Shloka 23

अयोध्याकाण्डे सर्गः ३७ — चीरधारणं, सीतासंकल्पः, वसिष्ठोपदेशः

Bark-Robe Episode and Vasistha’s Admonition

Devanagari script

न गन्तव्यं वनं देव्या सीतया शीलवर्जिते।अनुष्ठास्यति रामस्य सीता प्रकृतमासनम्।।2.37.23।।

Transliteration

na gantavyaṃ vanaṃ devyā sītayā śīlavarjite | anuṣṭhāsyati rāmasya sītā prakṛtam āsanam ||

Translation

O Kaikeyī, der guten Sitte bar! Die edle Sītā soll nicht in den Wald gehen; vielmehr wird sie den Thron einnehmen, der ursprünglich für Rāma bestimmt war.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: निषेध
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात

• गन्तव्यम्: should be gone (to go)
• गन्तव्यम्: विधेय (predicative necessity)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (Gerundive/Future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘to be gone/should be gone’

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: कर्म/गन्तव्य (destination as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• देव्या: by the lady (Sita)
• देव्या: कर्ता (agent with gerundive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; ‘by the noble lady’

• सीतया: by Sita
• सीतया: कर्ता (agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; देव्या इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन्

• शीलवर्जिते: O one devoid of good conduct
• शीलवर्जिते: सम्बोधन (address to Kaikeyi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शील + वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक; वर्जित from √वृज्/√वर्ज्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शीलात् वर्जिता)

• अनुष्ठास्यति: will undertake/perform
• अनुष्ठास्यति: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• रामस्य: of Rama
• रामस्य: सम्बन्ध (genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सीता: Sita
• सीता: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रकृतम्: proper, customary
• प्रकृतम्: कर्म-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रकृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; आसनम्-विशेषणम् (‘proper/appropriate/accustomed’)

• आसनम्: seat, throne
• आसनम्: कर्म (object of अनुष्ठास्यति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Context

You are devoid of good conduct, O Kaikeyi! Divine Sita need not go to the forest. Remaining here she should occupy the royal throne of Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama
• Kaikeyi
• Forest
• Throne

FAQs

Why does the speaker address Kaikeyi as 'śīlavarjite'?

Vasistha uses the term 'śīlavarjite' (devoid of good conduct) to reprimand Kaikeyi for crossing the limits of propriety by handing bark garments to Sita, who was not bound by the exile vows.

On what basis does Vasistha suggest Sita should occupy the throne?

According to Vedic Dharma, the wife is the 'Ardhangini' (half the soul) of the husband. Since Rama was exiled but his soul (Sita) remains, Vasistha argues she has the spiritual and legal authority to rule in his stead.