Shloka 2.21.41

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

Devanagari script

संश्रुत्य च पितुर्वाक्यं मातुर्वा ब्राह्मणस्य वा।न कर्तव्यं वृथा वीर धर्ममाश्रित्य तिष्ठता।।2.21.41।।

Transliteration

saṃśrutya ca pitur vākyaṃ mātur vā brāhmaṇasya vā |

na kartavyaṃ vṛthā vīra dharmam āśritya tiṣṭhatā ||2.21.41||

Translation

And having once pledged one’s word—to a father, a mother, or a brāhmaṇa—one who stands taking refuge in dharma, O hero, must not let that promise become vain.

Context

Any one, O hero, who has taken recourse to righteousness should not allow the promise made to his father, mother or a brahmin to go in vain.

Characters & Entities

• father (Daśaratha, implied)
• mother (Kausalyā/Kaikeyī, implied category)
• brāhmaṇa
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Satya as lived dharma: once a promise is given—especially to parents or a brāhmaṇa—it must not be rendered meaningless. Dharma is defined as integrity in one’s pledged word.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma counsels Lakṣmaṇa against resisting the exile order, framing obedience as necessary to keep the father’s pledged word from becoming futile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s reliability and ethical consistency: he treats spoken commitments as binding moral realities.