Shloka 2.12.17
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse (Ayodhya Kanda 12)
किमिदं चिन्तितं पापे त्वया परमदारुणम्।।2.12.15।।अथ जिज्ञाससे मां त्वं भरतस्य प्रियाप्रिये। अस्तु यत्तत्त्वया पूर्वं व्याहृतं राघवं प्रति।।2.12.16।।स मे ज्येष्ठस्सुत श्रीमान्धर्मज्येष्ठ इतीव मे।तत्त्वया प्रियवादिन्या सेवार्थं कथितं भवेत्।।2.12.17।।
tac chrutvā śokasantaptā santāpayasi māṃ bhṛśam | āviṣṭā 'si gṛhaṃ śūnyaṃ sā tvaṃ paravaśaṃ gatā ||
Hearing that, though consumed by grief, you torment me greatly. You have entered this deserted chamber; thus you have fallen under another’s influence.
O sinful one why have you got this most dreadful thought? Do you want to know my likes or dislikes about Bharata? Let them be so.But speaking of Rama earlier, you used to say, 'Rama is my eldest son. He is noble and foremost in discharging his duties.' Such sweet words could not have been said only to please me.
Dharma warns against surrendering moral agency to external manipulation. Right counsel (satya-yukta advice) should guide action, not grief-driven or politically motivated influence.
Daśaratha interprets Kaikeyī’s behavior as the result of being swayed by others and laments her withdrawal into the ‘empty chamber’ of anger/sulk.
Moral discernment: Daśaratha identifies the danger of paravaśatā (being controlled by others) as a cause of adharma.