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Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 56

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

धर्मार्थकामाः खलु तात लोके समीक्षिता धर्मफलोदयेषु।ते तत्र सर्वे स्युरसंशयं मे भार्येव वश्याऽभिमता सुपुत्रा।।2.21.56।।

dharmārthakāmāḥ khalu tāta loke

samīkṣitā dharmaphalodayeṣu |

te tatra sarve syur asaṃśayaṃ me

bhāryeva vaśyā 'bhimatā suputrā || 2.21.56 ||

Lieber Bruder, in dieser Welt werden Dharma, Artha und Kāma nach den Früchten beurteilt, die aus dem Dharma erwachsen. In dem Weg, den ich erwählt habe, sind alle drei ohne Zweifel enthalten—wie die treue Fügsamkeit einer Gattin und die geliebte Zuneigung einer Mutter, die mit guten Söhnen gesegnet ist.

धर्मार्थकामाःdharma, artha, and kāma (righteousness, wealth, desire)
धर्मार्थकामाः:
कर्ता (subject)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म + अर्थ + काम (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (masculine, nominative, plural)
खलुindeed, surely
खलु:
सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-निपात (discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootखलु (अव्यय)
Formनिपातः/पदार्थ-निश्चयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle of emphasis/assurance)
तातO dear one / dear son
तात:
सम्बोधन (address)
TypeNoun
Rootतात (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masculine, vocative, singular)
लोकेin the world
लोके:
अधिकरण (location)
TypeNoun
Rootलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (masculine, locative, singular)
समीक्षिताःconsidered, examined
समीक्षिताः:
कर्तृ-विशेषणम् / विधेय (predicate participle of subject)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + ईक्ष् (धातु) → समीक्षित (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त), पुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगे ‘are considered/examined’ (past passive participle, masc. nom. pl.)
धर्मफलोदयेषुin the arising/attainment of the fruits of righteousness
धर्मफलोदयेषु:
अधिकरण (sphere/occasion)
TypeNoun
Rootधर्म + फल + उदय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (masculine, locative, plural); समासः: धर्मस्य फलस्य उदयः (rise/attainment of the fruit of dharma)
तेthey / those (three)
ते:
कर्ता (subject)
TypeNoun
Rootतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (pronoun, masculine, nominative, plural)
तत्रthere, in that matter
तत्र:
अधिकरण-निर्देशक (adverbial locator)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतत्र (अव्यय)
Formदेश/प्रसङ्ग-वाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place/context)
सर्वेall
सर्वे:
कर्तृ-विशेषण (qualifier of subject)
TypeAdjective
Rootसर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम् (masculine, nominative, plural)
स्युःwould be / should be / will be
स्युः:
क्रिया (verbal predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootअस् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुषः, बहुवचनम् (3rd person plural, optative)
असंशयम्without doubt
असंशयम्:
क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial modifier)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअ + संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formक्रियाविशेषण-अव्ययम् (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable: ‘without doubt’)
मेto me / of me
मे:
सम्बन्ध (possessor/relational)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (pronoun, genitive, singular)
भार्याa wife
भार्या:
उपमान (standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Rootभार्या (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (feminine, nominative, singular)
इवlike, as
इव:
उपमा-निर्देशक (comparison marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइव (अव्यय)
Formउपमा-वाचक-अव्ययम् (comparative particle)
वश्याभिमताobedient and beloved
वश्याभिमता:
कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective of implied subject ‘they’)
TypeAdjective
Rootवश्या + अभिमता (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (feminine, nominative, singular); समासः: वश्या च अभिमता च (obedient and beloved)
सुपुत्राhaving good sons
सुपुत्रा:
कर्तृ-विशेषण (predicate adjective)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्गः, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम् (feminine, nominative, singular); समासः: शोभनाः पुत्राः यस्याः सा (having good sons)

Dharma,artha and kama, O my dear! are adjudged in this world according to the fruits of righteous action. All these three are doubtless there (in my decision to go to the forest), like obedience in a wife and love for the mother in good sons.

R
Rama
L
Lakshmana

FAQs

Dharma is the regulating foundation of human aims: artha and kāma gain legitimacy and harmony when they arise in alignment with dharma.

Rama reasons with Lakshmana, explaining that his decision is not a loss of life’s aims but a dharmic integration of them.

Philosophical clarity and balance—Rama articulates a dharma-centered view of the puruṣārthas.