Valmiki Ramayana 2.40.47 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 40, Shloka 47
प्रयाणवर्णनम्
Departure from Ayodhya; Civic Lament and the Chariot’s Urgency
नाश्रौषमिति राजानमुपालब्धोऽपि वक्ष्यसि।चिरं दुःखस्य पापिष्ठमिति रामस्तमब्रवीत्।।।।
nāśrauṣam iti rājānam upālabdho 'pi vakṣyasi |
ciraṃ duḥkhasya pāpiṣṭham iti rāmas tam abravīt ||
రాముడు అతనితో అన్నాడు—“రాజు నిన్ను మందలించినా, ‘నేను వినలేదు’ అని చెప్పు. దుఃఖాన్ని దీర్ఘం చేయడం అత్యంత పాపకరం.”
When the king reproaches you for not stopping the chariot, you can say 'I could not hear'.Prolonging agony is sinful, said Rama to Sumantra.
FAQs
Dharma is compassion in action: do not intensify another’s grief by needless delay. Rāma frames prolonging agony as ethically blameworthy.
Rāma anticipates Daśaratha’s command to stop the chariot and instructs Sumantra on what to say if blamed for not stopping.
Pragmatic compassion and moral clarity—Rāma chooses the course that reduces harm while maintaining his truthful commitment to exile.
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