Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.62 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 62

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

यशो ह्यहं केवलराज्यकारणान्न पृष्ठतः कर्तुमलं महोदयम्।अदीर्घकाले न तु देवि जीवितेवृणेऽवरामद्य महीमधर्मतः।।2.21.62।।

Transliteration

yaśo hy ahaṁ kevalarājyakāraṇān na pṛṣṭhataḥ kartum alaṁ mahodayam | adīrghakāle na tu devi jīvite vṛṇe 'varām adya mahīm adharmataḥ || 2.21.62 ||

Translation

രാജ്യം മാത്രത്തിനായി ഈ മഹത്തായ യശസ്സിനെ ഞാൻ പിന്നിലാക്കാൻ കഴിയില്ല. അല്പകാലം മാത്രമുള്ള ഈ ജീവിതത്തിൽ, ഹേ മാതാവേ, അധർമ്മത്തിലൂടെ ഇന്ന് ഈ ചെറുഭൂമിയെ നേടാൻ ഞാൻ തിരഞ്ഞെടുക്കുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

• यशः: glory, fame
• यशः: कर्म (object) — कर्तुम् इत्यस्य
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; nominative; singular)

• हि: indeed, for
• हि: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यालङ्कार (emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (agent) — वृणे/कर्तुम्
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; प्रथमा-विभक्ति; एकवचन (1st person pronoun; nominative; singular)

• केवलराज्यकारणात्: from/for the sole cause of the kingdom (only for the sake of kingship)
• केवलराज्यकारणात्: अपादान/हेतु (cause/ground)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केवल + राज्य + कारण (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (केवलस्य राज्यस्य कारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; पञ्चमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (ablative; singular) — हेतौ (cause)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• पृष्ठतः: behind; to the back
• पृष्ठतः: अधिकरण (adverbial locus/direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: तद्धितान्त-अव्यय; दिशावाचक-अव्यय (ablatival/adverbial: 'from/at the back')

• कर्तुम्: to do; to put/make
• कर्तुम्: क्रिया (infinitival action) — अलम् इत्यस्य पूरकः
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तुमुन् (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive); क्रियार्थक-भाव (to do/make)

• अलम्: fit, proper, able (here: not proper)
• अलम्: विधेय/भाव (predicate of fitness)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अलम् (अव्यय)
• Form: पर्याप्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (indeclinable of sufficiency/fitness); न + अलम् = 'not proper/able'

• महोदयम्: great, exalted
• महोदयम्: कर्म (object-complement) — यशः इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महोदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् उदयः यस्य/महान् उदयः); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; accusative; singular) — यशः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अदीर्घकाले: in a short time
• अदीर्घकाले: अधिकरण (time-locus)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अ + दीर्घ + काल (प्रातिपदिकानि)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (अदीर्घः कालः); पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (locative; singular) — काले (time)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• तु: but, however
• तु: सम्बन्ध/वाक्यालङ्कार (contrast marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण/विरोधार्थक-निपात (but, however)

• देवि: O goddess / O mother (lady)
• देवि: सम्बोधन (address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सम्बोधन-विभक्ति; एकवचन (feminine; vocative; singular)

• जीविते: in life
• जीविते: अधिकरण (domain/locus: in life)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाववाचक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति; एकवचन (neuter; locative; singular) — 'in life'

• वृणे: I choose
• वृणे: क्रिया (main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वृ (धातु) (वृञ् वरणे)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान); उत्तमपुरुष; एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (present indicative; 1st person; singular; middle)

• अवराम्: inferior, insignificant
• अवराम्: कर्म (object) — महीम् इत्यस्य विशेषणरूपेण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अवरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (feminine; accusative; singular) — महीम् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अद्य: today; now
• अद्य: अधिकरण (time-adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• महीम्: earth, land, kingdom
• महीम्: कर्म (object) — वृणे
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति; एकवचन (feminine; accusative; singular)

• अधर्मतः: unrighteously; by adharma
• अधर्मतः: करण/प्रकार (manner: by unrighteous means)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: तद्धितान्त-अव्यय; हेतुवाचक/प्रकारवाचक (adverb: 'unrighteously')

Context

Before this news is known to any one bring the kingdom under your control with my assistance.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kauśalyā (devī)
• yaśas (glory)

FAQs

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

Political power is not worth unrighteous acquisition; dharma and truthful honor outweigh temporary sovereignty.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma reassures his mother that he will not pursue the throne through questionable means; he prefers exile with honor to rule with adharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s integrity and non-attachment to power—choosing moral glory over material rule.