Valmiki Ramayana 2.22.14: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 22, Shloka 14

अभिषेक-निवृत्ति-उपदेशः

Withdrawal of the Coronation: Rama’s Counsel to Lakshmana

Spoken by Rama to LakṣmaṇaSetting: Ayodhyā palaceImmediate departure decision

Devanagari script

बुद्धिः प्रणीता येनेयं मनश्च सुसमाहितम् ।

तं तु नार्हामि संक्लेष्टुं प्रव्रजिष्यामि मा चिरम् ॥१४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.22.14

Transliteration

buddhiḥ praṇītā yeneyaṃ manaś ca susamāhitam |

taṃ tu nārhāmi saṃkleṣṭuṃ pravrajiṣyāmi mā ciram ||14||

Translation

เมื่อปณิธานนี้ได้ตั้งมั่นแล้ว และจิตของเราก็สงบแน่วแน่ เราไม่ควรทำให้พระองค์ระทมทุกข์; เราจักออกสู่การเนรเทศโดยไม่ชักช้า

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Word by Word

• बुद्धिः: intellect
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• प्रणीता: has been guided/advanced
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+नी (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘led/advanced’ (agreeing with बुद्धिः)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• येन: by whom/whereby
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; ‘by whom/whereby’
• Role: Karana (करण)

• इयम्: this
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• मनः: mind
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (and)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)

• सुसमाहितम्: well-composed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु+सम्+आ+धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (to ‘manaḥ’) ‘well-composed’
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• तम्: him
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• तु: but
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; व्यतिरेक/बल (but)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (not)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)

• अर्हामि: I ought/deserve
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; नकार-निषेधेन ‘नार्हामि’
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• संक्लेष्टुम्: to afflict
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+क्लिश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive); ‘to afflict’
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• प्रव्रजिष्यामि: I shall depart
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र+व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• मा: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (prohibitive/negative) ‘not’
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)

• चिरम्: for long
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग; ‘for long/long time’
• Role: Kala-adhikarana (कालाधिकरण)

Sandhi Notes

• येनेयं → येन + इयम्
• मनश्च → मनः + च
• नार्हामि → न + अर्हामि
• संक्लेष्टुं (anusvāra before k)
• मा चिरम् = ‘not long’

Context

With well-composed mind this decision has been taken. I do not like to inflict pain (on Dasaratha or Kaikeyi). I shall, therefore, depart to the forest without delay.

The teaching

When discernment is settled and the mind is composed, act promptly to prevent further harm; delay can become a form of violence to others’ hearts.

Duties in tension

• Duty to accept kingship vs. duty to protect father from distress and uphold vow-context
• Personal comfort vs. dharmic renunciation

Ethical theme

Ahiṃsā (non-harm) through timely action; niścaya

How it resolves

Swift dharmic action grounded in composed mind

For your practice

Model for sādhana: cultivate composed mind (susaṃhita manas) and act without procrastination when dharma is clear; japa/meditation to stabilize buddhi before action.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Shanta (peace), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Composed, decisive, self-mastered

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Compassion
• Self-control
• Ethics
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Rāma’s dharma is compassionate obedience: he chooses swift compliance to minimize suffering for his father and prevent further moral conflict.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma states that his decision is settled and that he will leave promptly rather than prolong distress at court.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Karunā (compassion) guided by steadiness of mind.