Shloka 34
रावणस्य परिव्राजकवेषेण सीतासमीपगमनम्
Ravana Approaches Sita Disguised as a Mendicant
द्विजातिवेषेण समीक्ष्य मैथिली समागतं पात्रकुसुम्भधारिणम्।अशक्यमुद्वेष्टुमपायदर्शनम् न्यमन्त्रयद्ब्राह्मणवत्तदाङ्गना।।।।
dvijāti-veṣeṇa samīkṣya maithilī samāgataṃ pātra-kusumbha-dhāriṇam |
aśakyam udveṣṭum apāya-darśanam nyamantrayad brāhmaṇavat tadāṅganā ||
นางไมถิลีเห็นเขามาในคราบพราหมณ์ ถือภาชนะและน้ำเต้า จึงมิอาจระแวงภัยที่ซ่อนอยู่ได้ นางผู้เป็นกุลสตรีจึงนิมนต์ต้อนรับเขาดุจพราหมณ์โดยเคารพ
Sita, being a lady, was unable to doubt him since he came in the guise of a brahmin, holding a bottle-gourd and a begging bowl. Without knowing his ill-intention she invited him in, mistaking him for a brahmin.
FAQs
Dharma includes honoring the worthy, yet the verse teaches that discernment (viveka) must accompany outward signs, because adharma can imitate dharmic forms.
Sītā cannot detect Rāvaṇa’s harmful intent because he appears as an ascetic/brāhmaṇa with typical mendicant items.
Sītā’s trusting respect toward brāhmaṇas and ascetics—paired with the tragic vulnerability created by Rāvaṇa’s falsehood.