Hearing their words the great Vālmīki replied in worthy accents-"This Sītā is the wife of the intelligent Rāma, the daughter-in-law of Daśaratha and the daughter of Janaka. She has now come to our hermitage. She is chaste and innocent, still her husband has renounced her. So we should all protect her.
तासां तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा वाल्मीकिरिदमब्रवीत्। सीतेयं समनुप्राप्ता पत्नी रामस्य धीमतः॥ स्नुषा दशरथस्यैषा जनकस्य सुता सती। अपापा पतिना त्यक्ता परिपाल्या मया सदा॥