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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.101.10

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 101: Rāma rejects Jābāli’s advice. A ruler’s actions guide his subjects, truth sustains trust and no worldly gain justifies breaking his father’s promise

In the sequence: because people follow their rulers' example, a King's truthfulness matters to the whole community

2.101.10

satyam evānṛśaṃsyaṃ ca rājavṛttaṃ sanātanam
tasmāt satyātmakaṃ rājyaṃ satye lokaḥ pratiṣṭhitaḥ

Truth and mercy are the eternal duty of a king; therefore the kingdom has truth for its very essence, and upon truth the world is founded.

Words: satyam evānṛśaṃsyaṃ ca — truth alone and non-cruelty; rājavṛttaṃ — the conduct/duty of a king; sanātanam — eternal; tasmāt — therefore; satyātmakaṃ — having truth for its essence; rājyaṃ — the kingdom; satye — on truth; lokaḥ — the world; pratiṣṭhitaḥ — is established, founded

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.