Ramayana — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 21, Shloka 9
सीताया रावणं प्रति धर्मोपदेशः
Sita’s Dharmic Admonition to Ravana
इह सन्तो न वा सन्ति सतो वा नानुवर्तसे।।।।तथाहि विपरीता ते बुद्धिराचारवर्जिता।
iha santo na vā santi sato vā nānuvartase |
tathā hi viparītā te buddhir ācāra-varjitā ||
此处难道没有贤善之人吗？或纵有贤者，你却不随从？因为你的见解已然乖逆，远离正行。
"I cannot be your lawful wife obtainable by your personal efforts. I am a chaste woman married to another man. (Being a king) examine the dharma honestly and adopt a pious way of life.
FAQs
Seeking and heeding wise counsel is part of dharma; ignoring the virtuous corrupts judgment and leads to adharma.
Sītā challenges Rāvaṇa’s moral isolation—either he lacks good advisors or refuses to listen to them.
Moral exhortation (hitopadeśa)—Sītā attempts to reform even an aggressor through truth.