Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 78, Shloka 10
अष्टसप्ततितमः सर्गः — Śatrughna’s Fury and Bharata’s Restraint
Mantharā Episode
शत्रुघ्नश्च तदाज्ञाय वचनं भृशदुःखितः।अन्तःपुरचरान्सर्वानित्युवाच धृत व्रतः।।।।
śatrughnaś ca tad ājñāya vacanaṃ bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ | antaḥpuracarān sarvān ity uvāca dhṛtavrataḥ ||
Nang marinig ang mga salitang iyon, si Śatrughna, labis na nagdadalamhati at matatag sa panata, ay nagsalita sa lahat ng mga tagapaglingkod sa loob ng palasyo.
Intensely grieved to hear those words, Satrughna who was steadfast in his vows said to the inmates of the inner apartment:
FAQs
The verse sets up the tension between righteous restraint and emotional upheaval: even a vow-bound person can be shaken by adharma, yet speech and action should ideally remain governed by dharma rather than grief.
Śatrughna hears distressing news and immediately turns to the inner-palace attendants, initiating the confrontation that follows in the palace quarters.
Dhṛtavrata—steadfastness and firmness of resolve—showing Śatrughna as principled and decisive, even while grieving.