Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.3 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 3

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

किन्नु तेऽदूषयद्राजा रामो वा भृशधार्मिकः।ययोर्मृत्युर्विवासश्च त्वत्कृते तुल्यमागतौ।।।।

Transliteration

kinnu te ’dūṣayad rājā rāmo vā bhṛśadhārmikaḥ |

yayor mṛtyur vivāsaś ca tvat-kṛte tulyam āgatau ||

Translation

രാജാവോ, അത്യന്തം ധാർമ്മികനായ രാമനോ, നിന്നോട് എന്ത് ദോഷം ചെയ്തു? നിന്റെ കാരണത്താൽ ഒരുവനു മരണം, മറ്റൊരുവനു വനവാസം—സമാനമായ ദുരന്തമായി എങ്ങനെ സംഭവിച്ചു?

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थे (what)

• नु: indeed/then (question)
• नु: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न-निपात (interrogative particle)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-एकवचन (Dative Sg)

• अदूषयत्: offended/harmed
• अदूषयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दूष् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थः: harmed/offended

• राजा: the king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प-अव्यय (or)

• भृश-धार्मिकः: highly righteous
• भृश-धार्मिकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भृश (अव्यय) + धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन; विशेषण (रामः)

• ययोः: of whom (both)
• ययोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/सप्तमी-द्विवचन (Gen/Loc Dual); ‘of/for which two’ (king and Rama)

• मृत्युः: death
• मृत्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• विवासः: exile
• विवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• त्वत्-कृते: because of you/on your account
• त्वत्-कृते: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √कृ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-एकवचन (Loc Sg) हेतौ; समासः: त्वया कृतम् (because of what is done by you = on your account)

• तुल्यम्: equally
• तुल्यम्: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (equally)

• आगतौ: have come/occurred
• आगतौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-गम् (धातु) → आगत (कृदन्त)
• Form: कर्तरि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past Active Participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-द्विवचन; (both) have come/occurred

Context

This pious lady is blessed with only one son and (now) has been rendered childless by you. Therefore, you shall experience grief in this world and hereafter.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyi
• Dasharatha
• Rama

FAQs

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

The verse upholds the dharmic expectation that harm should not be inflicted on the innocent; Bharata frames Rama and Dasharatha as undeserving of suffering, condemning wrongdoing that targets the righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

After Dasharatha’s death and Rama’s exile, Bharata confronts Kaikeyi, attributing both calamities to her actions and questioning her grievance against them.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s moral clarity and loyalty to dharma: he defends Rama’s righteousness and rejects unjust gain obtained through adharma.