Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 15
द्वितीयः सर्गः — श्लोकप्रादुर्भावः
The Manifestation of the Śloka
मा निषाद प्रतिष्ठां त्वमगमश्शाश्वतीस्समा: ।यत्क्रौञ्चमिथुनादेकमवधी: काममोहितम् ।।1.2.15।। 15
mā niṣāda pratiṣṭhāṃ tvam agamaḥ śāśvatīḥ samāḥ |
yat krauñcamithunād ekam avadhīḥ kāmamohitam ||1.2.15||
“Wahai Niṣāda (pemburu), semoga engkau tak pernah meraih kemuliaan yang abadi selama bertahun-tahun, karena engkau membunuh salah satu dari sepasang krauñca yang sedang terpesona oleh cinta.”
"O fowler, since you have killed one of the pair of infatuated kraunchas you will be permanently deprived of your position".
FAQs
Honor (pratiṣṭhā) is incompatible with cruelty; violating dharma—killing an innocent being, especially at a vulnerable moment—leads to loss of social and moral standing.
Vālmīki directly addresses the hunter and utters an imprecation that becomes the celebrated first śloka.
Satya-informed moral courage: Vālmīki speaks a hard truth against wrongdoing, rooted in compassion for the victim.