Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.36 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 36

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

संरक्तनेत्र श्शिथिलाम्भरस्तदा विधूतसर्वाभरणः परन्तपः।बभूव भूमौ पतितो नृपात्मजश्शचीपतेः केतुरिवोत्सवक्षये।।।।

Transliteration

saṃrakta-netraḥ śithilāmbharas tadā vidhūta-sarvābharaṇaḥ parantapaḥ |

babhūva bhūmau patito nṛpātmajaḥ śacī-pateḥ ketur ivotsava-kṣaye ||

Translation

Maka ketika itu sang putera, penumpas musuh, terbaring jatuh di bumi; matanya merah menyala, pakaiannya kusut, segala perhiasan tercampak; bagaikan panji Dewa Indra yang terkulai saat pesta usai.

Word by Word

• saṅrakta-netraḥ: having bloodshot eyes
• saṅrakta-netraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: saṅrakta (कृदन्त/विशेषण) + netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘संरक्ते नेत्रे यस्य सः’ (having bloodshot eyes)

• śithila-ambaraḥ: with dishevelled clothing
• śithila-ambaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śithila (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘शिथिलम् अम्बरं यस्य सः’ (with loosened/disordered garment)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• vidhūta-sarva-ābharaṇaḥ: with all ornaments shaken off
• vidhūta-sarva-ābharaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vidhūta (कृदन्त; √dhū ‘धू’ धातु) + sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘विधूतानि सर्वाणि आभरणानि यस्य सः’ (whose ornaments were shaken off/tossed about)

• parantapaḥ: scorcher of foes
• parantapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parantapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बोधनार्थक-उपाधि/विशेष्य (epithet)

• babhūva: became/was
• babhūva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• bhūmau: on the ground
• bhūmau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• patitaḥ: fallen
• patitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: patita (कृदन्त; √pat ‘पत्’ धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nṛpa-ātmajaḥ: the king’s son
• nṛpa-ātmajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘नृपस्य आत्मजः’ (king’s son)

• śacī-pateḥ: of Indra (Śacī’s lord)
• śacī-pateḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śacī (प्रातिपदिक) + pati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘शच्याः पतिः’ (husband of Śacī = Indra)

• ketuḥ: banner/standard
• ketuḥ: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ketu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• utsava-kṣaye: at the festival’s end
• utsava-kṣaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utsava (प्रातिपदिक) + kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘उत्सवस्य क्षये’ (at the end of the festival)

Context

O Kaikeyi! by destroying this race you have earned the demerit of killing an embryo and shall enter hell. You shall never attain the same state of living, in the afterworld of your husband.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Indra (Śacīpati)
• Śacī
• Ketu (banner/standard)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores how social and cosmic order (dharma) is mirrored in human emotion: when truth and rightful order are disturbed, even the noble are brought low.

What is the narrative situation?

The narrator describes Bharata’s physical collapse and disarray after his intense denunciation, closing the sarga with a vivid simile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s earnestness and sincerity: his grief is not performative but bodily overwhelming, reflecting genuine devotion to dharma and Rama.