Valmiki Ramayana 2.92.24-26: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 92, Shlokas 24-26

भरद्वाजाश्रमात् चित्रकूटमार्गनिर्देशः · Directions from Bharadvaja’s Hermitage to Chitrakuta

Spoken by BharataSetting: AyodhyaPlaces named: forest, svarga

Devanagari script

यस्याः कृते नरव्याघ्रौ जीवनाशमितो गतौ ।

राजपुत्रविहीनश्च स्वर्गं दशरथो गतः ॥२४॥

क्रोधनामकृतप्रज्ञां दृप्तां सुभगमानिनीम् ।

ऐश्वर्यकामां कैकेयीमनार्यामार्यारूपिणीम् ॥२५॥

ममैतां मातरं विद्धि नृशंसां पापनिश्चयाम् ।

यतोमूलं हि पश्यामि व्यसनं महदात्मनः ॥२६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.92.24-26

Transliteration

yasyāḥ kṛte naravyāghrau jīvanāśamito gatau |

rājaputravihīnaśca svargaṃ daśaratho gataḥ ||24||

krodhanāmakṛtaprajñāṃ dṛptāṃ subhagamāninīm |

aiśvaryakāmāṃ kaikeyīmanāryāmāryārūpiṇīm ||25||

mamaitāṃ mātaraṃ viddhi nṛśaṃsāṃ pāpaniścayām |

yatomūlaṃ hi paśyāmi vyasanaṃ mahadātmanaḥ ||26||

Translation

นางคือมารดาของข้า ไกยเกยี ผู้มีอารมณ์ฉุนเฉียว ขาดปัญญาในการตัดสินใจ หยิ่งยโส โอ้อวดในความงามของตน มักใฝ่ในความมั่งคั่ง เป็นคนต่ำช้าในรูปลักษณ์ของคนสูงศักดิ์ ชั่วร้ายและมุ่งมั่นในการกระทำบาป จงดูนางเถิด ท่านจงรู้ไว้ว่าเพราะเหตุแห่งนาง พระรามและพระลักษมณ์ผู้เป็นเลิศในหมู่มนุษย์จึงเสด็จเข้าสู่ป่าซึ่งอาจนำมาซึ่งการสูญเสียชีวิต และท้าวทศรถได้เสด็จสู่สวรรค์ นางเพียงผู้เดียวเป็นรากเหง้าแห่งความวิบัติครั้งใหญ่ที่ข้ากำลังเผชิญอยู่ในขณะนี้

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Word by Word

• यस्याः: of whom
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; relative pronoun
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• कृते: for the sake of
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कृत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतौ सप्तमी/निमित्ते (kṛte) indeclinable usage ‘for the sake of/because of’
• Role: Hetu (हेतु)

• नर-व्याघ्रौ: the two best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + व्याघ्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; ‘men who are tigers’ (best of men)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• जीवनाशम्: destruction of life
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव-नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘जीवनस्य नाशः’
• Role: Gati/Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• इतः: from here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (ablatival adverb)
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)

• गतौ: went
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; ‘having gone/forced to go’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• राज-पुत्र-विहीनः: bereft of his son
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राज (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of दशरथः; ‘राजपुत्रेण विहीनः’ (deprived of the prince/son)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय
• Role: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)

• स्वर्गम्: to heaven
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; goal of motion
• Role: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)

• दशरथः: Dasharatha
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशरथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• गतः: went/attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (past participle) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• क्रोध-नाम: anger-natured
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of कैकेयीम्; ‘क्रोधो नाम यस्याः/यस्य’ i.e., ‘named/characterized by anger’
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• अकृत-प्रज्ञाम्: without discernment
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अकृत (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘प्रज्ञा न कृता/नास्ति’ (undiscerning)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• दृप्ताम्: proud
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृप्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• सुभग-मानिनीम्: self-conceited as beautiful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सुभग (प्रातिपदिक) + मानिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘सुभगा इति मानिनी’ (thinking herself beautiful)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• ऐश्वर्य-कामाम्: desiring sovereignty
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘ऐश्वर्यं कामयते’ (desiring power/wealth)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• कैकेयीम्: Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अनार्याम्: ignoble
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• आर्य-रूपिणीम्: noble-looking
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘आर्यस्य रूपं यस्याः’ (having the appearance of a noble)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• मम: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• एताम्: this (woman)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

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

• विद्धि: know (you)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• नृशंसाम्: cruel
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नृशंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of एताम्/मातरम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• पाप-निश्चयाम्: sin-intent
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + निश्चय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘पापे निश्चयः यस्याः’ (resolved on sin)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• यतः-मूलम्: as the root cause
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतः (अव्यय) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन as adverbial accusative; ‘from-which-root’ = ‘as the root cause’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• हि: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), कारण/निश्चयार्थ
• Role: Nipāta (निपात)

• पश्यामि: I see
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• व्यसनम्: calamity
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• महत्: great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of व्यसनम्
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• आत्मनः: of the great-souled (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; genitive of relation (of the great-souled one)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

Sandhi Notes

• जीवनाशमितो = जीवनाशम् + इतः
• रājaputravihīnaśca = राजपुत्रविहीनः + च
• क्रोधनामकृतप्रज्ञां = क्रोध-नाम + अकृत-प्रज्ञाम्
• कैकेयीमनार्यामार्यारूपिणीम् = कैकेयीम् + अनार्याम् + आर्यरूपिणीम्
• ममैताम् = मम + एताम्
• यतोमूलं = यतः-मूलम् (avyayībhāva)

Context

She is my mother Kaikeyi who is irascible, lacks the power of discrimination, proud, boastful of her beauty, ambitious of wealth, ignoble in the guise of a noble woman, wicked and intent on sinful acts. Behold her. You may know that because of her, Rama and Lakshmana the best of men entered the forest which may cause their destruction and king Dasaratha attained heaven. She alone is the root of this great calamity that I am presently confronting.

The teaching

Even blood relations must be condemned when they act against dharma; true nobility lies in character, not birth

Duties in tension

• Filial duty to mother
• Fraternal duty to brother
• Duty to truth and righteousness

Ethical theme

Dharma-nistha

How it resolves

Righteous condemnation

For your practice

Illustrates the importance of viveka (discrimination) and the courage to speak truth even to family

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Righteous indignation, filial anguish, moral outrage

Themes

• Dharma
• Filial Duty
• Moral Condemnation
• Family Conflict
• Truth
• Consequences of Adharma

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyi
• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Dasharatha
• Bharata
• Bharadwaja

FAQs

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

Bharata demonstrates the difficult dharma of speaking truth even about one's own mother when she has committed adharma. He prioritizes righteousness over blind filial loyalty, showing that dharma demands we acknowledge wrongdoing regardless of personal relationships.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata, having reached Chitrakoot to bring Rama back, is introducing the queens to Sage Bharadwaja. He specifically identifies Kaikeyi and, overcome with grief and anger, condemns her role in causing Rama's exile and Dasharatha's death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Bharata exemplifies satya (truthfulness) and moral courage. Despite Kaikeyi being his mother, he does not hesitate to identify her as the root cause of the catastrophe, demonstrating that true dharma transcends personal attachments.