Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.15 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 15

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma-based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

त्वया चैव मया चैव कृत्वा वैरमनुत्तमम्।काऽस्य शक्तिश्श्रियं दातुं भरतायारिशासन।।2.21.15।।

Transliteration

tvayā caiva mayā caiva kṛtvā vairam anuttamam |

kā 'sya śaktiḥ śriyaṃ dātuṃ bharatāyāriśāsana ||2.21.15||

Translation

ໂອ ຜູ້ປະຫານສັດຕູ, ເມື່ອເຂົາໄດ້ກໍ່ໃຫ້ເກີດຄວາມຮ້າຍແຮງແຫ່ງຄວາມເປັນສັດຕູຈາກເຈົ້າ—ແລະຈາກຂ້າພະເຈົ້າດ້ວຍ—ແລ້ວ ເຂົາຈະມີອໍານາດອັນໃດຈຶ່ງຈະມອບສິຣິຣາຊະສົມບັດໃຫ້ແກ່ພະຣະຕະໄດ້

Word by Word

• tvayā: by you/with you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā vibhakti (3rd/तृतीया), Ekavacana; pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Samuccaya-avyaya (समुच्चयार्थक) conjunction ‘and’

• eva: indeed
• eva: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa-avyaya (अवधारण) particle ‘indeed/just’

• mayā: by me/with me
• mayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana; pronoun

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Sam uccaya-avyaya conjunction

• eva: indeed
• eva: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avadhāraṇa particle

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta absolutive; ‘having done/made’

• vairam: enmity/hostility
• vairam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• anuttamam: most grievous/unsurpassed
• anuttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with vairam; ‘unsurpassed/very great’ (here: grievous)

• kā: what (kind of)
• kā: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; interrogative used predicatively

• asya: of him/his
• asya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti, Ekavacana; pronoun

• śaktiḥ: power/ability
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• śriyam: royal fortune/kingdom
• śriyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• dātum: to give
• dātum: Prayojana/Anukriyā
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Tumunanta infinitive

• bharatāya: to Bharata
• bharatāya: Sampradāna (recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Caturthī, Ekavacana

• ariśāsana: O chastiser of foes
• ariśāsana: Sambodhana (vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ari + śāsana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa ‘chastiser of foes’

Context

O mother!, (Lakshmana now tells Kausalya) I am truly loyal to my brother from the bottom of my heart. I swear this by my bow, on my merits earned through charity, by my truthfulness and by the good deeds I have done.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Daśaratha (implied by 'he')

FAQs

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

It foregrounds the ethics of legitimacy and consent in rulership, but also warns implicitly that anger and threats of violence can themselves become adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa asserts that the king’s decision will create enmity and conflict, questioning the feasibility and righteousness of giving the kingdom to Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fearless devotion and readiness to defend Rāma—though expressed through confrontational, warlike resolve.