Shloka 2.78.10
अष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः — Śatrughna’s Fury and Bharata’s Restraint (Mantharā Episode)
शत्रुघ्नश्च तदाज्ञाय वचनं भृशदुःखितः।अन्तःपुरचरान्सर्वानित्युवाच धृत व्रतः।।।।
śatrughnaś ca tad ājñāya vacanaṃ bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ | antaḥpuracarān sarvān ity uvāca dhṛtavrataḥ ||
Hearing those words, Śatrughna—deeply grieved yet steadfast in his vow—addressed all the attendants of the inner palace quarters:
Intensely grieved to hear those words, Satrughna who was steadfast in his vows said to the inmates of the inner apartment:
The verse sets up the tension between righteous restraint and emotional upheaval: even a vow-bound person can be shaken by adharma, yet speech and action should ideally remain governed by dharma rather than grief.
Śatrughna hears distressing news and immediately turns to the inner-palace attendants, initiating the confrontation that follows in the palace quarters.
Dhṛtavrata—steadfastness and firmness of resolve—showing Śatrughna as principled and decisive, even while grieving.