Valmiki Ramayana 2.31.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 31, Shloka 20

लक्ष्मणस्य वनानुगमन-प्रतिज्ञा तथा आयुध-संग्रहः

Lakshmana’s Vow to Follow Rama and the Retrieval of Divine Weapons

Devanagari script

कौशल्या बिभृयादार्या सहस्रमपि मद्विधान्।यस्यास्सहस्रं ग्रामाणां सम्प्राप्त मुपजीवनम्।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.31.20

Transliteration

kauśalyā bibhṛyād āryā sahasram api madvidhān | yasyāḥ sahasraṃ grāmāṇāṃ samprāptam upajīvanam ||

Translation

ആര്യയായ കൗസല്യാദേവിക്ക് എന്നെപ്പോലെയുള്ള ആയിരം പേരെയും പോഷിപ്പാൻ കഴിയും; കാരണം അവൾക്ക് ആയിരം ഗ്രാമങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നുള്ള ഉപജീവനം ലഭിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.

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Word by Word

• kauśalyā: Kausalya
• kauśalyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kauśalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन

• bibhṛyāt: could support/bear
• bibhṛyāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhṛ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

• āryā: noble lady
• āryā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: āryā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; संख्यावाचक (numeral)

• api: even/also
• api: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कार (particle: even/also)

• madvidhān: men like me
• madvidhān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad-vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: mad = mama + vidha = like); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• yasyāḥ: of whom/whose
• yasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग-सम्बन्ध (refers to Kausalya)

• sahasram: a thousand
• sahasram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (subject of samprāptam)

• grāmāṇām: of villages
• grāmāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: grāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• samprāptam: has been obtained
• samprāptam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-prāp (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थ (obtained/attained)

• upajīvanam: means of livelihood/sustenance
• upajīvanam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upajīvana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (apposition/subject-complement)

Context

Illustrious Kausalya is competent enough to support herself, my mother and men like me.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• Villages (grāmāḥ)

FAQs

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

Detachment in service: Lakṣmaṇa argues that material provisions for elders are secure, so his dharma is to accompany and serve Rāma without anxiety.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa supports his request to follow Rāma by explaining that Kausalyā has adequate resources and will not be left helpless.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical responsibility combined with renunciation—Lakṣmaṇa balances care for household needs with commitment to brotherly service.