Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 109: Rāma Refutes Jābāli
Text 2.109.23
श्रेष्ठं ह्यनार्यमेव स्याद्यद्भवानवधार्य माम्।
आह युक्तिकरैर्वाक्यैरिदं भद्रं कुरुष्व ह॥
śreṣṭhaṁ hy anāryam eva syād yad bhavān avadhārya mām
āha yuktikarair vākyair idaṁ bhadraṁ kuruṣva ha
śreṣṭham hi = to be good; anāryam = uncivilized; eva syāt = is actually; yat = that which; bhavān = You; avadhārya = you considered; mām = Me; āha = told; yuktikaraiḥ = of dry speculation; vākyaiḥ = with words; idam = this; bhadram = auspicious activity [of ruling over the kingdom]; kuruṣva ha = carry out.
With words of dry speculation, you told Me, “Carry out this auspicious activity [of ruling over the kingdom].” That which you considered to be good is actually uncivilized.
1 This is found in Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī’s Tattva-sandarbha Sarva-saṁvādinī.
Rāmacandra has so far responded to Jābāli’s statement that culminated in his request—pratyakṣaṁ yat tad ātiṣṭha parokṣaṁ pṛṣṭhataḥ kuru: “Be fixed on what You directly perceive. Set aside that which cannot be directly perceived.” (Rāmāyaṇa 2.108.17).
From the next verse, He responds to Jābāli’s [other] request—rājyaṁ tvaṁ pratigṛhṇīṣva bharatena prasāditaḥ: “Being honored by Bharata, just accept the kingdom.” (Rāmāyaṇa 2.108.18)
NOTE. Dry speculation refers to logic that is not based on Vedic knowledge.
According to the Kūrma Purāṇa,
pūrvāparāvirodhena ko nv artho ’bhimato bhavet
ity-ādyam ūhanaṁ tarkaḥ śuṣka-tarkaṁ ca varjayet
“Logic refers to conjecturing in such a way as to ask which meaning of a scriptural text is suitable—without contradicting what precedes and follows. Dry speculation, however, should be rejected.”1