Shloka 16
रावणस्य सीताप्रलोभनम्
Ravana’s Persuasion and Coercive Courtship of Sita
भव मैथिलि भार्या मे मोहमेनं विसर्जय।बह्वीनामुत्तमस्त्रीणामाहृतानामितस्ततः।।5.20.16।।सर्वासामेव भद्रं ते ममाग्रमहिषी भव।
bhava maithili bhāryā me moham enaṃ visarjaya |
bahvīnām uttama-strīṇām āhṛtānām itas tataḥ || 5.20.16 ||
sarvāsām eva bhadraṃ te mamāgra-mahiṣī bhava |
O Maithilī, werde meine Gemahlin; wirf diese Verblendung von dir. Unter den vielen vortrefflichen Frauen, die von hier und dort herbeigebracht wurden, sei du—dir sei Heil—meine vornehmste Königin-Gemahlin.
"O Mythili ! be my wife. Give up this (folly due to) delusion. Be my chief consort among the several excellent women I have picked up here and there. Be blessed.
FAQs
Dharma rejects coercive appropriation and the violation of another’s marriage. The verse shows power used to demand consent, which the Ramayana frames as adharma that ultimately destroys the perpetrator.
Rāvaṇa proposes that Sītā become his queen, claiming he already has many women and offering her the highest status among them.
Sītā’s fidelity (pativratā) and unwavering commitment to Rāma are emphasized by her refusal of status and luxury gained through unrighteousness.