Valmiki Ramayana 2.24.26: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 26

कौशल्यारामसंवादः · Kausalya

Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma

Spoken by Rama to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhyā (palace discourse)

Devanagari script

भर्तु श्शुश्रूषया नारी लभते स्वर्गमुत्तमम् ।

अपि या निर्नमस्कारा निवृत्ता देवपूजनात् ॥२६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.24.26

Transliteration

bhartuḥ śuśrūṣayā nārī labhate svargam uttamam |

api yā nir-namaskārā nivṛttā deva-pūjanāt ||26||

Translation

औरत अपने पति की सेवा करे, तो उसे स्वर्ग मिलता है। बड़ा अच्छा स्वर्ग मिलता है। भगवान की पूजा न करे, मंदिर न जाए, फिर भी पति की सेवा से स्वर्ग मिलता है।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• भर्तुः: of (her) husband
• Type: Noun
• Root: भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)

• शुश्रूषया: by service
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुश्रूषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• नारी: a woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• लभते: attains
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• स्वर्गम्: heaven
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• उत्तमम्: highest
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying स्वर्गम्)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अप्यर्थ-निपात (even/also)
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)

• या: who
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक सर्वनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• निर्नमस्कारा: without salutations
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर् + नमस्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-पूर्वक विशेषण (without salutations)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• निवृत्ता: having abstained
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + √वृत् (धातु) (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying या)
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• देवपूजनात्: from worship of gods
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + पूजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (देवानां पूजनम्)
• Role: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• भर्तु श्शुश्रूषया = भर्तुः + शुश्रूषया (visarga before ś)
• स्वर्गमुत्तमम् = स्वर्गम् + उत्तमम्

Context

A woman who serves her husband will attain the highest heaven even if she pays no homage to gods and abstains from worshipping them.

The teaching

In this epic’s dharma discourse, faithful service within one’s station is portrayed as a direct path to merit, even eclipsing formal rites.

Duties in tension

• Ritual devotion to devas vs. conjugal service as primary duty
• Personal religious practice vs. prescribed household role

Ethical theme

Role-duty ethics (svadharma)

How it resolves

Role-based prioritization (patisevā supersedes ritual)

For your practice

Frames ‘sevā’ as spiritually efficacious; can be read as a broader reminder that sincere service is a form of worship (with awareness of its contextual, gendered framing).

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace)

Mood

Doctrinal, serene, absolute

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics
• Strī-dharma (textual category)
• Sevā (service)
• Gṛhastha-dharma
• Satya (faithfulness)

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā
• Devas (gods, generic)
• Husband (Daśaratha as contextual referent)

FAQs

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

It elevates relational duty as a direct spiritual path: faithful service within one’s rightful sphere is presented as dharma-bearing and merit-yielding, even surpassing external ritual.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma continues instructing Kauśalyā that her proper dharma is to remain and serve Daśaratha, rather than accompany Rāma into exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue emphasized is steadfast fidelity and service (śuśrūṣā) as an expression of dharma in domestic life.