Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 23: Lakṣmaṇa’s Arguments
Text 2.23.12
कथं त्वं कर्मणा शक्तः कैकेयीवशवर्तिनः।
करिष्यसि पितुर्वाक्यमधर्मिष्ठं विगर्हितम्॥
kathaṁ tvaṁ karmaṇā śaktaḥ kaikeyī-vaśavartinaḥ
kariṣyasi pitur vākyam adharmiṣṭhaṁ vigarhitam
katham = then, how; tvam = You; karmaṇā = of manly action; śaktaḥ = are capable; kaikeyī-vaśavartinaḥ = who is under the control of Queen Kaikeyī; kariṣyasi = can You carry out; pituḥ = of Our father; vākyam = instructions; adharmiṣṭham = the most adhārmika; vigarhitam = and condemned.
You are capable of manly action. Then, how can You carry out the most adhārmika and condemned instructions of Our father, who is under the control of Queen Kaikeyī?
That Rāmacandra is capable of manly action suggests that He is capable of retaliating. Lakṣmaṇa thinks that Daśaratha’s instructions were most adhārmika and condemned because of his being under Kaikeyī’s control. Why would Rāma carry out Their father’s instructions unless He is bewildered? Lakṣmaṇa asked this.