Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 4

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

भ्रूणहत्यामसि प्राप्ता कुलस्यास्य विनाशनात्।कैकेयि नरकं गच्छ मा च भर्तु स्सलोकताम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.74.4

Transliteration

bhrūṇa-hatyām asi prāptā kulasyāsya vināśanāt |

kaikeyi narakaṃ gaccha mā ca bhartuḥ sa-lokatām ||

Translation

Wahai Kaikeyī, dengan menghancurkan wangsa kerajaan ini engkau telah menanggung dosa yang disamakan dengan pembunuhan janin. Pergilah ke neraka, dan janganlah engkau memperoleh alam bahagia yang sama seperti suamimu.

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Word by Word

• भ्रूण-हत्याम्: the sin of foeticide
• भ्रूण-हत्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रूण (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; समासः: भ्रूणस्य हत्या (killing of an embryo)

• असि: you are
• असि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• प्राप्ता: have incurred
• प्राप्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-आप् (धातु) → प्राप्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तरि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Active Participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; (you) have obtained/incurred

• कुलस्य: of the family
• कुलस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन

• विनाशनात्: from/through destruction
• विनाशनात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनाशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-एकवचन (Ablative Sg); हेतौ (because of)

• कैकेयि: O Kaikeyi
• कैकेयि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-एकवचन

• नरकम्: hell
• नरकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन

• गच्छ: go
• गच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मा: do not
• मा: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (prohibitive)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• भर्तुः: of (your) husband
• भर्तुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-एकवचन

• स-लोकताम्: the same world (as him)
• स-लोकताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + लोकता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः: सलोकताम् = समानलोकत्वम् (attainment of the same world)

Context

Death for the king and exile for Rama, similar fate for both, have befallen on your account. What possible harm, either the king or the highly virtuous Rama has done to you?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyi
• Dasharatha

FAQs

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

It asserts moral accountability: acts that destroy a family’s stability and righteous order are treated as grave adharma, bearing severe consequences.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata denounces Kaikeyi for the chain of events leading to Dasharatha’s death and the destabilization of the dynasty.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s uncompromising commitment to righteousness and protection of the dynasty’s moral order, even against his own mother.