Valmiki Ramayana 2.23.8 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 8
लक्ष्मणक्रोधः—दैवपुरुषकारविवादः
Lakshmana’s Wrath and the Debate on Destiny vs Human Effort
सन्ति धर्मोपधा श्लक्ष्णाः धर्मात्मन्किं न बुध्यसे।।।।तयोस्सुचरितं स्वार्थं शाठ्यात्परिजिहीर्षतोः।
santi dharmopadhā ślakṣṇāḥ dharmātman kiṃ na budhyase |
tayoḥ sucaritaṃ svārthaṃ śāṭhyāt parijihīrṣatoḥ |
โอ้ผู้ทรงธรรม ท่านไม่เข้าใจหรือ? ยังมีเล่ห์กลอันละเอียด—การลวงที่คลุมด้วยธรรมะ—ซึ่งคนทั้งสองนั้น ด้วยความเจ้าเล่ห์ล้วน ๆ มุ่งฉวยประโยชน์ส่วนตน ทั้งยังคงแสดงตนว่าประพฤติดีงาม
Tell me your enemy who should be deprived of his life, fame and friends. Command me as to how this earth shall come under your control. Now itself I shall do that. I am your servant.
FAQs
Lakshmana warns that dharma can be misused as a disguise; true dharma requires discernment to detect hypocrisy and self-serving “righteous” claims.
Lakshmana argues that the exile plan is being advanced through manipulative tactics presented as morally legitimate.
Viveka (moral discernment)—the ability to see through appearances and judge intentions.
Ask anything about this verse
A free Google sign-in keeps your chat saved across web and the app.
Read Valmiki Ramayana in the Vedapath app
Scan the QR code to open this directly in the app, with audio, word-by-word meanings, and more.