Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 27
अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः
Lakṣmaṇa’s militant counsel and Rāma’s dharma-based persuasion of Kausalyā
ततस्त्वं प्राप्स्यसे पुत्र निरयं लोकविश्रुतम्।ब्रह्महत्यामिवाधर्मात्समुद्र स्सरितां पतिः।।2.21.27।।
tatas tvaṃ prāpsyase putra nirayaṃ lokaviśrutam | brahmahatyām ivādharmāt samudraḥ saritāṃ patiḥ || 2.21.27 ||
Then, my son, you will reach a hell renowned in the world—just as the ocean, lord of rivers, through unrighteous conduct incurred a sin like brahmin-slaying (brahmahatyā).
O son! you will then fall into hell. As well-known in the world, the ocean, the lord of rivers, incurred the guilt of slaying a brahmin through unrighteous conduct.
FAQs
The verse asserts karmic consequence: acting from adharma leads to grave spiritual downfall, illustrated through a mythic exemplum (the ocean’s incurred guilt).
Kausalyā escalates her plea into a moral warning, suggesting that abandoning her would be unrighteous and yield terrible consequences.
Moral seriousness about dharma and the belief that actions—especially toward parents—carry heavy karmic weight.