Shloka 28
इन्द्रजितो मायासीतावधः
Indrajit’s Illusory Sita Episode and Hanuman’s Rebuke
न हन्तव्याःस्त्रियश्चेतियद् ब्रवीषिप्लवङ्गम ।।।।पीडाकरममित्राणांयत्स्यात्कर्तव्यमेवतत् ।
na hantavyāḥ striyaś ceti yad bravīṣi plavaṅgama | pīḍākaram amitrāṇāṃ yat syāt kartavyam eva tat ||
“ഹേ പ്ലവംഗമാ, ‘സ്ത്രീകളെ കൊല്ലരുത്’ എന്നു നീ പറയുന്നു; എന്നാൽ ശത്രുക്കൾക്ക് പീഡാകരമാകുന്നതെന്തോ, അതുതന്നെ ചെയ്യേണ്ടതാണ്.”
Indrajith having spoken like that killed that crying illusory Sita with a sharp-edged sword.
FAQs
It presents a clash between dharma-based restraint (not harming women) and Indrajit’s adharma-based utilitarianism, where ‘anything that hurts the enemy’ is treated as permissible.
Indrajit argues against Hanumān’s moral objection, attempting to justify an impending violent act against a woman (in fact, an illusory Sītā).
Hanumān’s implied virtue is dharmic discernment and restraint; Indrajit displays moral inversion—redefining “duty” as whatever causes maximum enemy suffering.