Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 19, Shloka 10
सीताव्यथा
वर्णनम् / Sītā’s Distress and Rāvaṇa’s Attempt at Coercive Allurement
वृत्तशीलकुले जातामाचारवति धार्मिके।पुनःसंस्कारमापन्नां जातामिव च दुष्कुले।।।।
vṛttaśīlakule jātām ācāravati dhārmike |
punaḥsaṃskāram āpannāṃ jātām iva ca duṣkule ||
സദാചാരസമ്പന്നമായ കുലത്തിൽ ജനിച്ച് ധാർമ്മികാചാരത്തിൽ വളർന്ന അവൾ, ഇപ്പോൾ വീണ്ടും ശുദ്ധിസംസ്കാരം ഏറ്റെടുക്കേണ്ടിവന്നവളെപ്പോലെ—ദുഷ്കുലത്തിൽ ജനിച്ചവളെന്നപോലെ തോന്നി।
On just seeing Ravana, the lord of demons from a distance, adorned with the best of ornaments the charming, young, blameles princess Vaidehi of beautiful waist trembled like a banana plant shaken by a strong wind.
FAQs
True purity is intrinsic and ethical, not erased by external contamination; the verse highlights how adharma can unjustly impose the burden of “proof” upon the innocent.
In describing Sītā’s condition in captivity, the narration conveys how a virtuous woman is made to feel socially and emotionally stained by coercive surroundings.
Sītā’s steadfast integrity (śīla) and truthfulness (satya): her righteousness remains, even when circumstances try to redefine her worth.