Valmiki Ramayana 2.49.7: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 49, Shloka 7

एकोनपञ्चाशः सर्गः (Sarga 49): Rāma’s Night Journey Beyond Kosala and the Charioteer Address

Anticipation of forest-life during exile transition

Devanagari script

कथं नाम महाभागा सीता जनकनन्दिनी ।

सदा सुखेष्वभिरता दुःखान्यनुभविष्यति ॥७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.49.7

Transliteration

kathaṃ nāma mahābhāgā sītā janakanandinī |

sadā sukhēṣv abhiratā duḥkhāny anubhaviṣyati ||7||

Translation

«Comment donc Sītā, si fortunée, fille de Janaka, toujours accoutumée au confort, pourra-t-elle endurer les souffrances ?»

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Word by Word

• katham: how?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)
• Role: Prashna (प्रश्न/भाव-सम्बन्ध)

• nāma: indeed/ever
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle; emphasis/astonishment)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)

• mahābhāgā: highly fortunate (lady)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā-bhāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• sītā: Sita
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• janakanandinī: Janaka's daughter
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka-nandinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): जनकस्य नन्दिनी
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• sadā: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)

• sukheṣu: in comforts/pleasures
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), बहुवचन
• Role: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)

• abhiratā: deeply attached/engaged
• Type: Adjective
• Root: abhi-rata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• duḥkhāni: sufferings
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• anubhaviṣyati: will experience
• Type: Verb
• Root: anu-bhū (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

Sandhi Notes

• sukhēṣvabhiratā → sukheṣu + abhiratā
• duḥkhānyanubhaviṣyati → duḥkhāni + anubhaviṣyati

Context

How will Sita, highly fortunate daughter of Janaka and used to comforts endure these sufferings?

The teaching

True partnership in dharma is tested when comfort ends; love becomes steadfastness, not luxury.

Duties in tension

• Spousal duty to accompany husband vs duty to protect her well-being
• Royal comfort norms vs dharma of shared exile

Ethical theme

Gṛhastha-dharma / pati-vratā-dharma and resilience

How it resolves

Foreshadowed: Sita’s choice to embrace hardship for dharma and love (later explicit)

For your practice

Reflection on steadfast companionship and endurance; cultivating compassion that anticipates others’ suffering and prepares to share burdens.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shringara (love)

Mood

Anxious, tender, foreseeing

Themes

• Dharma
• Compassion
• Householder duty
• Suffering
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Janaka

FAQs

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

The verse foregrounds karuṇā (compassion) as a dharmic response: society grieves when the innocent and noble are forced into suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

As exile begins, the people worry not only for Rāma but also for Sītā, who is perceived as delicate and accustomed to palace comforts.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s nobility (mahābhāgā) is emphasized—her worthiness makes her prospective suffering feel especially unjust.