Valmiki Ramayana 2.8.31 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 8, Shloka 31

मन्थराकैकेयीसंवादः — Mantharā’s Counsel to Kaikeyī

Ayodhyā’s Succession Alarm

Devanagari script

गोप्ता हि रामं सौमित्रिर्लक्ष्मणं चापि राघवः।अश्विनोरिव सौभ्रात्रं तयोर्लोकेषु विश्रुतम्।।2.8.31।।

Transliteration

goptā hi rāmaṃ saumitrir lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi rāghavaḥ |

aśvinor iva saubhrātraṃ tayor lokeṣu viśrutam ||2.8.31||

Translation

Saumitrī, yakni Lakṣmaṇa, melindungi Rāma; dan Rāghava, yakni Rāma, juga melindungi Lakṣmaṇa. Persaudaraan mereka termasyhur di dunia bagaikan pasangan Aśvin.

Word by Word

• goptā: protector
• goptā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gup (धातु) + tṛ (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: तृन्-कृदन्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha/Avadhāraṇa (सम्बन्ध/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• rāmam: Rama
• rāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• saumitriḥ: Saumitri (Lakshmana)
• saumitriḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saumitri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पितृव्युत्पन्न-नाम (patronymic: son of Sumitrā)

• lakṣmaṇam: Lakshmana
• lakṣmaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lakṣmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also/even’

• rāghavaḥ: Raghava (Rama)
• rāghavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गोत्र/वंशज (descendant of Raghu)

• aśvinoḥ: of the Ashvins (twin gods)
• aśvinoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• iva: like
• iva: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• saubhrātram: brotherhood
• saubhrātram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saubhrātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here प्रथमा as subject of ‘viśrutam’

• tayoḥ: of those two
• tayoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive, 6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• lokeṣu: in the worlds
• lokeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative, 7th), बहुवचन

• viśrutam: renowned
• viśrutam: Vidheyaviśeṣaṇa (विधेयविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-śru (धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicative with saubhrātram

Context

Just as Lakshmana protects Rama, Rama protects Lakshmana. Their brotherhood is renowned in the world like that of the Ashwins.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Saumitrī
• Aśvins

FAQs

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

It praises reciprocal duty (paraspara-rakṣaṇa) within family: true brotherhood expresses itself as mutual protection—an important dharmic ideal in the epic.

What is the narrative situation?

Mantharā points to the famous unity of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to argue that Rāma’s side is strongly consolidated, thereby heightening Kaikeyī’s anxiety about Bharata.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fraternal devotion and steadfast guardianship—mutual loyalty that is publicly celebrated (lokeṣu viśrutam).