Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 25

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma-based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

त्वद्वियोगान्न मे कार्यं जीवितेन सुखेन वा।त्वया सह मम श्रेयस्तृणानामपि भक्षणम्।।2.21.25।।

Transliteration

tvad-viyogān na me kāryaṃ jīvitena sukhena vā | tvayā saha mama śreyas tṛṇānām api bhakṣaṇam || 2.21.25 ||

Translation

Séparé de toi, ni la vie ni le bonheur n’ont de sens pour moi. Pour moi, mieux vaut être avec toi, fût-ce en ne mangeant que de l’herbe.

Word by Word

• त्वद्वियोगात्: from separation from you
• त्वद्वियोगात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम) + viyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष): ‘त्वद्-वियोग’ = ‘separation from you’; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• मे: for me / of me
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• कार्यम्: any purpose
• कार्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘purpose/need’

• जीवितेन: with life
• जीवितेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सुखेन: with happiness
• सुखेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): ‘or’

• त्वया: with you
• त्वया: Saha (सह/साकं)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (postposition): ‘with’

• मम: for me / my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• श्रेयः: is preferable
• श्रेयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śreyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘the better/preferable’

• तृणानाम्: of grass
• तृणानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tṛṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• अपि: even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): ‘even/also’

• भक्षणम्: eating
• भक्षणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक; from √bhakṣ भक्ष्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियानाम (verbal noun) ‘eating’

Context

Separated from you, I have no use of this life or happiness. I prefer to live with you even if it means eating grass.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma
• Vana (implied by hardship/grass-eating)

FAQs

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

The verse stresses relational dharma: the mother-son bond is portrayed as so essential that hardship with the righteous is preferable to comfort without them.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā expresses that Rāma’s exile would make her life meaningless, and she would rather share his austerities than remain behind.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unconditional attachment grounded in care (vātsalya) and willingness to endure austerity for loved ones.