Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 68
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
यदा यदा हि कौशल्या दासीवच्च सखीव च।।।।भार्यावद्भगिनीवच्च मातृवच्चोपतिष्ठति।सततं प्रियकामा मे प्रियपुत्रा प्रियंवदा।।।।न मया सत्कृता देवी सत्कारार्हा कृते तव।
yadā yadā hi kauśalyā dāsī-vac ca sakhī-va ca,
bhāryā-vad bhaginī-vac ca mātṛ-vac copatiṣṭhati;
satataṃ priya-kāmā me priya-putrā priyaṃ-vadā,
na mayā sat-kṛtā devī satkārārhā kṛte tava.
Siempre que Kauśalyā me atendía—como sierva y como amiga, como esposa, como hermana y como madre—ella, que buscaba sin cesar mi bien, madre de mi amado hijo, de palabra dulce, era digna de honor. Pero por tu causa, a esa noble reina nunca la honré como merecía.
Sweetspoken Kausalya who always cherishes my welfare. who has given me my beloved son, who has served me like an attendant, a friend, a wife, a sister and a mother deserved courteous treatment from me, but because of you, she never received due attention from me.
FAQs
Dharma here is gratitude and fairness: those who serve with loyalty and affection deserve honor, not neglect. Daśaratha admits a lapse in righteous conduct by failing to respect Kauśalyā appropriately.
In the midst of Kaikeyī’s demands, Daśaratha reflects on Kauśalyā’s lifelong devotion and laments how Kaikeyī’s influence led him to neglect Kauśalyā.
Kauśalyā’s selfless service and gentleness (sweet speech, constant goodwill), contrasted with Daśaratha’s remorseful self-critique.