Introduction
Jabali is a Brahmin priest in the court of Dasharatha, who appears in the Ayodhya Kanda when Bharata comes to bring Rama back to the city.
The argument
Jabali urged Rama to give up his commitment to the exile, arguing in a materialist way that there is no life after death and no reward for such duties. Rama rejected this argument firmly and said that he would remain true to his father's word. Vasishtha then explained to Rama that Jabali had spoken only to persuade him to return.
A debate on duty
The scene is often discussed as a philosophical passage. It contrasts practical reasoning with a life led by a sense of duty.