Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.45: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 45

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Spoken by Rama to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhya (implied, within the royal quarters)Places named: vanaDeparture toward forest-exile (vanagamana)

Devanagari script

अनुमन्यस्व मां देवि गमिष्यन्तमितो वनम् ।

शापिताऽसि मम प्राणैः कुरु स्वस्त्ययनानि मे ॥४५॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.45

Transliteration

anumanyasva māṃ devi gamiṣyantam ito vanam |

śāpitā ’si mama prāṇaiḥ kuru svastyayanāni me ||45||

Translation

देवी, मुझे जाने दो, मैं जंगल जा रहा हूँ। मैं अपनी जान पर कसम खा के कहता हूँ, मेरे लिए ऐसे काम करो जो मुझे ठीक रखे।

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Word by Word

• अनुमन्यस्व: permit/approve
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + मन् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• माम्: me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of permitting)

• देवि: O देवी
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (vocative), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• गमिष्यन्तम्: who is going to go
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + शतृ (कृत्)
• Form: लृट्-भावी कृदन्त (future active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण (of माम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• इतः: from here
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (from here)
• Role: Apadana (अपादान/source)

• वनम्: to the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म—destination)

• शापिता: bound by an oath/sworn
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शप् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of implied ‘त्वम्’)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• असि: you are
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• मम: my
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• प्राणैः: by (my) life-breaths
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; साधन/निमित्त (by my life)
• Role: Karana (करण/instrument)

• कुरु: do/perform
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• स्वस्त्ययनानि: auspicious rites/benedictions
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्त्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of kuru)

• मे: for me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th, dative), एकवचन
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/beneficiary)

Sandhi Notes

• गमिष्यन्तमितः = गमिष्यन्तम् + इतः
• शापिताऽसि = शापिता + असि

Context

I have decided, O mother! to go to the forest from here. Grant me the permission to do so. I swear on my life. Perform all the ceremonies for securing prosperity for me.

The teaching

Even in painful transitions, one should proceed by dharma, taking elders’ blessings and maintaining auspicious conduct.

Duties in tension

• Filial duty to obey father’s command vs duty to comfort/protect mother
• Kṣatriya-prince’s royal life vs ascetic hardship of forest-exile

Ethical theme

Dharma (filial obedience and saṃskāra-based propriety)

How it resolves

Prioritization of pitṛ-vākya as dharma with compassionate reassurance and seeking blessings

Devotion and practice

Cultivates reverence to parents/elders and seeking śubha-saṃskāra before major life transitions; supports humility and steadiness in vows.

Deity praised

Mother as Devī (mātṛ-devatā-bhāva)

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mantra

स्वस्त्ययनानि मे

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Supplicatory, tender, resigned

Themes

• Dharma
• Filial piety
• Blessings
• Renunciation
• Ritual propriety

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• vana (forest)
• svastyayana (auspicious rites)

FAQs

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

Dharma includes honoring one’s mother and seeking her consent and blessings before undertaking a difficult duty. Rāma integrates personal sacrifice with ritual and familial propriety.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma, about to depart for exile, asks Kausalyā to give permission and perform auspicious protective rites for his journey.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Reverence and responsibility: Rāma does not proceed harshly or independently, but seeks maternal sanction and blessings.