Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 26

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

यस्याः पुत्रसहस्रैस्तु कृत्स्नं व्याप्तमिदं जगत्।तां दृष्ट्वा रुदतीं शक्रो न सुतान्मन्यते परम्।।।।

Transliteration

yasyāḥ putrasahasrais tu kṛtsnaṁ vyāptam idaṁ jagat | tāṁ dṛṣṭvā rudatīṁ śakro na sutān manyate param ||

Translation

Bagaman ang buong daigdig ay napupuno ng kaniyang sanlibong anak, nang makita ni Śakra (Indra) na siya’y umiiyak, naunawaan niya: walang itinatangi nang higit kaysa sariling anak.

Word by Word

• यस्याः: whose (of whom)
• यस्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन) सर्वनाम

• पुत्रसहस्रैः: by a thousand sons
• पुत्रसहस्रैः: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (पुत्राणां सहस्रम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/contrast

• कृत्स्नम्: entire
• कृत्स्नम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (जगतः)

• व्याप्तम्: pervaded/filled
• व्याप्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vyāp (धातु) + kta (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘व्याप्तम्’ = ‘pervaded/filled’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (जगतः)

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन) सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having seen’

• रुदतीम्: weeping
• रुदतीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √rud (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषणम् (ताम्)

• शक्रः: Indra
• शक्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• सुतान्: sons
• सुतान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• मन्यते: considers/thinks
• मन्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √man (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• परम्: beyond/more than
• परम्: Karma (कर्म/Extent)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); क्रियाविशेषणवत्—‘beyond/more’ (सुतान् परम्)

Context

The wish-fulfilling cow (Kamadhenu) had innumerable sons spread all over the world. When Indra saw that Kamadhenu too was weeping for her sons, he concluded 'there is no one greater than a son'.

Characters & Entities

• Indra (Śakra)
• Surabhi
• Kāmadhenu
• world (jagat)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights a universal dharmic insight: parental attachment and responsibility are powerful and morally significant, shaping human (and cosmic) notions of duty and care.

What is the narrative situation?

Indra observes Surabhi’s grief despite her countless offspring and draws a conclusion about the incomparable value of a child.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Insight (viveka): the ability to infer a broader moral truth from a concrete instance of suffering.