Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 44
दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च
Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed
न नूनं तपसो वास्ति फलयोगश्श्रुतस्य वा।पिता यन्मां न जानाति शयानं पतितं भुवि।।2.63.44।।
na nūnaṃ tapaso vāsti phalayogaḥ śrutasya vā |
pitā yan māṃ na jānāti śayānaṃ patitaṃ bhuvi ||2.63.44||
உண்மையாகவே தவத்திற்கும் வேதக் கல்விக்கும் பலன் இல்லை போலத் தோன்றுகிறது; ஏனெனில் என் தந்தை நான் பூமியில் விழுந்து கிடப்பதையும் அறியவில்லை.
'My father does not know that I am lying on the ground. It is true that there is no reward either for asceticism or for scriptural knowledge.
FAQs
It questions simplistic ideas of merit guaranteeing protection; Dharma is profound, and suffering can arise even amid virtue—calling for humility and responsibility rather than moral pride.
Śravaṇa, dying, laments that his father remains unaware of his collapse, as if virtue has failed to prevent calamity.
Truthful introspection: Śravaṇa voices an honest spiritual doubt born of grief, not hypocrisy.