All 31 Uses of
reproach
in
The Ramayana
- Of all his countless followers none Can breathe a word against my son; Of many thousands not a dame Can hint reproach or whisper blame.†
Book 2 *
- Soon every honest tongue will fling Reproach on the dishonest king; The people's scorn in every street The seller of his child will meet, And such dishonour will be mine As whelms a Bráhman drunk with wine.†
Book 2
- And he who saw not Ráma nigh, Nor caught a look from Ráma's eye, A mark for scorn and general blame, Reproached himself in bitter shame.†
Book 2
- Thus in their woe, like kine bereaved Of their young calves,(287) the ladies grieved, And ever as they wept and wailed With keen reproach the king assailed.†
Book 2
- Kaikeyí Reproached.†
Book 2
- "(310) Sumantra thus, palm joined to palm, Poured forth his words of bane and balm, With keen reproach, with pleading kind, Striving to move Kaikeyí's mind.†
Book 2
- This, Lady, I remember well, Nor angry words have I to tell: Reproaches at Kaikeyí shot, Such, Queen, my mind remembers not.†
Book 2
- What banished son would check his ire, Nor speak reproaches of his sire?†
Book 2
- Kaikeyí Reproached.†
Book 2
- When Bharat's anger-sharpened tongue Reproaches on the queen had flung, Again, with mighty rage possessed, The guilty dame he thus addressed: "Flee, cruel, wicked sinner, flee, Let not this kingdom harbour thee.†
Book 2
- A while he lay: he rose at length, And slowly gathering sense and strength, With angry eyes which tears bedewed, The miserable queen he viewed, And spake with keen reproach to her Before each lord and minister: "No lust have I for kingly sway, My mother I no more obey: Naught of this consecration knew Which Dasaratha kept in view.†
Book 2
- With suppliant hand to hand applied He turned to her who wept and sighed, And thus bespake the queen, whose breast With sundry woes was sore distressed: "Why these reproaches, noble dame?†
Book 2
- Deep in her heart Kaikeyí felt The stabs his keen reproaches dealt, And of Satrughna's ire afraid, To Bharat flew and cried for aid.†
Book 2
- There with the good Sumitrá Queen Kausalyá, sad and worn, was seen, Caressing, still with sorrow faint, The feet of that illustrious saint, Kaikeyí too, her longings crossed, Reproached of all, her object lost, Before the famous hermit came, And clasped his feet, o'erwhelmed with shame.†
Book 2
- Thus in fraternal love he spoke, And from his lips reproaches broke: But Ráma grieved to hear him chide The absent mother, and replied: "Cease, O beloved, cease to blame Our royal father's second dame.†
Book 3
- By fate to sin and ruin spurred, That sage advice the giant heard, Then in reproaches hard and stern Thus to Márícha spoke in turn: "Is this thy counsel, weak and base, Unworthy of thy giant race?†
Book 3
- Mine ears thy fierce reproaches pain As boiling water seethes the brain.†
Book 3
- I will not, King of giants, strive To keep this fleeting soul alive But never shall they join the name Of Sítá with reproach and shame.†
Book 3
- Lakshma? with Fortune's marks impressed, His brother mournfully addressed: "Not by my heart's free impulse led, Leaving thy wife to thee I sped; But by her keen reproaches sent, O Ráma, to thine aid I went.†
Book 3
- How, stained with this my base defeat, How wilt thou dare, where good men meet, To speak, when every tongue will blame With keen reproach this deed of shame?†
Book 4
- He ceased: and Ráma's heart was stirred At every keen reproach he heard.†
Book 4
- Cease, Báli, cease: no more complain: Reproaches and laments are vain, For thou art justly punished: we Obey our king and are not free.†
Book 4
- And lay not to my charge, O King, My mad reproaches' idle sting.†
Book 4
- He smote me with a splintered tree: I groaned aloud and turned to flee, From stern reproaches he forbore, And gently bade me sin no more.†
Book 4
- The hour is come: he hears the call, But not on thee reproaches fall From him who labours to repress His eager spirit's restlessness.†
Book 4
- He ceased: and Tárá starry-eyed Thus to the angry prince replied: "Not to my lord shouldst thou address A speech so fraught with bitterness: Not thus reproached my lord should be, And least of all, O Prince, by thee.†
Book 4
- For this, O Sítá, have I borne The keen reproach, the bitter scorn, And the fond love thou boastest yet For that poor wandering anchoret; Else had the words which thou hast said Brought death upon thy guilty head.†
Book 5
- Still with reproaches rough and rude Those fiends the gentle queen pursued: "What! can so fair a life displease, To dwell with him in joyous ease?†
Book 5
- But Mahápársva saw the sting Of keen reproach had galled the king; And humbly, eager to appease His anger, spoke in words like these: "And breathes there one so cold and weak The forest and the gloom to seek Where savage beasts abound, and spare To taste the luscious honey there?†
Book 6
- Think on the dangers of the day, Nor idly throw thy words away: If, led astray, by passion stirred, I in the pride of power have erred; If deeds of old were done amiss, No time for vain reproach is this.†
Book 6
- For else had many a slanderous tongue Reproaches on mine honour flung, And scorned the king who, love-impelled, His consort from the proof withheld.†
Book 6
Definition:
-
(reproach) a criticism; or to express criticism or disappointment -- especially where a relationship makes the disapproval result in disappointment or shameeditor's notes: The expression "beyond reproach" is often used to indicate that one must not only be careful to do everything right, but must be careful not to do anything that might make people suspect they did something wrong. For example, politicians often need to behave in a manner that is beyond reproach.
"Beyond reproach" can also suggest that something is perfect. More rarely, it can also be used to suggest that someone is too powerful or too well-connected to criticize.