Valmiki Ramayana 2.78.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 3

अष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः · Śatrughna’s Fury and Bharata’s Restraint

Mantharā Episode

Spoken by Śatrughna to BharataSetting: AyodhyaImmediately after exile decision; debate on preventing departure

Devanagari script

बलवान्वीर्यसम्पन्नो लक्ष्मणो नाम योऽप्यसौ ।

किं न मोचयते रामं कृत्वा स्म पितृनिग्रहम् ॥३॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.78.3

Transliteration

balavān vīryasampanno lakṣmaṇo nāma yo 'py asau |

kiṁ na mocayate rāmaṁ kṛtvā sma pitṛnigraham ||3||

Translation

Dan mengapa Lakṣmaṇa, yang gagah perkasa dan penuh keberanian, tidak membebaskan Rāma dengan menahan ayahanda kita?

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Word by Word

• बलवान्: strong
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)

• वीर्यसम्पन्नः: endowed with prowess
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वीर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सम्पन्न (कृदन्त; सम्+√पद्, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वीर्येण सम्पन्नः)
• Role: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• लक्ष्मणः: Lakshmana
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)

• नाम: by name
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नाम-शब्दः (quotative/‘by name’)
• Role: निपात (Particle/निपात)

• यः: who
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)

• अपि: even
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also/even)
• Role: निपात (Particle/निपात)

• असौ: that (person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम
• Role: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)

• किम्: why
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण (Interrogative/प्रश्न)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध
• Role: निषेध (Negation/निषेध)

• मोचयते: release (does he)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुच् (धातु) णिच् (causative) मोचय-
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
• Role: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)

• रामम्: Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: कर्म (Object/कर्म)

• कृत्वा: having done/made
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)
• Role: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)

• स्म: indeed/then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; भूतार्थ निपात (past marker)
• Role: निपात (Particle/निपात)

• पितृनिग्रहम्: restraint of the father
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + निग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पितुः निग्रहः)
• Role: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• बलवान्वीर्यसम्पन्नो = बलवान् + वीर्यसम्पन्नः
• योऽप्यसौ = यः + अपि + असौ
• कृत्वा स्म = कृत्वा + स्म

Context

And why did not Lakshmana who is strong and powerful release Rama from exile by restraining our father?

The teaching

Strength without discernment can become adharma; true valor may lie in restraint when higher dharma (obedience, social stability) is at stake.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya duty to prevent injustice vs son’s duty to honor father-king
• Protecting Rāma’s welfare vs preserving royal authority and social order

Ethical theme

Svadharma (kṣatriya/putra-dharma)

How it resolves

Non-action implied as dharmic restraint (later validated by Rāma’s stance)

Devotion and practice

Practice of channeling anger into disciplined service; remembering Rāma as the axis of dharma when emotions surge.

Deity praised

Rama

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Accusatory, restless, pained

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Filial duty
• Kṣatriya duty
• Anger vs restraint

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• father (Daśaratha, implicit)

FAQs

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

It probes the limits of righteous action: even justified outrage must consider dharma—whether ‘restraining the father’ is lawful or an unacceptable breach of filial and royal order.

What is the narrative situation?

Śatrughna questions why Lakṣmaṇa did not intervene forcefully to prevent Rāma’s exile, reflecting the family’s turmoil after Daśaratha’s decision.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s self-control by implication: despite strength, he does not violate dharma by coercing the king, showing restraint over impulsive force.