Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 16
भरतस्य कैकेय्याः प्रति धिक्कारः
Bharata’s Rebuke of Kaikeyi and Affirmation of Ikshvaku Royal Dharma
सोऽहं कथमिमं भारं महाधुर्यसमुद्धृतम्।दम्योधुरमिवाऽऽसाद्य वहेयं केनचौजसा।। ।।
so 'haṃ katham imaṃ bhāraṃ mahā-dhurya-samuddhṛtam | damyaḥ dhuram ivā 'sādya vaheyaṃ kena caujasā || 2.73.16 ||
Bagaimana mungkin aku memikul beban ini, yang layak dipanggul oleh lembu jantan besar yang terlatih dan terpasang kuk dengan baik? Aku bagaikan anak lembu yang belum terlatih menghadapi kuk yang berat; dengan kekuatan apa aku dapat menanggungnya?
Like a young untrained bullock that cannot carry the weight fit for a great bull, with what strength can I bear this burden?
FAQs
Dharma requires fitness for responsibility; accepting rulership without rightful capacity and legitimacy is portrayed as improper and dangerous.
Bharata expresses his unworthiness to shoulder the kingdom’s burden in Rāma’s absence, using a vivid agrarian metaphor.
Self-knowledge and humility—Bharata refuses inflated self-assessment and recognizes the true standard of leadership.