Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 81, Shloka 28
इन्द्रजितो मायासीतावधः
Indrajit’s Illusory Sita Episode and Hanuman’s Rebuke
न हन्तव्याःस्त्रियश्चेतियद् ब्रवीषिप्लवङ्गम ।।।।पीडाकरममित्राणांयत्स्यात्कर्तव्यमेवतत् ।
na hantavyāḥ striyaś ceti yad bravīṣi plavaṅgama | pīḍākaram amitrāṇāṃ yat syāt kartavyam eva tat ||
اے وانر! تم جو کہتے ہو کہ عورتوں کو نہیں مارنا چاہیے، لیکن جو عمل دشمنوں کو تکلیف دے، وہی کرنا ضروری ہے۔
Indrajith having spoken like that killed that crying illusory Sita with a sharp-edged sword.
FAQs
It presents a clash between dharma-based restraint (not harming women) and Indrajit’s adharma-based utilitarianism, where ‘anything that hurts the enemy’ is treated as permissible.
Indrajit argues against Hanumān’s moral objection, attempting to justify an impending violent act against a woman (in fact, an illusory Sītā).
Hanumān’s implied virtue is dharmic discernment and restraint; Indrajit displays moral inversion—redefining “duty” as whatever causes maximum enemy suffering.