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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.72.18
Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 72: Bharata stops Mantharā’s punishment. Śatrughna drags her across the floor, Bharata orders her release to avoid Rāma’s condemnation
In the sequence: he also rebukes Kaikeyī, who runs to Bharata for protection
2.72.18
sa balī balavat krodhād gṛhītvā puruṣarṣabhaḥ
kaikeyīm abhinirbhartsya babhāṣe paruṣaṃ vacaḥ
That mighty bull among men, having seized her fiercely in his wrath, sternly rebuked Kaikeyī and spoke harsh words.
Words: sa balī — that strong one; balavat — forcibly, mightily; krodhād — out of wrath; gṛhītvā — having seized; puruṣarṣabhaḥ — the bull among men; kaikeyīm — Kaikeyī; abhinirbhartsya — having harshly rebuked; babhāṣe — spoke; paruṣaṃ — harsh; vacaḥ — words
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.