Valmiki Ramayana 2.22.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 22, Shloka 7

अभिषेक-निवृत्ति-उपदेशः

Withdrawal of the Coronation: Rama’s Counsel to Lakshmana

Spoken by Rama to LakṣmaṇaSetting: Ayodhya

Devanagari script

तस्याश्शङ्कामयं दुःखं मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे ।

मनसि प्रतिसंजातं सौमित्रेऽहमुपेक्षितुम् ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.22.7

Transliteration

tasyāḥ śaṅkā-mayaṃ duḥkhaṃ muhūrtam api notsahe |

manasi pratisaṃjātaṃ saumitre ’ham upekṣitum ||7||

Translation

लक्ष्मण, मैं एक पल भी नहीं देख सकता कि माँ का दिल शक से दुखी हो। जो शक उनके मन में आया है, उस्से मैं इग्नोर नहीं कर सकता।

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Word by Word

• सत्यः: truthful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'pitā')
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• सत्य-अभिसन्धः: one intent on truth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिसन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सत्ये अभिसन्धिः/अभिसन्धः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• नित्यम्: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत्; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: 'always')
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• सत्य-पराक्रमः: truly valiant
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (सत्यः पराक्रमः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• परलोक-भयात्: from fear of the next world
• Type: Noun
• Root: परलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (परलोकस्य भयम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन
• Role: Apadana (अपादान)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• भीतः: afraid
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भी (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying 'pitā')
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• निर्भयः: fearless
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective with 'astu')
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• अस्तु: let (him) be
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• पिता: father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्ता
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

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

Sandhi Notes

• satyassatyābhisandhaśca→satyaḥ satyābhisandhaḥ ca
• nirbhayo’stu→nirbhayaḥ astu

Context

Even for a moment, O Lakshmana! I am not inclined to ignore her sorrow caused by the apprehension in her mind (about the possibility of Rama's coronation).

The teaching

A righteous person does not dismiss the inner pain of loved ones; compassion becomes an imperative alongside duty.

Duties in tension

• Accepting political reversal with composure vs immediate emotional duty to soothe mother
• Personal endurance vs active intervention for another’s suffering

Ethical theme

Karuṇā-dharma / filial responsibility

How it resolves

Prioritizing compassion within dharma

For your practice

Meditation on empathy: notice and respond to subtle suffering; cultivate non-neglect (anapekṣā) toward others’ pain.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Aching, empathetic, restless

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Compassion
• Non-resentment
• Maryādā

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

Dharma is compassionate regard: even when wronged, one should not disregard another’s inner suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma explains to Lakṣmaṇa why Kaikeyī’s anxious suspicion matters to him and must be addressed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Dayā (compassion) and absence of bitterness—Rāma refuses to treat Kaikeyī’s distress as negligible.