Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 3
भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च
Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile
Setting: Bharata’s residence within Ayodhyā palace complexPlaces named: Ayodhyā (implied)
स प्रविश्यैव धर्मात्मा स्वगृहं श्रीविवर्जितम् ।
भरतः प्रतिजग्राह जनन्याश्चरणौ शुभौ ॥३॥
sa praviśyaiva dharmātmā svagṛhaṃ śrī-vivarjitam |
bharataḥ pratijagrāha jananyāś caraṇau śubhau ||3||
ധർമ്മാത്മാവായ ഭരതൻ തന്റെ ഗൃഹത്തിൽ പ്രവേശിച്ചു; അത് മുൻപത്തെ ശ്രീ-വൈഭവം നഷ്ടപ്പെട്ടതായി കണ്ടു. അവൻ തന്റെ ജനനിയുടെ ശുഭചരണങ്ങൾ പിടിച്ചു വണങ്ങി.
Sandhi Notes
- praviśyaiva = praviśya + eva
- jananyāścaraṇau = jananyāḥ + caraṇau
On entering home the righteous Bharata found it devoid of cheer and touched the auspicious feet of his mother (with reverence).
The teaching
Even in moral crisis, one may uphold basic duties of respect and restraint; dharma is shown first in conduct.
Duties in tension
- Respect to mother as parent/queen
- Inner protest against perceived wrongdoing
- Duty to preserve family order while seeking justice for Rama/Daśaratha
- Ethical theme
- Kula-dharma and maryādā
- How it resolves
- Dharma through decorum (maryādā) maintained even while preparing moral rebuke
For your practice
Practice of humility and restraint (vinaya) as a spiritual discipline even under emotional strain.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Somber, dutiful, hushed
Themes
- Dharma
- Maryada
- Itihasa
- Ethics
- Filial piety
- Reverence to elders
External śrī fades; true worth is in dharma-ātmā (inner orientation).
Shift from outer splendor to inner value—echoing the Upaniṣadic preference for the imperishable over the perishable.
- Bharata and Kaikeyi
- Son’s formal obeisance despite turmoil (dutiful yet strained)
Valmiki Ramayana: repeated motif of Ayodhyā/palace losing śrī after Rama’s exile and Daśaratha’s death; Rāmacaritamānasa: Ayodhyā’s desolation imagery after Rama’s departure
Dharmaśāstra etiquette: touching elders’ feet as filial duty
Ayodhyākāṇḍa descriptions of the city’s gloom and the palace’s altered atmosphere
Anuṣṭup
Narrative-solemn
Madhyama with gentle descent on "śrīvivarjitam"
FAQs
Respect for parents and elders as a visible practice of dharma; Bharata’s reverence is shown through touching his mother’s feet.
Bharata has returned home and immediately senses an ominous change—his house lacks its usual prosperity—yet he first performs the duty of respectful salutation to his mother.
Bharata’s humility and disciplined righteousness (vinaya and dharma-niṣṭhā).
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