Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 1: Daśaratha Desires to Appoint Rāma as the Crown PrinceText 2.1.17
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 1: Daśaratha Desires to Appoint Rāma as the Crown Prince
Text 2.1.17
नाश्रेयसि रतो विद्वान्न विरुद्धकथारुचिः।
उत्तरोत्तरयुक्तौ च वक्ता वाचस्पतिर्यथा॥
nāśreyasi rato vidvān na viruddha-kathā-ruciḥ
uttarottara-yuktau ca vaktā vācaspatir yathā
na = He was not; aśreyasi = to useless activities; rataḥ = attached; vidvān = because He was learned; na = He had no; viruddha-kathā-ruciḥ = taste for topics opposed to the principles of dharma; uttara-uttara-yuktau ca = in debate; vaktā = He spoke; vācaspatiḥ = Bṛhaspati; yathā = like.
He was not attached to useless activities because He was learned. He had no taste for topics opposed to the principles of dharma. He spoke in debate like Bṛhaspati.
Lord Rāma was not attached to useless activities, that is, sinful activities such as gambling. He had no taste for ordinary topics pertaining to sense enjoyment opposed to the principles of Vedic dharma. He could not be countered in debate.