Shloka 17
Dyumatsena’s Restoration and Sāvitrī’s Disclosure of Yama’s Boons (आरण्यकपर्व, अध्याय २८२)
इत्युक्ता तेन वैदेही परिवृत्य शुभानना । तृणमन्तरत: कृत्वा तमुवाच निशाचरम्,उवाच वाक्य त॑ क्षुद्रे वैदेही पतिदेवता । रावणके ऐसा कहनेपर परम सुन्दर जाँघोंसे सुशोभित, पतिको ही देवता माननेवाली विदेहराजकुमारी सुमुखी सीता अपना मुँह फेरकर बीचमें तिनकेकी ओट करके राक्षसोंके लिये अमंगलसूचक आँसुओंद्वारा अपने पीन एवं उन्नत स्तनोंको निरन्तर भिगोती हुई उस नीच निशाचरसे इस प्रकार बोलीं--
ity uktā tena vaidehī parivṛtya śubhānanā | tṛṇam antarataḥ kṛtvā tam uvāca niśācaram ||
Thus addressed by him, Vaidehī (Sītā), the fair-faced princess of Videha, turned her face away. Placing a blade of grass between them as a sign of refusal and ritual distance, she spoke to that night-roaming demon. The scene underscores her unwavering fidelity to her husband and her ethical resistance: she will not even symbolically accept the aggressor’s approach, maintaining chastity, dignity, and dharma in the face of coercion.
मार्कण्डेय उवाच