Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 12
सीताविलापः
Sita’s Lament amid Rākṣasī Threats
लोकप्रवादः सत्योऽयं पण्डितैः समुदाहृतः।अकाले दुर्लभो मृत्युः स्त्रिया वा पुरुषस्य वा।।5.25.12।।यदहमेवं क्रूराभी राक्षसीभिरिहार्दिता।जीवामि हीना रामेण मुहूर्तमपि दुःखिता।।5.25.13।।
lokapravādaḥ satyo ’yaṃ paṇḍitaiḥ samudāhṛtaḥ |
akāle durlabho mṛtyuḥ striyā vā puruṣasya vā ||5.25.12||
“Peribahasa ini, yang diucapkan oleh orang bijaksana, memang benar: kematian sukar datang sebelum waktunya—baik bagi wanita mahupun lelaki.”
'There is a famous popular saying among the learned that untimely death is notpossible either for a woman or a man.It is true that I am living in this miserable condition, deprived of Rama's company and tormented by these cruel ogresses here. Living in such conditions even for a moment is impossible. But nobody dies an untimely death.
FAQs
Satya is emphasized as alignment with reality: Sītā acknowledges a truth about kāla (time)—life and death follow an order not easily broken by mere desire.
In despair, Sītā reflects on a proverbial truth that one cannot easily die ‘before one’s time,’ despite unbearable suffering.
Truthfulness and reflective wisdom: even in anguish, she reasons through a moral and existential observation.
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