Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 10
दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च
Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed
सोऽहमाम्रवणं छित्वा पलाशांश्च न्यषेचयम्।रामं फलागमे त्यक्त्वा पश्चाच्छोचामि दुर्मतिः।।2.63.10।।
so ’ham āmravaṇaṃ chitvā palāśāṃś ca nyaṣecayam |
rāmaṃ phalāgame tyaktvā paścāc chocāmi durmatiḥ ||
நான் மூடபுத்தியன்—மாமரக் காடை வெட்டி பலாச மரங்களுக்கு நீர் ஊற்றுவது போல—கனி தரும் காலத்தில் ராமனைத் துறந்து, இப்போது பின்னால் வருந்தி அழுகின்றேன்.
So I have cut the mango trees and watered palasa trees. In utter foolishness, I have banished Rama at the time of fruition and regretting later.
FAQs
Dharma is framed as discernment (viveka): protecting what is truly valuable (Rāma) rather than sacrificing it due to error, pressure, or delusion—actions bring inevitable remorse.
Daśaratha laments Rāma’s exile using a metaphor of misdirected cultivation, admitting that he rejected what would have brought lasting good.
Truthfulness in self-assessment: Daśaratha openly calls himself durmati (foolish), acknowledging fault rather than justifying it.