Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.17: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 17

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः · Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Spoken by Rama to SitaPlaces named: वनम्Pre-forest counsel during exile departure (Ayodhya-to-forest transition)

Devanagari script

यथालब्धेन कर्तव्यः सन्तोषस्तेन मैथिलि ।

यताहारैर्वनचरै र्नित्यं दुःखमतो वनम् ॥१७॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.28.17

Transliteration

yathā-labdhena kartavyaḥ santoṣas tena maithili |

yatāhārair vana-carair nityaṃ duḥkham ato vanam ||17||

Translation

जो मिल जाए उसमे खुश रहना पड़ता है। जंगल में खाना भी मिलता मुश्किल से। सीता, रोज़ कुछ न कुछ तकलीफ़ होती है यहाँ।

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Word by Word

• yathālabdhena: with whatever is obtained
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yathā (यथा अव्यय) + labdha (लभ् धातु + क्त)
• Form: Avyayībhāva-samāsa (adverbial compound: 'as obtained'); Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana (instrumental singular) used adverbially with kartavyaḥ
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial instrument)
• Compound: Avyayibhava

• kartavyaḥ: should be cultivated
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive/obligative), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with santoṣaḥ
• Role: Vidhi (विधि/obligation predicate)

• santoṣaḥ: contentment
• Type: Noun
• Root: santoṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

• tena: with that alone
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (pronoun), Puṃliṅga/napuṃsaka, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Ekavacana
• Role: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument: 'with that')

• maithili: O Maithili
• Type: Noun
• Root: maithilī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Sambodhana (Vocative), Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)

• yatāhāraiḥ: with limited food
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yata (यत प्रातिपदिक) + āhāra (आहार प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (determinative: 'restricted-food'); Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; qualifies vanacaraiḥ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• vanacaraiḥ: by forest-dwellers
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (वन) + cara (चर प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (forest-wanderers); Puṃliṅga, Tṛtīyā vibhakti, Bahuvacana
• Role: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument: 'by forest-dwellers')
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• nityam: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (adverb: 'always')
• Role: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)

• duḥkham: painful
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective for vanam
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate)

• ataḥ: therefore
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (causal adverb: 'therefore')
• Role: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)

• vanam: forest life
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)

Sandhi Notes

• yathālabdhena (compound)
• santoṣas tena → santoṣaḥ + tena
• yatāhārairvanacarai rnityam → yatāhāraiḥ + vanacaraiḥ + nityam
• duḥkhamato → duḥkham + ataḥ

Context

The wanderers in the jungle, O daughter of Mithila, have to be satisfied daily with whatever little food is available. So forest (life) is a hard life.

The teaching

वनवासे यथालब्धेन सन्तोषः—contentment and restraint are necessary supports for dharma under hardship.

Duties in tension

• Patnī-dharma/companionship vs personal safety and comfort
• Kṣatriya-dharma of exile-obedience vs household ease

Ethical theme

Virtue ethics (santoṣa, titikṣā) under duty-bound adversity

How it resolves

Instruction/forewarning to cultivate santoṣa and endurance

For your practice

Practice of santoṣa and moderation (yama/niyama resonance) as daily sādhana; reframing hardship as tapas-supportive.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Austere, sobering, resigned

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Contentment (santoṣa)
• Austerity
• Renunciation

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā

FAQs

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

Dharma is inner restraint: contentment with limited means (santoṣa) and disciplined consumption (yatāhāra) are essential to righteous living in hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma highlights the daily scarcity of food in the forest to caution Sītā against the realities of exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Simplicity and self-control—accepting what comes without complaint.