Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 4

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

नास्यापराधं पश्यामि नापि दोषं तथाविधम्।येन निर्वास्यते राष्ट्राद्वनवासाय राघवः।।2.21.4।।

Transliteration

nāsyāparādhaṃ paśyāmi nāpi doṣaṃ tathāvidham |

yena nirvāsyate rāṣṭrād vanavāsāya rāghavaḥ ||2.21.4||

Translation

Não vejo em Rāghava qualquer ofensa, nem falta de tal espécie, que justifique que seja banido do reino para viver na floresta.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• asya: of him / his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam/tad-pronoun stem asmad? actually 'asya' from 'idam' (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• aparādham: offence
• aparādham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aparādha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• paśyāmi: I see / find
• paśyāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present/वर्तमान), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तम), Singular

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-अव्यय)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), additive/emphatic

• doṣam: fault
• doṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tathāvidham: of such a kind
• tathāvidham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tathā-vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; agrees with doṣam/aparādham; compound: tathā + vidha (of such a kind)

• yena: by which / for which reason
• yena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; relative pronoun

• nirvāsyate: is banished
• nirvāsyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: nir-vas (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Singular; Passive sense (कर्मणि प्रयोगः) 'is banished'

• rāṣṭrāt: from the kingdom
• rāṣṭrāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāṣṭra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• vanavāsāya: for forest-dwelling / for exile in the forest
• vanavāsāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana-vāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; compound: vana + vāsa (dwelling in forest)

• rāghavaḥ: Rāghava (Rama)
• rāghavaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāghava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Context

I do not see any fault in Rama nor any offence committed by him for which he is exiled from the kingdom.

Characters & Entities

• Rāghava (Rāma)
• rāṣṭra (kingdom of Ayodhyā, implied)
• vanavāsa (forest exile)

FAQs

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

The verse appeals to justice as part of dharma: punishment (exile) should correspond to a real offence or fault. It asserts that Rāma’s banishment lacks moral grounds.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma is being sent to the forest instead of being installed as heir. Lakṣmaṇa reacts by insisting that Rāma has committed no wrongdoing deserving exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s fierce loyalty and moral clarity—his refusal to accept unjust suffering inflicted upon the righteous.