Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.18 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 18
भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः
Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum
इन्द्रोऽप्यश्रुनिपातं तं स्वगात्रे पुण्यगन्धिनम्।सुरभिं मन्यते दृष्ट्वा भूयसीं तां सुरेश्वरः।।।।
indro ’py aśrunipātaṃ taṃ svagātre puṇyagandhinam | surabhiṃ manyate dṛṣṭvā bhūyasīṃ tāṃ sureśvaraḥ ||
सुरेश्वरोऽपि शक्रः स्वगात्रे पुण्यगन्धिनामश्रूणां निपातं दृष्ट्वा तान् भूयसीं सुरभीसम्भवानिति निश्चित्य सुरभिमेव मन्यते।
When Indra, lord of the gods, saw those tears of holy fragrance fallen on his body heunderstood that the tears were shed by the venerated Kamadhenu.
FAQs
Dharma is signaled and discerned: sacred ‘marks’ (like holy-fragrant tears) indicate a significant moral disturbance deserving attention.
Indra notices the fragrant tears on his body and infers they belong to the revered Surabhī.
Discernment (viveka): identifying the source and significance of moral distress.
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