Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.33 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 33

लक्ष्मणक्रोधः—दैवपुरुषकारविवादः

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

Devanagari script

खड्गनिष्पेषनिष्पिष्टैर्गहना दुश्चरा च मे।हस्त्यश्वनरहस्तोरुशिरोभिर्भविता मही।।।।

Transliteration

khaḍganiṣpeṣaniṣpiṣṭair gahanā duścarā ca me | hastyaśvanarahastōruśirobhir bhavitā mahī || 2.23.33 ||

Translation

میری ہی وجہ سے یہ دھرتی تلوار کی رگڑ اور کٹاؤ سے چور چور ہو کر گھنی اور ناقابلِ گزر بن جائے گی؛ ہاتھیوں کے سونڈوں، گھوڑوں کے لاشوں، اور یودھاؤں کے ہاتھوں، رانوں اور سروں سے زمین بھر جائے گی۔

Word by Word

• khaḍga-niṣpeṣa-niṣpiṣṭaiḥ: by those crushed/hacked by sword-blows
• khaḍga-niṣpeṣa-niṣpiṣṭaiḥ: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: khaḍga (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣpeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + niṣpiṣṭa (कृदन्त)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास; तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषणम् (hasty-aśva-...-śirobhiḥ इत्यादीनां)

• gahanā: dense / impassable
• gahanā: Kriya-puraka (क्रियापूरकः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gahana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (mahī)

• duścarā: hard to traverse
• duścarā: Kriya-puraka (क्रियापूरकः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duścara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (mahī)

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

• me: my / for me
• me: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन

• hasti-aśva-nara-hasta-ūru-śirobhiḥ: with (severed) elephant-trunks, horses, men’s hands, thighs and heads
• hasti-aśva-nara-hasta-ūru-śirobhiḥ: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hasti (प्रातिपदिक) + aśva (प्रातिपदिक) + nara (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक) + ūru (प्रातिपदिक) + śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समाहार/इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व-समास (enumerative); तृतीया, बहुवचन

• bhavitā: will become
• bhavitā: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mahī: the earth
• mahī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Context

This entire earth will become impenetrable and impassable, scattered with the trunks, thighs and heads of elephants, horses and warriors hacked off with my sword.

Characters & Entities

• Lakṣmaṇa
• Rāma
• khaḍga (sword)
• elephants
• horses
• warriors

FAQs

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

It dramatizes the kṣatriya obligation to enforce protection through force when necessary—violence is portrayed as a last-resort instrument to prevent the triumph of adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa intensifies his reassurance by painting a terrifying picture of what would happen to any armed opposition.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Martial fearlessness and willingness to bear the burden of conflict to safeguard Rāma.