Valmiki Ramayana 2.24.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 4
कौशल्यारामसंवादः · Kausalya
Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma
कः एतच्छ्रद्दधेच्छ्रुत्वा कस्य वा न भवेद्भयम् ।
गुणवान्दयितो राज्ञा राघवो यद्विवास्यते ॥४॥
ka etac chraddadhec chrutvā kasya vā na bhaved bhayam |
guṇavān dayito rājñā rāghavo yad vivāsyate ||4||
Wer könnte dies hören und es glauben, und wer würde nicht von Furcht ergriffen: dass Rāghava, tugendhaft und dem König teuer, ins Exil geschickt wird?
Who will believe that the virtuous and affectionate scion of the Raghus is exiled this way by the king? Who will not tremble in fear to hear this?
FAQs
The verse highlights the moral shock when royal action appears to contradict dharma: a virtuous, beloved prince being exiled by the king. It implicitly questions how rāja-dharma and personal affection can come into conflict.
Kausalyā reacts to the news that Rāma is to be sent to the forest; she expresses disbelief and fear at the reversal of expected justice.
Rāma’s guṇa (virtue/excellence) and his being dayita (deeply loved), underscoring that the suffering falls upon the most deserving.
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