Shloka 24
सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा
Sita’s Counsel on Dharma and the Peril of Weapon-Association
एवमेतत्पुरा वृत्तं शस्त्रसंयोगकारणम्।।3.9.24।।अग्निसंयोगवद्धेतुश्शस्त्रसंयोग उच्यते।स्नेहाच्च बहुमानाच्च स्मारये त्वां न शिक्षये।।3.9.25।।
evam etat purā vṛttaṃ śastrasaṃyogakāraṇam | agnisaṃyogavad hetuḥ śastrasaṃyoga ucyate | snehāc ca bahumānāc ca smāraye tvāṃ na śikṣaye ||
ഇങ്ങനെ പൂർവകാലത്ത് ആയുധസംഗം കാരണമായി ഇതു സംഭവിച്ചു. അഗ്നിസംഗം പോലെ തന്നെ ആയുധസംഗവും കാരണമെന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു. സ്നേഹത്താലും ബഹുമാനത്താലും ഞാൻ നിന്നെ ഓർമ്മിപ്പിക്കുന്നു; ഇത് ശാസനം അല്ല.
Contact with the weapon has led to this in the past. Like contact with fire, it leads man to destruction. I say this out of my love and reverence for you as a reminder and not as an instruction.
FAQs
Dharma includes prudent restraint: habitual proximity to instruments of harm is spiritually dangerous, like fire—one must handle power without letting it consume one’s character.
The speaker concludes the exemplum and frames it as compassionate counsel to Rama—meant as a reminder rather than a harsh correction.
Truthful, respectful counsel (satya with snehā): speaking a hard truth gently for the listener’s welfare.