Shloka 18
सीताया रावणनिन्दा — अशोकवनिकाप्रवेशः
Sita’s Rebuke of Ravana; Removal to the Ashoka Grove
न शक्या यज्ञमध्यस्था वेदी सृग्भाण्डमण्डिता।द्विजातिमन्त्रपूता च चण्डालेनावमर्दितुम्।।।।
na śakyā yajñamadhyasthā vedī sṛgbhāṇḍamaṇḍitā | dvijātimantrapūtā ca caṇḍālenāvamarditum ||
யாகத்தின் நடுவில் நிற்கும், கரண்டி-பாத்திரங்களால் அலங்கரிக்கப்பட்டு, இருபிறப்போரின் மந்திரங்களால் புனிதமடைந்த வேதியை ஒரு சண்டாளன் அவமதித்து மாசுபடுத்த இயலாது॥
The sacrificial altar adorned with ladles and vessels and sanctified by the sacred mantras recited by brahmins cannot be defiled by a chandala (man of lowest caste).
FAQs
Dharma is presented as inviolable: what is consecrated by right order and sacred discipline cannot be truly defiled by the unrighteous.
Sītā uses a ritual analogy to assert that Rāvaṇa cannot spiritually ‘possess’ or purify his act by force.
Sītā’s inner purity and her ability to teach through dharmic imagery and analogy.