Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.11: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 11

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Spoken by Lakshmana to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā

Devanagari script

भरतस्याथ पक्ष्यो वा यो वाऽस्य हितमिच्छति ।

सर्वानेतान्वधिष्यामि मृदुर्हि परिभूयते ॥११॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.11

Transliteration

bharatas yātha pakṣyo vā yo vā 'sya hitam icchati |

sarvān etān vadhiṣyāmi mṛdur hi paribhūyate ||11||

Translation

และผู้ใดก็ตามที่อยู่ฝ่ายพระพรต หรือผู้ที่หวังผลประโยชน์แก่เขา ข้าจะสังหารพวกมันให้หมด เพราะผู้ที่อ่อนโยนมักถูกย่ำยีด้วยความดูแคลน

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Word by Word

• bharatasya: of Bharata
• Type: Noun
• Root: bharata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• atha: then/and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/conjunction (निपात)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• pakṣyaḥ: supporter
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; 'supporter/partisan'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• vā: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle (विकल्प)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• yaḥ: who
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; relative
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• vā: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Disjunctive particle
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• asya: his
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad/idam pronoun stem (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Singular
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• hitam: welfare/good
• Type: Noun
• Root: hita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• icchati: desires
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• sarvān: all
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; agrees with etān
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• etān: these (people)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• vadhiṣyāmi: I shall slay
• Type: Verb
• Root: vadh (धातु)
• Form: Lṛṭ (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), Parasmaipada, 1st person, Singular
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• mṛduḥ: the gentle (man)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mṛdu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; used substantively 'a gentle person'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• hi: indeed/for
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic/explanatory particle (निपात)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)

• paribhūyate: is humiliated
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-bhū (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular; Passive/medio-passive sense 'is insulted/overpowered'
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• yo vā'sya = yaḥ + vā + asya
• hitamicchati = hitam + icchati
• sarvānetān = sarvān + etān
• etānvadhiṣyāmi = etān + vadhiṣyāmi
• mṛdurhi = mṛduḥ + hi

Context

I shall slay all of them who support Bharata and those who seek his prosperity. A gentleman is treated with disgrace indeed.

The teaching

Gentleness is not weakness; when it becomes anger, it loses its moral force—discernment must precede punishment.

Duties in tension

• Defending perceived justice for Rāma
• Non-violence toward innocents and avoidance of rash punishment
• Fair judgment vs suspicion

Ethical theme

Nyāya (justice) vs krodha (anger)

How it resolves

Unresolved here; later corrected by knowledge of Bharata’s intent and Rāma’s restraint

For your practice

Supports self-inquiry: when feeling ‘mṛdutā is trampled,’ practice steadiness and seek truth before action.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Bhayanaka (fear)

Mood

Vengeful, unyielding, menacing

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Ethics
• Anger
• Political conflict

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Rama
• Bharata

FAQs

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

It raises a dharmic problem: the claim that gentleness invites contempt can tempt one toward violence, but the Ramayana’s dharma ultimately refines strength through self-restraint, justice, and truth rather than indiscriminate killing.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana, inflamed by the perceived threat to Rama’s rightful position, vows to eliminate Bharata’s supporters and anyone promoting Bharata’s interests.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Uncompromising loyalty and a fierce sense of honor—paired with a lack of restraint that the narrative later balances through Rama’s commitment to dharma and satya.