Shloka 65
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
यदा तु बहवो वृद्धा गुणवन्तो बहुश्रुताः।।।।परिप्रक्ष्यन्ति काकुत्स्थं वक्ष्यामि किमहं तदा।
yadā tu bahavo vṛddhā guṇavanto bahuśrutāḥ |
pariprakṣyanti kākutsthaṃ vakṣyāmi kim ahaṃ tadā ||
പിന്നെ അനേകം വൃദ്ധന്മാർ—ഗുണവാന്മാരും ബഹുശ്രുതന്മാരും—കാകുത്സ്ഥനെ (രാമനെ) കുറിച്ച് എന്നോട് ചോദിക്കുമ്പോൾ, അപ്പോൾ ഞാൻ എന്ത് മറുപടി പറയാൻ കഴിയും?
I have taken this decision in consultation with friends to install Rama. How can I see such a decision being reversed like a retreating army defeated by enemies? Kings from different quarters have already arrived and they will say, How did this ignorant descendant of the Ikshakus (Dasaratha) rule this kingdom for such a long time?
FAQs
Dharma must withstand scrutiny by the wise; unrighteous acts collapse when questioned by elders who represent ethical memory and social conscience.
Daśaratha anticipates interrogation by respected elders regarding Rāma’s fate and fears he will have no defensible explanation.
Respect for the judgment of the wise (vṛddha/śiṣṭa authority) as a measure of moral legitimacy.