Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 8: Śrī Rāma Departs From Sutīkṣṇa’s Āśrama
Text 3.8.18
ततः शुभतरे तूणी धनुषी चायतेक्षणा।
ददौ सीता तयोर्भ्रात्रोः खड्गौ च विमलौ ततः॥
tataḥ śubhatare tūṇī dhanuṣī cāyatekṣaṇā
dadau sītā tayor bhrātroḥ khaḍgau ca vimalau tataḥ
tataḥ = then; śubhatare = two most auspicious; tūṇī = quivers; dhanuṣī = bows; ca = and; āyata-īkṣaṇā = wide-eyed; dadau = gave; sītā = Sītā-devī; tayoḥ = the two; bhrātroḥ = brothers; khaḍgau = swords; ca = and; vimalau = two spotless; tataḥ = then.
Wide-eyed Sītā-devī then gave the two brothers two most auspicious quivers and bows, and then two spotless swords.
The following can be inferred from this verse: When they entered the āśrama [of Sutīkṣṇa], Sītā-devī thought, “What is the use of weapons [here]?” and placed the weapons somewhere in the sage’s residence. When she understood the intent of Rāma and the sage when they spoke texts 8 and 11 respectively, she herself returned the weapons [that she had placed]. Therefore she will reveal her mind in the next chapter.