Shloka 3.9.21

सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा (Sita’s Counsel on Dharma and the Peril of Weapon-Association)

Devanagari script

यत्र गच्छत्युपादातुं मूलानि च फलानि च।।3.9.21।।न विना याति तं खङ्गं न्यासरक्षणतत्परः।

Transliteration

yatra gacchaty upādātuṃ mūlāni ca phalāni ca | na vinā yāti taṃ khaṅgaṃ nyāsarakṣaṇatatparaḥ ||

Translation

Wherever he went to gather roots and fruits, he would not go without that sword—so intent was he on guarding the entrusted deposit.

Context

Vigilant about protecting the sword deposited with him, the sage never moved without it even when he went gathering roots and fruits.

Characters & Entities

• khaṅga (sword)
• nyāsa (deposit/trust)
• mūla (roots)
• phala (fruits)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Responsibility can harden into constant preoccupation; dharma requires guarding a trust, but also warns against letting an instrument of violence dominate one’s mind.

What is the narrative situation?

The custodian’s vigilance becomes habitual: even routine foraging is done with the sword always at hand.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Diligence—yet with an implied caution that diligence around weapons can become unhealthy fixation.