Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 16

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

तावर्धदिवसे श्रान्तौ दृष्ट्वा पुत्रौ महीतले।रुरोद पुत्रशोकेन बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा।।।।

Transliteration

tāv ardhadivase śrāntau dṛṣṭvā putrau mahītale | ruroda putraśokena bāṣpaparyākulekṣaṇā ||

Translation

真昼に疲れ果てて地に伏す二人の息子を見て、彼女は子を思う悲しみに泣き、涙にかすむ眼をした。

Word by Word

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन (Dual)

• अर्धदिवसे: at midday
• अर्धदिवसे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्धदिवस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अर्धस्य दिवसः)

• श्रान्तौ: tired
• श्रान्तौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रान्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √श्रम्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying तौ/पुत्रौ)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययवत्; पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having seen)

• पुत्रौ: (her) two sons
• पुत्रौ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), द्विवचन

• महीतले: on the ground
• महीतले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महीतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मही-तलम्)

• रुरोद: wailed/cried
• रुरोद: Kriya (क्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• पुत्रशोकेन: due to grief for (her) son
• पुत्रशोकेन: Karana/Hetu (करण/हेतु-Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्रशोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पुत्रस्य शोकः)

• बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा: she whose eyes were filled with tears
• बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाष्प-पर्याकुल-ईक्षणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (बाष्पेण पर्याकुला ईक्षणा यस्याः/या) — here used as adjective to implied subject (she)

Context

On seeing her two sons lying on earth exhausted, she wailed in distress for them with her eyes filled with tears.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyi
• Surabhī

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the moral weight of causing suffering to dependents; a mother’s anguish is portrayed as a serious ethical matter.

What is the narrative situation?

In the Surabhī exemplum, the divine cow grieves upon seeing her sons collapsed from toil.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Karunā (compassion), expressed through the immediacy of a mother’s protective sorrow.