Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 6
Chapter 9 — श्रीरामावतारकथनम् (Śrī Rāmāvatāra-kathanam) | Hanumān’s Ocean-Crossing, Sītā-Darśana, and the Setu Plan
राक्षसीरक्षितां सीतां भव भार्येति वादिनं रावणं शिंशपास्थो ऽथ नेति सीतान्तु वादिनीं
rākṣasīrakṣitāṃ sītāṃ bhava bhāryeti vādinaṃ rāvaṇaṃ śiṃśapāstho 'tha neti sītāntu vādinīṃ
羅刹女たちに守られたシーターは、「我が妻となれ」と語るラーヴァナを見た。しかしシンシャパー樹の下に座すシーターは、「否」と答えた。
Agni (narrating the Ramayana episode to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Ethical boundary-setting under coercion: Sītā’s refusal models dharma of fidelity and consent; also frames the power-abuse dynamic for moral instruction.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Rāvaṇa’s Proposal and Sītā’s Refusal beneath the Śiṃśapā","lookup_keywords":["Ravana proposal","Sita refusal","rakshasi guards","shimshapa","Ashoka-vatika"],"quick_summary":"Rāvaṇa demands Sītā as wife while she is guarded; Sītā, steadfast under the śiṃśapā, refuses—highlighting dharma under duress and the moral polarity of the episode."}
Alamkara Type: Virodha (moral opposition)
Concept: Pativratā-dharma and inviolability of consent; steadfast truth under threat.
Application: Maintain ethical commitments despite intimidation; articulate a clear refusal and hold boundaries even when power is unequal.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Samgraha (Ramayana narrative synopsis in Agni Purana)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: Sacred grove
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Under a śiṃśapā tree, Sītā sits guarded by rākṣasīs; Rāvaṇa approaches in royal splendor demanding marriage; Sītā replies firmly ‘No’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Sītā seated beneath stylized śiṃśapā, rākṣasī guards with fierce faces and ornaments, Rāvaṇa with ten heads/crowns approaching, dramatic gestures, saturated palette and bold contours","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Sītā with serene face and gold-leaf halo-like framing, Rāvaṇa richly adorned with gold work, attendants around, ornate tree and floral border, devotional yet tense scene","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, refined expressions: Sītā calm but resolute, Rāvaṇa persuasive posture, guards in background; soft colors, clear narrative readability","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, garden pavilion edge with detailed textiles, Rāvaṇa as a regal figure with multiple heads stylized, Sītā seated under tree, attendants in rows, fine facial expressions and architectural detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राक्षसीरक्षिताम् = राक्षसी + रक्षिताम्; भार्येति = भार्या + इति; शिंशपास्थोऽथ = शिंशपा-स्थः + अथ (ऽ = अवग्रह); नेति = न + इति; सीतान्तु = सीताम् + तु (म् लोप/अनुस्वार-प्रकृति).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 9 (Sītā in Aśoka grove; ensuing Hanumat-Sītā exchange)
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse conveys an itihāsa-episode emphasizing ethical resolve—Sītā’s refusal of an unrighteous proposal.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics, the Agni Purana also preserves condensed itihāsa narratives; this verse exemplifies its compendious inclusion of the Ramayana as cultural-ethical instruction.
It highlights dharma through steadfast fidelity and resistance to adharma, presenting moral exemplars whose conduct is held to generate spiritual merit and uphold righteous order.