Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 56
शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः
The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death
अज्ञानात्तु हतो यस्मात्क्षत्रियेण त्वया मुनिः।तस्मात्त्वां नाविशत्याशु ब्रह्महत्या नराधिप।।।।
ajñānāt tu hato yasmāt kṣatriyeṇa tvayā muniḥ | tasmāt tvāṁ nāviśaty āśu brahmahatyā narādhipa ||
Since the sage was killed by you, a kṣatriya, through ignorance, O lord of men, the sin of brahmin-slaying will not seize you immediately.
'Since you, O lord of men, you have killed an ascetic unaware, as kshatriya the sin of slaying a brahmin will not accrue to you immediately.
FAQs
Intention and knowledge (ajñāna vs. jāna) affect culpability, yet harm still calls forth moral consequence; dharma weighs both act and awareness.
After his son is accidentally killed, the ascetic addresses Daśaratha and explains why the full stain of brahmin-slaying is not said to strike him at once.
Moral discernment and fairness: the ascetic distinguishes ignorance from deliberate wrongdoing while still holding the king accountable to consequence.