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

Spoken by Rama to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhyā palaceRenunciation decision preceding forest departure

Devanagari script

यशो ह्यहं केवलराज्यकारणा न्न पृष्ठतः कर्तुमलं महोदयम् ।

अदीर्घकाले न तु देवि जीविते वृणेऽवरामद्य महीमधर्मतः ॥६२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.62

Transliteration

yaśo hy ahaṁ kevalarājyakāraṇān na pṛṣṭhataḥ kartum alaṁ mahodayam |

adīrghakāle na tu devi jīvite vṛṇe 'varām adya mahīm adharmataḥ ||62||

Translation

Malay

Aku tidak sanggup melemparkan ke belakang kemuliaan agung ini semata-mata kerana kerajaan. Hidup ini tidak panjang, wahai Bonda; hari ini aku tidak memilih meraih bumi yang kecil ini melalui adharma.

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Word by Word

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sandhi Notes

• Sandhi resolution applied: (1) यशो ह्यहं → यशः + हि + अहम् (visarga/savarṇadīrgha)
• (2) केवलराज्यकारणान्न → केवलराज्यकारणात् + न (final -t before n)
• (3) वृणेऽवरामद्य → वृणे + अवराम् + अद्य (avagraha: e/o sandhi)
• Minor punctuation normalized

Context

I will not forsake this great glory (of fulfilling my father's promise) for the sake of the kingdom. In this transient existence O mother, I do not wish to acquire this insignificant earth unrighteously.

The teaching

Glory is not mere fame but the fragrance of righteousness; a kingdom gained by adharma is a loss, especially in a life that passes quickly.

Duties in tension

• Political ambition/claim to kingdom vs. moral law (dharma)
• Short-term advantage vs. lasting honor (yaśas)

Ethical theme

Integrity in governance (rāja-dharma)

How it resolves

Renunciation of unrighteous gain; choosing śreyas over preyas

For your practice

Daily discernment: refuse benefits that require ethical compromise; contemplate impermanence to strengthen vairāgya.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Steadfast, noble, uncompromising

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Renunciation
• Ethics of power
• Kingship

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

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.