Chapter 81 — Yuddha Kanda, Sarga 81

Valmiki Ramayana — Yuddha Kanda

Verse 81.26

न हन्तव्याः स्त्रियश्चेति यद्ब्रवीषि प्लवङ्गम। पीडाकरममित्राणां यच्च कर्तव्यमेव तत्॥

na hantavyāḥ striyaśceti yadbravīṣi plavaṅgama| pīḍākaramamitrāṇāṃ yacca kartavyameva tat||

English Meaning

O monkey, about not destroying women, of which you were speaking (I might say) that we must always do what pains our enemies."* *There is one śloka intervening according to some texts, but it has been omitted by many. The reasons for this omission are best known to them. The purport is:-"Why did Rama slay Taraka before? And I shall therefore slay his spouse the daughter of king Janaka.” Hear in Indrajit attempts to justify himself and wants to prove that Räma is equally blameable for this.)

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)