Shloka 16
सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा
Sita’s Counsel on Dharma and the Peril of Weapon-Association
क्षत्रियाणामपि धनुर्हुताशस्येन्धनानि च।।3.9.16।।समीपतस्स्थितं तेजो बलमुच्छ्रयते भृशम्।
kṣatriyāṇām api dhanur hutāśasyendhanāni ca ||3.9.16||
samīpatas sthitaṃ tejo balam ucchrayate bhṛśam |
Même pour les kṣatriyas, l’arc est comme du bois pour le feu : lorsqu’il est tout proche, il accroît puissamment l’ardeur et la force.
Of course, you will go to the forest with your brother, holding the bow and arrows. Release the arrows when you see the forest-rangers.
FAQs
Dharma emphasizes mastery over impulses: proximity to power (weapons) can inflame aggression, so a righteous person must practice restraint.
Sītā explains why weapons can be morally dangerous—like fuel feeding fire—setting up her warning against needless conflict.
The ideal of kṣatriya self-governance: true strength includes control, not merely the capacity to strike.