“साध्वीं मामपहृत्य दण्डकवनात् पापं कृतं रेऽधम

तस्मात्त्वं पतितोऽसि, याहि नरकं“ सीताब्रवीद्रावणम् ।

तज्जानन्नपि जानकीसुवचनं रामो रणे पातयन्

लङ्काधीशमरावपि श्रितकृपस्तं स्वर्गलोकं ददौ ।।

"By abducting me, a righteous wife, from the Daṇḍaka forest, you, Wicked, committed a sin.  Therefore, you are fallen.  Go to hell."  Sītā said to Rāvaṇa.  Even knowing those good words of Sītā, while felling Rāvaṇa the Lord of Laṅkā on the battlefield, Rāma, who was compassionate even to his enemy, sent him to heaven.

Madhav Deshpande

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA