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एकोनविंशः सर्गः (Sarga 19): Rāma’s Unshaken Acceptance of Exile and Kaikeyī’s Urgency
एवमस्तु गमिष्यामि वनं वस्तुमहं त्वितः ।
जटाजिनधरो राज्ञः प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन् ॥२॥
evam astu gamiṣyāmi vanaṃ vastum ahaṃ tv itaḥ |
jaṭājinadharo rājñaḥ pratijñām anupālayan ||2||
Baiklah. Dari sini aku akan pergi ke hutan dan tinggal di sana, berambut gimbal dan mengenakan kulit rusa, demi menegakkan janji sang raja.
Be it so; I shall go from here to the forest and live there with matted hair and deer-skin to keep the promise of the king.
Keeping one’s pledged word (satya) and protecting the integrity of a ruler’s vow are presented as higher dharma than personal comfort.
Rāma accepts exile to the forest to ensure that Daśaratha’s promise—exacted by Kaikeyī—is not broken.
Rāma’s steadfast truthfulness and self-sacrificing obedience to dharma.
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