Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.54: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 54
अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma
based persuasion of Kausalyā
Setting: Ayodhya (implied, palace quarters)
स मातरं चैव विसंज्ञकल्पा मार्तं च सौमित्रिमभिप्रतप्तम् ।
धर्मे स्थितो धर्म्यमुवाच वाक्यं यथा स एवार्हति तत्र वक्तुम् ॥५४॥
sa mātaraṃ caiva visaṃjñakalpāṃ mārtaṃ ca saumitrim abhiprataptam |
dharme sthito dharmyam uvāca vākyaṃ yathā sa evārhati tatra vaktum ||54||
Établi dans le dharma, il adressa des paroles conformes à la justice à sa mère—presque évanouie de chagrin—et à Saumitri, consumé d’affliction ; en cet instant, lui seul pouvait parler comme il convenait.
Sandhi Notes
- पदच्छेदः: सः | मातरम् | च | एव | विसंज्ञकल्पाम् | मार्तम् | च | सौमित्रिम् | अभिप्रतप्तम् | धर्मे | स्थितः | धर्म्यम् | उवाच | वाक्यम् | यथा | सः | एव | अर्हति | तत्र | वक्तुम् । सन्धयः: मातरं चैव = मातरम् + च + एव
- सौमित्रिमभिप्रतप्तम् = सौमित्रिम् + अभिप्रतप्तम्
- धर्म्यमुवाच = धर्म्यम् + उवाच
- स एवार्हति = सः + एव + अर्हति (विसर्ग-लोपः/सन्धिः)
Rama, centred on righteousness, again addressed his mother who had almost fainted and Lakshmana who was deeply distressed. As his words were consistent with righteousness, he alone was competent to speak that way.
The teaching
In crisis, the dhārmika steadies others by speaking what is fitting (yathārha) rather than what merely vents grief.
Duties in tension
- Filial tenderness toward grieving mother vs. unwavering adherence to royal duty/exile-acceptance
- Fraternal solidarity with Lakshmana’s anger vs. calming restraint and righteous counsel
- Ethical theme
- Duty ethics (kartavya) with compassion
- How it resolves
- Prioritization of dharma through compassionate instruction
For your practice
Model for sāttvika speech: counsel grounded in dharma, offered with compassion to the afflicted.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Grief-stricken, restrained, righteous
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Maryada
- Ethics
- Leadership
- Compassionate speech
Dharma-guided buddhi steadies the mind amid duḥkha; speech becomes an instrument of sattva rather than rajas.
Control of mind and speech as marks of the steady one (cf. Kaṭha/ Bhagavadgītā-style sthitaprajña ideal, though later)
- Rama and Kausalya
- Son-to-mother counsel in grief (compassionate)
- Rama and Lakshmana
- Elder-brother guiding younger brother (steadying)
- Kausalya and Lakshmana
- Mother-figure and devoted younger son-in-law-like support (implied household bond) (shared-grief)
- Rama and Dharma
- Adherence/embodiment (reverent)
Valmiki Ramayana 2.20–2.22 (Rama’s dharma-discourse to Kausalya and Lakshmana); Ayodhya-kanda passages where Rama consoles Sita and Lakshmana with dharma-arguments
Dharmaśāstra-style prioritization of righteous speech in crisis
Rama’s consistent self-presentation as dharma-sthita across Ayodhya-kanda
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Solemn
Madhyama-gambhīra (measured, low register)
FAQs
Dharma includes right speech at the right time—guiding others compassionately while remaining anchored in moral truth.
The narrator frames Rama’s response as he addresses both his fainting mother and the grieving Lakshmana.
Moral leadership—Rama’s capacity to speak rightly under pressure and distress.
Ask anything about this verse
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with word-by-word meanings, Sanskrit recitation where available, and more.
