Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 109, Shloka 37
सत्यधर्मप्रतिपादनम्
Rama’s Defense of Truth and Dharma in Reply to Jabali
इति ब्रुवन्तं वचनं सरोषं रामं महात्मानमदीनसत्त्वम्।
उवाच पथ्यं पुनरास्तिकं च सत्यं वच: सानुनयं च विप्रः।।2.109.37।।
iti bruvantaṃ vacanaṃ saroṣaṃ rāmaṃ mahātmānam adīnasattvam |
uvāca pathyaṃ punar āstikaṃ ca satyaṃ vacaḥ sānunayaṃ ca vipraḥ || 2.109.37 ||
ครั้นพระรามผู้มหาตมะ ผู้ไม่หวั่นไหว ตรัสถ้อยคำด้วยความกริ้วนั้น พราหมณ์จึงกล่าวตอบอีกครั้งด้วยถ้อยคำอ่อนโยนชักนำ เป็นวาจาอันเป็นประโยชน์ สอดคล้องสัจจะ และยืนยันศรัทธาในธรรม
If like a man who appears noble, though ignoble, clean, though unclean or dishonest, auspicious, though inauspicious, a man of character, though depraved, I forsake auspicious ways for unrighteousness, abandon pious acts and scriptural practices and indulge, under the cloak of dharma, in acts of wickedness by causing harm and confusion to the world, will any sensible man with a sense of discrimination between should and should not hold me in high esteem?
FAQs
Even amid conflict, dharmic discourse values speech that is truthful (satya), beneficial (pathya), and conciliatory rather than inflammatory.
After Rāma’s sharp response, the narration notes Jābāli’s strategic shift to faith-affirming, appeasing language.
Measured speech—responding to anger with calm, constructive, truth-oriented counsel.