Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 18
सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्
Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali
असत्यसन्धस्य सतश्चलस्यास्थिरचेतसः।नैव देवा न पितरः प्रतीच्छन्तीति नः श्रुतम्।।2.109.18।।
asatya-sandhasya sataś calasyāsthira-cetasaḥ |
naiva devā na pitaraḥ pratīcchantīti naḥ śrutam ||2.109.18||
Ouvimos dizer que nem os deuses nem os antepassados aceitam as oferendas de quem está preso à falsidade, volúvel e de mente instável.
I personally regard this righteousness practised by the virtuous as an evident form of truth, as the supreme self. Therefore, this burden (difficult task of living as an exile) is gratifying to me.
FAQs
Integrity is foundational: religious or social acts lose merit when performed by one whose inner commitment is to falsehood.
Rāma strengthens his refusal by invoking a traditional moral teaching: untruth undermines spiritual legitimacy.
Śīla (moral character) grounded in truthfulness and steadiness of mind.