Valmiki Ramayana 2.96.27: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 96, Shloka 27

चित्रकूटे सैन्यधूलिशब्ददर्शनम्

Alarm at Chitrakūṭa: Lakṣmaṇa sights the approaching army

Devanagari script

कैकेयीं च वधिष्यामि सानुबन्धां सबान्धवाम् ।

कलुषेणाद्य महता मेदिनी परिमुच्यताम् ॥२७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.96.27

Transliteration

kaikeyīṃ ca vadhiṣyāmi sānubandhāṃ sabāndhavām |

kaluṣeṇādya mahatā medinī parimucyatām ||27||

Translation

Und ich werde auch Kaikeyi töten – zusammen mit ihren Anhängern und Verwandten – damit die Erde heute von dieser großen Befleckung gereinigt werde.

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Word by Word

• कैकेयीम्: Kaikeyi
• कैकेयीम्: कर्म (Karma: object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कैकेयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Accusative, Singular)

• च: and/also
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वधिष्यामि: I will slay
• वधिष्यामि: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वध् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन (Future, 1st person singular)

• सानुबन्धाम्: together with her attendants
• सानुबन्धाम्: कर्म (Karma: object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुबन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग-समानार्थक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (यस्या अनुबन्धाः सन्ति सा = one who has attendants/followers); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'कैकेयीम्' इति विशेषणम् (Feminine Accusative Singular)

• सबान्धवाम्: together with her relatives
• सबान्धवाम्: कर्म (Karma: object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक) + स (उपसर्ग-समानार्थक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (यस्या बान्धवाः सन्ति सा = one who has relatives); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'कैकेयीम्' इति विशेषणम् (Feminine Accusative Singular)

• कलुषेण: by/with the sin (stain)
• कलुषेण: करण (Karaṇa: means/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular)

• अद्य: today
• अद्य: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa: time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• महता: great
• महता: करण (Karaṇa: qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Instrumental, Singular); 'कलुषेण' इति विशेषणम् (agreeing with kaluṣeṇa)

• मेदिनी: the earth
• मेदिनी: कर्ता (Kartā: subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेदिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Nominative, Singular)

• परिमुच्यताम्: let it be cleansed/freed
• परिमुच्यताम्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + परि (उपसर्ग)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः (let it be freed/cleansed) (Imperative, 3rd person singular, middle; passive sense)

Context

I shall also slay Kaikeyi with her attendants and relations. Let the earth be cleansed of the great sin today.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Kaikeyī
• earth (medinī)

FAQs

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

It shows a common moral error: equating ‘cleansing evil’ with indiscriminate killing. Ramayana ethics ultimately prioritizes restraint, truth, and proportional justice over rage.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa expands his threat from Bharata to Kaikeyī and her circle, proposing total retribution.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Zeal for righteousness—misdirected into extremity, highlighting why dharma must be guided by satya (truth) and self-control.