Valmiki Ramayana 1.21.8: Bala Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 8
बालकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः · Daśaratha’s Promise, Vasiṣṭha’s Counsel, and Viśvāmitra’s Weapon
Lore
Spoken by Vasistha to King DaśarathaSetting: AyodhyāFinal moral pressure before dispatch
संश्रुत्यैवं करिष्यामीत्यकुर्वाणस्य राघव ।
इष्टापूर्तवधो भूयात्तस्माद्रामं विसर्जय ॥८॥
saṃśrutyaivaṃ kariṣyāmīty akurvāṇasya rāghava |
iṣṭāpūrtavadho bhūyāt tasmād rāmaṃ visarjaya ||8||
Ô Rāghava, celui qui, après avoir promis «je le ferai», ne l’accomplit pas, voit détruit le mérite des sacrifices et des aumônes. C’est pourquoi, envoie Rāma (avec le sage).
Sandhi Notes
- संश्रुत्यैवम् = संश्रुत्य + एवम्
- करिष्यामीति = करिष्यामि + इति
- इष्टापूर्तवधो = इष्टापूर्तवधः + (ओ-आदेशः)
- तस्माद्रामम् = तस्मात् + रामम्
O Dasaratha, a promise made and not kept amounts to destruction of merits earned through previous pieties. Therefore send Rama (with him).
The teaching
A pledged word binds; breaking it destroys accumulated merit—therefore fulfill the promise despite personal pain.
Duties in tension
- Keeping one’s promise (satya)
- Protecting one’s child
- Maintaining royal honor and religious merit (iṣṭa-pūrta)
- Ethical theme
- Satya-dharma / vrata-pālana
- How it resolves
- Deontic priority of satya and dharma over personal attachment
For your practice
Supports vow-discipline (vrata) and truthful speech as daily sādhana; encourages careful promises and faithful completion.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Bhayanaka (fear)
- Mood
- Warning, binding, grave
Themes
- Satya (Truthfulness)
- Dharma
- Promise-keeping
- Rājadharma
- Ethics
Integrity (satya) as a purifier; breach of vow increases inner bondage (mala) and agitation (rajas).
Ethos of satya as foundation of spiritual and social order; speech aligned with truth as tapas.
- Vashishtha and Dasharatha
- Preceptor warning about breach of promise (stern, compassion)
- Dasharatha and Rama
- Father’s promise affecting son’s mission; sending him away (painful, duty)
- Dasharatha and Vishwamitra
- Promise to a sage; obligation to fulfill (obligated, respect)
Mahābhārata: vow-keeping (satya) episodes—Harishchandra tradition echoed in Purāṇas; Bhagavad Gītā 17.14-16 (tapas of speech; truthfulness); Rāmacaritamānasa (satya-pratijñā and its binding force)
Dharmaśāstra valuation of iṣṭa-pūrta and the sin of promise-breaking
Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Daśaratha’s fatal promise to Kaikeyī; theme of satya binding kings
Anuṣṭup
Solemn
Lower register emphasis on iṣṭāpūrtavadho bhūyāt; decisive cadence on tasmād rāmaṃ visarjaya
FAQs
Satya (keeping one’s pledged word) is dharma; breaking a promise is portrayed as spiritually destructive, nullifying accumulated religious merit.
Vasiṣṭha presses Daśaratha to honor his commitment to Viśvāmitra by sending Rāma, warning of the moral and ritual consequences of failing one’s promise.
Truthfulness and reliability (satya-niṣṭhā): a king’s word must be unwavering.
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