Shloka 3.34.10
आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः — Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description
ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः।।।।एका कथञ्चिन्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना।स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना।।।।
ṛṣīṇām abhayaṃ dattaṃ kṛta-kṣemāś ca daṇḍakāḥ | ekā kathañcin muktāhaṃ paribhūya mahātmanā | strī-vadhaṃ śaṅkamānena rāmeṇa viditātmanā ||
Safety has been granted to the seers, and peace has been restored in Daṇḍaka. Though humiliated by great-souled Rāma—self-knowing and hesitant to slay a woman—I alone, somehow, escaped with my life.
Sages have been assured safety. Peace has been restored to Dandaka forest. As Rama, the great soul, who knows the self, hesitated to kill a woman, I was alone saved after this humiliation.
Rāma’s dharma is portrayed as protection of sages and restoration of peace, tempered by moral hesitation to kill a woman—restraint even toward an aggressor.
Śūrpaṇakhā recounts to Rāvaṇa how Rāma’s presence made Daṇḍaka safe for seers and how she survived despite being disgraced.
Rāma’s self-knowledge and restraint (hesitation in strī-vadha) alongside his protective duty toward the vulnerable.