Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 12
अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः
Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma-based persuasion of Kausalyā
प्रोत्साहितोऽयं कैकेय्या स दुष्टो यदि नः पिता।अमित्रभूतो निस्सङ्गं वध्यतां बध्यतामपि।।2.21.12।।
protsāhito 'yaṃ kaikeyyā sa duṣṭo yadi naḥ pitā |
amitrabhūto nissaṅgaṃ vadhyatāṃ badhyatām api ||2.21.12||
यदि कैकेय्या प्रोत्साहितोऽस्माकं पिता दुष्टोऽमित्रभूतो भवेत्, तर्हि बान्धवस्नेहमनपेक्ष्य निस्सङ्गं स निगृह्यतां, बध्यतामपि, आवश्यकं चेत् वध्यतामपि।
Even a preceptor who follows the unrighteous path and is filled with haughtiness and does not know how to discriminate between good and bad, deserves to be disciplined (punished).
FAQs
It raises the tension between personal bonds and justice: Lakṣmaṇa asserts that if a ruler turns hostile and unjust, corrective action may be required—though the epic context later critiques acting from rage rather than dharma.
Lakṣmaṇa, enraged by the exile and coronation reversal, speaks recklessly about punishing even his father if Daśaratha has become an enemy under Kaikeyī’s influence.
Uncompromising loyalty to Rāma and a militant sense of justice—yet also Lakṣmaṇa’s impulsiveness, showing how anger can distort dharmic judgment.