Valmiki Ramayana 2.31.22: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 31, Shloka 22

लक्ष्मणस्य वनानुगमन-प्रतिज्ञा तथा आयुध-संग्रहः

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

Devanagari script

कुरुष्व मामनुचरं वैधर्म्यं नेह विद्यते।कृतार्थोऽहं भविष्यामि तव चार्थः प्रकल्पते।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.31.22

Transliteration

kuruṣva mām anucaraṃ vaidharmyaṃ neha vidyate | kṛtārtho 'haṃ bhaviṣyāmi tava cārthaḥ prakalpate ||

Translation

Hazme tu servidor y seguidor; en ello no hay quebranto del dharma. Yo veré cumplido mi propósito, y también se realizará tu designio.

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Word by Word

• kuruṣva: make/do (you)
• kuruṣva: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/लोट्), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• anucaram: a follower/attendant
• anucaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anucara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म-सम्बन्ध (as what to make me)

• vaidharmyam: breach of duty/virtue
• vaidharmyam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidharmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• iha: here/in this
• iha: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: here)

• vidyate: exists/is found
• vidyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोग (exists/is found)

• kṛtārthaḥ: fulfilled in purpose
• kṛtārthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta-artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष: kṛtaḥ arthaḥ yasya); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• bhaviṣyāmi: will become
• bhaviṣyāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन

• tava: your/of you
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and/also)

• arthaḥ: purpose/aim
• arthaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• prakalpate: is fulfilled/is accomplished
• prakalpate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-kḷp (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; अर्थः: सिद्ध्यति/सम्पद्यते (is accomplished)

Context

Holding the bow and arrows and carrying a crowbar and a basket, I shall go in front of you leading the way.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Sevā as dharma: Lakṣmaṇa frames personal accompaniment not as indulgence but as righteous duty, explicitly denying any vaidharmya (ethical impropriety).

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa formally petitions Rāma to accept him as an attendant in the forest-exile, arguing it benefits both.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Selfless loyalty—Lakṣmaṇa seeks fulfillment through service rather than status or comfort.