Valmiki Ramayana 2.31.34: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 31, Shloka 34
लक्ष्मणस्य वनानुगमन-प्रतिज्ञा तथा आयुध-संग्रहः
Lakshmana’s Vow to Follow Rama and the Retrieval of Divine Weapons
Spoken by Rama to LakṣmaṇaSetting: AyodhyaPre-exile assessment of those to be supported/served
वसन्तीह दृढं भक्त्या गुरुषु द्विजसत्तमाः ।
तेषामपि च मे भूयस्सर्वेषाञ्चोपजीविनाम् ॥३४॥
vasantīha dṛḍhaṃ bhaktyā guruṣu dvijasattamāḥ |
teṣām api ca me bhūyaḥ sarveṣāṃ copajīvinām ||34||
ที่นี่มีพราหมณ์ผู้ประเสริฐพำนักอยู่ มั่นคงในภักติต่อครูอาจารย์ของตน; และยังมีผู้คนอีกมากที่พึ่งพาเราเพื่อการดำรงชีพ
Sandhi Notes
- वसन्तीह = वसन्ति + इह
- भूयस्सर्वेषाम् = भूयः + सर्वेषाम्
- सर्वेषाञ्चोपजीविनाम् = सर्वेषाम् + च + उपजीविनाम्
Here live the best of brahmins who are deeply devoted to their teachers along with those who are dependent on me for their livelihood.
The teaching
True renunciation accounts for one’s obligations—settle duties to teachers, the learned, and dependents before departure.
Duties in tension
- Personal renunciation/exile vs obligations to dependents and social beneficiaries
- Individual dharma vs loka-saṅgraha (social maintenance)
- Ethical theme
- Rājyadharma; social responsibility
- How it resolves
- Acknowledgment leading to planned dāna and honoring of brahmins
For your practice
Promotes reverence to guru and mindful responsibility toward those supported by one’s resources.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Dutiful, reflective, socially-aware
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Social responsibility
- Care for dependents
- Itihasa
- Ethics
Recognition of networks of dependence parallels the Gita-like ethic of loka-saṅgraha: sustaining social order through responsible action.
Taittirīya Upanishad's injunctions: 'ācāryāya priyam dhanam āhṛtya'—honoring teachers and sustaining the learned.
- Rama and Brahmins
- Protector/patron honoring learned ones (reverential)
Valmiki Ramayana 2.2 (Ayodhya's social order and brahmin presence); Valmiki Ramayana 2.31 (context of honoring brahmins before departure)
Taittirīya Upanishad (Śikṣāvallī) on honoring the teacher; Dharmashastra themes of supporting dependents
Ayodhya-kanda: Rama's concern for subjects and dependents despite personal loss
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Narrative
Even-paced, clear articulation on 'gurusu' and 'upajīvinām'
FAQs
Dharma includes responsibility toward spiritual communities and dependents—truthfully recognizing social obligations before withdrawing into exile.
Rāma explains why he must distribute wealth: many brahmins and dependents rely on his support.
Rāma’s conscientiousness—he does not abandon obligations even when personally wronged.
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