Valmiki Ramayana 2.109.39 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 39
सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्
Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali
न चापि कालोऽय मुपागतश्शनैर्यथा मया नास्तिकवागुदीरिता।निवर्तनार्थं तव राम कारणात् प्रसादनार्थं च मयैतदीरितम्।।2.109.39।।
na cāpi kālo'yam upāgataś śanair yathā mayā nāstikavāg udīritā |
nivartanārthaṃ tava rāma kāraṇāt prasādanārthaṃ ca mayaitad īritam || 2.109.39 ||
Und nun ist nach und nach die rechte Zeit gekommen, dass ich so spreche, wie ich sprach. Jene Worte, die wie nāstika-Rede klangen, habe ich deinetwegen geäußert, o Rāma—um dich zur Umkehr zu bewegen und auch um deine Gunst zu gewinnen.
How can I advise others for a virtuous conduct or how can I attain heaven if I break the vow which I follow at present.
FAQs
Ends-versus-means tension: persuasive intent (to bring Rāma back) is asserted, but dharma still demands truthfulness and principled speech.
Jābāli explains that his earlier counsel was tactical—meant to make Rāma return and to appease him—closing the sarga’s argumentative arc.
Conciliation (prasādana) as a counselor’s tool, though it implicitly invites scrutiny about ethical consistency.
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