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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.8.2

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 8: Story of the tapasvin’s sword. Sītā describes how guarding Indra’s weapon corrupted a peaceful ṛṣi and warns Rāma against violence without enmity

In the sequence: As they leave, Sītā speaks gently to Rāma about the difficulty of maintaining dharma

3.8.2

ayaṃ dharmaḥ susūkṣmeṇa vidhinā prāpyate mahān
nivṛttena ca śakyo 'yaṃ vyasanāt kāmajād iha

This great dharma is attained by a very subtle discipline; and it can be won here by one who has turned away from the vices born of desire.

Words: ayaṃ — this; dharmaḥ — dharma; susūkṣmeṇa — by a very subtle; vidhinā — discipline, method; prāpyate — is attained; mahān — great; nivṛttena — by one who has turned away; ca — and; śakyo — it is possible, attainable; 'yaṃ — this; vyasanāt — from vice; kāmajād — born of desire; iha — here

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.