Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 34, Shloka 58
रामदर्शनार्थं दारानयनम्
The Queens Summoned; Rama’s Leave-Taking and Dasaratha’s Collapse
तदद्य नैवानघ राज्यमव्ययंन सर्वकामान्न सुखं न मैथिलीम्।न जीवितं त्वामनृतेन योजयन्वृणीय सत्यं व्रतमस्तु ते तथा।।।।
tad adya naivānagha rājyam avyayaṃ na sarvakāmān na sukhaṃ na maithilīm | na jīvitaṃ tvām anṛtena yojayan vṛṇīya satyaṃ vratam astu te tathā ||
Kaya ngayon, O walang dungis, hindi ko pipiliin ang walang hanggang kaharian, ni ang lahat ng ninanais, ni ang ligaya, ni maging si Maithilī—ni ang buhay man—kung sa gayon ay maitatali ka sa kasinungalingan. Ang pinipili ko’y ang katotohanan: manatiling totoo ang iyong panata ayon sa iyong sinabi.
O sinless one! by associating you with falsehood I will neither seek this eternal kingdom nor objects of desires nor objects of happiness nor Maithili nor even my life. I only wish that your vow comes true.
FAQs
Satya as supreme: preserving another’s truth-bound vow is valued above power, pleasure, relationships, and even life.
Rāma insists Daśaratha must not be made false to his promise; Rāma will sacrifice everything to uphold that truth.
Truthfulness and radical self-sacrifice in service of dharma.