Shloka 2.109.36

सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम् (Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali)

Devanagari script

धर्मे रता: स‌त्पुरुषै: स‌मेतास्तेजस्विनो दानगुणप्रधानाः।

अहिंसका वीतमलाश्च लोके भवन्ति पूज्या मुनयः प्रधानाः।।2.109.36।।

Transliteration

anāryas tv āryasaṅkāśaḥ śaucād dīnas tathā'śuciḥ |

lakṣaṇyavad alakṣaṇyo duśśīlaḥ śīlavān iva || 2.109.5 ||

Translation

If I were to be ignoble while merely seeming noble—devoid of cleanliness yet appearing clean; lacking virtue yet seeming virtuous; depraved yet posing as a man of good conduct—

Context

Those supreme ascetics who are radiant, devoted to righteousness and associated with men of virtue, with charity as their chief virtue, eschewing violence and purged of their impurities are truly worthy of reverence in this world.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma rejects hypocrisy: seeming righteous while being unrighteous is itself a moral failure.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma argues that abandoning principled conduct would make him a pretender to virtue—unacceptable for one who must embody dharma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Authenticity—being truly virtuous rather than merely appearing so.