Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.12: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 12
अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma
based persuasion of Kausalyā
Spoken by Lakṣmaṇa to KausalyaSetting: अयोध्या
प्रोत्साहितोऽयं कैकेय्या स दुष्टो यदि नः पिता ।
अमित्रभूतो निस्सङ्गं वध्यतां बध्यतामपि ॥१२॥
protsāhito 'yaṃ kaikeyyā sa duṣṭo yadi naḥ pitā |
amitrabhūto nissaṅgaṃ vadhyatāṃ badhyatām api ||12||
कैकेयी ने अपने बाप को भड़काया है, वो बिगड़ गया है। अगर वो सच में हमला दुश्मन बन गया है, तो रिश्ता-नाता छोड़ के उससे रोकना पड़ेगा। उसे बाँध देना, या अगर ज़रूरत हो तो उसे मारना पड़ेगा।
Sandhi Notes
- protsāhito'yaṃ = protsāhitaḥ + ayam
- amitrabhūto = amitra-bhūtaḥ
- nissaṅgaṃ (nis + saṅga)
Even if our father instigated by Kaikeyi becomes our enemy, he shall be imprisoned or even slain regardless of our relationship with him.
The teaching
Duties in tension
- पितृभक्ति/पितृआज्ञापालन
- राज्य-न्याय/धर्मरक्षा
- कुल-एकता बनाम अधर्म-प्रतिरोध
- Ethical theme
- आपद्धर्म एवं राजधर्म
- How it resolves
- Unresolved_tension (Lakshmana advocates coercive correction; Rama later chooses obedience and restraint)
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Raudra (fury), with Bhayanaka (fear)
- Mood
- Incensed, iconoclastic, threatening
Themes
- Dharma
- Ethics
- Rājadharma
- Krodha (anger)
- Satya
अविद्या-आवृत विवेकः—प्रेरणया (कैकेयी) बुद्धिभ्रंशः; कर्तव्यनिर्णयः विवेकाधीनः, न केवलं सम्बन्धाधीनः।
महाभारतम्, शान्तिपर्व: आपद्धर्मे गुरुवध/निग्रह-विचार (सामान्य समांतर); रघुवंश 2-3 (राजधर्म व उत्तराधिकार-न्याय के संकेत, विषय-साम्य)
धर्मशास्त्रीय ‘गुरु/पिता अपथगामी’ प्रसंग (निग्रह-प्रश्न)
अयोध्याकाण्ड: लक्ष्मणस्य क्रोधोक्तयः (2.21 प्रसङ्ग-समूह); अयोध्याकाण्ड: रामस्य पितृवाक्यपालन-प्रतिज्ञा (विरोध-ध्रुव)
अनुष्टुप्
Commanding
उदात्त-प्रधान, तीव्र निषाद/धैवत स्पर्श के साथ (क्रोध-रौद्र भाव)
FAQs
It raises the tension between personal bonds and justice: Lakṣmaṇa asserts that if a ruler turns hostile and unjust, corrective action may be required—though the epic context later critiques acting from rage rather than dharma.
Lakṣmaṇa, enraged by the exile and coronation reversal, speaks recklessly about punishing even his father if Daśaratha has become an enemy under Kaikeyī’s influence.
Uncompromising loyalty to Rāma and a militant sense of justice—yet also Lakṣmaṇa’s impulsiveness, showing how anger can distort dharmic judgment.
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