Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 23
भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः
Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum
शान्तं पापं न वः किञ्चित्कुतश्चिदमराधिपः।अहं मग्नौ तु शोचामि स्वपुत्रौ विषमे स्थितौ।।।।एतौ दृष्ट्वा कृशौ दीनौ सूर्यरश्मिप्रतापितौ।बाध्यमानौ बलीवर्धौ कर्षकेण सुराधिप।।।।
śāntaṁ pāpaṁ na vaḥ kiñcit kutaścid amarādhipaḥ | ahaṁ magnau tu śocāmi svaputrau viṣame sthitau ||
ētau dṛṣṭvā kṛśau dīnau sūryaraśmipratāpitau | bādhyamānau balīvardhau karṣakeṇa surādhipa ||
とんでもございません、あまねく不死者の主よ。あなたにいかなる災いも、どこからも及んではおりませぬ。嘆きに沈むのはこの私、苦境にある我が二人の子を思うゆえ。あの二頭が、やせ衰え哀れに、日の光に焼かれ、農夫に打たれている――その牡牛らを見て、神々の主よ、私は悲しみに圧されております。
'God forbid, O Indra, lord of the Immortals! no calamity has befallen you from any quarter. Only I am in trouble. I am weeping for these pair of bulls, my own sons who are in difficulty. When I see them scorched by the rays of the Sun, miserable, emaciated and weeping, beaten by a ploughman, I am immersed in grief'.
FAQs
Dharma includes compassion toward the vulnerable and restraint from cruelty; the suffering of beings under harsh labor is presented as morally troubling and worthy of divine attention.
Surabhi explains to Indra that her grief is not due to any threat to the gods, but due to seeing her two bull-sons abused and exhausted in the heat.
Maternal compassion and truthfulness: Surabhi speaks plainly about suffering and the natural bond of care for one’s offspring.