श्रुतिर्हि श्रूयते पुण्या ब्राह्मणानां यशस्विनाम्।
इह लोके च पितृभिर्या स्त्री यस्य महामते॥
अद्भिर्दत्ता स्वधर्मेण प्रेत्यभावेऽपि तस्य सा।
śrutir hi śrūyate puṇyā brāhmaṇānāṁ yaśasvinām
iha loke ca pitṛbhir yā strī yasya mahā-mate
adbhir dattā sva-dharmeṇa pretya-bhāve ’pi tasya sā
śrutiḥ hi = statement from the Śruti; śrūyate = is heard; puṇyā = this pious; brāhmaṇānām = brāhmaṇas; yaśasvinām = from illustrious; iha = in this; loke = life; ca = and; pitṛbhiḥ = by her grandfather and other elders; yā = who; strī = woman; yasya = to a man; mahā-mate = O greatly intelligent one; adbhiḥ = with water; dattā = has been given [in marriage]; sva-dharmeṇa = in accordance with their specific dharma; pretya-bhāve = after death; api = even; tasya = [becomes] that man’s [wife]; sā = the.
O greatly intelligent one, this pious statement from the Śruti is heard from illustrious brāhmaṇas: The woman who has been given by her grandfather and other elders to a man [in marriage] with water in accordance with their specific dharma [becomes] that man’s [wife] in this life and even after death.
1 Which varṇa can engage in which type of wedding is indicated in the Manu-smṛti and other Dharma-śāstras.
Mahā-mate (“O greatly intelligent one”) indicates that Sītā-devī is not instructing Rāma [since He understands this due to His great intelligence].
Sva-dharmeṇa (“in accordance with their specific dharma”) indicates that this applies to weddings such as the brāhma wedding conducted according to scriptural regulations corresponding to their respective varṇas.1