Valmiki Ramayana 2.35.23 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 35, Shloka 23
सुमन्त्रस्य कैकेयी-निन्दा
Sumantra’s Reproof of Kaikeyi in the Royal Assembly
माता ते पितरं देवि ततः केकयमब्रवीत्। शंस मे जीव वा मा वा न मामपहसिष्यसि।।2.35.23।।
mātā te pitaraṃ devi tataḥ kekayam abravīt |
śaṃsa me jīva vā mā vā na mām apahasiṣyasi ||2.35.23||
అప్పుడు నీ తల్లి కేకయ రాజైన నీ తండ్రితో చెప్పింది—“నాకు చెప్పండి; మీరు బ్రతికినా చనిపోయినా సరే, నన్ను అపహాస్యం చేయరు.”
'O queen! if I disclose it, then I will undoubtedly die that very movement' replied the king to his wife.
FAQs
Dharma rejects coercive demands that ignore consequence and compassion; insisting on truth through threat or emotional blackmail becomes adharma, even when framed as a claim against ‘mockery.’
In the backstory, Kaikeyi’s mother pressures the Kekaya king to disclose the cause of his laughter, disregarding his warning that telling it will kill him.
By negative example, the verse underscores the virtue of restraint (saṃyama) and empathetic listening—missing here, and presented as a root of later harm.
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