Shloka 2.14.12
सत्यपाशः — Kaikeyi’s Demand and the Noose of the King’s Promise
उद्भ्रान्तहृदयश्चापि विवर्णवदनोऽभवत्।स धुर्योवैपरिस्पन्दन्युगचक्रान्तरं यथा।।।।
udbhrāntahṛdayaś cāpi vivarṇavadano ’bhavat | sa dhuryo vaiparispandan yugacakrāntaraṃ yathā ||
His heart reeled and his face grew pale; like a yoked draught-beast trembling restlessly between yoke and wheels, he was shaken and unsteady.
Like a bullock, restlessly moving between the wheels and the yoke, Dasaratha'sheart started beating wildly and his face turned pale.
Dharma can impose painful inner conflict: the verse depicts the human cost of maintaining truth and duty under unbearable emotional strain.
Daśaratha physically and mentally reels after being cornered by Kaikeyī’s demand tied to his promise.
Endurance under moral pressure—Daśaratha remains bound to duty even as his body shows collapse.