Shloka 2.110.18
लोकसमुत्पत्ति-वर्णनम् तथा इक्ष्वाकुवंश-प्रशंसा (Cosmogony and Ikshvaku Genealogy as Counsel to Rama)
द्वे चास्य भार्ये गर्भिण्यौ बभूवतुरिति श्रुतिः।एका गर्भविनाशाय सपत्न्यै गरलं ददौ।।।।
dve cāsya bhārye garbhiṇyau babhūvatur iti śrutiḥ |
ekā garbhavināśāya sapatnyai garalaṃ dadau ||
It is said he had two wives, and both became pregnant. One of them, seeking to destroy her co-wife’s unborn child, gave her poison.
Both his wives became pregnant. It is said that one of them gave the other poison (with the motive) to destroy the embryo.
It warns against adharma born of jealousy: harming innocent life and violating familial trust are grave moral transgressions.
After Asita’s exile, the account turns to conflict within his household: co-wives both pregnant, one attempts harm through poison.
By contrast (through negative example), the virtue highlighted is non-violence and integrity within family life—values violated by the jealous act.