Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 83, Shloka 19
त्र्यशीतितमः सर्गः (Sarga 83)
Hanumān Reports Sītā’s ‘Slaying’; Rāma Collapses; Lakṣmaṇa’s Counter-Discourse on Dharma and Artha
धर्मेणोपलभेद्धर्ममधर्मंचाप्यधर्मतः ।यद्यधर्मेणयुज्येयुर्येष्वधर्मःप्रतिष्ठितः ।।6.83.19।।यदिधर्मेणवियुज्येरन्नधर्मरुचयोजनाः ।धर्मेणचरतांधर्मंचैषांधर्मफलंभवेत् ।।6.83.20।।
dharmeṇopalabhed dharmam adharmaṃ cāpy adharmataḥ |
yady adharmeṇa yujyeyur yeṣv adharmaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ ||6.83.19||
Sa pamamagitan ng dharma, dharma ang natatamo; at sa pamamagitan ng adharma, adharma rin. Kung yaong mga taong sa kanila’y matibay na nakaugat ang adharma ay makiisa sa adharma, ang landas nila’y susunod sa gayong simulain.
"O gentle Jambavan! The terrifying sound of weapons is heard. Surely Hanuman has done a difficult task."
FAQs
Moral causality is reaffirmed: dharma is attained through dharmic conduct, while adharma accrues through adharmic conduct—means and ends are ethically continuous.
A rebuttal within a debate: the text pivots from ‘dharma is meaningless’ to a karma-based account where actions shape outcomes.
Moral clarity (viveka): distinguishing right means from wrong means and insisting that conduct matters.