Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 34

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

न खल्वेतन्मयैकेन क्रियते पितृशासनम्।एतैरपि कृतं देवि ये मया तव कीर्तिताः।।2.21.34।।

Transliteration

na khalv etan mayaikena kriyate pitṛ-śāsanam |

etair api kṛtaṃ devi ye mayā tava kīrtitāḥ || 2.21.34 ||

Translation

Wahrlich, o Devi, nicht ich allein führe den Befehl eines Vaters aus; auch jene, die ich dir genannt habe, haben dies getan.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• khalu: indeed
• khalu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/खल्वर्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• etat: this (act)
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun used as 'this'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; instrumental 'by me'

• ekena: alone
• ekena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; adjective qualifying implied agent 'alone'

• kriyate: is carried out
• kriyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive): 'is done/is carried out'

• pitṛśāsanam: father's command
• pitṛśāsanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ-śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (pitṛṇām śāsanam) 'father's command'

• etaiḥ: by these (people)
• etaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; 'by these (persons)'

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• kṛtam: done
• kṛtam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: कृत (क्त) कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; past passive participle: 'done' (agreeing with etat/pitṛśāsanam sense)

• devi: O देवी
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• ye: who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; relative pronoun 'who'

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• tava: to you
• tava: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; 'of/for you'

• kīrtitāḥ: mentioned
• kīrtitāḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kīrt (धातु)
• Form: कीर्तित (क्त) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; past passive participle: 'mentioned/declared' (agreeing with ye)

Context

I am not O Devi! the only one obeying my father's command. All I have mentioned to you did.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Kausalya

FAQs

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

Rama appeals to precedent: dharma is also what is consistently practiced by the virtuous across generations, not merely a private moral invention.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama reassures his mother that his choice is not isolated or unprecedented; it aligns with remembered exemplars.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Humility and adherence to tradition—Rama does not claim exceptionalism but continuity.