Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.21 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 21

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

Bharata in Kaikeyi’s apartments: revelation of Daśaratha’s death and Rāma’s exile

Devanagari script

बाष्पमुत्सृज्य् कण्ठेन स्वात्मना परमपीडितः।

आच्छाद्य वदनं श्रीमद्वस्त्रेण जयतां वरः।।2.72.21।।

Transliteration

bāṣpam utsṛjya kaṇṭhena svātmanā paramapīḍitaḥ | ācchādya vadanaṃ śrīmad vastreṇa jayatāṃ varaḥ || 2.72.21 ||

Translation

परमपीडितात्मा जयतां वरः कण्ठाद् बाष्पं विसृज्य, श्रीमद्वस्त्रेण वदनमाच्छादयामास।

Word by Word

• bāṣpam: tears
• bāṣpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṣpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• utsṛjya: having let out/released
• utsṛjya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समकक्ष); indeclinable verbal form

• kaṇṭhena: with (his) throat/voice
• kaṇṭhena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• svātmanā: by his own self/within himself
• svātmanā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: sva + ātman; Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; 'by/with his own self (heart/mind)'

• paramapīḍitaḥ: extremely afflicted
• paramapīḍitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya: parama + pīḍita; PPP (kta) from pīḍ (धातु); Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ācchādya: having covered
• ācchādya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-chad (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्); indeclinable verbal form

• vadanam: face
• vadanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• śrīmat: splendid/auspicious
• śrīmat: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śrīmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular when agreeing with "vastrena" as śrīmad-vastrena (stem śrīmat); meaning 'splendid/auspicious'

• vastrena: with a garment/cloth
• vastrena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vastra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• jayatām: of the victorious
• jayatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ji (धातु) > jayat (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ) used substantively; Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; 'of those who are victorious'

• varaḥ: the best/foremost
• varaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Context

 Bharata, the foremost among the victorious, clearing his tearchoked throat and covering his auspicious countenance with raiment, wept in profound distress with tears overflowing.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata

FAQs

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

Dharma does not demand emotional denial; self-control includes dignified expression of grief without abandoning one’s responsibilities.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata is overcome by sorrow; his voice is choked, and he hides his face while weeping.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Inner sincerity and restraint—he grieves deeply yet maintains modesty and composure in expression.