Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 106, Shloka 22
भरतवाक्यं—रामस्य पुनरायोध्यागमननिषेधः
Bharata’s Plea and Rama’s Refusal to Return
चतुर्णामाश्रमाणां हि गार्हस्थ्यं श्रेष्ठमुत्तमम्।आहुर्धर्मज्ञ धर्मज्ञास्तं कथं त्यक्तु मर्हसि।।।।
caturṇām āśramāṇāṁ hi gārhasthyaṁ śreṣṭham uttamam |
āhur dharmajña dharmajñās taṁ kathaṁ tyaktum arhasi ||
Trong bốn nếp sống (āśrama), các bậc am tường Chánh pháp đều nói đời sống gia chủ là tối thượng, cao quý nhất. Ôi người biết Dharma, sao Ngài có thể nỡ rời bỏ điều ấy?
O Rama, you are the one who knows his duty. The knowers of dharma maintain thatthe life of a householder is the foremost among the four modes of life. How can you renounce it?
FAQs
Dharma is linked to sustaining society: the householder stage supports other āśramas through protection, charity, and stable governance.
Bharata argues against renunciation by reminding Rama that authoritative tradition praises gārhasthya as the foremost āśrama.
Rama’s dharma-competence (dharmajñatā), which Bharata invokes to persuade him to uphold social responsibility.