Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 83, Shloka 22
त्र्यशीतितमः सर्गः (Sarga 83)
Hanumān Reports Sītā’s ‘Slaying’; Rāma Collapses; Lakṣmaṇa’s Counter-Discourse on Dharma and Artha
वध्यन्तेपापकर्माणोयद्यधर्मेणराघव ।वधकर्महतोऽधर्मः स हतःकिंवधिष्यति ।।6.83.22।।
vadhyante pāpa-karmāṇo yady adharmeṇa rāghava |
vadha-karma-hato 'dharmaḥ sa hataḥ kiṃ vadhiṣyati ||6.83.22||
罗伽婆啊，若因不法（adharma）而诛杀罪人，那么这不法也被这杀业所“杀灭”；既已被杀，它此后还能杀谁呢？
"Righteousness and unrighteousness are forms of actions, sinful or not sinful. If sinful action is unrighteous, those who have done sinful actions should suffer. Since sinful action is momentary, and as soon as the action is over unrighteousness is also gone. That being so how can unrighteousness cause pain to anyone?"
FAQs
It challenges the idea of enduring moral retribution by arguing that adharma is exhausted with the act itself, thus denying long-term karmic consequence.
Direct address to Rāma in a debate: the speaker uses a logical paradox about ‘adharma being killed’ to reject moral causality.
Rāma’s discernment (prajñā) is implicitly invoked—he must answer sophistry and uphold dharma as a stable principle.
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