Valmiki Ramayana 2.19.39: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 39

एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency

Setting: Ayodhya palace (moving within)Places named: AyodhyaFollowing Rama toward Kaushalya’s quarters

Devanagari script

तं गुणैस्समतां प्राप्तो भ्राता विपुलविक्रमः ।

सौमित्रिरनुवव्राज धारयन्दुःखमात्मजम् ॥३९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.19.39

Transliteration

taṃ guṇaiḥ samatāṃ prāpto bhrātā vipulavikramaḥ |

saumitrir anuvavrāja dhārayan duḥkham ātmajam ||39||

Translation

ഗുണങ്ങളിൽ സമത്വം നേടിയ, മഹാവിക്രമിയായ സഹോദരൻ സൗമിത്രി (ലക്ഷ്മണൻ) ഉള്ളിൽ ജനിച്ച ദുഃഖം അടക്കി പിടിച്ച് രാമനെ അനുഗമിച്ചു.

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Word by Word

• तम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• गुणैः: by virtues
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/instrumental), बहुवचन
• Role: Karana (करण)

• समताम्: equality, parity
• Type: Noun
• Root: samatā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• प्राप्तः: having attained
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; agrees with भ्राता/सौमित्रिः
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• भ्राता: brother
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• विपुलविक्रमः: of great prowess
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipula + vikrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: "विपुलो विक्रमो यस्य सः"
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• सौमित्रिः: Saumitri (Lakshmana)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• अनुवव्राज: followed
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-vraj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• धारयन्: bearing, holding back
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; agrees with सौमित्रिः
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• आत्मजम्: one's own (born of self)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ātman + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: "आत्मनः जातम्" (born of oneself/one's own)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• गुणैस्समताम् = गुणैः + समताम्
• सौमित्रिरनुवव्राज = सौमित्रिः + अनुवव्राज
• धारयन्दुःखम् = धारयन् + दुःखम्
• दुःखमात्मजम् = दुःखम् + आत्मजम्

Context

Mighty Lakshmana as virtuous as his brother held the sorrow in his mind and followed him.

The teaching

True loyalty is steady presence; one may carry sorrow inwardly while acting with strength for the sake of dharma.

Duties in tension

• Expressing grief vs maintaining strength to support Rama
• Personal anguish vs duty of loyal accompaniment

Ethical theme

Fraternal duty and fortitude

How it resolves

Duty-first restraint

For your practice

Sevā-bhāva: accompany and support the righteous even when the heart is heavy; practice restraint without suppression of compassion.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Loyal, strained, tender

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Maryada
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma is loyalty and service to one’s righteous elder (anuvṛtti): Lakṣmaṇa follows Rāma while mastering personal grief.

What is the narrative situation?

As Rāma proceeds onward, Lakṣmaṇa accompanies him closely, inwardly distressed yet outwardly composed.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast devotion and emotional restraint: Lakṣmaṇa’s strength is shown in disciplined support, not display.