Shloka 21
सीताया धर्मोपदेशः—शस्त्रसंयोगदोषकथा
Sita’s Counsel on Dharma and the Peril of Weapon-Association
यत्र गच्छत्युपादातुं मूलानि च फलानि च।।3.9.21।।न विना याति तं खङ्गं न्यासरक्षणतत्परः।
yatra gacchaty upādātuṃ mūlāni ca phalāni ca | na vinā yāti taṃ khaṅgaṃ nyāsarakṣaṇatatparaḥ ||
ไม่ว่าเขาจะไปที่ใดเพื่อเก็บรากไม้และผลไม้ เขาก็มิได้ไปโดยปราศจากดาบเล่มนั้นเลย เพราะเขามุ่งมั่นยิ่งในการพิทักษ์ของที่ฝากไว้เป็นอามานัต
Vigilant about protecting the sword deposited with him, the sage never moved without it even when he went gathering roots and fruits.
FAQs
Responsibility can harden into constant preoccupation; dharma requires guarding a trust, but also warns against letting an instrument of violence dominate one’s mind.
The custodian’s vigilance becomes habitual: even routine foraging is done with the sword always at hand.
Diligence—yet with an implied caution that diligence around weapons can become unhealthy fixation.