Shloka 19
आरण्यकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः
Śūrpaṇakhā Reports to Rāvaṇa; Rāma’s Might and Sītā’s Description
सा सुशीला वपुश्श्लाघ्या रूपेणाप्रतिमा भुवि।तवानुरूपा भार्या स्यात्त्वं च तस्यास्तथा पतिः।।।।
sā suśīlā vapuśślāghyā rūpeṇāpratimā bhuvi |
tavānurūpā bhāryā syāt tvaṁ ca tasyās tathā patiḥ ||
Nàng nết na đoan hậu, thân dung đáng ca tụng, và về nhan sắc thì vô song trên cõi đất. Nàng sẽ là hiền thê xứng hợp với ngươi—và ngươi cũng sẽ là phu quân xứng hợp với nàng.
She is a woman of good conduct, of praiseworthy beauty. She is matchless in her beauty on earth. She will be a suitable wife for you and you, a suitable husband for her.
FAQs
The verse shows how ‘fitness’ can be misused rhetorically to justify adharma; in Ramayana ethics, suitability is governed by lawful relationship and consent—not by power or desire.
Śūrpaṇakhā continues persuading Rāvaṇa by praising Sītā’s character and beauty and presenting the match as appropriate.
Sītā’s suśīlatā (good conduct) is explicitly praised, underscoring her dharmic character even though the speaker’s intent is manipulative.