Shloka 28
त्र्यशीतितमः सर्गः (Sarga 83)
Hanumān Reports Sītā’s ‘Slaying’; Rāma Collapses; Lakṣmaṇa’s Counter-Discourse on Dharma and Artha
अथचेत्सत्यवचनंधर्म: किलपरन्तप ।अनृतस्त्वय्यकरुणःकिं न बद्धस्त्वयापिता ।।6.83.28।।
atha cet satya-vacanaṃ dharmaḥ kila parantapa | anṛtas tvayy akaruṇaḥ kiṃ na baddhas tvayā pitā ||6.83.28||
Jika benar berkata benar itu dharma, wahai pembakar musuh, mengapa engkau tidak mengikat ayahandamu—yang tidak berbelas kasihan kepadamu dan seakan-akan berpihak pada kepalsuan?
"O scorcher of enemies! If you consider speaking the truth is dharma, why did you not bind your father (who promised to give the kingdom) and was not compassionate (spoke untruth later)."
FAQs
It debates whether ‘truth’ alone defines dharma, and tests that claim against family and royal obligations—especially when truthfulness conflicts with compassion and justice.
The speaker recalls the Ayodhyā episode: Rāma accepted exile due to his father’s pledge; the verse frames this as a challenge to the consistency of ‘satya as dharma’.
Rāma’s restraint and filial reverence are implicitly highlighted, even while being questioned.