Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.50: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 50

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Setting: Ayodhyā palace (queen-mother’s chamber)Places named: AyodhyāPre-departure dialogue; pause before renewed pleading

Devanagari script

एतद्वचस्तस्य निशम्य माता सुधर्म्यमव्यग्रमविक्लबं च ।

मृतेव संज्ञां प्रतिलभ्य देवी समीक्ष्य रामं पुनरित्युवाच ॥५०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.50

Transliteration

etad vacas tasya niśamya mātā sudharmyam avyagram aviklavaṃ ca |

mṛteva saṃjñāṃ pratilabhya devī samīkṣya rāmaṃ punar ity uvāca ||50||

Translation

Hearing his words—so firmly grounded in dharma, unshaken and undismayed—the queen-mother, as if returning to consciousness from death, looked steadily at Rama and spoke again.

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Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (accusative singular neuter); विशेषणम्
• Role: कर्म (object; with वचः)

• वचः: speech/words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (accusative singular neuter)
• Role: कर्म (object of निशम्य)

• तस्य: of him (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे षष्ठी-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (genitive singular masculine); सम्बन्धः
• Role: सम्बन्ध (genitive relation: 'of him')

• निशम्य: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-शम् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having heard)
• Role: पूर्वक्रिया (prior action to उवाच)

• माता: the mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (nominative singular feminine)
• Role: कर्ता (subject of उवाच; also of samīkṣya etc.)

• सुधर्म्यम्: in accordance with dharma/virtuous
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + धर्म्य (प्रातिपदिक); (सु-उपसर्गः + धर्म्य-विशेषणम्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (accusative singular neuter); वचः-विशेषणम्
• Role: विशेषण (qualifier of वचः)

• अव्यग्रम्: unagitated/unruffled
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-व्यग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (accusative singular neuter); वचः-विशेषणम्
• Role: विशेषण (qualifier of वचः)

• अविक्लबम्: undismayed/without distress
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-विक्लब (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (accusative singular neuter); वचः-विशेषणम्
• Role: विशेषण (qualifier of वचः)

• च: and/also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction: 'and/also')
• Role: समुच्चय (coordination)

• मृता: dead
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्ययः) → मृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त-कृदन्तम्; स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (nominative singular feminine); उपमानपदं (with इव)
• Role: उपमान (standard of comparison)

• इव: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्ययम् (particle of comparison: 'like/as')
• Role: उपमा (comparison marker)

• संज्ञाम्: consciousness/sense
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (accusative singular feminine)
• Role: कर्म (object of प्रतिलभ्य)

• प्रतिलभ्य: having regained
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति-लभ् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having regained)
• Role: पूर्वक्रिया (prior action to उवाच)

• देवी: the queen/lady (Kausalya)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रथमा-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (nominative singular feminine); माता-समानााधिकरणम्
• Role: कर्ता (apposition to माता)

• समीक्ष्य: having looked at intently
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-ईक्ष् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययः)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्तम् (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिकक्रिया (having looked at/observed)
• Role: पूर्वक्रिया (prior action to उवाच)

• रामम्: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया-विभक्तिः एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine)
• Role: कर्म (object of समीक्ष्य)

• पुनः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-बोधक-अव्ययम् (adverb: 'again')
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of उवाच)

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/वाक्य-समाप्ति-बोधक-अव्ययम् (quotative particle: 'thus')
• Role: वाक्यचिह्न (quotative marker)

• उवाच: said/spoke
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + लिट्
• Form: लिट्-लकारः (perfect); प्रथमपुरुषः एकवचनम् (3rd person singular); परस्मैपदम्
• Role: क्रिया (main verb)

Sandhi Notes

• Sandhi resolution: एतद्वचः → एतत् + वचः
• मृतेव → मृता + इव
• पुनरित्युवाच → पुनः + इति + उवाच (visarga sandhi: पुनः + इति → पुनरिति)

Context

Having heard these words so unruffled and tranquil which conformed to righteousness, mother (Kausalya), like a dead person regaining consciousness spoke to Rama again:

The teaching

Even when dharma is clear, the heart may collapse; regaining clarity is the first step toward meaningful counsel.

Duties in tension

• Maternal protection/attachment
• Recognition of son’s dharmic obligation

Ethical theme

Family-duty vs dharma-acceptance tension

How it resolves

Emotional recovery precedes renewed argument

For your practice

Contemplation on steadiness (avyagra/aviklava) as a spiritual ideal; observing grief without losing awareness.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Stunned, reawakening, tremulous

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Maternal grief
• Composure

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Kausalya

FAQs

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

Dharma is presented as a stabilizing force: righteous speech can steady even overwhelming grief and restore clarity of mind.

What is the narrative situation?

After Rama’s dharmic reasoning, Kausalya recovers from near-fainting and prepares to respond.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rama’s calm, dharma-aligned composure (avyagratā, aviklavatā) that supports others in crisis.