Valmiki Ramayana 2.12.102 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 102
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
धिगस्तु योषितो नाम शठा स्स्वार्थपरास्सदा।न ब्रवीमि स्त्रिय स्सर्वा भरतस्यैव मातरम्।।।।
dhig astu yoṣito nāma śaṭhāḥ svārtha-parāḥ sadā | na bravīmi striyaḥ sarvā bharatasyaiva mātaram ||
ધિક્કાર છે ‘સ્ત્રી’ કહેવાતી વસ્તુને—છળકપટી, સદા સ્વાર્થપરાયણ! છતાં હું સર્વ સ્ત્રીઓ વિષે નથી કહતો—માત્ર ભરતની માતા વિષે જ.
A woman means one who secretly harms others. This is shameful indeed. They always seek selfish interests. I do not say this of all women, only of Bharata's mother.
FAQs
Dharma also governs speech: the verse shows how grief can drive harsh generalizations; it implicitly cautions against unjust, sweeping blame even when condemning a specific wrongful act.
In anger and pain, Daśaratha rebukes Kaikeyī, then partially retracts by limiting the accusation to her alone.
A negative exemplum: loss of restraint in speech; the partial qualification shows a faint return toward discrimination (viveka).
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