Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 31
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
तस्मिन्नार्जवसम्पन्ने देवि देवोपमे कथम्।पापमाशंससे रामे महर्षिसमतेजसि।।।।
tasminn ārjavasampanne devi devopame katham |
pāpam āśaṃsase rāme maharṣisamatejasi ||
In ihm, reich an Geradheit, o Königin, gottgleich an Erscheinung — wie kannst du Unheil über Rāma wünschen, der an Glanz einem großen ṛṣi gleicht?
How do you, O Devi, wish to harm Rama who is endowed with uprightness, who resembles the gods and in lustre to great ascetics?
FAQs
To harm the righteous is itself adharma; the verse frames moral outrage at wishing “pāpa” toward one who embodies uprightness.
Daśaratha challenges Kaikeyī’s intention, contrasting her harsh demand with Rāma’s saintly and divine-like qualities.
Rāma’s ārjava (straightforward integrity) and tapas-like radiance, aligning him with sages and gods.