Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 16

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

अनुरक्तोऽस्मि भावेन भ्रातरं देवि तत्त्वतः ।

सत्येन धनुषा चैव दत्तेनेष्टेन ते शपे ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.16

Transliteration

anurakto 'smi bhāvena bhrātaraṃ devi tattvataḥ |

satyena dhanuṣā caiva datteneiṣṭena te śape ||16||

Translation

Ô mère, en vérité je suis, de tout mon être, attaché à mon frère. Je te le jure par ma vérité, par mon arc, et par le mérite de mes dons et de mes sacrifices accomplis.

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Word by Word

• anuraktaḥ: devoted/attached
• anuraktaḥ: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समाना)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anurakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; anu+√rañj धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP used adjectivally; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate with asmi

• asmi: I am
• asmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• bhāvena: with feeling/from the heart
• bhāvena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental of manner

• bhrātaram: (my) brother
• bhrātaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• devi: O lady/mother
• devi: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• tattvataḥ: truly
• tattvataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattvatas (अव्यय; from tattva)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (kriyāviśeṣaṇa) meaning ‘in truth/really’

• satyena: by truth
• satyena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (or pum), Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental ‘by truth’

• dhanuṣā: by (my) bow
• dhanuṣā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction

• eva: indeed
• eva: Nipāta
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle

• dattena: by gifts/charity given
• dattena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: datta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dā धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP used substantively; Napumsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; ‘by what has been given (charity)’

• iṣṭena: by sacrifice performed
• iṣṭena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √yaj धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP used substantively; Napumsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; ‘by sacrifice performed’

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī vibhakti (4th) Ekavacana (Vedic/epic enclitic form); ‘to you’

• śape: I swear
• śape: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śap (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Uttama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada; ‘I swear’

Context

O mother!, (Lakshmana now tells Kausalya) I am truly loyal to my brother from the bottom of my heart. I swear this by my bow, on my merits earned through charity, by my truthfulness and by the good deeds I have done.

Characters & Entities

• Kauśalyā
• Rāma
• dhanuṣ (bow)

FAQs

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

Satya (truthfulness) and steadfast loyalty are treated as sacred commitments; vows grounded in truth and earned merit are presented as morally binding.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa reassures Kauśalyā of his unwavering allegiance to Rāma during the crisis of exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unshakable devotion to one’s elder brother and integrity expressed through solemn oath-taking.