Shloka 21
सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा
Sita’s Counsel on Dharma and the Peril of Weapon-Association
यत्र गच्छत्युपादातुं मूलानि च फलानि च।।3.9.21।।न विना याति तं खङ्गं न्यासरक्षणतत्परः।
yatra gacchaty upādātuṃ mūlāni ca phalāni ca | na vinā yāti taṃ khaṅgaṃ nyāsarakṣaṇatatparaḥ ||
أينما مضى ليجمع الجذور والثمار، لم يكن يذهب قطّ من دون ذلك السيف—إذ كان شديد الحرص على صون الوديعة المودَعة لديه.
Vigilant about protecting the sword deposited with him, the sage never moved without it even when he went gathering roots and fruits.
FAQs
Responsibility can harden into constant preoccupation; dharma requires guarding a trust, but also warns against letting an instrument of violence dominate one’s mind.
The custodian’s vigilance becomes habitual: even routine foraging is done with the sword always at hand.
Diligence—yet with an implied caution that diligence around weapons can become unhealthy fixation.