Valmiki Ramayana 2.73.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 10

भरतस्य कैकेय्याः प्रति धिक्कारः · Bharata’s Rebuke of Kaikeyi and Affirmation of Ikshvaku Royal Dharma

Spoken by Bharata to KaikeyiSetting: अयोध्या (palace household)

Devanagari script

तथा ज्येष्ठा हि मे माता कौसल्या दीर्घदर्शिनी ।

त्वयि धर्मं समास्थाय भगिन्यामिव वर्तते ॥१०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.73.10

Transliteration

tathā jyeṣṭhā hi me mātā kausalyā dīrgha-darśinī |

tvayi dharmaṃ samāsthāya bhaginyām iva vartate ||10||

Translation

Demikian juga ibu sulungku, Kausalyā yang berpandangan jauh; berpegang teguh pada Dharma, baginda memperlakukanmu seolah-olah engkau adik perempuannya sendiri.

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Word by Word

• तथा: in the same way
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार-अव्यय (thus/in the same way)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• ज्येष्ठा: eldest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; माता विशेषयति
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• हि: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• मे: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• माता: mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• कौसल्या: Kausalya
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; apposition to माता
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• दीर्घदर्शिनी: far-sighted
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीर्घदर्शिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (दीर्घं पश्यति)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• त्वयि: towards you
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, सप्तमी, एकवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• धर्मम्: righteousness/duty
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• समास्थाय: having adhered to
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having adhered to/undertaken’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• भगिन्याम्: (as) a sister
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपमान-रूपेण (as if)
• Role: Upamāna (उपमान)

• इव: like/as if
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• वर्तते: behaves
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

Context

In the same way my eldest mother the farsighted Kausalya, too adhered to righteousness and conducted herself towards you like a sister.

The teaching

True dharma in the household is shown by the strong who choose forbearance—treating even the cause of one’s sorrow with sisterly regard.

Duties in tension

• गृह-शान्ति/सौहार्द vs स्वाभाविक ईर्ष्या/अपराध-बोध (after Kaikeyi’s role)

Ethical theme

Kṣamā / gṛhastha-dharma

How it resolves

Virtue-based forbearance (kṣamā) grounded in dharma

For your practice

Cultivate kṣamā and non-reactivity; practice seeing others as kin to dissolve resentment.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Forbearing, noble, reconciliatory

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Family relationships
• Forbearance
• Maryada

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kausalyā
• Kaikeyī
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma as restraint and benevolence: Kausalyā maintains righteous conduct and sisterly regard even toward one connected with her suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata, condemning the injustice done to Rāma, contrasts it with Kausalyā’s dignified, dharmic behavior toward Kaikeyī.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kausalyā’s kṣamā (forbearance) and dharma-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in righteousness).