Valmiki Ramayana 2.105.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 105, Shloka 17
भरतस्य प्रार्थना—रामस्य कालधर्मोपदेशः
Bharata’s Petition and Rama’s Instruction on Time and Mortality
यथा फलानां पक्वानां नान्यत्र पतनाद्भयम्।एवं नरस्य जातस्य नान्यत्र मरणाद्भयम्।।2.105.17।।
yathā phalānāṃ pakvānāṃ nānyatra patanād bhayam | evaṃ narasya jātasya nānyatra maraṇād bhayam ||2.105.17||
Wie eine reife Frucht nichts fürchtet außer dem Fallen, so hat auch der Mensch, einmal geboren, keine letzte Furcht außer dem Tod.
Even a house constructed with sturdy pillars gets dilapidated and ultimately decays. In the same way people under the sway of old age and death are destroyed (at last).
FAQs
It teaches truthful acceptance of mortality (satya-bodha): recognizing death as inevitable helps one live dharmically without panic or delusion.
The speaker uses a natural metaphor (fruit and falling) to make the inevitability of death emotionally intelligible.
Sthairya (steadfastness): courage rooted in realism rather than denial.
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