Valmiki Ramayana 2.59.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 59, Shloka 23
एकोनषष्ठितमः सर्गः (Sarga 59): सुमन्त्रवाक्यं, अयोध्याविषादः, दाशरथिशोकसागरः
न सुहृद्भिर्नचामात्यैर्मन्त्रयित्वा न नैगमैः।मयायमर्थस्सम्मोहात् स्त्रीहेतो स्सहसा कृतः।।2.59.23।।
na suhṛdbhiḥ na ca amātyaiḥ mantrayitvā na naigamaiḥ |
mayā ayam arthaḥ sammohāt strī-hetoḥ sahasā kṛtaḥ ||2.59.23||
友にも大臣にも、また分別ある市民にも相談せず、迷妄のうちにこの事をしてしまった――性急に、そして一人の女のために。
For the sake of a woman, this act was committed in great haste, without consulting friends or ministers or men of prudence.
FAQs
A king must not let personal attachment override dharma; decisions affecting the kingdom should be made through truthful deliberation with wise stakeholders, not through delusion and haste.
Daśaratha confesses that Rama’s exile resulted from his rash, deluded action taken without counsel.
The virtue emphasized by negation is self-control and discernment; Daśaratha’s admission underscores the need for restraint against impulsive, desire-driven choices.
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