Hearing the words spoken for his pleasure and desire, Rāma addressed the speaker with gravity, saying, "You have uttered words that seem to be in accord with duty, yet in truth they are not; they appear wholesome, but their essence is not truly so. One who lacks self-restraint, engages in wicked conduct, and is seen as a person of broken character, gains no respect among the virtuous. Whether one is noble or not, heroic or self-regarding, it is character alone that reveals a person—whether he is pure or impure. "There are those who, though ignoble, appear noble; who lack purity but seem pure; who bear no distinguishing marks but appear marked; whose conduct is bad, yet seem virtuous. If I were to pursue unrighteousness under the guise of righteousness, abandoning what is good and neglecting proper conduct, it would bring confusion to the world. Some discerning person, aware of right and wrong, would judge me as wicked and a disgrace among people. To whom, then, would I offer my conduct, and by what means would I attain heaven? For, by living in this manner, devoid of integrity, I would fail to fulfill my vow. "The whole world follows the path of desire; as are the ways of kings, so are the ways of their people. Truth and compassion are the eternal duties of kings; thus, the kingdom is rooted in truth, and upon truth the world stands firm. Indeed, the sages and the gods have regarded truth as supreme, for in this world, the one who speaks truth attains the highest state. Just as people shrink away from snakes, so do they from those who speak falsehood. Righteousness is supreme, and truth is said to be the root of heaven. "Truth alone is the lord in this world; the goddess of fortune always abides with truth; all things are founded upon truth, and there is no higher state than truth. Gifts, sacrifices, offerings, and austerities—all these are established upon truth in the Vedas; therefore, one should be devoted to truth. A single person protects the world, a single person protects a family; a single person sinks into hell, and a single person is honored in heaven. So why should I not uphold my father's command? Having given my truthful promise, I am bound by truth. "Neither out of greed, nor out of delusion, nor through ignorance or darkness, will I break the bridge of truth, for I have given my truthful promise to my teacher. It is said that neither the gods nor the ancestors accept offerings from one who is false to his word, deceitful, and unstable in mind. I myself perceive this righteousness, this truth, within my own soul; the burden carried by the noble is for this very purpose. "I will abandon the kshatriya duty if it is unrighteous, even if joined with righteousness, when it is practiced by the base, the cruel, the greedy, and those who perform evil deeds. One commits sin in three ways: by wrongful acts of the body, by contemplating it in the mind, and by speaking falsehood with the tongue. The earth, fame, glory, and fortune all seek out a person and look upon him who is in heaven—therefore, one should always adhere to truth. "Even what is considered best may be unworthy if you, noble one, instruct me to disregard myself; yet you speak reasonable words—so do this, O blessed one. How can I, having promised this exile to my teacher, fulfill Bharata's request, abandoning the command of my teacher? The vow I made in the presence of my teacher was firm; at that time, Queen Kaikeyi rejoiced greatly. "Dwelling in the forest in this way, pure and disciplined in my eating, I satisfy my ancestors and the gods with roots, flowers, and blessed fruits. Content in the fivefold sense faculties, I carry on the journey of life, not deceitful, faithful, and discerning between what should and should not be done. Having attained this field of action, one must perform the auspicious deeds that are to be done; Agni, Vāyu, and Soma are the recipients of the fruits of actions. The king of the gods, having performed a hundred sacrifices, went to heaven; and the great sages, having undertaken fierce austerities, also ascended to the heavens. "Unable to endure these words, whose energy was fierce and rooted in atheism, the king's son then spoke, reproaching them. 'Truth, righteousness, valor, compassion for beings, speaking kindly, and honoring the twice-born, gods, and guests—these are declared by the virtuous as the path to heaven. Thus understanding the matter properly and adopting a single-minded resolve, the Brahmins, practicing all righteousness as it should be, aspire to the world to come, ever vigilant. "I condemn that act of my father, who accepted you, whose mind is set on what is wrong; for one who acts with such an understanding, truly atheistic, has deviated from the path of righteousness. Just as a thief, so too is one whose mind is thus; know that atheism is the same as that state. Therefore, of all people, the most suspect is the atheist; the wise should never associate with him. People before you, and even greater ones, performed many auspicious deeds, conquering this world and the next; therefore, O Brahmins, offerings and sacrifices are indeed auspicious. Devoted to righteousness, united with noble people, radiant, foremost in generosity and virtue, non-violent, free from stain—such sages are honored in the world as foremost.' Having spoken these words, great-souled and steadfast, Rāma's anger was evident. Then the Brahmin replied to him truthfully, faithfully, and with gentle intent: 'I do not speak the words of atheists; I am not an atheist, nor do I deny all things. Considering the time, I became faithful again; at another time, I might again be an atheist. And now that time has come, just as I spoke words of atheism. But, Rāma, I said this only for the sake of turning you back, and to win your favor.' Thus ends the one hundred and ninth sarga in the Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, the first epic. When Rāma's anger was visible, Vasiṣṭha addressed him, saying, 'Jābāli too knows the coming and going of this world.