikṣvāku lineage (implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is treated as a family and royal trust: Bharata feels responsible to ensure no stain of adharma has arisen within the dynasty.

What is the narrative situation?

After learning of Rāma’s departure, Bharata anxiously asks whether any wrongdoing might have occurred.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s moral vigilance and reverence for lineage-duty (vaṃśa-dharma), expressed through careful questioning.