Shloka 8
अयोध्याकाण्डे द्विषष्टितमः सर्गः
Kausalyā consoles Daśaratha; grief, remorse, and nightfall
भर्ता तु खलु नारीणां गुणवान्निर्गुणोऽपि वा।धर्मं विमृशमानानां प्रत्यक्षं देवि दैवतम्।।।।
bhartā tu khalu nārīṇāṃ guṇavān nirguṇo ’pi vā |
dharmaṃ vimṛśamānānāṃ pratyakṣaṃ devi daivatam ||
Wahai dewi, bagi wanita yang menimbang Dharma, suami—sama ada berakhlak mulia atau kurang kebajikan—ialah ketuhanan yang nyata di hadapan, wajib dihormati.
O Devi! for women who have regard for righteousness, a husband, whether virtuous or not, is a god incarnate.
FAQs
The verse articulates a traditional strīdharma ideal: honoring the marital bond as a sacred duty, treating the husband as a ‘present divinity’ within a dharma-oriented life.
Daśaratha attempts to restrain Kausalyā’s anger and grief by invoking conventional dharma norms regarding a wife’s regard for her husband.
Dharma-mindedness (dharma-vicāra): the discipline of letting ethical commitments guide speech and conduct even under emotional strain.