Valmiki Ramayana 2.73.12 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 12

भरतस्य कैकेय्याः प्रति धिक्कारः

Bharata’s Rebuke of Kaikeyi and Affirmation of Ikshvaku Royal Dharma

Devanagari script

अपापदर्शनं शूरं कृतात्मानं यशस्विनम्।प्रव्राज्य चीरवसनं किन्नु पश्यसि कारणम्।।।।

Transliteration

apāpa-darśanaṃ śūraṃ kṛtātmānaṃ yaśasvinam | pravrājya cīra-vasanaṃ kiṃ nu paśyasi kāraṇam || 2.73.12 ||

Translation

പാപത്തിലേക്ക് ഒരിക്കലും ദൃഷ്ടി തിരിക്കാത്ത—ശൂരനും ആത്മനിയന്ത്രിതനും യശസ്വിയും—അവനെ ചീരവസ്ത്രധാരിയായി വനത്തിലേക്ക് നാടുകടത്തിയിരിക്കുന്നു; പിന്നെ നീ എന്ത് കാരണമാണെന്ന് കാണിക്കുന്നു?

Word by Word

• apāpa-darśanam: one who never sees/considers sin
• apāpa-darśanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apāpa-darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (adjective)

• śūram: valiant
• śūram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• kṛtātmānam: self-controlled
• kṛtātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण; (कृतात्मन् = जितेन्द्रिय/संयतचित्त)

• yaśasvinam: glorious
• yaśasvinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśasvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• pravrājya: having exiled
• pravrājya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pra-√vraj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable); ‘having exiled/sent away’

• cīra-vasanam: clad in bark garments
• cīra-vasanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cīra-vasana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (bark-clad)

• kim: what
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम (interrogative pronoun)

• nu: indeed/possibly
• nu: Sambandha/Prayojaka-nipāta (निपात-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), प्रश्न/संशयार्थक (interrogative/emphatic)

• paśyasi: do you see
• paśyasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• kāraṇam: reason
• kāraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

The glorious, valiant, self-possessed (Rama) had never contemplated evil. What possible reason do you have for sending him, clothed in bark, into exile?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• Rāma
• exile (pravrajyā)

FAQs

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

Punishment or deprivation must have just cause; dharma rejects harming the innocent and demands truthful, rational grounds for state actions.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata challenges Kaikeyī to justify Rāma’s exile despite Rāma’s spotless character.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s moral purity (apāpa-darśana) and reputation (yaśas), contrasted with unjust decision-making.