Valmiki Ramayana 2.30.20: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 30, Shloka 20

सीताया वनानुगमननिश्चयः

Sita’s Resolve to Accompany Rama to the Forest

Devanagari script

पश्चादपि हि दुःखेन मम नैवास्ति जीवितम्।उज्झितायास्त्वया नाथ तदैव मरणं वरम्।।2.30.20।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.30.20

Transliteration

paścād api hi duḥkhena mama naivāsti jīvitam | ujjhitāyās tvayā nātha tadaiva maraṇaṃ varam || 2.30.20 ||

Translation

Selbst danach hätte ich inmitten solchen Kummers kein Leben mehr in mir. Wenn ich von dir verlassen werde, o mein Herr, dann ist der Tod in genau diesem Augenblick besser.

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Word by Word

• paścāt: afterwards
• paścāt: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paścāt (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (afterwards)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपि-अव्यय (also/even)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतौ/निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (indeed/for)

• duḥkhena: with/through grief
• duḥkhena: Karana (करण/instrument-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• mama: for me/of me
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय

• eva: at all
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ujjhitāyāḥ: of (one) abandoned
• ujjhitāyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud-√hā (धातु) > ujjhita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; विशेषण (of an abandoned woman)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Kartr-karana (कर्तृकरण/agent in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• nātha: O lord
• nātha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nātha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• tadā: then
• tadā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय

• maraṇam: death
• maraṇam: Karta (कर्ता/subject; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• varam: better/preferable
• varam: Karta (कर्ता; predicate complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate: 'better')

Context

If forsaken, O Lord! I shall not live a life of sorrow. Instant death is better (than abandoned existence).

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma

FAQs

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

Dharma is framed as inseparability in rightful marriage: abandonment is portrayed not merely as emotional loss but as a collapse of the moral order of her life.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā argues that being left behind while Rāma goes to exile would be unbearable, equating it with a fate worse than death.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Uncompromising fidelity—she refuses a compromised life that contradicts her understanding of duty.