Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 105, Shloka 22
भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य कालधर्मोपदेशः
Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Instruction on Time and Mortality
सहैव मृत्युर्व्रजति सह मृत्युर्निषीदति।गत्वासुदीर्घमध्वानं सहमृत्युर्निवर्तते।।2.105.22।।
sahaiva mṛtyur vrajati saha mṛtyur niṣīdati | gatvā sudīrgham adhvānaṃ saha mṛtyur nivartate ||2.105.22||
Death goes along with a person; death sits down with him. Even after traveling a very long road, he returns with death still beside him.
Death follows a man wherever he goes. When he sits, death sits with him. Even after travelling a very long distance, the man returns along with death.
FAQs
It teaches fearlessness grounded in truth: since death is inseparable from embodied life, dharma is to act rightly without being ruled by dread.
A vivid personification of death is used to show that no change of place or circumstance removes mortality.
Abhaya (courage): steadiness that comes from accepting unavoidable realities.