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 ||
Ngươi nói rằng 'Phụ nữ không được giết', hỡi loài khỉ. Tuy nhiên, bất cứ điều gì gây đau khổ cho kẻ thù—điều đó phải được thực hiện.
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.