Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 128, Shloka 45
अयोध्याप्रत्यागमन-सन्देशः
Hanuman Sent Ahead to Ayodhya
देवोवामानुषोवात्वमनुक्रोशादिहागतः ।।6.128.43।।प्रियाख्यानस्यतेसौम्यददामिब्रुवतःप्रियम् ।गवांशतसहस्रं च ग्रामाणां च शतंपरम् ।।6.128.44।।सकुण्डलाश्शुभाचाराभार्याःकन्यास्तुषोडश ।हेमवर्णास्सुनासोरूश्शशिसौम्याननाःस्त्रियः ।।6.128.45।।सर्वाभरणसम्पन्नास्सम्पन्नाःकुलजातिभिः ।
sakuṇḍalāḥ śubhācārā bhāryāḥ kanyās tu ṣoḍaśa |
hemavarṇāḥ sunāsorūḥ śaśisaumyānanāḥ striyaḥ ||6.128.45||
sarvābharaṇasampannāḥ sampannāḥ kulajātibhiḥ |
(Ta sẽ ban) mười sáu thiếu nữ làm vợ—đeo hoa tai, hạnh kiểm đoan chính, da sắc vàng rực, mũi và đùi cân xứng, dung nhan dịu hiền như ánh trăng—đủ mọi trang sức, xuất thân danh gia, phú quý viên mãn.
"O Gentle Hanuman! You have come here with great compassion. Are you God or a human being? For the sweet tidings brought by you to me, I will bestow a hundred thousand cows, hundred best villages, sixteen virgin women of good conduct as wives with earrings, with shapely noses, full moon like face, golden complexioned, decked with ornaments and rich women."
FAQs
It portrays rājadharma through gratitude and honoring truthful service: Rama publicly acknowledges the messenger’s faithful work and responds with generous gifts, a conventional royal expression of appreciation in the epic setting.
In context, the offer is not a bargain for truth but a reward for truthful tidings and loyal service already rendered; it emphasizes that Satya is valued and that righteous leadership recognizes merit.