Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 10

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

निर्मनुष्यामिमां कृत्स्नामयोध्यां मनुजर्षभ ।

करिष्यामि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्यदि स्थास्यति विप्रिये ॥१०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.10

Transliteration

nirmanuṣyām imāṃ kṛtsnām ayodhyāṃ manujarṣabha |

kariṣyāmi śarais tīkṣṇair yadi sthāsyati vipriye ||10||

Translation

يا خير الرجال، إذا وقفت أيوديا بأكملها ضدك في عداء، سأجعل هذه المدينة خالية تمامًا من الرجال بأسهمي الحادة.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• nirmanuṣyām: depopulated (of men)
• nirmanuṣyām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir (उपसर्ग) + manuṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; bahuvrīhi 'devoid of men' qualifying ayodhyām

• imām: this
• imām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with ayodhyām

• kṛtsnām: entire
• kṛtsnām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with ayodhyām

• ayodhyām: Ayodhyā
• ayodhyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• manu-jarṣabha: O best of men
• manu-jarṣabha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manuṣya (प्रातिपदिक) + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular; 'bull among men'

• kariṣyāmi: I shall make/do
• kariṣyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ-lakāra (Periphrastic Future/परस्मैपदी भविष्यत्), Parasmaipada, 1st person, Singular

• śaraiḥ: with arrows
• śaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Plural

• tīkṣṇaiḥ: sharp
• tīkṣṇaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīkṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; agrees with śaraiḥ

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-अव्यय)

• sthāsyati: will stand/remain
• sthāsyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु)
• Form: Luṭ/Laṭ? here Simple Future (Lṛṭ/लृट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• vipriye: in opposition/against (you)
• vipriye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular; 'in hostility/when opposed' (locative of circumstance)

Context

O best of men, if the whole of Ayodhya stands against you I shall depopulate it with my sharp arrows.

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Rama
• Ayodhya

FAQs

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

The verse dramatizes a conflict within dharma: protective loyalty and kṣatriya impulse to punish injustice, yet the epic’s broader ethic favors restraint and adherence to truth-bound duty over violent retaliation.

What is the narrative situation?

Amid the exile crisis, Lakshmana declares to Rama that he will destroy opposition in Ayodhya if the city turns hostile toward Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fierce loyalty and martial protectiveness—Lakshmana’s readiness to act for Rama, even excessively, highlights his unwavering devotion.