Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 58, Shloka 29
अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 58)
Daśaratha Questions Sumantra; Messages from the Forest Threshold
इदं तावद्यथाकाममीश्वरस्य कृते कृतम्।रामस्य तु परित्यागे न हेतु मुपलक्षये।।।।
idaṃ tāvad yathākāmam īśvarasya kṛte kṛtam | rāmasya tu parityāge na hetum upalakṣaye ||
Ito man ay tila ginawa ayon sa sariling nais—marahil pa nga sa anyo ng tungkulin sa Panginoon; ngunit sa pagtalikod kay Rāma, wala akong nakikitang anumang tunay na dahilan.
'Or he might have thought he is the overlord and can do as he likes. (Or, he might have done this for fear of God) Otherwise, I do not see any reason for the abandonment of Rama'.
FAQs
True dharma requires rational moral grounds; invoking God or authority cannot sanctify an unjust act.
Lakṣmaṇa continues his protest, rejecting any justification for Rāma’s abandonment.
Integrity in moral reasoning—Lakṣmaṇa refuses to accept pious rhetoric as a substitute for justice.