Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.31 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 31

लक्ष्मणक्रोधः—दैवपुरुषकारविवादः

Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort

Devanagari script

न चाहं कामयेऽत्यर्थं यस्स्याच्छत्रुर्मतो मम।।।।असिना तीक्ष्णधारेण विद्युच्चलितवर्चसा।प्रगृहीतेन वै शत्रुं वज्रिणं वा न कल्पये।।।।

Transliteration

na cāhaṃ kāmaye ’tyarthaṃ yas syāc chatrur mato mama | asinā tīkṣṇadhāreṇa vidyuccalitavarcasā | pragṛhītena vai śatruṃ vajriṇaṃ vā na kalpaye || 2.23.31 ||

Translation

میں ہرگز یہ نہیں چاہتا کہ کوئی مجھے اپنا دشمن سمجھا جائے؛ لیکن جب میں اپنی تیز دھار تلوار، جو بجلی کی چمک کی مانند درخشاں ہے، ہاتھ میں لے لوں تو میں دشمن کو—خواہ وہ وجرین (اندَر) ہی کیوں نہ ہو—بخشنے والا نہیں۔

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kāmaye: desire
• kāmaye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kam (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• ati-artham: exceedingly
• ati-artham: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial)

• yas: who
• yas: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun); प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• syāt: would be
• syāt: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• śatruḥ: enemy
• śatruḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śatru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• mataḥ: considered
• mataḥ: Kriya-puraka (क्रियापूरकः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (predicate adjective)

• mama: of me / my
• mama: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

Context

Any one who turns my enemy will not be allowed to remain alive. Holding my sharp-edged sword, lustrous as a flash of lightning, I shall exterminate my enemy even if it were Indra, the bearer of thunder.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• asi (sword)
• vidyut (lightning)

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as deterrent protection: one should not seek enmity, yet must act decisively when righteousness and rightful authority are threatened.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa, in a surge of protective resolve, proclaims uncompromising readiness to punish any aggressor opposing Rāma’s rightful cause.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unflinching courage coupled with a declared unwillingness to initiate conflict—strength in service of duty.