Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.28: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 28

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Setting: Ayodhya (palace quarters of Kausalyā)

Devanagari script

विलपन्तीं तथा दीनां कौसल्यां जननीं ततः ।

उवाच रामो धर्मात्मा वचनं धर्मसंहितम् ॥२८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.28

Transliteration

vilapantīṃ tathā dīnāṃ kausalyāṃ jananīṃ tataḥ |

uvāca rāmo dharmātmā vacanaṃ dharmasaṃhitam ||28||

Translation

তাৰ পাছত, এইদৰে দীনভাৱে বিলাপ কৰা জননী কৌসল্যাৰ প্ৰতি ধৰ্মাত্মা ৰামে ধৰ্মসন্মত বাক্য ক’লে।

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Word by Word

• विलपन्तीम्: lamenting
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vilapantī (कृदन्त; √lap लप् + vi-)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘lamenting’
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• तथा: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thus/in that way’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• दीनाम्: wretched
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with कौसल्याम्/जननीम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• कौसल्याम्: Kausalya
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• जननीम्: mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: jananī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• ततः: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘then’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• रामः: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘whose self is dharma’ = ‘righteous’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (qualifying रामः)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• वचनम्: words
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• धर्मसंहितम्: consistent with righteousness
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhita (कृदन्त; √dhā धा + sam-)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘in accordance with dharma’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with वचनम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• धर्मसंहितम् = धर्म + संहितम्

Context

Thereafter, virtuous Rama addressed these words consistent with righteousness to his miserable mother Kausalya who was thus lamenting:

The teaching

When grief rises, dharma-aligned speech and steadfastness become the proper refuge.

Duties in tension

• Rāma’s duty to obey father’s command vs duty to soothe and protect mother from grief
• Personal welfare/royal comfort vs dharma of promise-keeping

Ethical theme

Gṛhastha/putra-dharma and satya-dharma in crisis

How it resolves

Dharma-upadeśa (consolation through righteous reasoning)

For your practice

Practice of dharmic speech (satya-hita) and compassionate steadiness amid family suffering.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Lamenting, tender, steadfast

Themes

• Dharma
• Narration
• Ethics
• Characterization

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Rāma’s response is framed as dharma-consistent speech: even amid grief and conflict, one should speak in alignment with righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

After Kausalyā’s lament and pleas, the narration transitions to Rāma’s dharmic reply.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharmātmā nature—moral steadiness and principled speech under pressure.