Valmiki Ramayana 2.27.3: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 27, Shloka 3
सीताया वनगमननिश्चयः
Sita’s Resolve to Accompany Rama to the Forest
Spoken by Sita to RamaSetting: Ayodhya (palace)
आर्यपुत्र पिता माता भ्राता पुत्रस्तथा स्नुषा ।
स्वानि पुण्यानि भुञ्जानाः स्वं स्वं भाग्यमुपासते ॥३॥
āryaputra pitā mātā bhrātā putras tathā snuṣā |
svāni puṇyāni bhuñjānāḥ svaṃ svaṃ bhāgyam upāsate ||3||
O edler Fürst, Vater, Mutter, Bruder, Sohn und selbst die Schwiegertochter: ein jeder genießt die Frucht seines eigenen Verdienstes und empfängt nur den ihm zugeteilten Anteil des Geschicks.
Sandhi Notes
- bhāgyamupāsate→bhāgyam upāsate
- list of singular nouns functions collectively as plural subject for upāsate
- bhuñjānāḥ agrees with collective plural sense
O son of a noble monarch! father, mother, brother, son or daughter-in-law (everybody) experiences the merit (of their past deeds) and receives what is due from destiny.
The teaching
No relative can transfer one’s karma or destiny; therefore one must choose dharma with clarity and personal responsibility.
Duties in tension
- Attachment to natal/royal family expectations vs. personal resolve to share husband’s dharma
- Compassionate dependence vs. karmic individuality (each bears own fate)
- Ethical theme
- Karma-nīti / svadharma
- How it resolves
- Philosophical clarification (karma doctrine) to justify chosen duty
For your practice
Supports contemplation on karma and responsibility; useful for daily reflection to reduce blame/expectation and strengthen svadharma.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)
- Mood
- Reflective, stoic, didactic
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Ethics
- Karma
- Personal-responsibility
- Family-duties
Kartṛtva-bhoktṛtva doctrine at vyāvahārika level: each jīva experiences its own karma-phala; invites vairāgya and clarity about agency.
Bṛhadāraṇyaka/Chāndogya karmic causality theme: beings become what they do; enjoyment follows one’s own deeds (yathākarma/yathāśruta motifs).
- Sita and Rama
- Spousal counsel; philosophical instruction (supportive)
- Father and Mother
- Spouses/parents (generic)
- brother and brother
- Siblings (generic)
Mahābhārata: karma-phala statements (e.g., 'svakarmaṇā' themes in Śānti/Anuśāsana); Bhagavad Gītā 2.47-2.49 (agency and fruits; thematic parallel)
Upaniṣads: yathākāri tathā bhavati (general karmic maxim)
Ayodhyākāṇḍa: Sītā’s reasoning to counter arguments based on family dependence; her insistence on shared path with Rāma
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Solemn
Steady, low register; clear pause after each kinship term for enumerative effect
FAQs
Moral responsibility is personal: each person bears and experiences the fruits of their own karma; dharma cannot be outsourced to relatives.
Sītā argues with Rāma: she rejects the idea that family members can substitute for one another’s fate, preparing to insist that she must share his path directly.
Sītā’s clarity and truthfulness (satya-buddhi): she reasons firmly about karma and destiny to support her dharmic choice.
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