Shloka 6.81.35
इन्द्रजितो मायासीतावधः — Indrajit’s Illusory Sita Episode and Hanuman’s Rebuke
तथातुसीतांविनिहत्यदुर्मतिःप्रहृष्टचेतास्सबभूवरावणिः ।तंहृष्टरूपंसमुदीक्ष्यवानराविषण्णरूपास्सहसाप्रददुद्रुवुः ।।।।
tathā tu sītāṃ vinihatya durmatiḥ prahṛṣṭacetāḥ sa babhūva rāvaṇiḥ | taṃ hṛṣṭarūpaṃ samudīkṣya vānarā viṣaṇṇarūpāḥ sahasā pradadudruvuḥ ||
Thus, after ‘killing Sītā,’ the evil-minded son of Rāvaṇa became elated. Seeing him exultant, the vānaras, overcome with sorrow, suddenly fled in a rout.
The evil- minded son of Ravana was happy at heart after killing Sita. Witnessing the happy form of Indrajith, the sorrowful Vanaras started running all at once.।। ityārṣēvālmīkīyēśrīmadrāmāyaṇēādikāvyēyuddhakāṇḍēēkāśītitamassargaḥ ।।This is the end of the eighty first sarga of Yuddha Kanda of the first epic, the holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.
The verse shows how abandoning satya (truth) produces social and moral collapse: illusion-driven despair causes the vānaras to lose courage; dharma requires steadiness grounded in truth, not appearances.
Indrajit’s deception appears successful: he is visibly triumphant, and the vānaras, believing Sītā is dead, panic and flee.
The episode highlights the need for dhairya (fortitude) and viveka (discernment). The vānaras’ momentary failure illustrates how fear can eclipse duty when truth is obscured.