Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 8
द्वादशः सर्गः — Kaikeyi’s Boons and Dasaratha’s Moral Collapse
Ayodhya Kanda 12
यदा ते जननीतुल्यां वृत्तिं वहति राघव: ।।।।तस्यैव त्वमनर्थाय किंनिमित्तमिहोद्यता ।
yadā te jananītulyāṁ vṛttiṁ vahati rāghavaḥ | tasyaiva tvam anarthāya kiṁnimittam ihodyatā ||
ਜਦੋਂ ਰਾਘਵ (ਸ਼੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮ) ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਮਾਂ ਵਰਗਾ ਆਦਰ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਤਾਂ ਫਿਰ ਤੂੰ ਇੱਥੇ ਕਿਸ ਕਾਰਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਸ ਮਹਾਤਮਾ ਨੂੰ ਅਨਰਥ ਪਹੁੰਚਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਉਤਾਵਲੀ ਹੋਈ ਹੈਂ?
Then Rama was conducting himself in relation to you as his own mother, for what purpose are you seeking injustice to such a person?
FAQs
It upholds maryādā and gratitude: harming one who behaves with filial reverence is adharma and a violation of truth-based moral reciprocity.
Daśaratha argues that Rāma has treated Kaikeyī like a mother, so her hostility toward him is unjustified.
Rāma’s virtue of respectful conduct (mātṛvat-vṛtti) is highlighted as the standard of dharmic behavior.