Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.13: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 13
द्वादशः सर्गः · Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
तिष्ठेल्लोको विना सूर्यं शस्यं वा सलिलं विना ॥१३॥
न तु रामं विना देहे तिष्ठेत्तु मम जीवितम् ।
tiṣṭhel loko vinā sūryaṃ śasyaṃ vā salilaṃ vinā ||13||
na tu rāmaṃ vinā dehe tiṣṭhet tu mama jīvitam |
„Die Welt könnte ohne die Sonne bestehen, und Saaten könnten selbst ohne Wasser wachsen; doch ohne Rāma wird das Leben in meinem Leib nicht bleiben.“
This world can exist without the Sun or crops (can be grown) without water but without Rama, life would not exist in my body.
FAQs
The verse underscores how dharmic bonds (father–son, king–heir) are treated as life-sustaining. It also foreshadows the ethical cost of separating the righteous heir from the king through adharma-driven manipulation.
Daśaratha intensifies his plea, expressing that Rāma’s absence would be fatal to him.
Daśaratha’s transparent love and emotional truthfulness, even when it exposes weakness.
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