Shloka 3
दशमः सर्गः — Rama’s Vow to Protect the Sages of Daṇḍaka
Dharma of Refuge
किन्तु वक्ष्याम्यहं देवि त्वयैवोक्तमिदं वचः।क्षत्रियैर्धार्यते चापो नार्तशब्दो भवेदिति।।।।
kintu vakṣyāmy ahaṁ devi tvayaivoktam idaṁ vacaḥ |
kṣatriyair dhāryate cāpo nārtaśabdo bhaved iti ||
എങ്കിലും, ഹേ ദേവി, ഞാൻ ഇതു പറയുന്നു: നീ തന്നേ പറഞ്ഞതുപോലെ—ക്ഷത്രിയൻ വില്ല് ധരിക്കുമ്പോൾ ദുഃഖത്തിന്റെ ആർത്തനാദം ഉണ്ടാകരുത്.
Having promised the sages, I cannot do otherwise as long as I have life in me. To me truth is always dear.
FAQs
Kṣatriya-dharma: power (the bow) is justified as a duty to prevent suffering and protect the vulnerable, so that cries of distress do not arise.
Rama responds to Sita’s earlier remarks and frames his weapon-bearing as a protective duty aligned with dharma.
Rama’s sense of responsibility—he interprets strength as service, not dominance.