Valmiki Ramayana 2.74.14 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 14

भरतस्य कैकेयी-गर्हा तथा सुरभि-दृष्टान्तः

Bharata’s Reproach of Kaikeyi and the Surabhi Exemplum

Devanagari script

अङगप्रत्यङगजः पुत्रो हृदयाच्चापि जायते।तस्मात्प्रियतमो मातुः प्रिया एव तु बान्धवाः।।।।

Transliteration

aṅgapratyaṅgajaḥ putro hṛdayāc cāpi jāyate | tasmāt priyatamo mātuḥ priyā eva tu bāndhavāḥ ||

Translation

بیٹا گویا ماں کے ہر عضو اور حتیٰ کہ دل سے بھی جنم لیتا ہے؛ اسی لیے ماں کے نزدیک وہ سب سے زیادہ عزیز ہوتا ہے، اور دوسرے رشتے دار محض نسبتاً عزیز ہوتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• aṅga-pratyaṅga-jaḥ: born of every limb
• aṅga-pratyaṅga-jaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + pratyaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (√jan धातु + ड)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; tatpuruṣa: aṅgāt pratyaṅgāc ca jātaḥ (born from limbs and sub-limbs)

• putraḥ: son
• putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• hṛdayāt: from the heart
• hṛdayāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• jāyate: is born
• jāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (जन् धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu/Conclusion (हेतु/निगमन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative used as indeclinable (तस्मात् = therefore)

• priyatamaḥ: most beloved
• priyatamaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priyatama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; superlative; predicate of putraḥ (understood)

• mātuḥ: of the mother
• mātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive, Singular

• priyāḥ: dear
• priyāḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; predicate of bāndhavāḥ

• eva: indeed, only
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारण-निपात)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• bāndhavāḥ: relatives
• bāndhavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāndhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Context

A son born from every limb, big or small, and from the heart is the most beloved of all for his mother while the other relatives are only loving ones.

Characters & Entities

• Bharata
• Kaikeyi

FAQs

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

It underscores the sanctity of the mother–child bond; violating or exploiting such bonds is treated as a profound breach of dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Bharata explains why separating a mother from her son is especially cruel, intensifying his condemnation of Kaikeyi’s actions.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sensitivity to relational dharma—recognizing the depth of a mother’s attachment to her child.