राक्षसी-भर्त्सना
The Demonesses’ Coercive Counsel to Sītā
तस्य पुत्रो विशालाक्षि रावणः शत्रुरावणः।तस्य त्वं राक्षसेन्द्रस्य भार्या भवितुमर्हसि।।।।मयोक्तं चारुसर्वाङ्गिः वाक्यं किं नानुमन्यसे।
tasya putro viśālākṣi rāvaṇaḥ śatrurāvaṇaḥ |
tasya tvaṃ rākṣasendrasya bhāryā bhavitum arhasi ||
mayoktaṃ cāru-sarvāṅgiḥ vākyaṃ kiṃ nānumanyase |
ಹೇ ವಿಶಾಲಾಕ್ಷಿಯೇ, ಅವನ ಪುತ್ರನು ರಾವಣನು—ಶತ್ರುಗಳನ್ನು ದಮನಿಸುವವನು. ನೀನು ಆ ರಾಕ್ಷಸೇಂದ್ರನ ಪತ್ನಿಯಾಗಲು ಯೋಗ್ಯಳಾಗಿದ್ದೀಯೆ. ಹೇ ಸುಂದರಾಂಗಿಯೇ, ನಾನು ಹೇಳಿದ ಮಾತನ್ನು ನೀನು ಏಕೆ ಅಂಗೀಕರಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ?
'O large-eyes lady! to become the wife of the lord of demons is a stroke of good luck. You deserve to be one. O lady of beautiful limbs! why don't you accept his proposal?'
Dharma insists that marriage and union must be righteous and freely chosen; the verse portrays adharma by urging Sītā to accept a wrongful relationship based on power and flattery.
Ekajaṭā culminates her genealogical praise by directly pressing Sītā to become Rāvaṇa’s wife.
Sītā’s chastity and fidelity (pativratā-dharma) are the central virtues challenged by this proposal.