Shloka 13
सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः
Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha
न वृथातेश्रमोऽयंस्यात्संशयेन्यस्यजीवितम् ।सुहृज्जनपरिक्लेशो न चायंविपुलस्तव ।।।।
na vṛthā te śramo 'yaṁ syāt saṁśaye 'nyasya jīvitam |
suhṛj-jana-parikleśo na cāyaṁ vipulas tava ||
Wenn du wahrhaft Zweifel gehegt hättest, dann wäre diese Mühe von dir vergebens gewesen—mitsamt den Leben, die andere aufs Spiel setzten; und das große Leid deiner Freunde wäre nicht gerechtfertigt.
"O Life! If you had a doubt this exertion to you is wasteful. This fruitless hard work was perhaps not required on your part nor your friends."
FAQs
Dharma of responsible judgment: a leader must not mobilize immense sacrifice while privately maintaining distrust; ethical action requires clarity and accountability.
Sītā highlights the cost of the war and the suffering of allies, implying that suspicion after such sacrifice undermines the moral meaning of the effort.
Ethical reasoning and concern for others: Sītā’s argument includes the welfare and suffering of Rāma’s supporters, not only her own pain.