Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 73, Shloka 27
त्रिसप्ततितमः सर्गः (Sarga 73): Mithilā Vivāha
Kanyādāna and the Fourfold Marriage Rites
इयं सीता मम सुता सहधर्मचरी तव।प्रतीच्छ चैनां भद्रं ते पाणिं गृह्णीष्व पाणिना।।।।
iyaṃ sītā mama sutā sahadharmacārī tava |
pratīccha caināṃ bhadraṃ te pāṇiṃ gṛhṇīṣva pāṇinā || 1.73.27 ||
“此乃悉多，我之女；她将作你行持达摩（dharma）之伴侣。请受纳她，愿吉祥属于你；以你之手执她之手。”
Thereafter king Janaka brought Sita adorned with various ornaments and placed her in the presence of Agni in front of Rama, the enhancer of the joy of Kausalya. And said:
FAQs
Marriage is defined as shared dharma (sahadharmacāriṇī): the union is oriented toward righteous living, duty, and truth, not merely personal desire.
Janaka performs the formal hand-giving/hand-taking instruction to Rāma, marking the decisive moment of kanyādāna and pāṇigrahaṇa.
Janaka’s integrity and clarity of values—he frames Sītā’s role as a dharmic partner and blesses Rāma with auspiciousness.