Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 119, Shloka 14
सीताया अग्निप्रवेशः
Sita’s Ordeal by Fire / Agni-Pariksha
त्वयातुनृपशार्दूलदोषमेवानुवर्तता ।लघुनेवमनुष्येणस्त्रीत्वमेवपुरस्कृतम् ।।।।
tvayā tu nṛpa-śārdūla doṣam evānuvartatā |
laghun eva manuṣyeṇa strītvam eva puraskṛtam ||
ஆனால் அரசசிங்கமே! நீ குற்றத்தையே பின்பற்றினாய். அற்ப மனிதனைப் போல ‘பெண்மை’யையே முன்னிறுத்தி, பெண் என்பதே சந்தேகத்திற்குக் காரணமெனக் கருதி என்னை ஐயுற்றாய்.
"O tiger among kings! You also gave up yourself to anger like a weak man and adopted womanliness"
FAQs
Dharma as impartial justice: Sītā critiques judgment based on prejudice (here, suspicion attached to womanhood) rather than evidence and truth.
In response to Rāma’s harsh public posture, Sītā accuses him of yielding to a moral fault (doṣa) and behaving beneath royal ideals.
Courageous truth-speaking: Sītā confronts power with satya, holding the king to a higher standard of righteousness.