Shloka 3.45.23
सीतया लक्ष्मणप्रेषणम् — Sita urges Lakshmana to seek Rama (The crisis of the ‘distressed voice’)
रामस्य व्यसनं दृष्ट्वा तेनैतानि प्रभाषसे।।3.45.22।।नैतच्चित्रं सपत्नेषु पापं लक्ष्मण यद्भवेत्।त्वद्विधेषु नृशंसेषु नित्यं प्रच्छन्नचारिषु।।3.45.23।।
suduṣṭas tvaṃ vane rāmam ekam eko ’nugacchasi |
mama hetoḥ praticchannaḥ prayukto bharatena vā || 3.45.24 ||
You are utterly wicked: alone you follow Rāma in the forest while he is alone—concealing your true intent, perhaps even sent by Bharata for my sake.
O Lakshmana,do you speak such words seeing the disaster of Rama? No wonder that cruel men who always move like you in disguise will thus resort to sinful action against rivals.
The verse warns how anxiety can lead to adharma through false attribution of motives; Dharma requires fairness and truth-aligned speech.
Sītā, overwhelmed, accuses Lakṣmaṇa of secretly following Rāma with ulterior motives, even suggesting Bharata’s involvement.
Indirectly, Lakṣmaṇa’s fidelity is highlighted by the extremity of the accusation he must bear without retaliation.