Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64, Shloka 42
शब्दवेध्य-अनर्थः, ऋषिशापः, दशरथस्य प्राणत्यागः
The Sound-Target Tragedy, the Sage’s Curse, and Dasaratha’s Death
यान्ति शूरा गतिं यां च सङ्ग्रामेष्वनिवर्तिनः।हतास्त्वभिमुखाः पुत्र गतिं तां परमां व्रज।।2.64.42।।
yānti śūrā gatiṃ yāṃ ca saṅgrāmeṣv anivartinaḥ |
hatās tv abhimukhāḥ putra gatiṃ tāṃ paramāṃ vraja ||2.64.42||
संग्रामात न परतणाऱ्या शूरांना जी गती मिळते, आणि शत्रूसमोर अभिमुख होऊन जे पडतात—ते ज्या परम गतीला जातात, हे पुत्रा, तूही त्या गतीस जा.
FAQs
It affirms a dharmic valuation of courage and steadfastness: not retreating from one’s duty (here compared to battle) is linked with a higher destiny.
The father consoles and honors his son by equating his undeserved death with the merit of heroic death, granting him an elevated spiritual destination.
Steadfastness (dhṛti) and honorable facing of fate—cast in the idiom of warrior ethics.