Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 27
कौशल्यारामसंवादः
Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma
शुश्रूषामेव कुर्वीत भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता।एष धर्मः पुरा दृष्टो लोके वेदे श्रुतः स्मृतः।।2.24.27।।
śuśrūṣām eva kurvīta bhartuḥ priyahite ratā |
eṣa dharmaḥ purā dṛṣṭo loke vede śrutaḥ smṛtaḥ || 2.24.27 ||
她当唯以侍奉夫君为务，专心于令夫君欢喜并得利益之事。此即法（dharma）：自古为世间所见，于吠陀中所闻，并为《忆念书》（Smṛti）所印证。
For my sake, O devi! worship the fire-god with offerings of oblations and flowers, and brahmins who are true to religious vows.
FAQs
Dharma is framed as socially and scripturally validated duty: steadfast, benevolent service within one’s role, aligned with what supports the household’s moral order.
As Rāma prepares to depart for exile, he instructs his mother on proper conduct and religious-ethical stability during his absence.
Rāma’s maryādā (normative righteousness): he anchors advice in tradition (loka), revelation (Veda), and remembered law (Smṛti).