Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 13

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile

Devanagari script

पितुर्ग्रहीष्ये चरणौ तं ममाऽख्याहि पृच्छतः ।

आहोस्विदम्ब ज्येष्ठायाः कौसल्याया निवेशने ॥१३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.72.13

Transliteration

pitur grahīṣye caraṇau taṃ mamākhyāhi pṛcchataḥ |

āho svid amba jyēṣṭhāyāḥ kausalyāyā niveśane ||13||

Translation

ഞാൻ പിതാവിന്റെ പാദങ്ങൾ പിടിക്കുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു—ഞാൻ ചോദിക്കുന്നു, അവൻ എവിടെയാണെന്ന് പറയുക. അമ്മേ, മൂത്തവളായ കൗസല്യയുടെ വസതിയിലാണോ അവൻ?

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• पितुः: of (my/your) father
• पितुः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• ग्रहीष्ये: I shall hold
• ग्रहीष्ये: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद (Ātmanepada)

• चरणौ: (both) feet
• चरणौ: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन (Dual), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• तम्: him / about him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीयाविभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine)

• मम: to me / my
• मम: सम्प्रदान-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation; 'to me' sense contextually)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), सर्वलिङ्ग (Pronoun)

• आख्याहि: tell (me)
• आख्याहि: क्रिया (Verb/आख्यात)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• पृच्छतः: of (me) asking / as I ask
• पृच्छतः: कर्ता-सम्बन्ध (Agent in genitive; 'while I ask')
• Type: Verb
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (Present active participle), षष्ठीविभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); 'of me who am asking'

• आहो: or else / perchance
• आहो: सम्बोधन/वाक्यालङ्कार (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आहो (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/interrogative-exclamatory)

• स्वित्: perhaps?
• स्वित्: वाक्यालङ्कार (Interrogative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वित् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• अम्ब: O mother
• अम्ब: सम्बोधन (Address/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधनविभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• ज्येष्ठायाः: of the eldest
• ज्येष्ठायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine); विशेषण (adjective) qualifying 'कौसल्याया:'

• कौसल्यायाः: of Kausalya
• कौसल्यायाः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• निवेशने: in the residence
• निवेशने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवेशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमीविभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

Context

I would like to pay obeisance at my father's feet. Will you answer my question, O mother, and tell me regarding his whereabouts? Or perchance could he be at the residence of my eldest mother Kausalya?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Kausalyā

FAQs

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

Dharma is reverence to parents and elders—Bharata’s immediate aim is to offer obeisance and seek guidance truthfully.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata cannot find Daśaratha and asks Kaikeyī whether the king is with Kausalyā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and devotion (pāda-grahaṇa as a sign of respect).