Valmiki Ramayana 2.72.39 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 72, Shloka 39

भरतस्य मातृसदनगमनं कैकेय्या दारुणवृत्तान्तकथनं च

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

Devanagari script

तच्छ्रुत्वा विषसादैव द्वितीयाप्रियशंसनात्।विषण्णवदनो भूत्वा भूयः पप्रच्छ मातरम्।।2.72.39।।

Transliteration

tac chrutvā viṣasādaiva dvitīyāpriyaśaṃsanāt | viṣaṇṇavadano bhūtvā bhūyaḥ papraccha mātaram || 2.72.39 ||

Translation

ครั้นได้สดับถ้อยคำอันโศกสลดเป็นครั้งที่สองนั้น ภรตะก็ยิ่งเศร้าสร้อยลง; ด้วยพักตร์หม่นหมอง เขาจึงทูลถามมารดาอีกครั้ง

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; श्रुत्वा इत्यस्य कर्म

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having heard’

• विषसाद: became dejected
• विषसाद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + सद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• द्वितीयाप्रियशंसनात्: from the second unpleasant report
• द्वितीयाप्रियशंसनात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीया + अप्रिय + शंसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे; समासः द्वितीयं च तत् अप्रियशंसनं (तत्पुरुष; बहुपद-समास)

• विषण्णवदनः: with a downcast face
• विषण्णवदनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषण्ण + वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (सः/रामः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्); समासः विषण्णं वदनं यस्य (कर्मधारय/बहुव्रीह्यर्थे)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having become’

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरावृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• पप्रच्छ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पृच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मातरम्: mother
• मातरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

Bharata was more distraught on hearing the words that conveyed the second unpleasant tidings. With downcast countenance, he again enquired of his mother thus:

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kausalyā (mother, by context)

FAQs

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

In crisis, dharma begins with seeking truth (satya) responsibly—Bharata does not act rashly but asks again to understand fully.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata, after learning distressing news, continues to inquire for clarity about what has happened.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata’s conscientiousness and restraint: grief does not erase his commitment to careful understanding.