भर्ता तु खलु नारीणां गुणवान्निर्गुणोऽपि वा।
धर्मं विमृशमानानां प्रत्यक्षं देवि दैवतम्॥
bhartā tu khalu nārīṇāṁ guṇavān nirguṇo ’pi vā
dharmaṁ vimṛśamānānāṁ pratyakṣaṁ devi daivatam
O queen, for women who know dharma, a husband with or without good qualities is the direct representative of God.
NOTE. The king is not speaking this out of self-defence or in an attempt to oppress an innocent wife. This is a standard scriptural teaching that is relevant here and so he is just conveying it.1
Prabhupāda explains the proper relationship between a husband and wife thus:
A man should be an ideal servant of the Lord, and a woman should be an ideal wife like the goddess of fortune. Then both husband and wife will be so faithful and strong that by acting together they will return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt. In this regard, Śrīla Madhvācārya gives this opinion:
harir asmin sthita iti strīṇāṁ bhartari bhāvanā
śiṣyāṇāṁ ca gurau nityaṁ śūdrāṇāṁ brāhmaṇādiṣu
bhṛtyānāṁ svāmini tathā hari-bhāva udīritaḥ
A woman should think of her husband as the Supreme Lord. Similarly, a disciple should think of the spiritual master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, a śūdra should think of a brāhmaṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and a servant should think of his master as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this way, all of them will automatically become devotees of the Lord. In other words, by thinking this way, all of them will become Kṛṣṇa conscious. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.11.29 purport)
This protocol of respect implies that one should not criticize his or her gurus (“authorities” in this context) but their wrong instructions shouldn’t be carried out either. This is pointed out by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura thus:
guru-janera anyāya upadeśa pratipālana karibe erūpa naya, kintu rūḍha-vākya o apamāna-sūcaka vyavahāra dvārā tanhādigera prati ghṛṇā prakāśa karibe nā. miṣta vacana, namratā, upayukta samaye vinayapūrṇa vicāra dvārā tānhādigera anyāyācaraṇera anumati sthagita karite haibe.
“It is not that one should carry out the wrong instructions of one’s gurus. However, one should not express their hatred towards them by speaking harsh words and disrespectful behavior. One should stop supporting their improper behavior through sweet words, respect and courteous discussion at the right time.” (Caitanya-śikṣāmṛta 2.2)
This concise description of the protocol to be followed regarding one’s authorities is extracted from the scriptures, and King Daśaratha who was well learned in those scriptures referred to this protocol. Queen Kausalyā also understands what he is talking about and so apologizes to him in all sincerity for having broken this protocol
1 Lord Rāmacandra had hinted at this teaching before preventing His mother from accompanying Him to the forest. Sītā-devī will also convey this very scriptural teaching to the illustrious Anasūyā towards the end of this Canto.