Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.27: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 27

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

सदाऽप्रतिमवृत्तायाः लोकधारणकाम्यया।श्रीमत्या गुणनित्याया स्स्वभावपरिचेष्टया।।।।यस्याः पुत्रसहस्राणि साऽपि शोचति कामधुक्।किं पुनर्या विना रामं कौसल्या वर्तयिष्यति।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.74.27

Transliteration

sadā ’pratimavṛttāyāḥ lokadhāraṇakāmyayā | śrīmatyā guṇanityāyā svabhāvapariceṣṭayā ||

yasyāḥ putrasahasrāṇi sā ’pi śocati kāmadhuk | kiṁ punar yā vinā rāmaṁ kausalyā vartayiṣyati ||

Translation

Bahkan Kāmadhenu—yang laku hidupnya tiada banding, berhasrat menopang dunia, penuh kemuliaan dan keberkahan, senantiasa teguh dalam kebajikan, serta bertindak menurut kodrat mulianya—tetap berduka walau memiliki seribu putra. Apalagi Kausalyā yang terpisah dari Rāma; bagaimana mungkin ia dapat menjalani hidup seperti sediakala?

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Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

• अप्रतिमवृत्तायाः: of (her) unequalled conduct
• अप्रतिमवृत्तायाः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-pratima + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—कर्मधारय (अप्रतिमं वृत्तं यस्याः/यस्याः वृत्तम् अप्रतिमम्)

• लोकधारणकाम्यया: by/with the desire to sustain the worlds
• लोकधारणकाम्यया: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loka + dhāraṇa + kāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुष (लोकधारणस्य काम्या/इच्छा)

• श्रीमत्या: being prosperous/glorious
• श्रीमत्या: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम्

• गुणनित्याया: of (her) constant virtues
• गुणनित्याया: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa + nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुष (गुणेषु नित्या/गुणनित्य)

• स्वभावपरिचेष्टया: by her natural disposition/behavior
• स्वभावपरिचेष्टया: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svabhāva + pariceṣṭā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुष (स्वभावस्य परिचेष्टा)

Context

Wishing always to nourish the worlds Kamadhenu conducts herself with an unequalled character. In accordance with her nature, she has imbibed in herself eminent virtues. She is endowed with all prosperity. In spite of her thousand sons, sheis weeping thus for her two bulls, what can one say of Kausalya separated from her only son! Will she be her normal self again?'

Characters & Entities

• Kāmadhenu (Surabhi)
• Kausalyā
• Rāma
• worlds (loka)

FAQs

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

Dharma is illuminated through analogy: if even a cosmic benefactress grieves for two suffering sons, the human mother’s sorrow at separation from a righteous son is morally and emotionally inevitable.

What is the narrative situation?

The text uses Surabhi’s grief to foreshadow and interpret Kausalyā’s anguish at losing Rama to exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s value as a dharmic son is implied; the verse underscores the virtue of filial presence and the mother–son bond as central to household dharma.