Shloka 21

Devanagari script

अहं गमिष्यामि वनं सुदुर्गमंमृगायुतं वानरवारणैर्युतम्।वने निवत्स्यामि यथा पितुर्गृहेतवैव पादावुपगृह्य संयता।।।।

Transliteration

ahaṃ gamiṣyāmi vanaṃ sudurgamaṃ

mṛgāyutaṃ vānaravāraṇair yutam |

vane nivatsyāmi yathā pitur gṛhe

tavaiva pādāv upagṛhya saṃyatā ||

Translation

Ich werde in den Wald gehen, der schwer zu durchqueren ist, gefüllt mit wilden Tieren, Affen und Elefanten. Dort werde ich diszipliniert leben wie im Hause meines Vaters und nur zu deinen Füßen Zuflucht suchen.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गमिष्यामि: I will go
• गमिष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुदुर्गमम्: very inaccessible
• सुदुर्गमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुर्गम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of वनम्); समासः: सु-दुर्गम (कर्मधारय) ‘very difficult to traverse’

• मृगायुतम्: full of animals
• मृगायुतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग + आयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of वनम्); समासः: मृग-आयुत = ‘having multitudes of animals’ (तत्पुरुष)

• वानरवारणैः: with monkeys and elephants
• वानरवारणैः: Karaṇa/Association (करण/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर + वारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समासः (copulative) ‘monkeys and elephants’

• युतम्: joined/filled (with)
• युतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of वनम्)

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• निवत्स्यामि: I will dwell
• निवत्स्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + वस् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (as/like)

• पितुः: of (my) father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• गृहे: in the house
• गृहे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्वद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• एव: only/indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (only/indeed)

• पादौ: (your) two feet
• पादौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), द्विवचन

• उपगृह्य: having taken hold of
• उपगृह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund), ‘having taken hold of/embraced’

• संयता: restrained
• संयता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + यम् (धातु) → संयत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘self-restrained’

Context

I shall go (along with you) to the highly impenetrable forest infested with animals likemonkeys and elephants. I shall live in the forest in (full) discipline as in my father's abode, taking shelter at your feet.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• Forest (vana)
• Monkeys (vānara)
• Elephants (vāraṇa)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma as disciplined co-dwelling: Sītā embraces hardship with restraint and chooses rightful refuge (her husband) over external safety.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā describes the dangers of the forest and still affirms she will go, promising self-control and dependence on Rāma.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Courage with humility—she is brave about danger yet frames her stance as disciplined refuge at Rāma’s feet.