Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 38: Rāma Requests the King to Take Care of His Mother KausalyāText 2.38.5
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 38: Rāma Requests the King to Take Care of His Mother Kausalyā
Text 2.38.5
इयं हि कस्यापकरोति किञ्चित्तपस्विनी राजवरस्य कन्या।
या चीरमासाद्य जनस्य मध्ये स्थिता विसंज्ञा श्रमणीव काचित्॥
iyaṁ hi kasyāpakaroti kiñcit
tapasvinī rāja-varasya kanyā
yā cīram āsādya janasya madhye
sthitā visaṁjñā śramaṇīva kācit
iyam hi = this; kasya = who; apakaroti = has offended; kiñcit = ever; tapasvinī = austere; rāja-varasya = of an excellent king; kanyā = daughter; yā = she; cīram = ascetic robes; āsādya = has put on and; janasya = the people; madhye = amidst; sthitā = is standing; visaṁjñā = perplexed; śramaṇī = lady ascetic; iva = like; kācit = a.
“Who has this austere daughter of an excellent king ever offended? She has put on ascetic robes and is standing amidst the people like a perplexed lady ascetic.
Tapasvinī indicates that Sītā-devī was austere by dint of her vow to follow and serve her husband.