Valmiki Ramayana 2.53.10 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53, Shloka 10
पञ्चाशत्तमः सर्गः (Sarga 53)
Rāma’s Lament, Vigil for Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa’s Consolation
को ह्यविद्वानपि पुमान् प्रमदायाः कृते त्यजेत्।छन्दानुवर्तिनं पुत्रं तातो मामिव लक्ष्मण।।।।
ko hy avidvān api pumān pramadāyāḥ kṛte tyajet | chandānuvartinaṃ putraṃ tāto mām iva lakṣmaṇa ||2.53.10||
يا لاكشمانا، أيُّ رجل—even إن كان غيرَ عالم—يترك، من أجل امرأة، ابناً مطيعاً مثلي، كما فعل أبي؟
O Lakshmana, will even an illiterate man for the sake of a woman ever abandon his son like me who is faithful and obedient, as did my father?
FAQs
The verse questions a lapse in discernment: dharma requires reasoned judgment not to sacrifice rightful duty and familial responsibility under overpowering attachment.
Rāma, pained by exile, speaks candidly to Lakṣmaṇa about being forsaken by his father under Kaikeyī’s influence.
Rāma’s frankness and moral clarity—he articulates the ethical problem even while personally suffering.
Ask anything about this verse
Curious about the meaning, context, or a word? Ask, and continue the conversation in the Vedapath app.
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.