Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 23
दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च
Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed
तत्राहं संवृतं वन्यं हतवांस्तीरमागतम्।अन्यं चापि मृगं हिंस्रं शब्दं श्रुत्वाऽभ्युपागतम्।।2.63.23।।
tatrāhaṃ saṃvṛtaṃ vanyaṃ hatavāṃs tīram āgatam | anyaṃ cāpi mṛgaṃ hiṃsraṃ śabdaṃ śrutvā ’bhyupāgatam || 2.63.23 ||
அங்கே நான் மறைந்து இருந்து கரைக்கு வந்த ஒரு காட்டு உயிரினத்தை கொன்றேன்; மேலும் அதன் ஒலி கேட்டு அருகே வந்த இன்னொரு கொடிய மிருகத்தையும் தாக்கி வீழ்த்தினேன்।
Hiding and waiting there, following the sounds of animals I killed two animals that had reached the bank of the river.
FAQs
Dharma warns against acting on incomplete knowledge: killing based merely on sound reflects negligence, and negligence (pramāda) is a root of wrongdoing.
Daśaratha continues his confession: hidden near the riverbank, he shoots creatures by tracking their sounds—setting up the tragic misidentification that follows in the Śravaṇa episode.
Truthfulness in repentance (satya in confession) is emphasized: Daśaratha openly narrates his own fault, acknowledging the chain of consequences.