Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 7

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

तदिदं वचनं राज्ञःपुनर्बाल्यमुपेयुषः ।

पुत्रः को हृदये कुर्याद्राजवृत्तमनुस्मरन् ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.7

Transliteration

tad idaṁ vacanaṁ rājñaḥ punar bālyam upeyuṣaḥ |

putraḥ ko hṛdaye kuryād rājavṛttam anusmaran ||7||

Translation

Perkataan raja ini—seakan ia kembali ke kanak-kanak—anak manakah, sambil mengingat tata laku raja dan dharma kerajaan, sanggup menaruhnya di dalam hati?

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Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; demonstrative

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular; demonstrative

• vacanam: statement/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• rājñaḥ: of the king
• rājñaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• punar: again
• punar: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• bālyam: childhood
• bālyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bālya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• upeyuṣaḥ: who has regained/attained
• upeyuṣaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-i (धातु)
• Form: Perfect active participle (क्तवत्/परिपूर्ण कृदन्त), Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular; qualifying rājñaḥ: 'of the king who has attained (again)'

• putraḥ: son
• putraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kaḥ: which/who?
• kaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; interrogative

• hṛdaye: in the heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th), Singular

• kuryāt: would place/accept/do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Vidhi-liṅ (Optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• rāja-vṛttam: kingly conduct
• rāja-vṛttam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛtta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; 'conduct/way of a king'

• anusmaran: remembering
• anusmaran: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anu-smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; agreeing with putraḥ: 'remembering'

Context

Will any son with the ideals of a king in mind accept such words of this king who has entered his chilhood again ?

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• the king (Daśaratha)

FAQs

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

Dharma in kingship requires steadiness and principled judgment; impulsive or ‘childish’ decisions are seen as contrary to rāja-dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa reacts strongly to the king’s decision that leads to Rāma’s exile, questioning how such words can align with royal propriety.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s fierce loyalty and protective vigilance toward Rāma, coupled with his insistence on standards of righteous governance.