Shloka 2.21.13

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः — Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma-based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः।उत्पथं प्रतिपन्नस्य कार्यं भवति शासनम्।।2.21.13।।

Transliteration

protsāhito 'yaṃ kaikeyyā sa duṣṭo yadi naḥ pitā |

amitrabhūto nissaṅgaṃ vadhyatāṃ badhyatām api ||2.21.12||

Translation

If our father—incited by Kaikeyī and turned wicked—has truly become our enemy, then, without regard for the bond of kinship, let him be restrained, bound and even imprisoned, or, if need be, slain.

Context

Even a preceptor who follows the unrighteous path and is filled with haughtiness and does not know how to discriminate between good and bad, deserves to be disciplined (punished).

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (our father)

FAQs

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

It raises the tension between personal bonds and justice: Lakṣmaṇa asserts that if a ruler turns hostile and unjust, corrective action may be required—though the epic context later critiques acting from rage rather than dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa, enraged by the exile and coronation reversal, speaks recklessly about punishing even his father if Daśaratha has become an enemy under Kaikeyī’s influence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Uncompromising loyalty to Rāma and a militant sense of justice—yet also Lakṣmaṇa’s impulsiveness, showing how anger can distort dharmic judgment.