Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 7
भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः
Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum
मातृरूपे ममामित्रे नृशंसे राज्यकामुके।न तेऽह मभिभाष्योऽस्मि दुर्वृत्ते पतिघातिनि।।।।
mātṛrūpe mamāmitre nṛśaṃse rājyakāmuke |
na te ’ham abhibhāṣyo ’smi durvṛtte patighātini ||
ತಾಯಿಯ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿರುವ ನನ್ನ ಶತ್ರುವೇ—ನಿರ್ದಯೆ, ರಾಜ್ಯಲೋಭಿನಿ, ದುರ್ವೃತ್ತೆ, ಪತಿಘಾತಿನಿ—ನಿನ್ನೊಂದಿಗೆ ನಾನು ಮಾತಾಡುವುದೇ ಇಲ್ಲ; ನಿನಗೆ ನಾನು ಉತ್ತರಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ।
O cruel woman, O woman of vicious character! you are an enemy assuming a mother's form, lustful for kingdom. You are a murderess (of your husband) and I shall never speak to you.
FAQs
Dharma includes recognizing and rejecting destructive greed and betrayal within the household; moral boundaries may require refusing association with grave wrongdoing.
In anger and grief, Bharata denounces Kaikeyī publicly, declaring her conduct anti-dharmic and severing speech/relationship.
Bharata’s integrity and uncompromising stance against injustice, even when the wrongdoer is his own mother.