Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 6
Chapter 9 — श्रीरामावतारकथनम् (Śrī Rāmāvatāra-kathanam) | Hanumān’s Ocean-Crossing, Sītā-Darśana, and the Setu Plan
राक्षसीरक्षितां सीतां भव भार्येति वादिनं रावणं शिंशपास्थो ऽथ नेति सीतान्तु वादिनीं
rākṣasīrakṣitāṃ sītāṃ bhava bhāryeti vādinaṃ rāvaṇaṃ śiṃśapāstho 'tha neti sītāntu vādinīṃ
Сита, охраняемая ракшаси, увидела Равану, говорящего: «Будь моей женой»; но Сита, сидевшая под деревом шимшапа, ответила: «Нет».
Agni (narrating the Ramayana episode to Vasiṣṭha in the Agni Purana frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","practical_application":"Ethical boundary-setting under coercion: Sītā’s refusal models dharma of fidelity and consent; also frames the power-abuse dynamic for moral instruction.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Rāvaṇa’s Proposal and Sītā’s Refusal beneath the Śiṃśapā","lookup_keywords":["Ravana proposal","Sita refusal","rakshasi guards","shimshapa","Ashoka-vatika"],"quick_summary":"Rāvaṇa demands Sītā as wife while she is guarded; Sītā, steadfast under the śiṃśapā, refuses—highlighting dharma under duress and the moral polarity of the episode."}
Alamkara Type: Virodha (moral opposition)
Concept: Pativratā-dharma and inviolability of consent; steadfast truth under threat.
Application: Maintain ethical commitments despite intimidation; articulate a clear refusal and hold boundaries even when power is unequal.
Khanda Section: Itihasa-Samgraha (Ramayana narrative synopsis in Agni Purana)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: Sacred grove
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Under a śiṃśapā tree, Sītā sits guarded by rākṣasīs; Rāvaṇa approaches in royal splendor demanding marriage; Sītā replies firmly ‘No’.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural, Sītā seated beneath stylized śiṃśapā, rākṣasī guards with fierce faces and ornaments, Rāvaṇa with ten heads/crowns approaching, dramatic gestures, saturated palette and bold contours","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore, central Sītā with serene face and gold-leaf halo-like framing, Rāvaṇa richly adorned with gold work, attendants around, ornate tree and floral border, devotional yet tense scene","mysore_prompt":"Mysore, refined expressions: Sītā calm but resolute, Rāvaṇa persuasive posture, guards in background; soft colors, clear narrative readability","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, garden pavilion edge with detailed textiles, Rāvaṇa as a regal figure with multiple heads stylized, Sītā seated under tree, attendants in rows, fine facial expressions and architectural detail"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Todi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: राक्षसीरक्षिताम् = राक्षसी + रक्षिताम्; भार्येति = भार्या + इति; शिंशपास्थोऽथ = शिंशपा-स्थः + अथ (ऽ = अवग्रह); नेति = न + इति; सीतान्तु = सीताम् + तु (म् लोप/अनुस्वार-प्रकृति).
Related Themes: Agni Purana 9 (Sītā in Aśoka grove; ensuing Hanumat-Sītā exchange)
FAQs
No ritual or technical vidyā is taught here; the verse conveys an itihāsa-episode emphasizing ethical resolve—Sītā’s refusal of an unrighteous proposal.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics, the Agni Purana also preserves condensed itihāsa narratives; this verse exemplifies its compendious inclusion of the Ramayana as cultural-ethical instruction.
It highlights dharma through steadfast fidelity and resistance to adharma, presenting moral exemplars whose conduct is held to generate spiritual merit and uphold righteous order.