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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.101.11

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

2.101.11

ṛṣayaś caiva devāś ca satyam eva hi menire
satyavādī hi loke 'smin paramaṃ gacchati kṣayam

Both seers and gods have esteemed truth alone; and the truthful man in this world attains the supreme abode.

Words: ṛṣayaś caiva — and the seers; devāś ca — and the gods; satyam eva hi — truth alone indeed; menire — have esteemed, honoured; satyavādī — the truthful man; hi loke 'smin — for in this world; paramaṃ — supreme; gacchati — attains, goes to; kṣayam — the abode, dwelling

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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.