Shloka 8
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 |
ഹേ വിശാലനേത്രേ, അവന്റെ പുത്രന് രാവണന്—ശത്രുക്കളെ കീഴടക്കുന്നവന്. നീ ആ രാക്ഷസേന്ദ്രന്റെ ഭാര്യയാകുവാന് യോജ്യയാകുന്നു. ഹേ സുന്ദരാംഗീ, ഞാന് പറഞ്ഞ വാക്ക് നീ എന്തുകൊണ്ട് സമ്മതിക്കുന്നില്ല?
'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?'
FAQs
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.