Valmiki Ramayana 2.73.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 16

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

Devanagari script

सोऽहं कथमिमं भारं महाधुर्यसमुद्धृतम् ।

दम्योधुरमिवाऽऽसाद्य वहेयं केनचौजसा ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.73.16

Transliteration

so 'haṃ katham imaṃ bhāraṃ mahā-dhurya-samuddhṛtam |

damyaḥ dhuram ivā 'sādya vaheyaṃ kena caujasā ||16||

Translation

सोऽहं कथमेतं भारं महाधुर्यसमुद्धृतं वहितुं शक्नुयाम्। दम्योधुरमिवासाद्य, केनचिदौजसा वहेयम्॥

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Word by Word

• saḥ: that (one); such
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; in apposition with aham = 'I, such as I am'

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Prathamā, Ekavacana

• katham: how
• katham: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: Interrogative adverb

• imam: this
• imam: Karma (कर्म; determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga? here agrees with bhāram (m.) so Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• bhāram: burden
• bhāram: Karma (कर्म/Object of vaheyaṃ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāra (भार, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• mahā-dhurya-samuddhṛtam: borne/raised by a great yoke-worthy (bull)
• mahā-dhurya-samuddhṛtam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (महा) + dhurya (धुर्य) + sam-ud-√dhṛ (समुद्-धृ, धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Compound used adjectivally; mahādhurya = karmadhāraya 'great (bull) fit for yoke'; samuddhṛta = kta-ppp 'lifted/carried'; Napuṃsakaliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana agreeing with bhāram

• damyaḥ: a young untrained (bull)
• damyaḥ: Upamāna (उपमान; compared agent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: damya (दम्य, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; 'to be tamed/young (needing training)'

• dhuram: the yoke/burden
• dhuram: Karma (कर्म; in simile)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhurā/dhura (धुर्/धुरा, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (f.) or Puṃliṅga usage; here Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'yoke/burden'

• iva: like
• iva: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Upamā-avyaya (comparative particle)

• āsādya: having undertaken; having taken up
• āsādya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sad (आ-सद्, धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय: ल्यप्), 'having approached/undertaken'

• vaheyaṃ: could I carry
• vaheyaṃ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vah (वह्, धातु)
• Form: Vidhiliṅ-lakāra (optative), Parasmaipada, Uttama-puruṣa, Ekavacana

• kena: by what
• kena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम्, सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-nipāta (conjunction)

• ojasā: with strength
• ojasā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ojas (ओजस्, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga (n.), Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

Context

Like a young untrained bullock that cannot carry the weight fit for a great bull, with what strength can I bear this burden?

Characters & Entities

• Bharata

FAQs

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

Dharma requires fitness for responsibility; accepting rulership without rightful capacity and legitimacy is portrayed as improper and dangerous.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata expresses his unworthiness to shoulder the kingdom’s burden in Rāma’s absence, using a vivid agrarian metaphor.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-knowledge and humility—Bharata refuses inflated self-assessment and recognizes the true standard of leadership.