Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 14

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

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Spoken by Lakṣmaṇa to RamaSetting: अयोध्या

Devanagari script

बलमेष किमाश्रित्य हेतुं वापुरुषर्षभ ।

दातुमिच्छति कैकेय्यै राज्यं स्थितमिदं तव ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.14

Transliteration

balam eṣa kim āśritya hetuṃ vā puruṣarṣabha |

dātum icchati kaikeyyai rājyaṃ sthitam idaṃ tava ||14||

Translation

โอ้บุรุษผู้ประเสริฐยิ่ง พระราชานี้อาศัยกำลังใด—หรือเหตุผลใด—จึงประสงค์จะมอบราชอาณาจักรซึ่งเป็นสิทธิอันชอบธรรมของท่านให้แก่ไกเกยี

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Word by Word

• balam: power/strength
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana (singular)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• eṣaḥ: this man/he
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (1st/प्रथमा), Ekavacana; sarvanāma (pronoun)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• kim: what
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti (2nd/द्वितीया), Ekavacana; interrogative pronoun
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• āśritya: having resorted to
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-śri (धातु)
• Form: Ktvānta (क्त्वान्त) absolutive/gerund; ‘having resorted to’
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)

• hetum: reason/cause
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• vā: or
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: Vikalpa-avyaya (विकल्पार्थक अव्यय) conjunction ‘or’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)

• puruṣarṣabha: O best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa + ṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Sambodhana vibhakti (vocative/सम्बोधन), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa ‘men’s bull’
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• dātum: to give
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (धातु)
• Form: Tumunanta (तुमुनन्त) infinitive; ‘to give’
• Role: Prayojana/Anukriyā (प्रयोजन/अनुक्रिया)

• icchati: wishes/desires
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• kaikeyyai: to Kaikeyi
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Caturthī vibhakti (4th/चतुर्थी), Ekavacana
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)

• rājyam: kingdom
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• sthitam: established/standing (as yours)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √sthā धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past passive participle; Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with rājyam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• idam: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun; agrees with rājyam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• tava: your
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ṣaṣṭhī vibhakti (6th/षष्ठी), Ekavacana; pronoun
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)

Sandhi Notes

• kimāśritya = kim + āśritya
• hētuṅ vā = hetum + vā (anusvāra before v)
• vāpuruṣarṣabha = vā + puruṣarṣabha
• dātumicchati = dātum + icchati
• sthitamidaṃ = sthitam + idam (m→ṃ before vowel)

Context

O best of men!, under what authority or reason this king wants to confer on Kaikeyi the kingdom that rightfully belongs to you?

The teaching

Duties in tension

• राज्य-उत्तराधिकार का न्याय
• पितृवचन/वरदान-पालन
• प्रजा-हित बनाम अन्तःपुर-राजनीति

Ethical theme

राजनीति-धर्म/उत्तराधिकार-नीति

How it resolves

Questioning_legitimacy (demands basis of power/reason)

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Adbhuta (wonder)

Mood

Indignant, probing, disbelieving

Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma
• Ethics
• Maryada
• Satya

Symbolism

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Daśaratha (the king)
• Kaikeyī

FAQs

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

It questions legitimacy and rightful succession: dharma in kingship requires decisions grounded in justice and established right, not arbitrary transfer under improper influence.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa challenges the rationale behind Daśaratha’s decision to redirect the kingdom’s succession under Kaikeyī’s demand.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Moral courage to question authority and defend what is perceived as rightful order—paired with intense protectiveness toward Rāma.