Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.31: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 31

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Spoken by Rama to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhya (inner palace context; Kaikeyi’s chamber implied by surrounding episode)Places named: Bhūmi (earth/underworld strata), Sāgara (as eponymous king; ocean episode implied)

Devanagari script

अस्माकं च कुले पूर्वं सगरस्याज्ञया पितुः ।

खनद्भिस्सागरैर्भूमिमवाप्तस्सुमहान्वधः ॥३१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.31

Transliteration

asmākaṃ ca kule pūrvaṃ sagarasyājñayā pituḥ |

khanadbhiḥ sāgarair bhūmim avāptaḥ sumahān vadhaḥ ||31||

Translation

И ранее в нашем роду сыновья Сагары, копавшие землю по приказу своего отца, встретили ужасную смерть.

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Word by Word

• अस्माकम्: of us / our
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, बहुवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction): ‘and’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• कुले: in the lineage
• Type: Noun
• Root: kula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘formerly/earlier’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• सगरस्य: of Sagara
• Type: Noun
• Root: sagara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• आज्ञया: by the command
• Type: Noun
• Root: ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karana (करण)

• पितुः: of (their) father
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• खनद्भिः: by (those) digging
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khanat (कृदन्त; √khan खन्)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘digging’ (agreeing with सागरैः)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• सागरैः: by Sagara's sons
• Type: Noun
• Root: sāgara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘sons of Sagara’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• भूमिम्: the earth
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• अवाप्तः: was met with
• Type: Verb
• Root: avāpta (कृदन्त; √āp आप् + ava-)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was obtained/was met with’ (agreeing with वधः)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• सुमहान्: very great
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su- (उपसर्ग/उपपद) + mahān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with वधः); ‘very great’
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• वधः: slaughter
• Type: Noun
• Root: vadha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• सगरस्याज्ञया = सगरस्य + आज्ञया
• खनद्भिस्सागरैः = खनद्भिः + सागरैः
• भूमिमवाप्तः = भूमिम् + अवाप्तः
• अवाप्तस्सुमहान्वधः = अवाप्तः + सुमहान् + वधः

Context

Earlier the sons of Sagara, born in our family, while excavating the earth by the order of their father met a terrible death.

The teaching

Pitṛ-vākya is held as a powerful dharma-marker, yet examples warn that obedience without discernment can entail grave consequence; dharma must be weighed with wisdom.

Duties in tension

• Obedience to father’s command (pitṛ-vacana)
• Prudence/ahimsā and avoidance of ruinous action
• Responsibility for consequences of commanded acts

Ethical theme

Duty-based ethics (deontic) under dharma-sankata

How it resolves

Argument by precedent (aitihya) to justify obedience

For your practice

Reflection on śraddhā and viveka: honoring elders’ word while cultivating discernment; useful for svādhyāya on dharma.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Ominous, didactic, foreboding

Themes

• Dharma
• Pitṛ-ājñā (father’s command)
• Itihasa
• Consequences
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sagara
• sons of Sagara (Sāgaras)
• earth (bhūmi)
• father (of the Sāgaras)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the seriousness with which ancestral duty and obedience were undertaken, even at the risk of life—showing dharma as commitment, not convenience.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama continues citing precedents to persuade his mother that following a father’s command is an established path in their royal-ancestral tradition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Endurance and resolve (dhṛti) in carrying out duty despite danger and loss.