Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 17

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

अधस्ताद्व्रजतस्तस्याः सुरराज्ञो महात्मनः।बिन्दवः पतिता गात्रे सूक्ष्मा स्सुरभिगन्धिनः।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.74.17

Transliteration

adhastād vrajatas tasyāḥ surarājño mahātmanaḥ | bindavaḥ patitā gātre sūkṣmāḥ surabhigandhinaḥ ||

Translation

เมื่อเธอเคลื่อนผ่านอยู่เบื้องบน หยาดหยดอันละเอียด—หอมกรุ่นด้วยกลิ่นสุรภี—ก็ตกลงเบื้องล่างต้องพระวรกายของมหาราชาแห่งเทวะผู้มีจิตยิ่งใหญ่

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Word by Word

• अधस्तात्: downwards/below
• अधस्तात्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• व्रजतः: of (him) proceeding
• व्रजतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग रूपसाम्य; ‘of (him) going/proceeding’

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सुरराज्ञः: of the king of the gods
• सुरराज्ञः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरराज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सुराणां राजा)

• महात्मनः: of the great-souled (one)
• महात्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying सुरराज्ञः); समासः कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• बिन्दवः: drops
• बिन्दवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पतिताः: fell
• पतिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative action: fell)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पतित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √पत्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेयविशेषण (predicate participle)

• गात्रे: on the body
• गात्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• सूक्ष्माः: fine/tiny
• सूक्ष्माः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying बिन्दवः)

• सुरभिगन्धिनः: fragrant
• सुरभिगन्धिनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुरभि-गन्धिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (सुरभिः गन्धः यस्य) / उपपद-तत्पुरुष; विशेषणम् (qualifying बिन्दवः)

Context

The fine drops of her fragnant tears trickled down the body of the great king of the gods (Indra).

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyi
• Surabhī
• Indra (Sura-rāja)

FAQs

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

Suffering—especially unjust suffering—echoes into the divine realm; dharma is not merely social but cosmic, drawing the attention of higher powers.

What is the narrative situation?

Surabhī’s tears fall upon Indra, setting up Indra’s recognition and response.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The gods’ attentiveness to dharmic imbalance—signals of distress are not ignored.