Shloka 5.59.30
हनूमद्वृत्तान्तः—वानरबलप्रशंसा च (Hanuman’s Report and Praise of the Vanara Host)
सा मया राक्षसीमध्ये तर्ज्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः।राक्षसीभिर्विरूपाभिर्दृष्टा हि प्रमदावने।।।।एकवेणीधरा दीना भर्तृचिन्तापरायणा।अधश्शय्या विवर्णाङ्गी पद्मिनीव हिमागमे।।।।रावणाद्विनिवृत्तार्था मर्तव्यकृतनिश्चया।
tasya tāṃ spṛśato gātraṃ tapasā na vināśitam | na tad agniśikhā kuryāt saṃspṛṣṭā pāṇinā satī || janakasyātmajā kuryād yat krodhakaluṣīkṛtā ||
Even when he touched her body, he was not destroyed—held back by the power of his austerities. For what even a flame could not accomplish by a mere touch of the hand, Janaka’s daughter could accomplish if her wrath were unleashed—yet she restrained it.
"I saw Sita often threatened by ugly-looking ogresses. Wearing a single braid, she looked pathetic, thinking always about her husband, lying on the bare ground. She was like a lustreless lotus in winter. Spurning the advances by Ravana, she is rather determined to commit suicide.
Dharma is shown as restraint aligned with rightful order: even when capable of immediate retaliation, Sita does not seize the role of executioner, preserving Rama’s rightful duty to confront Ravana.
Hanuman explains why Ravana was not destroyed despite violating Sita—highlighting both Ravana’s tapas-protection and Sita’s deliberate self-restraint.
Sita’s self-control and fidelity to dharmic boundaries (maryādā): power is subordinated to duty and propriety.