Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 4

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

सीते यथा त्वां वक्ष्यामि तथा कार्यं त्वयाऽबले। वने हि बहवो दोषा वदतस्तान्निबोध मे।।2.28.4।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.28.4

Transliteration

sīte yathā tvāṃ vakṣyāmi tathā kāryaṃ tvayā ’bale |

vane hi bahavo doṣā vadatas tān nibodha me || 2.28.4 ||

Translation

Ô Sītā, douce et sans défense — fais exactement comme je te le dis. La forêt, en vérité, recèle bien des épreuves ; écoute attentivement tandis que je te les explique.

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Word by Word

• सीते: O Sītā
• सीते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• यथा: as
• यथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक/यथार्थक (as)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वक्ष्यामि: I will tell
• वक्ष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple future), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन

• तथा: so/accordingly
• तथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (so/accordingly)

• कार्यम्: what should be done
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म) (of implied ‘to be done’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय (that which is to be done)

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karta (कर्ता) (agent in passive/gerundive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अबले: O helpless one
• अबले: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अबल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; विशेषण-रूपेण संबोधन (vocative epithet)

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

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

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: Karta (कर्ता) (adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of दोषाः)

• दोषाः: faults/dangers
• दोषाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वदतः: of (me) speaking
• वदतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वद् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: शतृ-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; ‘of me who am speaking’

• तान्: those (dangers)
• तान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (referring to दोषाः)

• निबोध: understand/heed
• निबोध: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन

• मे: from me / my
• मे: Apādāna (अपादान) / Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-रूप (मे), एकवचन; ‘of me/from me/to me’ contextually ‘from me’

Context

Anger and greed have to be given up, with the mind preoccupied with ascetic practices. One should not be afraid of fearful situations. Hence forest (life) always very hard.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma here is expressed as responsible counsel: the duty to warn truthfully and to guide loved ones away from foreseeable harm.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma begins listing the dangers of forest life to dissuade Sītā from insisting on accompanying him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s clarity and guardianship—he speaks firmly yet with care, aiming at Sītā’s safety.