Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.12 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 12

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

प्रोत्साहितोऽयं कैकेय्या स दुष्टो यदि नः पिता।अमित्रभूतो निस्सङ्गं वध्यतां बध्यतामपि।।2.21.12।।

Transliteration

protsāhito 'yaṃ kaikeyyā sa duṣṭo yadi naḥ pitā |

amitrabhūto nissaṅgaṃ vadhyatāṃ badhyatām api ||2.21.12||

Translation

若我等之父因凯凯伊的煽动而变得邪恶，果真成了我们的仇敌，那么不顾亲族之情，也当将他制止、捆缚，乃至囚禁；若有必要，亦可诛杀。

Word by Word

• protsāhitaḥ: instigated
• protsāhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra-ut-sah (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ayam: this man/he
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyī
• kaikeyyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaikeyī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• duṣṭaḥ: wicked
• duṣṭaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past participial adjective from √duṣ (दुष्) / lexical; Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• yadi: if
• yadi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle

• naḥ: our
• naḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (6th), Plural; enclitic

• pitā: father
• pitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• amitra-bhūtaḥ: having become an enemy
• amitra-bhūtaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-mitra (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; compound: amitra 'enemy' + bhūta 'become' (kta)

• nissaṅgam: without regard/attachment
• nissaṅgam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis-saṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; used adverbially 'without attachment/without regard'

• vadhyatām: let (him) be killed
• vadhyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vadh (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (Imperative), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular; Passive imperative (कर्मणि) 'let him be slain'

• badhyatām: let (him) be bound
• badhyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bandh (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (Imperative), Ātmanepada, 3rd person, Singular; Passive imperative 'let him be bound/imprisoned'

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

Context

Even a preceptor who follows the unrighteous path and is filled with haughtiness and does not know how to discriminate between good and bad, deserves to be disciplined (punished).

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha (our father)

FAQs

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

It raises the tension between personal bonds and justice: Lakṣmaṇa asserts that if a ruler turns hostile and unjust, corrective action may be required—though the epic context later critiques acting from rage rather than dharma.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakṣmaṇa, enraged by the exile and coronation reversal, speaks recklessly about punishing even his father if Daśaratha has become an enemy under Kaikeyī’s influence.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Uncompromising loyalty to Rāma and a militant sense of justice—yet also Lakṣmaṇa’s impulsiveness, showing how anger can distort dharmic judgment.