Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.59: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 59
अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma
based persuasion of Kausalyā
स वै न शक्नोमि पितुः प्रतिज्ञा मिमामकर्तुं सकलां यथावत् ।
स ह्यावयोस्तात गुरुर्नियोगे देव्याश्च भर्ता स गति स्सधर्मः ॥५९॥
sa vai na śaknomi pituḥ pratijñām imām akartuṁ sakalāṁ yathāvat |
sa hy āvayos tāta guruḥ niyoge devyāś ca bhartā sa gatiḥ sa dharmaḥ ||59||
En vérité, bien-aimé, je ne puis manquer d’accomplir entièrement, comme elle fut donnée, cette promesse de mon père. Car, lorsqu’il commande, il est notre maître ; et pour la reine (ma mère), il est son époux — son refuge et son dharma.
It is impossible for me not to execute the promise completely, O my dear, he (Dasaratha) is our preceptor and, therefore, fit to command us. Even for mother Kausalya, he is her husband, her refuge and her dharma.
FAQs
Satya (truthfulness) expressed as fidelity to a vow, and dharma expressed as obedience to the father-king who is also a ‘guru’ in rightful command.
Rāma answers Lakṣmaṇa’s agitation by stating he cannot violate Daśaratha’s pledged promise and clarifying Daśaratha’s dharmic authority over the family.
Rāma’s vow-keeping integrity and his principled understanding of relational duties (son to father, subject to king, family to household head).
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.
