Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 18, Shloka 35
अष्टादशः सर्गः
Kaikeyī Discloses the Boons: Exile to Daṇḍaka and Bharata’s Consecration
सन्निदेशे पितुस्तिष्ठ यथा तेन प्रतिश्रुतम्।त्वयाऽरण्यं प्रवेष्टव्यं नव वर्षाणि पञ्च च।।।।
sannideśe pituḥ tiṣṭha yathā tena pratiśrutam |
tvayā araṇyaṃ praveṣṭavyaṃ nava varṣāṇi pañca ca ||2.18.35||
ತಂದೆಯ ಆಜ್ಞೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿರನಾಗಿ ನಿಲ್ಲು; ಅವನು ಹೇಗೆ ಪ್ರತಿಜ್ಞೆ ಮಾಡಿದನೋ ಹಾಗೆ. ನೀನು ಒಂಬತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳೂ ಇನ್ನೂ ಐದು—ಹದಿನಾಲ್ಕು ವರ್ಷ—ಅರಣ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಲೇಬೇಕು.
Abide by your father's command. As promised by him go to the forest for fourteen years.
FAQs
Dharma as obedience to a legitimate paternal/royal command, grounded in satya—keeping a pledged term even when it demands hardship.
Kaikeyī articulates the specific condition of the boon: Rāma must go to the forest for fourteen years.
The virtue targeted is Rāma’s steadfast compliance with duty (pitṛ-ājñā-pālana), which becomes the hallmark of his righteousness.