Chapter 13 — Sundara Kanda, Sarga 13

Valmiki Ramayana — Sundara Kanda

Verse 13.16

विनष्टा वा प्रणष्टा वा मृता वा जनकात्मजा। रामस्य प्रियभार्यस्य न निवेदयितुं क्षमम्॥

vinaṣṭā vā praṇaṣṭā vā mṛtā vā janakātmajā| rāmasya priyabhāryasya na nivedayituṃ kṣamam||

English Meaning

I shall not be able to say of Rāma's beloved wife that she has been sullied, or that I have seen her, or yet that she is dead. To say this is censurable; not to say it is also such. *This is evidently the sense, having regard to the preceding sloku, although the commentator gives the apparent meaning of vinastha perished.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)