Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 1
हनूमत्सीतासंवादः
Hanuman’s Offer of Rescue and Sita’s Dharmic Refusal
सीता तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा पूर्णचन्द्रनिभानना।हनूमन्तमुवाचेदं धर्मार्थसहितं वचः।।।।
sītā tad-vacanaṃ śrutvā pūrṇa-candra-nibhānanā | hanūmantam uvācedaṃ dharmārtha-sahitaṃ vacaḥ ||
Als Sītā seine Worte vernommen hatte, sie, deren Antlitz dem Vollmond glich, sprach sie zu Hanumān diese Worte, im Einklang mit dem Dharma und von weiser Absicht getragen.
To the righteous words (about Rama's grief) of Hanuman, Sita with a face like the full moon replied :
FAQs
Speech guided by dharma and artha: the Ramayana repeatedly frames ideal conduct as words that are both righteous (dharma) and purposeful/beneficial (artha), not merely emotional.
A transition verse: after Hanumān’s report, Sītā prepares to reply with counsel that is ethically grounded and practically meaningful.
Sītā’s discernment (viveka): even under suffering, she speaks in a principled and purposeful manner.