Valmiki Ramayana 5.21.2: Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 2
सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः
Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana
Setting: Lanka (Aśoka-vāṭikā)
दुःखार्ता रुदती सीता वेपमाना तपस्विनी ।
चिन्तयन्ती वरारोहा पतिमेव पतिव्रता ॥२॥
तृणमन्तरतः कृत्वा प्रत्युवाच शुचिस्मिता ।
duḥkhārtā rudatī sītā vepamānā tapasvinī |
cintayantī varārohā patim eva pativratā ||2||
tṛṇam antarataḥ kṛtvā pratyuvāca śucismitā |
துயரால் வாடி அழுதுகொண்டே, நடுங்கிய தவஸ்வினி, அழகிய இடுப்புடைய பத்தினி சீதை—தன் கணவனையே நினைத்தவளாய்—தன்னுக்கும் (ராவணனுக்கும்) நடுவில் ஒரு புல்லை வைத்து, தூய மென்மையான புன்னகையுடன் பதிலளித்தாள்.
Sandhi Notes
- दुःखार्ता = दुःख-आर्ता
- पतिमेव = पतिम् + एव
- तृणमन्तरतः = तृणम् + अन्तरतः
Sita, austere, beautiful and chaste afflicted by grief kept sobbing. Brooding over her husband and trembling in fear, she placed a blade of grass in between her and Ravana and replied with a gentle smile on her face.
The teaching
Even in powerlessness, one can uphold dharma through clear boundaries and unwavering intent.
Duties in tension
- Survival under captivity vs uncompromised chastity/purity
- Fear response vs dharmic refusal of adharma
- Ethical theme
- Śauca / strī-dharma / resistance to adharma
- How it resolves
- Boundary-setting and verbal refusal grounded in purity
For your practice
Model for maintaining inner purity and boundaries; japa/mental refuge in the beloved (Rāma) during distress.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Karuna (compassion), with Vira (heroism)
- Mood
- Trembling, chaste, defiant
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Pativratā-dharma
- Personal boundaries
- Ethics
- Maryāda
The external constraint cannot bind the inner self; placing grass as a boundary symbolizes viveka separating pure intention from contaminating contact.
Inner steadiness amid fear recalls the ideal of the dhīra who is not shaken (Kaṭha’s dhīra motif, conceptually).
- Sita and Ravana
- Captive establishes boundary; refusal of contact (tṛṇa-antarita) (repulsed)
- Sita and Rama
- Pativratā devotion; mental fixation on husband (yearning)
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.47 (abduction scene; Sītā’s resistance); Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 5.22 (continuation of Sītā’s speech to Rāvaṇa)
Dharmaśāstra purity boundaries; symbolic separation to avoid saṅga
Sundarakāṇḍa Aśoka-vāṭikā episodes: Sītā’s steadfastness and refusal of Rāvaṇa
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Grieving
Lower register opening (mandra) rising to madhya on 'pratyuvāca' for resolve
FAQs
Dharma includes maintaining moral and physical boundaries; Sītā symbolically asserts separation from adharma by placing grass between herself and Rāvaṇa.
In captivity in Aśoka-vana, Sītā—terrified yet resolute—prepares to answer Rāvaṇa’s advances and threats.
Chastity and inner discipline (tapas): despite distress, Sītā preserves dignity and resolves to speak truthfully.
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