Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.48: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 48

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma-based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

त्वया मया च वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन सुमित्रया।पितुर्नियोगे स्थातव्यमेष धर्मस्सनातनः।।2.21.48।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.48

Transliteration

tvayā mayā ca vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena sumitrayā |

pitur niyoge sthātavyam eṣa dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ ||2.21.48||

Translation

আপনি, আমি, বৈদেহী, লক্ষ্মণ ও সুমিত্রা—আমাদের সকলেরই পিতার আদেশে অবিচল থাকা উচিত; এটাই সনাতন ধর্ম।

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Word by Word

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Kartr-sahabhava (कर्तृसहभाव/agent-instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-sahabhava (कर्तृसहभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• वैदेह्या: by Vaidehi (Sita)
• वैदेह्या: Kartr-sahabhava (कर्तृसहभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैदेही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• लक्ष्मणेन: by Lakshmana
• लक्ष्मणेन: Kartr-sahabhava (कर्तृसहभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• सुमित्रया: by Sumitra
• सुमित्रया: Kartr-sahabhava (कर्तृसहभाव)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुमित्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• पितुः: of the father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• नियोगे: in the command/order
• नियोगे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th, locative), एकवचन; ‘आज्ञायाम्’ (in the command)

• स्थातव्यम्: must be obeyed/abided by
• स्थातव्यम्: Vidhi (विधि/कर्तव्य)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तव्यता (ought to be stood/abided)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता/subject—dharmaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• धर्मः: dharma/law
• धर्मः: Karta (कर्ता/predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of धर्मः)

Context

You, Sita, Lakshmana, Sumitra and I -- all of us shall abide by the words of my father. This indeed is eternal law.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kausalyā (implied by address/context)
• Vaidehī (Sītā)
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Sumitrā
• Daśaratha (pituḥ, implied)

FAQs

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

Dharma is defined as collective fidelity to a rightful command and to truth: the family must uphold the father’s injunction as a timeless moral law.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma generalizes his stance into a family-wide commitment, indicating that all close relations should align with Daśaratha’s order regarding exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s sense of moral universality: he frames personal suffering as participation in an enduring ethical order (sanātana dharma).