Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 16

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Spoken by Lakṣmaṇa to KausalyaSetting: अयोध्या

Devanagari script

अनुरक्तोऽस्मि भावेन भ्रातरं देवि तत्त्वतः ।

सत्येन धनुषा चैव दत्तेनेष्टेन ते शपे ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.16

Transliteration

anurakto 'smi bhāvena bhrātaraṃ devi tattvataḥ |

satyena dhanuṣā caiva datteneiṣṭena te śape ||16||

Translation

ఓ దేవి మాతా! నేను హృదయపూర్వకంగా నిజంగా నా సోదరునిపై అనురక్తుడను. నా సత్యమునకు, నా ధనుస్సుకు, అలాగే నా దానములు మరియు యజ్ఞ-ఇష్ట పుణ్యమునకు శపథం చేస్తున్నాను।

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Word by Word

• anuraktaḥ: devoted/attached
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anurakta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; anu+√rañj धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) PPP used adjectivally; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate with asmi
• Role: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समाना)

• asmi: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Uttama-puruṣa (1st), Ekavacana; parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• bhāvena: with feeling/from the heart
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental of manner
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• bhrātaram: (my) brother
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• devi: O lady/mother
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• tattvataḥ: truly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tattvatas (अव्यय; from tattva)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (kriyāviśeṣaṇa) meaning ‘in truth/really’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (adverbial)

• satyena: by truth
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (or pum), Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; instrumental ‘by truth’
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• dhanuṣā: by (my) bow
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• ca: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction
• Role: Sambandha (connector)

• eva: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle
• Role: Nipāta

• dattena: by gifts/charity given
• Type: Noun
• Root: datta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √dā धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP used substantively; Napumsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; ‘by what has been given (charity)’
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• iṣṭena: by sacrifice performed
• Type: Noun
• Root: iṣṭa (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √yaj धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP used substantively; Napumsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; ‘by sacrifice performed’
• Role: Karaṇa (करण)

• te: to you
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī vibhakti (4th) Ekavacana (Vedic/epic enclitic form); ‘to you’
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)

• śape: I swear
• Type: Verb
• Root: śap (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra, Uttama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; parasmaipada; ‘I swear’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• anurakto'smi = anuraktaḥ + asmi
• caiva = ca + eva
• datteneṣṭena = dattena + iṣṭena (a+i→e)

Context

O mother!, (Lakshmana now tells Kausalya) I am truly loyal to my brother from the bottom of my heart. I swear this by my bow, on my merits earned through charity, by my truthfulness and by the good deeds I have done.

The teaching

Ethical theme

सत्यधर्म/भ्रातृधर्म

How it resolves

Affirmation of loyalty

Devotion and practice

Form of praise

Vandana (salutation)

Mantra

सत्येन… शपे

Mood and themes

Rasa

Vira (heroism), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Steadfast, vowed, devoted

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Bhakti (devotion)
• Fraternal loyalty
• Ethics

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Kauśalyā
• Rāma
• dhanuṣ (bow)

FAQs

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

Satya (truthfulness) and steadfast loyalty are treated as sacred commitments; vows grounded in truth and earned merit are presented as morally binding.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa reassures Kauśalyā of his unwavering allegiance to Rāma during the crisis of exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unshakable devotion to one’s elder brother and integrity expressed through solemn oath-taking.