Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 16, Shloka 22
इमां तु शीलसम्पन्नां द्रष्टुमर्हति राघवः।रावणेन प्रमथितां प्रपामिव पिपासितः।।5.16.22।।
imāṃ tu śīla-sampannāṃ draṣṭum arhati rāghavaḥ | rāvaṇena pramathitāṃ prapām iva pipāsitaḥ ||5.16.22||
Rāghava patut melihat wanita yang sempurna budi ini—yang diseksa oleh Rāvaṇa—seperti orang dahaga mendambakan mata air.
"Rama deserves to see her.Just as a thirsty man longs for the source of water, Rama pines for this highly virtuous lady who is tormented by Ravana.
FAQs
Justice and rightful reunion: the verse frames reunion not as mere desire but as moral fitness—Rama, upholder of dharma, is ‘worthy’ to behold the virtuous Sita wrongfully oppressed.
Hanuman, seeing Sita’s suffering, imagines Rama’s intense longing and the necessity of restoring the broken moral order caused by Ravana’s violence.
Śīla (virtue) in Sita and dharmic legitimacy in Rama—love is portrayed as ethically grounded, not possessive.