Shloka 2.12.42

द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse (Ayodhya Kanda 12)

Devanagari script

किल्बिषत्वं नरेन्द्राणां करिष्यसि नराधिप।यो दत्वा वरमद्यैव पुनरन्यानि भाषसे।।।।

Transliteration

kilbiṣatvaṃ narendrāṇāṃ kariṣyasi narādhipa |

yo datvā varam adyaiva punar anyāni bhāṣase || 2.12.42 ||

Translation

O king, you would bring a stain upon kingship—having granted a boon today, you speak again in a different way.

Context

O king, right now having given two boons, you are speaking otherwise. You are bringing blemish to kings (of the Ikshwaku race)

Characters & Entities

• Kaikeyī
• Daśaratha
• Ikṣvāku kings (implicit via ‘narendrāṇām’)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

A king’s dharma is inseparable from satya: reversing a granted boon is portrayed as a moral blemish that damages the very institution of kingship.

What is the narrative situation?

Kaikeyī argues that Daśaratha cannot retract or alter what he has already promised her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Integrity and consistency in speech—especially for rulers whose words function as binding public commitments.