Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.31: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 31

लक्ष्मणक्रोधः—दैवपुरुषकारविवादः

Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort

Devanagari script

न चाहं कामयेऽत्यर्थं यस्स्याच्छत्रुर्मतो मम।।।।असिना तीक्ष्णधारेण विद्युच्चलितवर्चसा।प्रगृहीतेन वै शत्रुं वज्रिणं वा न कल्पये।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.23.31

Transliteration

na cāhaṃ kāmaye ’tyarthaṃ yas syāc chatrur mato mama | asinā tīkṣṇadhāreṇa vidyuccalitavarcasā | pragṛhītena vai śatruṃ vajriṇaṃ vā na kalpaye || 2.23.31 ||

Translation

لا أرغب البتّة أن يُعَدَّ أحدٌ عدوًّا لي؛ غير أنّي إذا قبضتُ سيفي الحادَّ الحدّ، المتلألئ كوميض البرق، فلن أُبقي على عدوٍّ، ولو كان فَجرينَ—إندرا حامل الصاعقة.

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Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kāmaye: desire
• kāmaye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• ati-artham: exceedingly
• ati-artham: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

• yas: who
• yas: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun); प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• śatruḥ: enemy
• śatruḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mataḥ: considered
• mataḥ: Kriya-puraka (क्रियापूरकः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Any one who turns my enemy will not be allowed to remain alive. Holding my sharp-edged sword, lustrous as a flash of lightning, I shall exterminate my enemy even if it were Indra, the bearer of thunder.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• asi (sword)
• vidyut (lightning)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as deterrent protection: one should not seek enmity, yet must act decisively when righteousness and rightful authority are threatened.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa, in a surge of protective resolve, proclaims uncompromising readiness to punish any aggressor opposing Rāma’s rightful cause.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unflinching courage coupled with a declared unwillingness to initiate conflict—strength in service of duty.