Valmiki Ramayana 2.85.19 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 85, Shloka 19

भरत-गुहसंवादः

Bharata and Guha: Trust, Hospitality, and the Burden of Grief

Devanagari script

ध्याननिर्धरशैलेन विनिश्श्वसितधातुना।दैन्यपादपसंघेन शोकायासाधिशृङ्गिणा।।2.85.19।।प्रमोहानन्तसत्त्वेन सन्तापौषधिवेणुना।आक्रान्तो दुःखशैलेन महता कैकयीसुतः।।2.85.20।।

Transliteration

dhyānanirdharaśailena viniśśvasitadhātunā |

dainyapādapasaṅghena śokāyāsādhiśṛṅgiṇā ||2.85.19||

pramohānantasattvena santāpauṣadhiveṇunā |

ākrānto duḥkhaśailena mahatā kaikayīsutaḥ ||2.85.20||

Translation

Putera Kaikeyī ditindih oleh gunung dukacita yang maha besar: batu-batu padu ialah renungan yang tenggelam; bijihnya ialah keluhan nafas yang berat; rimbunan pepohon ialah kehinaan diri; puncak-puncaknya yang tinggi ialah duka dan letih; makhluknya yang tak terbilang ialah kebingungan; dan buluh serta herba penawarnya ialah kepedihan yang membakar.

Word by Word

• ध्याननिर्धरशैलेन: by/with the mountain of contemplation, (cavityless)
• ध्याननिर्धरशैलेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्यान-निर्धर-शैल (प्रातिपदिक; ध्यान + निर्धर + शैल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ध्यानस्य शैलः) + कर्मधारय-प्रायः (निर्धरः शैलः)

• विनिःश्वसितधातुना: by the minerals/ores of heaving sighs
• विनिःश्वसितधातुना: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विनिःश्वसित-धातु (प्रातिपदिक; विनिःश्वसित + धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विनिःश्वसितस्य धातुः)

• दैन्यपादपसंघेन: by the multitude of trees of dejection
• दैन्यपादपसंघेन: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैन्य-पादप-संघ (प्रातिपदिक; दैन्य + पादप + संघ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दैन्यस्य पादपाः) + तत्पुरुषः (पादपानां संघः)

• शोकायासाधिशृङ्गिणा: by (that) having peaks of sorrow, fatigue, and distress
• शोकायासाधिशृङ्गिणा: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक-आयास-आधि-शृङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक; शोक + आयास + आधि + शृङ्गिन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—(शोक-आयास-आधि-शृङ्गाणि यस्य सः) ‘having peaks of sorrow, fatigue, and mental distress’

Context

O dear friend of my elder brother, your desire to extend hospitality to this large army all alone is indeed noble.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata (Kaikeyī-suta)
• Kaikeyī
• grief (śoka)

FAQs

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

The verse illustrates how devotion to dharma can produce profound inner turmoil when one is linked to adharma (Kaikeyī’s actions); Bharata suffers because he cannot accept unrighteous gain.

What is the narrative situation?

As night deepens, the narration turns inward to Bharata’s state: he is mentally overrun by grief, described through an elaborate mountain-metaphor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral sensitivity and remorse without guilt: though not the doer of wrong, Bharata feels crushed by the consequences and seeks to restore truth and right order.