“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109
Rama Rejects Jabali’s Philosophy
Summary
Rama refutes the atheistic arguments of Jabali and enunciates the importance of truthfulness. He states that truth is God and all virtues follow truthfulness. Rama further adds that there is nothing higher than truth. He announces that he wants to fulfill the command of is father, who was a devotee of truth and stay back in the forest. Jabali replies that just for the sake of convincing Rama to return to Ayodhya, he has spoken the words of a non-believer.
Chapter [Sarga] 109 in Detail
jaabaaleh tu vacah shrutvaa raamah satya aatmanaam varah |
uvaaca parayaa yuktyaa sva buddhyaa ca avipannayaa || 2-109-1
After hearing Jabali's words, Rama the best among virtuous and upright men spoke with a great devotion and with an undisturbed mind of his own (as follows);
bhavaan me priya kaama artham vacanam yad iha uktavaan |
akaaryam kaarya samkaasham apathyam pathya sammitam || 2-109-2
"That which, in your desire to please me, you have counseled, is impossible though it appears to be possible. It is like a forbidden food, appearing to be an agreeable one."
nirmaryaadah tu purushah paapa aacaara samanvitah |
maanam na labhate satsu bhinna caaritra darshanah || 2-109-3
"He who is unruly, fully invested with ill-conduct, having a bad reputation and seeing differences in everything, does not gain respect from honest men."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 kuliinam akuliinam vaa viiram purusha maaninam |
caaritram eva vyaakhyaati shucim vaa yadi vaa ashucim || 2-109-4
"One's conduct itself explains whether one belongs to a good family or a bad family, valiant or arrogant and chaste or unchaste."
anaarayh tu aarya samkaashah shaucaadd hiinah tathaa shucih |
lakshanyavad alakshanyo duhshiilah shiilavaan iva || 2-109-5
adharmam dharma veshena yadi imam loka samkaram |
abhipatsye shubham hitvaa kriyaa vidhi vivarjitam || 2-109-6
kah cetayaanah purushah kaarya akaarya vicakshanah |
bahu mamsyati maam loke durvrittam loka duushanam || 2-109-7
"What sensible man, able to discern what is just and what is unjust, in this world, would respect me, if I am ignoble resembling as noble, bereft of honesty, impure, having no good qualities but appearing like the one having good qualities, ill-behaved but appearing as well- behaved abandoning righteousness and getting hold of unrighteousness in the guise of piety, creating confusion in the world and disregarding rules of conduct."
kasya yaasyaamy aham vrittam kena vaa svargam aapnuyaam |
anayaa vartamaano aham vrittyaa hiina pratijnayaa || 2-109-8
"If I behave in this manner faithlessly, to whom can I advise a prescribed conduct? How would I attain heaven?"
kaama vrittah tu ayam lokah kritsnah samupavartate |
yad vrittaah santi raajaanah tad vrittaah santi hi prajaah || 2-109-9
"This entire world would follow its own whims, for, whatever the conduct of the kings may be, and such will be the conduct of their subjects."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 satyam eva aanrishamsyam ca raaja vrittam sanaatanam |
tasmaat satya aatmakam raajyam satye lokah pratishthitah || 2-109-10
"The eternal royal governance is indeed an assemble of truth and not cruel. Hence, the kingship has the Truth as its essence. The world is established in Truth."
rishayah caiva devaah ca satyam eva hi menire |
satya vaadii hi loke asmin paramam gagccati kshayam || 2-109-11
"Even sages and divine being have respected truthfulness alone. The one who speaks truth obtains the highest position in this world."
udvijante yathaa sarpaan naraad anrita vaadinah |
dharmah satyam paro loke muulam svargasya ca ucyate || 2-109-12
"People fear of a person, who speaks untruth, as one fears a snake. Truth is the highest virtue and is stated to be the origin of heaven."
satyam eva iishvaro loke satyam padmaa samaashritaa |
satya muulaani sarvaani satyaan na asti param padam || 2-109-13
"Truth is god and all virtues follow truth. All are rooted in truth there is nothing higher than truth."
dattam ishtam hutam caiva taptaani ca tapaamsi ca |
vedaah satya pratishthaanaah tasmaat satya paro bhavet || 2-109-14
"Gift sacrifice, oblation, austerities performed and the scriptural texts have the foundation in Truth. Hence, one should thoroughly surrender to truth.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 ekah paalayate lokam ekah paalayate kulam |
majjaty eko hi nirayah ekah svarge mahiiyate || 2-109-15
"One rules over the world. One develops a race. One sinks into hell. One rises high to heaven (according to one's degree of truthfulness practiced)."
so aham pitur nidesham tu kim artham na anupaalaye |
satya pratishravah satyam satyena samayii kritah || 2-109-16
"I am true to my promise. Why should I not fulfill the command of my father, who was a devotee of truth?"
na eva lobhaan na mohaad vaa na ca ajnaanaat tamo anvitah |
setum satyasya bhetsyaami guroh satya pratishravah || 2-109-17
"Neither covetousness nor forgetfulness nor pride would cause me to destroy the bond of morality. I shall honor the vow made to my father."
asatya samdhasya satah calasya asthira cetasah |
na eva devaa na pitarah pratiigccanti iti nah shrutam || 2-109-18
"Neither gods nor the manes will accept the offerings of those who are wanting in truth, unsteady and unstable in their minds. This is what is taught to us."
pratyag aatmam imam dharmam satyam pashyaamy aham svayam |
bhaarah sat purusha aaciirnah tad artham abhinandyate || 2-109-19
"I perceive this virtue i the form of truthfulness as a universal permeation of spirit. That is why, this burden, observed as a vow, has been honored by good men."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 kshaatram dharmam aham tyakshye hy adharmam dharma samhitam |
kshudraur nrishamsair lubdhaih ca sevitam paapa karmabhih || 2-109-20
"I renounce the so-called duty of a warrior, it is injustice under the name of justice, it is practiced by petty cruel and covetous men of evil deeds."
kaayena kurute paapam manasaa sampradhaarya ca |
anritam jihvayaa ca aaha trividham karma paatakam || 2-109-21
"Sin is committed by the body after it has been conceived by the mind and falsehood is spoken with the tongue. Thus, the degrading act is of three types (with body, mind and tongue)"
bhuumih kiirtir yasho lakshmiih purusham praarthayanti hi |
svargastham ca anubadhnanti satyam eva bhajeta tat || 2-109-22
"The earth, fame, prosperity and fortune indeed woo a man of truth. They constantly oblige the truth: truth should therefore be strictly observed!"
shreshtham hy anaaryam eva syaad yad bhavaan avadhaarya maam |
aaha yukti karair vaakyair idam bhadram kurushva ha || 2-109-23
"The logical words, you have made it out to be good, saying 'Do this good thing' as uttered to me, are really unworthy."
katham hy aham pratijnaaya vana vaasam imam guroh |
bharatasya karishyaami vaco hitvaa guror vacah || 2-109-24
"Having promised before my father about my exile to the forest, how can I fulfil Bharata's words now, abandoning the father's words?"
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 sthiraa mayaa pratijnaataa pratijnaa guru samnidhau |
prahrishta maanasaa devii kaikeyii ca abhavat tadaa || 2-109-25
"A firm promise has been made by me in the presence of my father, when Queen Kaikeyi too became rejoiced."
vana vaasam vasann evam shucir niyata bhojanah |
muulaih pushpaih phalaih punyaih pitririn devaamh ca tarpayan || 2-109-26
samtushta panca vargo aham loka yaatraam pravartaye |
akuhah shraddadhaanah san kaarya akaarya vicakshanah || 2-109-27
"I will proceed with life-journey in this manner, by accepting this dwelling in the forest, by remaining pure in body and mind, having controlled my diet, by feasting the Gods and Ancestors with pure roots, flowers and fruits, with all my five senses fully sated, without any deceit, fully devout and discriminative of what ought to be done and what ought not to be done."
karma bhuumim imaam praapya kartavyam karma yat shubham |
agnir vaayuh ca somah ca karmanaam phala bhaaginah || 2-109-28
"Having reached this terrestrial globe (the realm of action), only a virtuous act is to be undertaken. The god of fire, the wind-god and the moon-god reap the fruits of their acts."
shatam kratuunaam aahritya deva raat tridivam gatah |
tapaamsy ugraani ca aasthaaya divam yaataa maharshayah || 2-109-29
"Having performed a hundred sacrifices, Indra the Lord of celestials went to heaven. Having practiced severe austerities, the great sages went to heaven."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 amrisyamaanah punarugratejaa |
nishamya tam naastikavaakyahetum |
athaabraviittam nripatestanuujo |
vigarhamaano vachaanaani tasya || 2-109-30
Hearing that argument of atheism initiated by Jabali, Rama the prince with a terrible energy, without tolerating his words, spoke in reproach to him (as follows):
satyam cha dharmam cha paraakramam cha |
bhuutaanukampaam priyavaaditaam cha |
dvijaatidevaatithipuujanam cha |
panthaanamaahustridivasya santah || 2-109-31
"The virtuous say that truth, piety, valor, compassion for all beings, polite speech and worship of Brahmanas, gods and unexpected guests are the paths to heaven."
tenaivamaajjnaaya yathaavadartha |
mekodayam sampratipadya vipraah |
dharmam charantah sakalam yathaava |
tkaaj^ksanti lokaagamamapramattaah || 2-109-32
"Therefore the learned, well-instructed in what is to be their greatest advantage; follow their purpose resolutely and fulfill their duty in its entirety properly and attentively, seeking to attain the highest realms."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 nindaamyaham karma pituh kritam ta |
dyastvaamagrihnaadvisamasthabuddhim |
buddhyaanayaivamvidhayaa charantam |
sunaastikam dharmapathaadapetam || 2-109-33
"I accuse the act done by my father in taking you into his service, you with your misleading intelligence, a firm atheist fallen from the true path."
yathaa hi chorah sa tathaa hi buddha |
stathaagatam naastikamatra vidhhi |
tasmaaddhi yah shakyatamah prajaanaam |
na naasti kenaabhimukho budhah syaat 2-109-34
"It is an exact state of the case that a mere *intellection deserves to be punished as it were a thief and know an atheist to be on par with a mere intellectual. Therefore he is the most susceptible and should be punished in the interest of the people. In no case should a wise man consort with an atheist."
tvatto janaah puurvatare varaashcha |
shubhaani karmaani bahuuni chakruh |
chitvaa sademam cha param cha laukam |
tasmaaddvijaah svasti hutam kritam cha 2-109-35
"Men that lived before you have performed many auspicious acts, abandoning all hopes of reward in this world as well as the next. Therefore, Brahmanas offer oblations in the sacred fire and practice noble deeds."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 dharme rataah sat purushaih sametaah |
tejasvino daana guna pradhaanaah |
ahimsakaa viita malaah ca loke |
bhavanti puujyaa munayah pradhaanaah || 2-109-36
"The sages who are devoted to righteousness, associating with men of virtue, endowed with spiritual splendor, practicing abundant charity, harm-less and washed free of all taint, are honored into the world."
iti bruvantam vachanam sarosam |
raamam mahaatmaanamadiinasattvam |
uvaacha pathyam punaraastikam cha |
satyam vachah saanunayam cha viprah || 2-109-37
"To the high-souled Rama, who never had self-pity and speaking indignantly as aforesaid, Jabali (that Brahmana) replied in a fitting manner in words that were beneficial and truthful, which showed his belief in authority of Vedas, the other world and so on."
na naastikaanaam vachanam braviimyaham |
na naastiko.aham na cha naasti kimchana |
samiiksya kaalam punaraastiko.abhavam |
bhaveya kaale punareva naastikah || 2-109-38
"I am not speaking the words of non- believers. I am not an atheist, nor is it a fact that nothing exists whatsoever. Perceiving the time, I have become a believer. When the time comes, I will become again just a non-believer."
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 109 sa chaapi kaalo.aya mupaagatah shanaih |
yathaa mayaa naastikavaagudiiritaa |
nivartanaartham tava raama kaaranaat |
prasaadanaartham cha mayaitadiiritam || || 2-109-39
"O, Rama! That and this time too came gradually. The words of a non-believer were spoken by me for your sake, to pacify you and to persuade you to return to Ayodhya."
ityaarse shriimaadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande navottarashatatamah sargah
Thus completes 109th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
K. M. K. Murthy. (1999). Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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