Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.19: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 19

लक्ष्मणक्रोधः—दैवपुरुषकारविवादः

Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort

Devanagari script

अद्य मत्पौरुषहतं दैवं द्रक्ष्यन्ति वै जनाः।यद्दैवादाहतं तेऽद्य दृष्टं राज्याभिषेचनम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.23.19

Transliteration

adya mat-pauruṣa-hataṃ daivaṃ drakṣyanti vai janāḥ |

yad daivād āhataṃ te ’dya dṛṣṭaṃ rājyābhiṣecanam ||

Translation

Heute werden die Menschen sehen, wie das Schicksal durch meine Tapferkeit niedergerungen wird—so wie sie heute sahen, wie dein heiliges Königsweiheritual vom Schicksal getroffen wurde.

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Word by Word

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय

• मत्-पौरुष-हतम्: defeated by my effort
• मत्-पौरुष-हतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी) + पौरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + हत (हन् धातु + क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (मम पौरुषेण हतम्: struck/defeated by my valor); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of दैवम्)

• दैवम्: fate
• दैवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of द्रक्ष्यन्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• द्रक्ष्यन्ति: will see
• द्रक्ष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of द्रक्ष्यन्ति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म/Relative object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम; here object/that which

• दैवात्: by fate
• दैवात्: Apādāna (अपादान/Source-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अपादान/हेतु ("by/through fate" as source-cause)

• आहतम्: struck down, prevented
• आहतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-हन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of राज्याभिषेचनम्)

• ते: your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम ("your")

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: काल-अव्यय

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate participle ("has been seen")

• राज्य-अभिषेचनम्: royal consecration
• राज्य-अभिषेचनम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of दृष्टम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिषेचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (राज्यस्य अभिषेचनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

Lakshmana, frowning between his eye-brows, hissed like a great serpent seized with anger in its hole.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• janāḥ (people of Ayodhyā)

FAQs

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

It frames the tension between fate (daiva) and human effort (pauruṣa); dharma in the Rāmāyaṇa ultimately values disciplined action aligned with righteousness, not mere defiance driven by anger.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rāma’s consecration is obstructed, Lakṣmaṇa vows to overturn the turn of events through his own strength and initiative.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Determination and protective zeal—Lakṣmaṇa’s readiness to act to restore what he believes is just for Rāma.