Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.44: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 44

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Setting: Ayodhyā (palace apartments of Kausalyā)Pre-departure (turning from brother to mother)

Devanagari script

तमेवमुत्त्वा सौहार्दाद्भ्रातरं लक्ष्मणाग्रजः ।

उवाच भूयः कौसल्यां प्राञ्जलिश्शिरसानतः ॥४४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.44

Transliteration

tam evam uktvā sauhārdād bhrātaraṃ lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ |

uvāca bhūyaḥ kausalyāṃ prāñjaliḥ śirasā nataḥ ||44||

Translation

फिर राम ने अपने भाई लक्ष्मण से प्यार से कहा। उसके बाद उन्होंने कौसल्या माा के पास जाके हाथ जोड़े और सिर झुका के बात की।

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Word by Word

• तम्: to him/that one
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of uktvā)

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (thus/in this manner)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)

• उक्त्वा: having said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having spoken’
• Role: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)

• सौहार्दात्: out of affection
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौहार्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th, ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (from affection)
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/cause)

• भ्रातरम्: (his) brother
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of speaking to)

• लक्ष्मण-अग्रजः: Lakshmana's elder brother (Rama)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्रज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘लक्ष्मणस्य अग्रजः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• भूयः: again
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक (again/further)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)

• कौसल्याम्: to Kausalya
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौसल्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object addressed)

• प्राञ्जलिः: with folded hands
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of लक्ष्मणाग्रजः): ‘with folded hands’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन
• Role: Karana (करण/instrument)

• नतः: bowed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नम् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of लक्ष्मणाग्रजः)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• तमेवम् = तम् + एवम्
• एवमुत्त्वा/एवम् उक्त्वा (पाठभेद)
• सौहार्दाद्भ्रातरम् = सौहार्दात् + भ्रातरम्
• लक्ष्मणाग्रजः = लक्ष्मण-अग्रजः
• प्राञ्जलिश्शिरसा = प्राञ्जलिः + शिरसा

Context

Speaking affectionately to his brother Lakshmana, Rama with folded hands and head bowed again addressed Kausalya:

The teaching

Even amid harsh duty, dharma is expressed through humility, affection, and reverence toward family elders.

Duties in tension

• Duty to obey father’s command (exile) vs duty to comfort and remain with mother
• Personal compassion vs unavoidable dharma-driven separation

Ethical theme

Mātṛ-bhakti / vinaya

How it resolves

Vinaya and consolation within duty

Devotion and practice

Cultivates humility and reverence (namaskāra-bhāva) as daily practice; supports bhakti through embodied respect.

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mantra

प्राञ्जलिश्शिरसानतः

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Tender, humble, heavy-hearted

Themes

• Maryada
• Filial reverence
• Dharma
• Narrative transition

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Kausalyā

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as maryādā (propriety): humility, respectful speech, and reverence toward one’s mother even amid personal crisis.

What is the narrative situation?

After calming Lakṣmaṇa, Rāma turns back to Kausalyā and prepares to seek her consent and blessings for the forest exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s courtesy and filial devotion—his respectful bodily posture (folded hands, bowed head) embodies inner discipline.