Valmiki Ramayana 2.75.10 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 75, Shloka 10

अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चसप्ततितमः सर्गः

Sarga 75: Bharata and Kausalya—Reproach, Oaths, and Reconciliation

Devanagari script

भरतं प्रत्युवाचेदं कौसल्या भृशदुःखिता।।।।इदं ते राज्यकामस्य राज्यं प्राप्तमकण्टकम्।संप्राप्तं बत कैकेय्या शशीघ्रं क्रूरेण कर्मणा।।।।

Transliteration

bharataṃ pratyuvācedaṃ kausalyā bhṛśaduḥkhitā ||

idaṃ te rājyakāmasya rājyaṃ prāptam akaṇṭakam |

saṃprāptaṃ bata kaikeyyā śaśīghraṃ krūreṇa karmaṇā ||

Translation

Kauśalyā, lòng đau đớn khôn cùng, nói với Bharata: “Đây là vương quốc mà con ham muốn—nay đã đạt được, không còn chướng ngại. Ôi thay, Kaikeyī đã vội vàng đoạt lấy cho con bằng một hành vi tàn nhẫn.”

Word by Word

• bharatam: Bharata
• bharatam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prati: towards
• prati: Dik-adhikaraṇa (दिक्-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: prati (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय, ‘towards’ (preposition-like)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• idam: this (speech/words)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• kausalyā: Kausalya
• kausalyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhṛśa-duḥkhitā: deeply afflicted
• bhṛśa-duḥkhitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhṛśa+duḥkhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (intensely sorrowful)

Context

Looking at Bharata, the deeply afflicted Kausalya said, The kingdom which you had desired has been acquired without any obstacle. Alas! Kaikeyi had quickly secured it for you through her crooked act.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśalyā
• Bharata
• Kaikeyī
• Rājya (kingdom)

FAQs

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

Rule gained through cruelty and manipulation lacks dharmic legitimacy; dharma demands rightful succession and moral means, not merely successful acquisition.

What is the narrative situation?

Kauśalyā, grieving, addresses Bharata with bitter irony, implying the kingdom has come to him through Kaikeyī’s wrongful act.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Kauśalyā’s devotion to dharma and justice: she measures kingship by righteousness, not by power.