Valmiki Ramayana 2.31.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 31, Shloka 21

लक्ष्मणस्य वनानुगमन-प्रतिज्ञा तथा आयुध-संग्रहः

Lakshmana’s Vow to Follow Rama and the Retrieval of Divine Weapons

Devanagari script

तदात्मभरणे चैव मम मातुस्तथैव च।पर्याप्ता मद्विधानां च भरणाय यशस्विनी।।।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.31.21

Transliteration

tad ātmabharaṇe caiva mama mātuḥ tathaiva ca | paryāptā madvidhānāṃ ca bharaṇāya yaśasvinī ||

Translation

तदात्मभरणे चैव मम मातुस्तथैव च। पर्याप्ता मद्विधानां च भरणाय यशस्विनी॥

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Word by Word

• tad: for that
• tad: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र विशेषणरूपेण (for that)

• ātmabharaṇe: in self-support/for maintaining oneself
• ātmabharaṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātma-bharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव: ātmanः bharaṇam); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• mātuḥ: of (my) mother
• mātuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• tathā: so/likewise
• tathā: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: रीतिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/so)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• paryāptā: sufficient/competent
• paryāptā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: paryāpta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (competent/sufficient)

• madvidhānām: of men like me
• madvidhānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad-vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• bharaṇāya: for supporting/maintenance
• bharaṇāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (Dative/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; प्रयोजन (purpose)

• yaśasvinī: the illustrious (lady)
• yaśasvinī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yaśasvinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (illustrious)

Context

Make me your follower. There is no breach of virtue in this. I will have my purposeaccomplished. Your object also will be fulfilled.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• Sumitrā (implied as “my mother”)

FAQs

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

Responsible renunciation: Lakṣmaṇa removes objections grounded in household dependency, asserting that elders’ welfare is safeguarded, enabling him to pursue service-dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa continues persuading Rāma that leaving for the forest with him will not cause neglect of maternal responsibilities.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sevā-niṣṭhā (steadfastness in service) joined with foresight—he anticipates concerns and answers them with practical assurance.