Shloka 10
आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः
Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description
ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं कृतक्षेमाश्च दण्डकाः।।।।एका कथञ्चिन्मुक्ताहं परिभूय महात्मना।स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण विदितात्मना।।।।
ṛṣīṇām abhayaṃ dattaṃ kṛta-kṣemāś ca daṇḍakāḥ | ekā kathañcin muktāhaṃ paribhūya mahātmanā | strī-vadhaṃ śaṅkamānena rāmeṇa viditātmanā ||
ऋषीणामभयं दत्तं दण्डकारण्ये च क्षेमं कृतम्। महात्मना विदितात्मना स्त्रीवधं शङ्कमानेन रामेण परिभूय अहं तु एका कथञ्चिदेव जीवितेन मुक्तास्मि।।
Sages have been assured safety. Peace has been restored to Dandaka forest. As Rama, the great soul, who knows the self, hesitated to kill a woman, I was alone saved after this humiliation.
FAQs
Rāma’s dharma is portrayed as protection of sages and restoration of peace, tempered by moral hesitation to kill a woman—restraint even toward an aggressor.
Śūrpaṇakhā recounts to Rāvaṇa how Rāma’s presence made Daṇḍaka safe for seers and how she survived despite being disgraced.
Rāma’s self-knowledge and restraint (hesitation in strī-vadha) alongside his protective duty toward the vulnerable.