Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.5-6: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shlokas 5-6
लक्ष्मणक्रोधः · दैवपुरुषकारविवादः
Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort
अस्थाने सम्भ्रमो यस्य जातो वै सुमहानयम् ॥५॥
धर्मदोष प्रसङ्गेन लोकस्यानतिशङ्कया ।
कथंह्येतदसम्भ्रान्तस्त्वद्विधो वक्तुमर्हति ॥६॥
यथा दैवमशौडीरं शौण्डीर क्षत्रियर्षभ ।
asthāne sambhramo yasya jāto vai sumahān ayam ||5||
dharmadoṣa-prasaṅgena lokasyānatiśaṅkayā |
kathaṃ hy etad asambhrāntas tvad-vidho vaktum arhati ||6||
yathā daivam aśauḍīraṃ śauṇḍīra kṣatriyarṣabha |
അനുചിത സമയത്ത് നിനക്കുള്ളിൽ ഈ മഹാ കലക്കം ഉയർന്നു—ധർമ്മത്തെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ചിന്തയും ജനങ്ങളുടെ വിധിയെക്കുറിച്ചുള്ള ആശങ്കയും മൂലം. സ്ഥിരധീരനായ നിനക്കുപോലെയുള്ളവൻ, ഹേ ശൗണ്ഡീര, ക്ഷത്രിയന്മാരിൽ ശ്രേഷ്ഠനേ, യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ ശക്തിയില്ലാത്ത ദൈവത്തെ ശക്തിയുള്ളതെന്നുപോലെ പറയുന്നത് എങ്ങനെ സാധ്യം?
O Rama, the greatest among the brave kshatriyas! you say this because of your fear that (by disobeying father's command) harm will be done to righteousness. This great haste is unwarranted for there is the least apprehension about people's verdict (in favour of exile). How do you, of all persons, speak about destiny as all-powerful in these circumstances when it is powerless?
FAQs
Dharma is presented as requiring courageous responsibility; Lakshmana rejects using “fate” as an excuse to avoid confronting wrongdoing.
This is a repeated/overlapping numbering in the Southern Recension presentation; it continues Lakshmana’s rebuke of Rama’s fatalistic framing.
Fearless frankness (satyavacana) in counsel—Lakshmana speaks hard truths to protect Rama’s rightful standing.
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