Valmiki Ramayana 2.26.29: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 26, Shloka 29

अयोध्याकाण्डे षड्विंशः सर्गः · Rama’s Departure and Sita’s Questions; Disclosure of Exile and Counsel on Courtly Conduct

Spoken by Rama to SitaSetting: Ayodhya (spoken from palace)Places named: वनम् (forest), मुनिनिषेवितम् (forest frequented by sages)Post-departure instruction for Sita’s conduct during Rama’s forest-stay

Devanagari script

याते च मयि कल्याणि वनं मुनिनिषेवितम् ।

व्रतोपवासपरया भवितव्यं त्वयाऽनघे ॥२९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.26.29

Transliteration

yāte ca mayi kalyāṇi vanaṃ muniniṣevitam |

vratopavāsaparayā bhavitavyaṃ tvayānaghe ||29||

Translation

जब मैं रिशियों वाली जंगल चला जाऊँगा, तो सीता, तुम व्रत और रोज़ा रखना। तुम बिल्कुल साफ़ हो, बुराई तुम में नहीं।

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)

• अपि: also
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)

• प्रतिज्ञाम्: promise
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Object)

• ताम्: that
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रतिज्ञाम्)
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)

• गुरोः: of the father/teacher
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)

• समनुपालयन्: while observing/fulfilling
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-अनु-पाल् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle) शतृ; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषण (while fulfilling)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Concomitant action)

• वनम्: to the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: Karma (कर्म/Goal)

• अद्य: today/now
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (today/now)
• Role: Kala (काल/Time)

• एव: indeed/just
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis: just/indeed)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)

• यास्यामि: I shall go
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)

• स्थिरा: steady
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्थिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicative with भव)
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Complement)

• भव: be
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया/Command)

• मनस्विनी: O high-minded one
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)

Sandhi Notes

• चापि = च + अपि
• अद्यैव = अद्य + एव

Context

O sinless, auspicious one! engage yourself in vratas and fasting after my departure to the forest inhabited by ascetics.

The teaching

Separation can be borne by converting grief into tapas—vows, fasting, and disciplined living aligned with dharma.

Duties in tension

• Emotional longing vs. disciplined observance (vrata/upavāsa)
• Royal comfort vs. ascetic self-restraint

Ethical theme

Strī-dharma / tapas-niyama

How it resolves

Austerity as dharmic coping and fidelity-practice

For your practice

Supports vrata-upavāsa as a means of steadiness and purification; encourages channeling sorrow into disciplined devotion and self-restraint.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Austere, devotional, melancholic

Themes

• Dharma
• Gṛhastha Conduct
• Austerity
• Satya
• Itihasa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• vana (forest)
• muni (sages/ascetics)

FAQs

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

Dharma as disciplined living in separation: vows and fasting are presented as a sustaining ethical-spiritual response to crisis.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma instructs Sītā on religious observances she should undertake after his departure.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-control (tapas) and faithful devotion.