Shloka 2.109.8
सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम् (Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali)
कस्य दास्याम्यहं वृत्तं केन वा स्वर्गमाप्नुयाम्।आनया वर्तमानो हि वृत्त्या हीनप्रतिज्ञया।।2.109.8।।
na cāpi kālo'yam upāgataś śanair yathā mayā nāstikavāg udīritā |
nivartanārthaṃ tava rāma kāraṇāt prasādanārthaṃ ca mayaitad īritam || 2.109.39 ||
And now, the proper time has gradually come for me to speak as I did. Those words that sounded like nāstika speech were uttered for your sake, O Rāma—both to turn you back and to win your gracious favor.
How can I advise others for a virtuous conduct or how can I attain heaven if I break the vow which I follow at present.
Ends-versus-means tension: persuasive intent (to bring Rāma back) is asserted, but dharma still demands truthfulness and principled speech.
Jābāli explains that his earlier counsel was tactical—meant to make Rāma return and to appease him—closing the sarga’s argumentative arc.
Conciliation (prasādana) as a counselor’s tool, though it implicitly invites scrutiny about ethical consistency.