Shloka 2.12.113
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse (Ayodhya Kanda 12)
न जीवितं मेऽस्ति पुनःकुत स्सुखं विनाऽऽत्मजेनाऽत्मवतः कुतो रतिः।ममाहितं देवि न कर्तुमर्हसि स्पृशामि पादावपि ते प्रसीद मे।।।।
na jīvitaṃ me ’sti punaḥ kutaḥ sukhaṃ vinā ’tmajenā ’tmavataḥ kuto ratiḥ |
mamāhitaṃ devi na kartum arhasi spṛśāmi pādāv api te prasīda me ||
There is no life for me without my son—what then of happiness? And for a man who honors himself, where could pleasure be? O queen, you ought not do what harms me; I will even touch your feet—have mercy on me.
There is no life for me without my son (Rama). What to speak of happiness again? Where is pleasure for a selfrespecting man like me? O queen, it does not behove you to do this harmful act. I will touch your feet. Show pity on me.
It frames compassion as dharma: even amid conflict, one should not commit ‘ahita’ (harm) against the vulnerable; the plea appeals to humane restraint and moral responsibility.
Daśaratha’s anger collapses into desperation; he begs Kaikeyī to relent, even offering the humiliating gesture of touching her feet.
Humility and supplication in crisis—Daśaratha abandons royal pride to seek mercy for what he sees as a dharmic necessity: keeping Rāma near.