परदाराभिमर्शात्तु नान्यत्पापतरं महत्।प्रमदानां सहस्रं च तव राजन्परिग्रहः।।3.38.30।।
paradārābhimarśāt tu nānyat pāpataraṃ mahat | pramadānāṃ sahasraṃ ca tava rājan parigrahaḥ || 3.38.30 ||
اے راجَن! پرائے کی بیوی کی حرمت پامال کرنا اس سے بڑھ کر کوئی عظیم اور ہولناک گناہ نہیں—خصوصاً جب تیرے اپنے محل میں ہزاروں عورتیں پہلے ہی موجود ہوں۔
Hence the great sage, righteous Visvamitra afraid of me, went to king Dasaratha and said:
Respect for marital boundaries (paradāra-avarjana) is a central dharmic restraint; violating it is portrayed as among the gravest sins.
Mārīca rebukes Rāvaṇa’s intention toward Sītā, arguing that such an act is morally worst and irrational given his own vast harem.
Moral clarity and restraint: the verse upholds self-control over predatory desire.