Shloka 3.61.3
सीतान्वेषणारम्भः — The Search for Sita Begins
क्व नु लक्ष्मण वैदेही कं वा देशमितो गता।केनाहृता वा सौमित्रे भक्षिता केन वा प्रिया।।।।
kva nu lakṣmaṇa vaidehī kaṃ vā deśam ito gatā |
kenāhṛtā vā saumitre bhakṣitā kena vā priyā ||
“O Lakshmana, where indeed is Vaidehī? To what land has she gone from here? By whom has my beloved been carried off—or by whom has she been devoured, O Saumitri?”
O son of Sumitra, where is my beloved ? Where did she go? By whom was she abducted? Or, devoured? O Lakshmana !
Dharma appears as protective responsibility: Rama’s urgent questioning reflects the duty to account for and safeguard those under one’s care, especially one’s spouse.
Rama, realizing Sītā is missing after the abduction, questions Lakshmana in distress, considering possibilities from wandering away to violent harm.
Concern and accountability—Rama’s immediate focus is Sītā’s safety and the truth of what has happened.