Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 117, Shloka 28
सीतासमीपगमनम् / Sītā Brought Near to Rāma
Public Witness and Protocol
व्यसनेषु न कृच्छ्रेषु न युद्धेषुस्वयंवरे ।न क्रतौनोविवाहेवादर्शनंदूष्यतेस्त्रियाः ।।।।
vyasaneṣu na kṛcchreṣu na yuddheṣu svayaṃvare |
na kratau no vivāhe vā darśanaṃ dūṣyate striyāḥ ||
విపత్తులో గాని కష్టకాలంలో గాని, యుద్ధంలో, స్వయంవరంలో, యజ్ఞంలో లేదా వివాహంలో—స్త్రీ ప్రజల ముందర దర్శనమివ్వడం దోషముగా పరిగణింపబడదు।
"The appearance of a woman in public is not condemned in times of difficulty, in straits, in conflicts, in the selection of a husband, or in sacrificial ceremonies or marriage ceremonies."
FAQs
Dharma is contextual: social rules about visibility and modesty are not absolute; necessity, ritual, and public duty can make public appearance appropriate and blameless.
Rāma justifies that a woman’s public appearance in certain circumstances is not improper, countering excessive restriction.
Rāma’s reasoned judgment (viveka) in applying norms with sensitivity to circumstance.