Shloka 6.114.65
रावणस्य अन्त्येष्टिः — Ravana’s Funeral Rites and the Ethics of Post-War Conduct
याःस्त्वयाविधवाराजन्कृतानैकाःकुलस्त्रियः ।।6.114.64।।पतिव्रताधर्मरतागुरुशुश्रूषणेरताः ।ताभिश्शोकाभितप्ताभिश्शप्तःपरवशंगतः ।।6.114.65।।त्वयाविप्रकृताभिर्यत्तदाशप्तंतदागतम् ।
pativratā dharmaratā guruśuśrūṣaṇe ratāḥ |
tābhiḥ śokābhitaptābhiḥ śaptaḥ paravaśaṃ gataḥ || 6.114.65 ||
tvayā viprakṛtābhir yat tadā śaptaṃ tad āgatam |
Those women—faithful to their husbands, steadfast in dharma, and diligent in serving elders—were wronged by you and burned with grief. Cursed by them, you came under an enemy’s power; the very curse uttered then has now returned upon you.
"King! Chaste women of noble lineage being righteous, serving the elders have been widowed by you. Because of their curse, you have fallen under the sway of your enemy and because of that, this has come to you."
Harming the righteous—especially those living by dharma (pativratā, service to elders)—creates moral culpability whose consequences return as suffering; adharma rebounds as karma-phala.
After Rāvaṇa’s defeat, Mandodarī (or a principal queen) interprets his downfall as the fruition of curses and grief caused by his wrongdoing toward virtuous women.
The steadfast dharma of pativratā women—faithfulness, righteousness, and reverence/service to elders—whose moral force is portrayed as powerful enough to curse wrongdoing.