Ayodhya KandaSarga 2730 Verses

Sarga 27

सीताया वनगमननिश्चयः (Sita’s Resolve to Accompany Rama to the Forest)

अयोध्याकाण्ड

Sarga 27 records Sītā’s sustained reply to Rāma after he speaks in a manner she deems dismissive of her rightful participation in his exile. She argues that a wife alone shares the husband’s destiny (bhartṛ-bhāgya), and that the husband is a woman’s enduring refuge in this world and the next. Declaring herself instructed in dharma by her parents, she insists she requires no further admonition regarding her conduct. She vows to precede Rāma into the difficult, unpeopled forest, even crushing thorns to ease his path, and promises disciplined living on fruits and roots without becoming a burden. The chapter also shifts from juridical reasoning to affective commitment: separation from Rāma is framed as intolerable—even heaven without him is rejected—while forest life is imagined as joyful companionship amid rivers, mountains, lotus-lakes, and wildlife. The sarga closes with a narrative turn: despite her appeals, Rāma remains reluctant and begins describing the hardships of forest residence to dissuade her, setting up the next argumentative exchange.

Shlokas

Verse 2.27.1

एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही प्रियार्हा प्रियवादिनी।प्रणयादेव संक्रुद्धा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।।।

Thus addressed, Vaidehī—gentle in speech and worthy of affection—angered only out of love, spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 2.27.2

किमिदं भाषसे राम वाक्यं लघुतया ध्रुवम्।त्वया यदपहास्यं मे श्रुत्वा नरवरात्मज।।।।

Thus, even if I lived with you for a thousand years—or even a hundred thousand—I would not feel time passing; for me, not even heaven is desirable.

Verse 2.27.3

आर्यपुत्र पिता माता भ्राता पुत्रस्तथा स्नुषा।स्वानि पुण्यानि भुञ्जानाः स्वं स्वं भाग्यमुपासते।।।।

O noble prince, father, mother, brother, son, and even a daughter-in-law—each enjoys the fruits of their own merit and receives only their own allotted destiny.

Verse 2.27.4

भर्तुर्भाग्यं तु भार्यैका प्राप्नोति पुरुषर्षभ।अतश्चैवाहमादिष्टा वने वस्तव्यमित्यपि।।।।

O best of men, the wife alone shares in her husband’s destiny. Therefore I too am enjoined to dwell in the forest; your command is binding on me as well.

Verse 2.27.5

न पिता नात्मजो नात्मा न माता न सखीजनः।इह प्रेत्य च नारीणां पतिरेको गतिस्सदा।।।।

For a woman, neither father nor son, nor even her own self—nor mother nor friends—serves as a constant refuge; here and in the world beyond, the husband alone is always her sole resort.

Verse 2.27.6

यदि त्वं प्रस्थितो दुर्गं वनमद्यैव राघव।अग्रतस्ते गमिष्यामि मृद्नन्ती कुशकण्टकान्।।।।

If you set out this very day for the perilous, hard-to-traverse forest, O Rāghava, I will go ahead of you, trampling down the kuśa-grass and thorns.

Verse 2.27.7

ईर्ष्यारोषौ बहिष्कृत्य भुक्तशेषमिवोदकम्।नय मां वीर विस्रब्धः पापं मयि न विद्यते।।।।

Cast out jealousy and anger like leftover water after drinking; take me with you, O hero, without mistrust—for there is no fault in me.

Verse 2.27.8

प्रासादाग्रैर्विमानैर्वा वैहायसगतेन वा।सर्वावस्थागता भर्तुः पादच्छाया विशिष्यते।।।।

Whether atop palace-roofs, in splendid mansions, or even moving through the sky, in every condition the shelter of a husband’s feet is held to be the highest.

Verse 2.27.9

अनुशिष्टाऽस्मि मात्रा च पित्रा च विविधाश्रयम्।नाऽस्मि सम्प्रति वक्तव्या वर्तितव्यं यथा मया।।।।

My mother and my father have instructed me in many duties and in the proper ways of conduct; therefore now I need not be told how I ought to act.

Verse 2.27.10

अहं दुर्गं गमिष्यामि वनं पुरुषवर्जितम्।नानामृगगणाकीर्णं शार्दूलवृकसेवितम्।।।।

I too will go to the forest—hard to traverse, empty of men, crowded with herds of many kinds of beasts, and frequented by tigers and wolves.

Verse 2.27.11

सुखं वने निवत्स्यामि यथैव भवने पितुः।अचिन्तयन्ती त्रीन्लोकांश्च्चिन्तयन्ती पतिव्रतम्।।।।

I shall live happily in the forest, just as in my father’s palace—untroubled about the three worlds, thinking only of my vow of devotion to my husband.

Verse 2.27.12

शुश्रूषमाणा ते नित्यं नियता ब्रह्मचारिणी।सह रंस्ये त्वया वीर वनेषु मधुगन्धिषु।।।।

Ever serving you, self-restrained, observing the discipline of brahmacarya, I shall roam with you, O hero, through forests fragrant like honey.

Verse 2.27.13

त्वं हि शक्तो वने कर्तुं राम सम्परिपालनम्।अन्यस्यापि जनस्येह किं पुनर्मम मानद।।।।

For you, Rāma, are able to grant complete protection in the forest even to others—how much more, then, to me, O giver of honor.

Verse 2.27.14

सह त्वया गमिष्यामि वनमद्य न संशयः।नाहं शक्या महाभाग निवर्तयितुमुद्यता।।।।

Why, Rāma, do you speak such words so lightly and with such certainty? O prince—were you to hear these very words spoken to you, you would surely find them laughable.

Verse 2.27.15

फलमूलाशना नित्यं भविष्यामि न संशयः।न ते दुःखं करिष्यामि निवसन्ती सह त्वया।।।।

There is no doubt: today I will go with you to the forest. O noble one, once resolved, I cannot be turned back.

Verse 2.27.16

इच्छामि सरितश्शैलान्पल्वलानि वनानि च।द्रष्टुं सर्वत्र निर्भीता त्वया नाथेन धीमता।।।।

Have no doubt: I will live always on fruits and roots. Living with you, I will not become a cause of hardship to you.

Verse 2.27.17

हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णाः पद्मिनीस्साधुपुष्पिताः।इच्छेयं सुखिनी द्रष्टुं त्वया वीरेण सङ्गता।।।।

With you—my wise lord—as my protector, I long to wander everywhere without fear and behold the rivers, mountains, lakes, and forests.

Verse 2.27.18

अभिषेकं करिष्यामि तासु नित्यं यतव्रता।सह त्वया विशालाक्ष रंस्ये परमनन्दिनी ।।।।

Happy in your company, O heroic one, I yearn to behold lotus-ponds in full bloom, filled with swans and ducks.

Verse 2.27.19

एवं वर्षसहस्राणां शतं वाऽहं त्वया सह।व्यतिक्रमं न वेत्स्यामि स्वर्गोऽपि न हि मे मतः।।।।

Keeping my vows, I will bathe each day in those lotus-ponds; and with you, O large-eyed one, I will sport, filled with the highest joy.

Verse 2.27.20

स्वर्गेऽपि च विना वासो भविता यदि राघव।त्वया मम नरव्याघ्र नाहं तमपि रोचये।।।।

O Rāghava—tiger among men—if I were to dwell even in heaven without you, I would not desire even that.

Verse 2.27.21

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

I will go to the forest—hard to traverse, filled with wild beasts, and frequented by monkeys and elephants. In the forest I will live with discipline as though in my father’s house, taking refuge only at your feet.

Verse 2.27.22

अनन्यभावामनुरक्तचेतसंत्वया वियुक्तां मरणायनिश्चिताम्।नयस्व मां साधु कुरुष्व याचनाम्न ते मयाऽतो गुरुता भविष्यति।।।।

I am wholly fixed on you, my heart bound to you; if separated from you, I am resolved upon death. Take me, be gracious and grant my request—because of me, you will not be burdened.

Verse 2.27.23

तथा ब्रुवाणामपि धर्मवत्सलोन च स्म सीतां नृवरो निनीषति।उवाच चैनां बहु सन्निवर्तनेवने निवासस्य च दुःखितां प्रति।।।।

Even as Sītā pleaded in this way, Rāma—devoted to dharma—still would not take her along. Seeking to dissuade her, he spoke at length to the grieving Sītā about the many hardships of living in the forest.

Verse 2.27.24

I shall live always on roots and fruits—of this there is no doubt. And dwelling with you, I will not bring you any sorrow or distress.

Verse 2.27.25

एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही प्रियार्हा प्रियवादिनी।प्रणयादेव संक्रुद्धा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.27.1।।

Thus addressed, Vaidehī Sītā—worthy of affection and gentle in speech—became angry only out of love, and she spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 2.27.26

Thus addressed, Vaidehī Sītā—worthy of affection and gentle in speech—became angry only out of love, and she spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 2.27.27

Thus addressed, Vaidehī Sītā—worthy of affection and gentle in speech—grew angry only out of love, and spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 2.27.28

Thus addressed, Vaidehī Sītā—worthy of affection and gentle in speech—grew angry only out of love, and spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 2.27.29

Thus addressed, Vaidehī Sītā—worthy of affection and gentle in speech—grew angry only out of love, and spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 2.27.30

Thus addressed, Vaidehī Sītā—worthy of affection and gentle in speech—grew angry only out of love, and spoke these words to her husband.