Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.36 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 36

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

तदेतत्तु मया कार्यं क्रियते भुवि नान्यथा।पितुर्हि वचनं कुर्वन्न कश्चिन्नाम हीयते।।2.21.36।।

Transliteration

tad etat tu mayā kāryaṃ kriyate bhuvi nānyathā |

pitur hi vacanaṃ kurvan na kaścin nāma hīyate || 2.21.36 ||

Translation

因此，此事乃我当行之责，我将在世间如是成就，别无他途；因为确实无人会因奉行父亲之言而失坠于正法（达摩）。

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative 'that' (correlative)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'this'

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयार्थक-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• kāryam: duty
• kāryam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; 'duty/what must be done'

• kriyate: is done
• kriyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि (passive)

• bhuvi: in the world
• bhuvi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; 'in the world/on earth'

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

• anyathā: otherwise
• anyathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyathā (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• pituḥ: of (my) father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• hi: for/indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (for/indeed)

• vacanam: command/word
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• kurvan: while fulfilling
• kurvan: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle) कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'doing/fulfilling' (agent implied)

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

• kaścit: anyone
• kaścit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaścid (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; indefinite pronoun 'anyone'

• nāma: indeed/at all
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: पादपूरण/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• hīyate: perishes/is diminished
• hīyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: hā (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग: 'is diminished/perishes'

Context

I will not do as duty anything contrary to what is done by others in this world. No one who obeys the commands of his father falls off the path of righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Kausalya
• father (Dasaratha—implicit)
• world (bhuvi)

FAQs

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

Rama asserts that obedience to a rightful father’s command is dharma-preserving: fulfilling it is portrayed as spiritually non-degrading and ethically stabilizing.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama concludes his justification to Kausalya by stating firmly that he will carry out the command without deviation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Firmness (niścaya) and fidelity to truth-bound duty.