Valmiki Ramayana 2.31.16 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 31, Shloka 16

लक्ष्मणस्य वनानुगमन-प्रतिज्ञा तथा आयुध-संग्रहः

Lakshmana’s Vow to Follow Rama and the Retrieval of Divine Weapons

Devanagari script

एवं मम च ते भक्तिर्भविष्यति सुदर्शिता।धर्मज्ञ गुरुपूजायां धर्मश्चाप्यतुलो महान्।।।।

Transliteration

evaṃ mama ca te bhaktir bhaviṣyati sudarśitā |

dharmajña gurupūjāyāṃ dharmaś cāpy atulo mahān || 2.31.16 ||

Translation

Wenn du so handelst, wird deine Hingabe zu mir deutlich sichtbar; und du, der du das Dharma kennst, wisse: die Verehrung der Älteren ist an sich eine große, unvergleichliche Tugend.

Word by Word

• evam: thus/in this way
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, manner adverb (प्रकारवाचक)

• mama: my/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction

• te: your/of you
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• bhaktiḥ: devotion
• bhaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhaviṣyati: will be/become
• bhaviṣyati: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (future), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• sudarśitā: well shown/demonstrated
• sudarśitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su + darśita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicate adjective to bhaktiḥ

• dharmajña: O knower of dharma
• dharmajña: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma-jña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, संबोधन, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (dharmaṃ jānāti)

• gurupūjāyām: in worship of elders/teachers
• gurupūjāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru-pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (guroḥ pūjā)

• dharmaḥ: dharma/virtue
• dharmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, conjunction

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, particle

• atulaḥ: unequalled
• atulaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण to dharmaḥ

• mahān: great
• mahān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण to dharmaḥ

Context

If you do this, your devotion to me will be amply demonstrated. Service to the elders, O dutiful one, is a virtue, great and unequalled.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

Dharma is defined as guru-sevā—honoring and serving elders as an incomparable virtue; devotion is validated through ethical action, especially care for those deserving reverence.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma reinforces his instruction to Lakṣmaṇa, explaining that staying behind to serve Kausalyā is both devotion to Rāma and a high dharmic act.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s potential virtue of disciplined service—devotion expressed through responsibility and reverence.