यथात्मनस्तथान्येषां दारा रक्ष्या विपश्चिता॥ अर्थंवा यदिवा कामं शिष्टाः शास्त्रेष्वनागतम् ।

— श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे पञ्चाशस्सर्गः (७-८ श्लोकम) Jataayu tried to convince Raavana in many ways to not commit the extreme sin of kidnapping a great Pativrata like SitaDevi: “O Ravana! Like how you protect your wife from others, you must also protect other women. In matters of Artha-Kaamas, one must always adhere to what Shaastras say”.…

दद्यान्न प्रतिगृह्णीयात् सत्यं ब्रूयान्न चानृतम् । एतद्ब्राह्मण! रामस्य ध्रुवं व्रतमनुत्तमम् ॥

— श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे सप्तचत्वारिंशस्सर्गः (१७ श्लोकम) “Not taking back things that are given to someone, strictly adhering to Satyam; these Niyamas are always followed by ShriRaama” says SeetaDevi in praise of Her husband.

द्विजातिवेषेण समीक्ष्य मैथिली समागतं पात्रकुसुम्भधारिणम् । अशक्यमुद्वेष्टुमपायदर्शनं न्यमन्त्रयद्ब्राह्मणवत् तदाङ्गना ॥

— श्रीमद्वाल्मीकि रामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे षट्चत्वारिंशस्सर्गः (३४ श्लोकम) Though the deceitful Ravana came in a disguise of a Sanyasi, on seeing SeetaDevi’s unworldly beauty, he could not control his lust and praises her beauty in an un-civilised manner. This memorable shloka says “SitaDevi then had a careful look at Ravana. Even though she could sense his…

रााज्यं पालयितुं शक्यं न तीक्ष्णेन नशाचर । न चापि प्रतिकूलेन नाऽविनीतेन राक्षस ॥

— श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे एकचत्वाारिंशस्सर्गः (११ श्लोक) “A king who is cruel, whose subjects are against him, and who, loosing control over his indriyas, performs adharmic activities cannot rule his kingdom”, said Marrecha to Ravana and accordingly requested him not to perform the maha-paapa of abducting mother Sita.

राजमूलो हि धर्मश्च जयश्च जयतां वर । तस्मात् सर्वास्ववस्थासु रक्षितव्या नराधिपाः ॥

— श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामयणे अरण्यकाण्डे एकचत्वारिंशस्सर्गः (१०व श्लोकमु) Preaching good to the wicked Ravana, Maareecha spoke these words dripping with nectar: “O Ravana! A King’s Dharma is foundational for the conduct and quality of life of his subjects. Hence, even severely adversarial circumstances too, the King should always strive to uphold his Dharma”.

पञ्च रूपाणि राजानो धारयन्त्यमितौजसः । अग्नेरिन्द्रस्य सोमस्य वरुणस्य यमस्य च॥ औष्ण्यं तथा विक्रमं च सौम्यं दण्डं प्रसन्नताम् ।

— श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे चत्वारिंशस्सर्गः (१२,१३ श्लोक) Highlighting the need to respect a King, Ravana says this to Maareecha: “A king of the finest quality will have 5 Divya-gunams: while commanding, he is as sharp/intense as Agni. In war, he will be as victorious as Indra. For the righteous, he will be as pleasureful as the…

बहवः साधवो लोके युक्ता धर्ममनुष्ठिताः । परेषामपराधेन विनष्टाः सपरिच्छदाः ॥

— श्रीमद्वाल्मीकिरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे एकोनचत्वारिंशस्सर्गः (२०व श्लोकमु) Firmly denying to help Ravana in the cruel act of abducting SitaDevi, Maarrecha tells this memorable shloka: “There are popular stories of  numerous number of great, dharmic people who had to loose their everything, and experience great sorrows, just because of the sins committed by their adharmic acquaintances”. In…