Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 11
सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः
Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana
अकृतात्मानमासाद्य राजानमनये रतम्।।।।समृद्धानि विनश्यन्ति राष्ट्राणि नगराणि च।
akṛtātmānam āsādya rājānam anaye rataṃ |
samṛddhāni vinaśyanti rāṣṭrāṇi nagarāṇi ca ||5.21.11||
เมื่อกษัตริย์ผู้ไร้การข่มใจ ผู้หมกมุ่นในทางอธรรม ได้ขึ้นครองอำนาจ แว่นแคว้นอันรุ่งเรืองและแม้แต่นครทั้งหลายย่อมพินาศลง
"Even prosperous countries and cities are destroyed on account of indiscreet rulers engaged in unfair means.
FAQs
Rājadharma: a ruler’s self-control and justice are foundational; when leadership is unrighteous, society’s prosperity collapses.
Sītā generalizes from Rāvaṇa’s conduct to a principle of governance: immoral kings destroy their own states.
Sītā’s wisdom and commitment to dharma-based governance, even while she is a captive.