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Kishkindha Kanda Sarga 55 Shloka 3
Original Shloka
भ्रातुर्ज्येष्ठस्य यो भार्यां जीवतो महिषीं प्रियाम्। धर्मेण मातरं यस्तु स्वीकरोति जुगुप्सितः।।4.55.3।। कथं स धर्मं जानीते येन भ्रात्रा महात्मना। युद्धायाभिनियुक्तेन बिलस्य पिहितं मुखम्।।4.55.4।।
Interpretation Layers

Translations & Commentary

1 curated source available for this shloka.

Valmiki Ramayana Dataset

English Translation

जुगुप्सितः despicable person, यः who, ज्येष्ठस्य of elder's, भ्रातुः brother's, जीवतः while he was alive, धर्मेण from the point of view of morality, मातरं motherlike, भार्याम् wife, प्रियाम् loved, महिषीम् queen, स्वीकरोति he took over (used her as his wife), महात्मना by the great, भ्रात्रा by the brother, युद्धाय for combat, अभिनियुक्तेन engaged, येन by whom, बिलस्य cave's, मुखम् entrance, पिहितम् blocked, सः he, धर्मम् morals, कथम् how, जानीते will he know?

English Commentary

'He usurped his elder brother's queen, while he was still alive. It is morally abominable since an elder brother's wife is like a mother. How can a person who blocks the entrance of a cave while his noble brother is engaged in fighting inside be treated as righteous?