Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 2

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Spoken by Lakṣmaṇa to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhyā (palace context of exile decision)Places named: forest (vana)Pre-departure; decision phase before forest journey

Devanagari script

न रोचते ममाप्येतदार्ये यद्राघवो वनम् ।

त्यक्त्वा राज्यश्रियं गच्छेत् स्त्रिया वाक्यवशं गतः ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.2

Transliteration

na rocate mamāpy etad ārye yad rāghavo vanam |

tyaktvā rājyaśriyaṃ gacchet striyā vākyavaśaṃ gataḥ ||2||

Translation

ໂອ ພະແມ່ເຈົ້າ, ແມ່ນແຕ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າກໍບໍ່ອາດຍອມຮັບເລື່ອງນີ້ໄດ້ ທີ່ພະຣາຄົບຕ້ອງເຂົ້າປ່າ ປະຖິ້ມຄວາມຮຸ່ງເຮືອງຂອງລາຊະອານາຈັກ ພຽງເພາະເພິ່ນຍອມຈຳນົນຕໍ່ວາຈາຂອງຜູ້ຍິງ.

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Word by Word

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)

• रोचते: is pleasing
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• मम: to me/of me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th, genitive), एकवचन
• Role: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/experiencer—‘to me’)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (also/even)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• एतत्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/subject of रोचते)

• आर्ये: O noble lady
• Type: Noun
• Root: आर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (vocative), एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• यत्: that (namely)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् सम्बन्धबोधक (relative particle: that/which)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• राघवः: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राघव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

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

• त्यक्त्वा: having renounced
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having abandoned’
• Role: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)

• राज्य-श्रियम्: royal prosperity
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक) + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘राज्यस्य श्रीः’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/object of tyaktvā)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• गच्छेत्: should go
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• स्त्रिया: by a woman
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन
• Role: Sahakari (सहकारी/हेतुनिमित्त)

• वाक्य-वशम्: under the sway of words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘वाक्यस्य वशः’ (under the control of words); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपपद-सम्बन्ध (गतः इत्यस्य)
• Role: Gati-Sambandha (गति/अवस्था—‘under control’)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• गतः: having yielded/gone
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त (कृत्)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (of राघवः)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

Sandhi Notes

• ममाप्येतद् = मम + अपि + एतत्
• एतदार्ये = एतत् + आर्ये
• यद्राघवो = यत् + राघवः
• राज्यश्रियं = राज्य-श्रियम्
• वाक्यवशं = वाक्य-वशम्

Context

O venerable one, I do not like that Rama should go to the forest yielding to thewords of a woman and renouncing the welfare of the kingdom.

The teaching

Dharma may demand renunciation of power; yet righteous action must be free from contempt and guided by truth, not impulse.

Duties in tension

• Rāma’s duty to uphold father’s promise/royal word
• Kṣatriya duty to protect and govern (not abandon rājya-śrī)
• Family loyalty vs respect toward elders/queens

Ethical theme

Rāja-dharma and satya (truth-keeping)

How it resolves

Rāma’s later principled acceptance (satya-pālana) overrides Lakṣmaṇa’s protest

For your practice

Invites reflection on surrendering status for truth; also warns against blaming speech/agents—practice equanimity while holding to dharma.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Indignant, bitter, pained

Themes

• Dharma
• Maryada
• Ethics
• Rājadharma
• Satya

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)

FAQs

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

It highlights rājadharma and responsibility: the welfare of the kingdom should not be abandoned due to improper influence; decisions must align with rightful duty and public good.

What is the narrative situation?

In the aftermath of the exile decision, Lakṣmaṇa expresses strong disapproval that Rāma would relinquish kingship and go to the forest under the pressure of Kaikeyī’s demand.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s fierce loyalty and protective zeal toward Rāma, combined with his concern for justice and the integrity of governance.