Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 2

लक्ष्मणक्रोधः · दैवपुरुषकारविवादः

Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort

Setting: Ayodhyā palace interior (implied)

Devanagari script

तदा तु बध्द्वा भ्रुकुटीं भ्रुवोर्मध्ये नरर्षभः ।

निशश्वास महासर्पो बिलस्थ इव रोषितः ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.23.2

Transliteration

tadā tu baddhvā bhru-kuṭīṃ bhruvor madhye nararṣabhaḥ |

niśaśvāsa mahāsarpo bilastha iva roṣitaḥ ||2||

Translation

అప్పుడు నరశ్రేష్ఠుడైన లక్ష్మణుడు భ్రూవుల మధ్య భ్రుకుటిని కట్టుకొని, కోపంతో గట్టిగా నిశ్వాసం విడిచెను—బిలంలో ఉన్న రోషిత మహాసర్పంలా।

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Word by Word

• तदा: then
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: Kāla (काल)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• बद्ध्वा: having knitted
• Type: Verb
• Root: बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive), ‘having bound/knitted’
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• भ्रुकुटीम्: a frown
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रुकुटी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• भ्रुवोः: of (his) brows
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), द्विवचन; ‘of the two brows’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)

• मध्ये: in the middle
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• नरर्षभः: best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर-ऋषभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (नराणाम् ऋषभः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• निशश्वास: sighed
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘sighed/hissed’
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• महासर्पः: a great serpent
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-सर्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् सर्पः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपमान (simile subject)
• Role: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• बिलस्थः: dwelling in a hole
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बिल-स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (बिले स्थितः); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘dwelling in a hole’
• Role: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• इव: like
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमावाचक-अव्यय (comparative particle)
• Role: Upamā (उपमा-सूचक)

• रोषितः: angered
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘angered’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

Sandhi Notes

• भ्रुवोर्मध्ये = भ्रुवोः + मध्ये (विसर्ग-लोप/रुत्व)
• महासर्पो = महासर्पः (विसर्ग→ओ before vowel)
• बिलस्थ इव = बिलस्थः + इव

Context

Lakshmana, frowning between his eye-brows, hissed like a great serpent seized with anger in its hole.

The teaching

Righteous anger arises to defend dharma, but it must be governed lest it become destructive.

Duties in tension

• Kṣatriya impulse to punish perceived injustice
• Dharma of restraint and obedience to Rāma’s chosen course
• Protecting family honor vs maintaining social order

Ethical theme

Krodha-niyama within kṣatriya-dharma

How it resolves

Emotion intensifies; restraint not yet shown in this verse

For your practice

A mirror for practitioners: observe anger as a coiled force; cultivate mastery of breath and discernment before action.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Seething, coiled, threatening

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Krodha (anger)
• Fraternal loyalty
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how intense emotion (anger) arises in the face of perceived injustice; dharma requires that such anger be governed and redirected toward righteous action rather than rash harm.

What is the narrative situation?

In Ayodhyā, as events move to block Rāma’s consecration and send him to exile, Lakṣmaṇa reacts with visible, barely contained fury.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Lakṣmaṇa’s fierce loyalty and protective resolve toward Rāma, even though it borders on uncontrolled wrath.