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||
പിതാവിന്റെ ആജ്ഞയിൽ ഉറച്ചുനിൽക്കുക; അവൻ വാഗ്ദാനം ചെയ്തതുപോലെ. നീ ഒൻപതു വർഷവും പിന്നെ അഞ്ചും—പതിനാലു വർഷം—വനത്തിലേക്ക് പ്രവേശിക്കേണ്ടതാണ്.
Abide by your father's command. As promised by him go to the forest for fourteen years.
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.