Shloka 3.9.31

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

Devanagari script

धर्मादर्थः प्रभवति धर्मात्प्रभवते सुखम्।।3.9.31।।धर्मेण लभते सर्वं धर्मसारमिदं जगत्।

Transliteration

tad ārya kaluṣā buddhir jāyate śastrasevanāt |

punar gatvā tv ayodhyāyāṃ kṣatradharmaṃ cariṣyasi ||

Translation

Then, O noble one, the mind becomes tainted by constant service to weapons. After returning again to Ayodhyā, you may practice the kṣatriya’s dharma.

Context

Righteousness brings wealth. Wealth brings happiness. Righteousness brings everything. In fact, the essence of the world is righteousness.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Ayodhyā
• śastra (weapons)
• kṣatra-dharma

FAQs

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

Even justified power can corrupt the mind if indulged in the wrong setting; dharma includes guarding inner purity, not merely external correctness.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā recommends postponing overt warrior conduct until Rāma returns to royal life, implying that the forest-exile context calls for ascetic restraint.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-restraint and mindfulness about how habitual violence affects one’s character.