Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 3

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

विपरीतश्च वृद्धश्च विषयैश्च प्रधर्षितः।नृपः किमिव न ब्रूयाच्चोद्यमानस्समन्मथः।।2.21.3।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.3

Transliteration

viparītaś ca vṛddhaś ca viṣayaiś ca pradharṣitaḥ | nṛpaḥ kim iva na brūyāt codyamānaḥ sa-manmathaḥ || 2.21.3 ||

Translation

Mit verkehrtem Urteil, im Alter und von Sinnesgenüssen bedrängt—vom Begehren beherrscht und angetrieben—was könnte der König da nicht sagen?

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Word by Word

• विपरीतः: perverse
• विपरीतः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपरीत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of नृपः)

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

• वृद्धः: aged
• वृद्धः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of नृपः)

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

• विषयैः: by sense-pleasures
• विषयैः: Sahakari (सहकारी/हेतुनिमित्त)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विषय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd, instrumental), बहुवचन

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

• प्रधर्षितः: assailed/overpowered
• प्रधर्षितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + धृष् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of नृपः)

• नृपः: the king
• नृपः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म/object of brūyāt)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• इव: indeed/as it were
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमावाचक/अनिश्चितार्थ (as it were)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध

• ब्रूयात्: would/should say
• ब्रूयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चोद्यमानः: being urged/incited
• चोद्यमानः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चुद् (धातु) + यमान (कृत्)
• Form: शानच् (present passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of नृपः)

• समन्मथः: overcome by passion
• समन्मथः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स + मन्मथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of नृपः): ‘with passion/under Cupid’

Context

The king has a perverse nature. He is aged. He is overpowered by passions. He is under the spell of carnal pleasures and is incited (by Kaikeyi). Such a man can speak anything.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma
• Daśaratha (implied as nṛpa/king)
• Kaikeyī (implied as the one inciting)

FAQs

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

The verse warns that when a ruler is dominated by desire and external prompting, speech and decisions can deviate from dharma; self-mastery is essential for righteous governance.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā characterizes the king’s compromised state—old age, passion, and Kaikeyī’s influence—to explain how such troubling commands could arise.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The implied virtue is restraint (dama) and clarity of judgment; its absence is shown as the cause of dharmic collapse in decision-making.