Shloka 2.108.1

जाबाल्युपदेशः — Jabali’s Pragmatic Counsel to Rama

Devanagari script

आश्वासयन्तं भरतं जाबालिर्ब्राह्मणोत्तमः।उवाच रामं धर्मज्ञं धर्मापेतमिदं वचः।।।।

Transliteration

āśvāsayantaṃ bharataṃ jābālir brāhmaṇottamaḥ |

uvāca rāmaṃ dharmajñaṃ dharmāpetam idaṃ vacaḥ || 2.108.1 ||

Translation

As Rāma, knower of dharma, was consoling Bharata, Jābāli—the foremost of brahmins—addressed him with words that strayed from righteousness.

Context

While Rama, conversant with dharma, was consoling Bharata, Jabali an eminent brahmin addressed him in words contrary to righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Bharata
• Jābāli

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

It introduces a dharma-discourse: not all persuasive counsel is righteous; ethical discernment is required even when advice comes from an eminent figure.

What is the narrative situation?

During Bharata’s emotional encounter with Rāma in exile, the brahmin Jābāli begins a line of argument intended to make Rāma abandon exile, characterized by the narrator as contrary to dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s dharma-jñāna (moral clarity) is foregrounded, setting the stage for his response to ethically problematic reasoning.