Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 18
भरतस्य कैकेय्याः प्रति धिक्कारः
Bharata’s Rebuke of Kaikeyi and Affirmation of Ikshvaku Royal Dharma
न मे विकाङ्क्षा जायेत त्यक्तुं त्वां पापनिश्चयाम्।यदि रामस्य नावेक्षा त्वयि स्यान्मातृवत्सदा।।।।
na me vikāṅkṣā jāyeta tyaktuṃ tvāṃ pāpaniścayām |
yadi rāmasya nāvekṣā tvayi syān mātṛvat sadā ||
Seandainya Rāma tidak selalu memandangmu seperti seorang ibu, wahai engkau yang teguh dalam niat berdosa, aku takkan ragu sedikit pun untuk meninggalkanmu.
O woman of sinful thoughts fallen from virtuous conduct, how did you entertain this thought reproachable to our ancestors?
FAQs
Even when wronged, one must uphold maryādā: Bharata restrains himself from rejecting Kaikeyī solely because Rāma’s dharma treats her with maternal reverence.
Bharata condemns Kaikeyī’s role in the exile but explains he will not cast her off because Rāma has always honored her as a mother.
Self-control and adherence to propriety (maryādā) grounded in Rāma’s example.