Shloka 5
मारीचोपदेशः — Maricha’s Counsel to Ravana
On Rama’s Dharma and the Peril of Abduction
अपि ते जीवितान्ताय नोत्पन्ना जनकात्मजा।अपि सीतानिमित्तं च न भवेद्व्यसनं मम।।।।
api te jīvitāntāya notpannā janakātmajā |
api sītānimittaṃ ca na bhaved vyasanaṃ mama ||
ขอให้ธิดาแห่งพระชนกมิได้บังเกิดมาเพื่อเป็นเหตุแห่งวาระสุดท้ายของท่าน และขออย่าให้ภัยพิบัติใด ๆ มาถึงข้าพเจ้าเพราะเหตุแห่งนางสีดาเลย
O Ravana ! I think it is not good on your part to confront the prince of Kosala in a war. Listen to my words and consider what is good for you.ityārṣē śrī madrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē araṇyakāṇḍē saptatriṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the thirtyseventh sarga of Aranyakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
FAQs
Violating dharma—especially by coveting or harming another’s rightful spouse—brings ruin; the verse frames Sītā as the karmic turning-point for adharma.
Mārīca foresees that Sītā will become the cause of Rāvaṇa’s death and worries that involvement with Sītā will also bring him disaster.
Mārīca’s cautious foresight (though morally compromised elsewhere) and the implicit sanctity and inviolability associated with Sītā.