Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.7 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 7

लक्ष्मणक्रोधः—दैवपुरुषकारविवादः

Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort

Devanagari script

किन्नाम कृपणं दैवमशक्तमभिशंससि।।।।पापयोस्ते कथं नाम तयोश्शङ्का न विद्यते।

Transliteration

kin nāma kṛpaṇaṃ daivam aśaktam abhiśaṃsasi |

pāpayos te kathaṃ nāma tayoḥ śaṅkā na vidyate |

Translation

你为何称颂那名为“命运”的可怜而无力之物？又为何对那两位作恶者竟毫无疑心？

Word by Word

• सन्ति: there are
• सन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; ‘are/exist’

• धर्मोपधाः: deceptions in the guise of dharma
• धर्मोपधाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-उपधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (धर्मस्य उपधा ‘deception under guise of dharma’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• श्लक्ष्णाः: subtle
• श्लक्ष्णाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्लक्ष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; धर्मोपधाः-विशेषण—‘smooth/subtle’

• धर्मात्मन्: O righteous one
• धर्मात्मन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (धर्मः आत्मा यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• किम्: why
• किम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-निपात

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• बुध्यसे: do you understand
• बुध्यसे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), आत्मनेपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘you understand’

• तयोः: of those two
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, द्विवचन

• सुचरितम्: good conduct
• सुचरितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु-चरित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्ग-युक्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘good conduct’ (object of implied ‘they abandon’)

• स्वार्थम्: self-interest
• स्वार्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य अर्थः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘self-interest’

• शाठ्यात्: out of deceit
• शाठ्यात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाठ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative/हेतु), एकवचन; ‘from/through deceit’

• परिजिहीर्षतोः: of the two wishing to cast off
• परिजिहीर्षतोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-हृ (धातु)
• Form: सन्-प्रत्यय (desiderative) + शतृ/शानच्-समकक्ष participial stem ‘जिहीर्षत्’; षष्ठी, द्विवचन; ‘of the two wishing to abandon/repudiate’

Context

Shaking his forearm like an elephant raising its trunk, moving his neck horizontally and vertically and casting a pointed and oblique look at his brother, Lakshmana said:

Characters & Entities

• Lakshmana
• Rama
• daiva (destiny)
• Dasharatha
• Kaikeyi

FAQs

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

Moral accountability: Lakshmana insists that ethical evaluation should focus on human choices and wrongdoing rather than attributing events to fate.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana urges Rama to recognize culpability behind the exile decision, rather than accepting it as destiny.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Justice-oriented discernment—Lakshmana’s refusal to let “fate” erase responsibility.