Valmiki Ramayana 2.21.52 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 52

अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः

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

Devanagari script

किं जीवितेनेह विना त्वया मेलोकेन वा किं स्वधयाऽमृतेन।श्रेयो मुहूर्तं तव सन्निधानं ममेह कृत्स्नादपि जीवलोकात्।।2.21.52।।

Transliteration

kiṃ jīvitena iha vinā tvayā me

lokena vā kiṃ svadhayā amṛtena |

śreyo muhūrtaṃ tava sannidhānaṃ

mama iha kṛtsnād api jīvalokāt || 2.21.52 ||

Translation

没有你，我在此活着又有何用？天界又有何用？祭祖供奉又有何用？纵有甘露亦复何益？于我而言，你在身旁哪怕片刻，也胜过这无你之整个众生世界。

Word by Word

• किम्: what (use/purpose)?
• किम्: प्रश्नार्थक-विशेषणम् (interrogative qualifier of implied अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (interrogative pronoun; nominative/accusative singular neuter)

• जीवितेन: with life; by living
• जीवितेन: करणम् (instrument/means: 'by/with life')
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक; √जीव् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular neuter)

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरणम् (locative sense: 'here')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• विना: without
• विना: अपादानार्थक-सम्बन्धः (separation/absence relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्ययम्; तृतीया-सम्बन्धः (indeclinable governing instrumental: 'without')

• त्वया: you (instr.)
• त्वया: सह/वियोग-सम्बन्धः (governed by विना: 'without you')
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/सर्वनाम्नि तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular: 'by/with you')

• मे: for me; to me
• मे: सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्धः (dative/genitive sense: 'for me')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular enclitic: 'of me/to me')

• लोकेन: with the world (the other world)
• लोकेन: करणम् (instrument/means: 'by/with the world/other world')
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular masculine)

• वा: or
• वा: समुच्चय/विकल्प-सम्बन्धः (coordination: alternative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्ययम् (disjunctive particle: 'or')

• किम्: what (use)?
• किम्: प्रश्नार्थक-विशेषणम् (interrogative qualifier of implied अर्थः/प्रयोजनम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (interrogative pronoun; nominative/accusative singular neuter)

• स्वधया: with svadhā (oblations to the manes)
• स्वधया: करणम् (instrument/means: 'by/with svadhā-oblations')
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular feminine)

• अमृतेन: with nectar; with immortality
• अमृतेन: करणम् (instrument/means: 'by/with nectar/immortality')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम् (instrumental singular neuter)

• श्रेयो: better; more desirable
• श्रेयो: विशेषणम्/विधेयम् (predicate adjective qualifying सन्निधानम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेयस् (प्रातिपदिक; comparative of √श्री/श्री-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (comparative adjective used predicatively: 'better/more desirable')

• मुहूर्तम्: for a moment
• मुहूर्तम्: कालाधिकरणम् (accusative of duration: 'for a moment')
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुहूर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम् (accusative singular masculine; measure of time)

• तव: your
• तव: सम्बन्धः (genitive relation to सन्निधानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular: 'of you/your')

• सन्निधानम्: presence; proximity
• सन्निधानम्: कर्तृ/विषयः (topic/subject: 'presence')
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधान (प्रातिपदिक; सम् + √धा (धातु) + ल्युट्/घञ्-भाव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम् (nominative/accusative singular neuter; here as subject/predicate-noun)

• मम: my; for me
• मम: सम्बन्धः (genitive relation: 'for me/my')
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी एकवचनम् (genitive singular: 'of me/my')

• इह: here
• इह: अधिकरणम् (locative sense: 'here')
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (adverb of place)

• कृत्स्नात्: from the whole; than the entire
• कृत्स्नात्: अपादानम् (ablative of comparison/separation: 'than/from the entire')
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी एकवचनम् (ablative singular masculine/neuter usage; 'from the whole')

• अपि: even
• अपि: अवधारण/अतिशय-सम्बन्धः (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अतिशयार्थक-अव्ययम् (particle: 'even/also')

• जीवलोकात्: than/from the world of living beings
• जीवलोकात्: अपादानम् (ablative of comparison: 'than the world of the living')
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवलोक (प्रातिपदिक: जीव + लोक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे पञ्चमी एकवचनम् (ablative singular masculine); समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जीवानां लोकः) (ablative: 'from/than the world of living beings')

Context

What is the purpose of my life in this world without you? What purpose do I have with the other world or with the oblations (offered to manes) or with nectar (availble to the gods). I would prefer one moment in your company to the whole world of living beings (without you).

Characters & Entities

• Kausalya
• Rama
• amṛta (nectar)

FAQs

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

The verse dramatizes the conflict between personal attachment and dharmic duty; it shows how powerful love can challenge acceptance of a righteous course.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalya pleads emotionally, declaring that neither this world nor the next has value for her without Rama.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Deep maternal devotion—though it also highlights the human difficulty of detachment when dharma demands separation.