← 2.20.20 · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 20: Lakṣmaṇa opposes fate with effort · 2.20.22 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.20.21

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 20: Lakṣmaṇa opposes fate with effort. He offers to overcome every obstacle by force, Rāma wipes away his tears but remains bound to the promise

In the sequence: he says Rāma should retire to the forest only after ruling and entrusting the Kingdom to his own sons

2.20.21

pūrvarājarṣivṛttyā hi vanavāso vidhīyate
prajā nikṣipya putreṣu putravat paripālane

For by the practice of the royal seers of old, forest-dwelling is enjoined only after entrusting the subjects to one's sons, to be cherished as one cherishes a son.

Words: pūrvarājarṣivṛttyā — by the practice of the ancient royal seers; hi — for; vanavāso — forest-dwelling; vidhīyate — is enjoined, ordained; prajā — the subjects; nikṣipya — having entrusted, deposited; putreṣu — to the sons; putravat — as a son; paripālane — for protection, cherishing

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.