Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.28: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 28

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma

based persuasion of Kausalyā

Devanagari script

विलपन्तीं तथा दीनां कौसल्यां जननीं ततः ।

उवाच रामो धर्मात्मा वचनं धर्मसंहितम् ॥२८॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.21.28

Transliteration

vilapantīṃ tathā dīnāṃ kausalyāṃ jananīṃ tataḥ |

uvāca rāmo dharmātmā vacanaṃ dharmasaṃhitam ||28||

Translation

随后，坚守正法的罗摩，对那悲苦哀泣的母亲憍萨利耶，说出了契合正义之道的话语。

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Word by Word

• विलपन्तीम्: lamenting
• विलपन्तीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vilapantī (कृदन्त; √lap लप् + vi-)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘lamenting’

• तथा: thus
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘thus/in that way’

• दीनाम्: wretched
• दीनाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (agreeing with कौसल्याम्/जननीम्)

• कौसल्याम्: Kausalya
• कौसल्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kausalyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जननीम्: mother
• जननीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jananī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb): ‘then’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• रामः: Rama
• रामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास: ‘whose self is dharma’ = ‘righteous’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (qualifying रामः)

• वचनम्: words
• वचनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धर्मसंहितम्: consistent with righteousness
• धर्मसंहितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃhita (कृदन्त; √dhā धा + sam-)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास: ‘in accordance with dharma’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with वचनम्)

Context

Thereafter, virtuous Rama addressed these words consistent with righteousness to his miserable mother Kausalya who was thus lamenting:

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Kausalyā
• Dharma

FAQs

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

Rāma’s response is framed as dharma-consistent speech: even amid grief and conflict, one should speak in alignment with righteousness.

What is the narrative situation?

After Kausalyā’s lament and pleas, the narration transitions to Rāma’s dharmic reply.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharmātmā nature—moral steadiness and principled speech under pressure.