Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 7

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Spoken by Lakṣmaṇa to RamaSetting: Ayodhya (implied, royal context)

Devanagari script

तदिदं वचनं राज्ञःपुनर्बाल्यमुपेयुषः ।

पुत्रः को हृदये कुर्याद्राजवृत्तमनुस्मरन् ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.7

Transliteration

tad idaṁ vacanaṁ rājñaḥ punar bālyam upeyuṣaḥ |

putraḥ ko hṛdaye kuryād rājavṛttam anusmaran ||7||

Translation

রাজা যেন পুনরায় শিশুসুলভ হয়েছেন—এমন রাজার এই বাক্য শুনে, রাজধর্মের আচরণ স্মরণকারী কোন পুত্র তা হৃদয়ে ধারণ করতে পারে?

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Word by Word

• tat: that
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; demonstrative
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• idam: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; demonstrative
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• vacanam: statement/words
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• punar: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• bālyam: childhood
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• upeyuṣaḥ: who has regained/attained
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-i (धातु)
• Form: Perfect active participle (क्तवत्/परिपूर्ण कृदन्त), Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular; qualifying rājñaḥ: 'of the king who has attained (again)'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• putraḥ: son
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• kaḥ: which/who?
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; interrogative
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• hṛdaye: in the heart
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• kuryāt: would place/accept/do
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• rāja-vṛttam: kingly conduct
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'conduct/way of a king'
• Role: Karma (कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• anusmaran: remembering
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agreeing with putraḥ: 'remembering'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• tadidaṃ = tat + idam
• punarbālyam = punar + bālyam
• bālyamupēyuṣaḥ = bālyam + upeyuṣaḥ
• kuryādrājavṛttam = kuryāt + rāja-vṛttam

Context

Will any son with the ideals of a king in mind accept such words of this king who has entered his chilhood again ?

The teaching

Authority is legitimate only when aligned with dharma; a son’s loyalty is tested when a ruler’s command appears to deviate from rājadharma.

Duties in tension

• Filial obedience to the king/father
• Upholding rājadharma and proper royal conduct
• Protecting the rightful heir and justice

Ethical theme

Rājadharma vs pitṛ-ājñā

How it resolves

Unresolved (argumentative challenge)

For your practice

Cultivates viveka and moral courage: examine whether commands align with dharma while maintaining inner restraint.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Indignant, wounded, restrained

Themes

• Dharma
• Royal ethics
• Maryādā
• Counsel

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• the king (Daśaratha)

FAQs

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

Dharma in kingship requires steadiness and principled judgment; impulsive or ‘childish’ decisions are seen as contrary to rāja-dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa reacts strongly to the king’s decision that leads to Rāma’s exile, questioning how such words can align with royal propriety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s fierce loyalty and protective vigilance toward Rāma, coupled with his insistence on standards of righteous governance.