← 2.52.17 · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 52: Sumantra reports the farewells · 2.52.19 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.52.18

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 52: Sumantra reports the farewells. Rāma asks Bharata to care for the family, Lakṣmaṇa condemns the banishment and Sītā stands silently in tears

In the sequence: he then reports Lakṣmaṇa's angry questions: what offense justified the banishment, and how could the King expect the people's affection after treating Rāma this way? → Lakṣmaṇa said he now regarded Rāma as his father and protector

2.52.18

lakṣmaṇas tu susaṃkruddho niḥśvasan vākyam abravīt
kenāyam aparādhena rājaputro vivāsitaḥ

But Lakṣmaṇa, greatly enraged, said with a sigh: 'For what offense has the prince been banished?'

Words: lakṣmaṇas — Lakṣmaṇa; tu — but; susaṃkruddho — greatly enraged; niḥśvasan — sighing; vākyam — words; abravīt — spoke; kenāyam — by what... this; aparādhena — offense, fault; rājaputro — the prince; vivāsitaḥ — banished, exiled

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. 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.