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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.44.23

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 44: Rāvaṇa’s parivrājaka disguise. He approaches Sītā with Vedic words and praise of her beauty, she receives him as a brāhmaṇa guest

In the sequence: he says the dangerous forest is no place for her and that palaces, gardens, fine clothing, and a suitable husband would better match her

3.44.23

sā pratikrāma bhadraṃ te na tvaṃ vastum ihārhasi
rākṣasānām ayaṃ vāso ghorāṇāṃ kāmarūpiṇām

So turn back — blessings on you! You ought not to dwell here; this is the abode of fearsome rākṣasas who take any form at will.

Words: sā — you (lit. she); pratikrāma — turn back, go back; bhadraṃ — blessings, good; te — to you; na — not; tvaṃ — you; vastum — to dwell; ihārhasi — ought here; rākṣasānām — of rākṣasas; ayaṃ — this; vāso — abode; ghorāṇāṃ — fearsome; kāmarūpiṇām — taking any form at will

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.