Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.1: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 1

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

स एवं ब्रुवतीं सीतां धर्मज्ञो धर्मवत्सलः।न नेतुं कुरुते बुद्धिं वने दुःखानि चिन्तयन्।।2.28.1।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.28.1

Transliteration

sa evaṁ bruvatīṁ sītāṁ dharmajño dharmavatsalaḥ | na netuṁ kurute buddhiṁ vane duḥkhāni cintayan ||

Translation

Aunque Sītā habló así, Rāma—conocedor del dharma y amante de él—meditó en los sufrimientos de la vida del bosque y no se decidió a llevarla consigo.

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Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण

• ब्रुवतीम्: speaking
• ब्रुवतीम्: Karma (कर्म) (object of ‘considering/with regard to’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘speaking’

• सीताम्: Sītā
• सीताम्: Karma (कर्म) (object: Sītā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• धर्मज्ञः: knower of dharma
• धर्मज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता) (adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘धर्मं जानाति’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of सः)

• धर्मवत्सलः: devoted to dharma
• धर्मवत्सलः: Karta (कर्ता) (adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + वत्सल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘धर्मे वत्सलः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निषेध-निपात (negation)

• नेतुम्: to take (along)
• नेतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन) / Kriyārtha (क्रियार्थ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), ‘to lead/take’

• कुरुते: makes/does
• कुरुते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• बुद्धिम्: decision/intention
• बुद्धिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वने: in the forest
• वने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दुःखानि: sufferings/difficulties
• दुःखानि: Karma (कर्म) (object of ‘thinking’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• चिन्तयन्: reflecting
• चिन्तयन्: Karta (कर्ता) (concomitant action of subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चिन्त् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘thinking/reflecting’

Context

Rama, who knew his duties and was devoted to righteousness, reflected on the difficulties of forest (life) and did not agree to take Sita even though she was pleading the way she did.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• vana (forest)
• dharma

FAQs

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

Dharma includes protective responsibility: Rāma weighs duty and compassion, hesitating to expose Sītā to foreseeable suffering even when she insists.

What is the narrative situation?

After Sītā’s arguments, Rāma considers the dangers of exile and initially refuses to take her.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s prudent compassion—dharma-informed care for another’s well-being.