Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 23

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

शुश्रूषुर्जननीं पुत्र स्वगृहे नियतो वसन्।परेण तपसा युक्तः काश्यपस्त्रिदिवं गतः।।2.21.23।।

Transliteration

śuśrūṣur jananīṃ putra svagṛhe niyato vasan | pareṇa tapasā yuktaḥ kāśyapas tridivaṃ gataḥ || 2.21.23 ||

Translation

Này con, sống nghiêm trì trong chính ngôi nhà mình và phụng dưỡng mẹ hiền, hiền giả Kāśyapa—đầy đủ khổ hạnh tối thượng—đã đạt lên cõi trời.

Word by Word

• śuśrūṣuḥ: desirous of serving
• śuśrūṣuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śuśrūṣ (धातु/denom)
• Form: Śatṛ/ucchun? (desiderative participle) actually ‘śuśrūṣu’ = desiderative adjective/participle ‘wishing to serve’; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• jananīm: mother
• jananīm: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: jananī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• putra: O son
• putra: Sambodhana
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana

• svagṛhe: in his own home
• svagṛhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva + gṛha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Saptamī vibhakti (7th/सप्तमी), Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa ‘in one’s own house’

• niyataḥ: disciplined/self-restrained
• niyataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niyata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; ni+√yam धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with kāśyapaḥ

• vasan: dwelling
• vasan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (state of agent)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vas (धातु)
• Form: Śatṛ present active participle; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with kāśyapaḥ

• pareṇa: supreme/highest
• pareṇa: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka (or pum) Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with tapasā in sense ‘supreme’ (instrumental)

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Tṛtīyā, Ekavacana

• yuktaḥ: endowed/engaged
• yuktaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yukta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √yuj धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with kāśyapaḥ

• kāśyapaḥ: Kashyapa
• kāśyapaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāśyapa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• tridivam: heaven
• tridivam: Karma (destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• gataḥ: went
• gataḥ: Kriyā (predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gata (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √gam धातु)
• Form: Kta PPP used as finite-like predicate; Pumliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with kāśyapaḥ

Context

O son! Kasyapa who led a life of self-discipline and served his mother at home, attained heaven credited with (the merit of) the highest penance.

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma
• Kāśyapa
• Tridiva (heaven)

FAQs

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

Service to one’s mother is presented as a form of tapas (austerity) and a dharmic path that yields spiritual merit.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā cites a traditional exemplar (Kāśyapa) to persuade Rāma that staying home and serving his mother is itself ‘highest penance’.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-discipline (niyama) combined with devoted service (śuśrūṣā).