Shloka 3.47.43
सीतारावणसंवादः — Ravana Reveals Himself; Sita Affirms Rama’s Dharma
अग्निं प्रज्वलितं दृष्ट्वा वस्त्रेणाहर्तुमिच्छसि।।3.47.43।।काल्याणवृत्तां रामस्य यो भार्यांहर्तुमिच्छसि।
agniṁ prajvalitaṁ dṛṣṭvā vastreṇāhartum icchasi || 3.47.43 || kalyāṇavṛttāṁ rāmasya yo bhāryāṁ hartum icchasi |
To seize Rama’s wife—she whose conduct is noble—is like trying to catch blazing fire in a cloth after seeing it.
You intend to assaut the wife of Rama, who is a lady of virtuous conduct. You wish to hold blazing fire in your cloth.
Dharma protects the virtuous; harming the righteous rebounds upon the aggressor—like fire burning the cloth that tries to contain it.
Mārīca frames Sītā’s abduction as inherently ruinous due to her virtue and Rāma’s righteous power.
Sītā’s kalyāṇa-vṛtti (noble conduct) and the moral inviolability that Dharma grants to the righteous.