Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 63, Shloka 13
दशरथस्य शोकानुचिन्तनं शब्धवेधि-दोषस्मरणं च
Daśaratha’s grief, karmic reflection, and the remembered ‘śabdavedhī’ misdeed
यथान्यः पुरुषः कश्चित्पलाशैर्मोहितो भवेत्।एवं ममाऽप्यविज्ञातं शब्दवेध्यमयं फलम्।।2.63.13।।
yathānyaḥ puruṣaḥ kaścit palāśair mohito bhavet |
evaṃ mamā ’py avijñātaṃ śabdavedhyamayaṃ phalam ||
جیسے کوئی شخص پلاش کے پھولوں سے دھوکا کھا جائے، ویسے ہی میں نے بھی ‘آواز پر نشانہ’ کے اس پھل کو نہ پہچانا، نہ اس کا انجام جانا۔
Like some one who is deluded by palasa trees I too did not realise the consequences of shooting the target following the direction of the sound.
FAQs
Dharma includes foresight and carefulness: delusion or heedlessness can hide consequences, but karma still matures and returns as ‘phala’ (result).
Daśaratha explains that at the time of his famed sound-based archery, he did not recognize the future repercussions of that act.
Prudence by contrast: the verse highlights the lack of prudence as the root of harm, indirectly teaching the virtue of cautious discernment.