Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.2 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 2

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

सान्त्वयित्वा पुनस्तां तु बाष्पदूषितलोचनाम्।निवर्तनार्थे धर्मात्मा वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह।।2.28.2।।

Transliteration

sāntvayitvā punas tāṃ tu bāṣpa-dūṣita-locanām |

nivartanārthe dharmātmā vākyam etad uvāca ha ||2.28.2||

Translation

Après avoir apaisé Sītā, dont les yeux étaient troublés par les larmes, Rāma, l’âme droite, prononça de nouveau ces paroles, voulant la détourner de le suivre dans la forêt.

Word by Word

• सान्त्वयित्वा: having consoled
• सान्त्वयित्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सान्त्वय् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having consoled’

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: again)

• ताम्: her
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात

• बाष्पदूषितलोचनाम्: whose eyes were blurred by tears
• बाष्पदूषितलोचनाम्: Karma (कर्म) (adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बाष्प + दूषित + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘बाष्पेण दूषिते लोचने यस्याः सा’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of ताम्)

• निवर्तनार्थे: for dissuasion
• निवर्तनार्थे: Prayojana/Adhikaraṇa (प्रयोजन/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निवर्तन + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/उपपद-प्रायः: ‘निवर्तनस्य अर्थे’), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; प्रयोजन-अधिकरणे (for the purpose of dissuasion)

• धर्मात्मा: righteous-souled
• धर्मात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धर्म + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘धर्मः आत्मा यस्य सः’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of speaker)

• वाक्यम्: words/speech
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म) (apposition to वाक्यम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ह: indeed (particle)
• ह: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic/metrical particle)

Context

One has to worship gods and ancestors according to tradition and extend hospitality to guests, (who arrive unexpectedly).

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā

FAQs

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

Dharma is expressed as compassionate responsibility: Rāma’s righteousness includes protecting Sītā from foreseeable suffering, even while he himself accepts hardship for duty.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā insists on accompanying Rāma to exile; Rāma, after consoling her, resumes his attempt to dissuade her by describing the forest’s rigors.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s compassion and moral steadiness (dharmātmatā): he speaks gently yet firmly, guided by duty and concern.