Shloka 2.109.6
सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम् (Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali)
अनार्यस्त्वार्यसङ्काश श्शौचाद्दीनस्ताथाऽशुचिः।लक्षण्यवदलक्षण्यो दुश्शीलश्शीलवानिव।।2.109.5।।अधर्मं धर्मवेशेण यदीमं लोकसङ्कुरम्।अभिपत्स्ये शुभं हित्वा क्रियाविधिविवर्जितम्।।2.109.6।।कश्चेतयानः पुरुषः कार्याकार्यविचक्षणः।बहुमंस्यति मां लोके दुर्वृत्तं लोकदूषणम्।।2.109.7।।
iti bruvantaṃ vacanaṃ saroṣaṃ rāmaṃ mahātmānam adīnasattvam |
uvāca pathyaṃ punar āstikaṃ ca satyaṃ vacaḥ sānunayaṃ ca vipraḥ || 2.109.37 ||
As Rāma—great-souled and undaunted—spoke those angry words, the brāhmaṇa replied again with gentle persuasion: speech that was beneficial, aligned with truth, affirming faith, and joined with a humble appeal.
If like a man who appears noble, though ignoble, clean, though unclean or dishonest, auspicious, though inauspicious, a man of character, though depraved, I forsake auspicious ways for unrighteousness, abandon pious acts and scriptural practices and indulge, under the cloak of dharma, in acts of wickedness by causing harm and confusion to the world, will any sensible man with a sense of discrimination between should and should not hold me in high esteem?
Even amid conflict, dharmic discourse values speech that is truthful (satya), beneficial (pathya), and conciliatory rather than inflammatory.
After Rāma’s sharp response, the narration notes Jābāli’s strategic shift to faith-affirming, appeasing language.
Measured speech—responding to anger with calm, constructive, truth-oriented counsel.