Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.47 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 47

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma-based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

शोकस्सन्धार्यतां मात र्हृदये साधु मा शुचः।वनवासादिहैष्यामि पुनः कृत्वा पितुर्वचः।।2.21.47।।

Transliteration

śokaḥ sandhāryatāṃ mātar hṛdaye sādhu mā śucaḥ |

vanavāsād ihaiṣyāmi punaḥ kṛtvā pitur vacaḥ ||2.21.47||

Translation

اے ماں! اپنے دل میں غم کو سنبھال کر رکھ، بھلائی اسی میں ہے؛ غم نہ کر۔ باپ کے فرمان کو پورا کر کے میں جنگل کے واس سے پھر یہاں لوٹ آؤں گا۔

Word by Word

• शोकः: sorrow
• शोकः: Karta (कर्ता/subject of passive imperative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सन्धार्यताम्: let (it) be restrained
• सन्धार्यताम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + धृ (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; ‘let it be restrained/born’

• मातः: O mother
• मातः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, संबोधन (vocative), एकवचन

• हृदये: in the heart
• हृदये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृदय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th, locative), एकवचन

• साधु: properly
• साधु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साधु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रशंसार्थ/उपदेशार्थ (well/properly)

• मा: do not
• मा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (prohibitive particle)

• शुचः: grieve
• शुचः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शुच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वन-वासात्: from forest-dwelling/exile
• वन-वासात्: Apadana (अपादान/source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: ‘वने वासः’; पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th), एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/place)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• एष्यामि: I shall come
• एष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरर्थक

• कृत्वा: having fulfilled
• कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund), ‘having done/fulfilled’

• पितुः: of (my) father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• वचः: word/command
• वचः: Karma (कर्म/object of kṛtvā—fulfilled)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

Context

Do not grieve, O mother! Be prudent enough to subdue your sorrow in your heart. Having fulfilled father's words, I shall come back from my sojourn in the forest.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• vanavāsa

FAQs

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

Dharma involves inner steadiness: sorrow must be governed, not allowed to derail righteous action. Fulfilling the father’s command is presented as the dharmic endpoint of the ordeal.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā is overwhelmed; Rāma urges composure and reiterates that he will return after honoring Daśaratha’s command.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate firmness: Rāma acknowledges grief but teaches emotional restraint aligned with duty.