Shloka 26

सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा

Sita’s Counsel on Dharma and the Peril of Weapon-Association

Devanagari script

न कथञ्चन सा कार्या गृहीतधनुषा त्वया।बुद्धिर्वैरं विना हन्तुं राक्षसान्दण्डकाश्रितान्।।3.9.26।।अपराधं विना हन्तुं लोकान्वीर न कामये।

Transliteration

na kathañcana sā kāryā gṛhītadhanuṣā tvayā | buddhir vairaṃ vinā hantuṃ rākṣasān daṇḍakāśritān || aparādhaṃ vinā hantuṃ lokān vīra na kāmaye |

Translation

ധനുസ്സു ധരിച്ചിരിക്കുന്ന നീ, വൈരം ഇല്ലാതെ ദണ്ഡകാരണ്യത്തിൽ വസിക്കുന്ന രാക്ഷസന്മാരെ വധിക്കണമെന്ന ബുദ്ധി ഒരിക്കലും ഉണ്ടാക്കരുത്. ഹേ വീരാ, കുറ്റമില്ലാതെ ആരെയും കൊല്ലാൻ ഞാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നില്ല.

Word by Word

क्षत्रियाणाम्of kshatriyas

तुbut/indeed

वीराणाम्of warriors

वनेषुin forests

निरत-आत्मनाम्of the self-controlled

धनुषाwith a bow

कार्यम्duty

एतावत्this much

आर्तानाम्of the distressed

तुindeed

अभिरक्षणम्protection

Context

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.

Characters & Entities

Rama (implied by address)

dhanuṣ (bow)

rākṣasa

Daṇḍaka (forest/region)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Violence must be morally grounded: killing without offence or provocation violates dharma; force is legitimate only as a response to wrongdoing and for protection.

What is the narrative situation?

Rama is cautioned against forming a blanket intent to kill forest-dwelling rākṣasas absent specific hostility or अपराध (wrongdoing).

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Restraint and justice—power under ethical control, not driven by pre-emptive aggression.