निवर्तय मतिं नीचां परदाराभिमर्शनात्।
न तत्समाचरेद्धीरो यत्परोऽस्य विगर्हयेत्।
यथात्मनस्तथान्येषां दारा रक्ष्या विपश्चिता॥
nivartaya matiṁ nīcāṁ para-dārābhimarśanāt
na tat samācared dhīro yat paro ’sya vigarhayet
yathātmanas tathānyeṣāṁ dārā rakṣyā vipaścitā
nivartaya = get rid; matim = mentality; nīcām = of this low-class; para-dāra-abhimarśanāt = of touching another’s wife; na = not; tat = in that activity; samācaret = does engage; dhīraḥ = a sober man; yat = which; paraḥ asya = others; vigarhayet = would condemn; yathā = just as; ātmanaḥ = [he would protect] his [wife]; tathā anyeṣām = others’; dārāḥ = wives; rakṣyāḥ = must protect; vipaścitā = a man of discriminating intellect.
Get rid of this low-class mentality of touching another’s wife. A sober man does not engage in that activity which others would condemn. A man of discriminating intellect must protect others’ wives just as [he would protect] his [wife].
Even if Rāvaṇa didn’t consider Rāma his king, he should still not touch another’s wife, since [the tendency to do so] is caused by a low-class mentality. Jaṭāyu states the reason in the second and third lines of this verse.