Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.23: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 23

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

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

Devanagari script

तमार्तं देवसङ्काशं समीक्ष्य पतितं भुवि।निकृत्तमिव सालस्य स्कन्धं परशुना वने।।2.72.22।।मत्तमातङ्गसङ्काशं चन्द्रार्कसदृशं भुवः।उत्थापयित्वा शोकार्तं वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्।।2.72.23।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.72.23

Transliteration

matta-mātaṅga-saṅkāśaṃ candrārka-sadṛśaṃ bhuvaḥ | utthāpayitvā śokārtaṃ vacanaṃ cedam abravīt || 2.72.23 ||

Translation

मत्तमातङ्गसङ्काशं चन्द्रार्कसदृशं भुवः शोकार्तं तं समुत्थाप्य, सा वचनमिदमब्रवीत्।

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Word by Word

• matta-mātaṅga-saṅkāśam: like a maddened elephant
• matta-mātaṅga-saṅkāśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: matta (प्रातिपदिक) + mātaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + saṅkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa chain: matta-mātaṅga + saṅkāśa ('resembling an intoxicated elephant'); Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying "tam" (from previous verse context)

• candrārka-sadṛśam: like the moon and the sun
• candrārka-sadṛśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + sadṛśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: candra-arka + sadṛśa ('similar to moon and sun'); Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying "tam"

• bhuvaḥ: from the ground
• bhuvaḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• utthāpayitvā: having lifted/raised
• utthāpayitvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ut-sthā (धातु) (causative) > utthāpaya (धातु)
• Form: Causative absolutive (णिच् + क्त्वा): utthāpayitvā; indeclinable verbal form

• śokārtam: grief-stricken
• śokārtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक) + ārta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa: śoka + ārta ('afflicted by grief'); Masculine, Accusative, Singular; qualifying "tam"

• vacanam: words/speech
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifying "vacanam"

• abravīt: said/spoke
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्) Aorist; 3rd person, Singular; Parasmaipada

Context

Anguished and griefstricken, he who resembled the gods, fell down on the ground like a trunk of the sala tree in the forest severed by an axe. Seeing her son who was like a mighty elephant or like the Sun or the Moon, Kaikeyi lifted him up from the ground and spoke these words:

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• moon
• sun
• elephant

FAQs

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

Dharma includes active support—raising the fallen and guiding them back toward steadiness and duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī lifts Bharata from the ground and begins to address him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Protectiveness and practical care—intervening physically and verbally to steady someone in crisis.