Valmiki Ramayana 2.37.16: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 16

अयोध्याकाण्डे सर्गः ३७ · चीरधारणं, सीतासंकल्पः, वसिष्ठोपदेशः

Bark-Robe Episode and Vasistha’s Admonition

Addressed to RamaSetting: Ayodhyā palace (antaḥpura vicinity)Places named: forest (vana)Pre-departure counsel/appeal before vanavāsa

Devanagari script

ऊचुश्च परमायस्ता रामं ज्वलिततेजसम् ।

वत्स नैवं नियुक्तेयं वनवासे मनस्विनी ॥१६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.37.16

Transliteration

ūcuś ca paramāyastā rāmaṁ jvalitatejasam |

vatsa naivaṁ niyukteyaṁ vanavāse manasvinī ||16||

Translation

वो सब बहुत दुखी थी। उन्होंने राम से कहा कि तुम तो चमकते हो, ऐसे में सुनो। सीता इतनी अच्छी है, उसको जंगल में रहने का ऐसा कोई ऑर्डर नहीं दिया गया है।

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Word by Word

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन
• Role: क्रिया (main verb)

• च: and
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction ‘and/also’)
• Role: समुच्चय (connector)

• परमायस्ताः: deeply distressed
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम + आयस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः (परमाः आयस्ताः)
• Role: कर्ता-विशेषण (qualifier of implied ‘नार्यः’)
• Compound: Karmadharaya

• रामम्: to Rama
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन
• Role: सम्प्रदान/प्रति (addressee; object of speech)

• ज्वलिततेजसम्: of blazing splendour
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलित + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समासः (ज्वलितं तेजो यस्य सः) रामम् विशेषयति
• Role: कर्म-विशेषण (qualifier of Rama)
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• वत्स: dear child
• Type: Noun
• Root: वत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
• Role: सम्बोधन (address)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation)
• Role: निषेध (negator)

• एवम्: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb ‘thus/in this way’)
• Role: क्रियाविशेषण

• नियुक्ता: ordered, appointed
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि√युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय (Past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘appointed/ordered’
• Role: कर्तृवाच्ये विधेय (predicate of इयम्)

• इयम्: this (woman)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-रूपम्
• Role: कर्ता (subject: this woman/Sita)

• वनवासे: in forest-dwelling, for exile in the forest
• Type: Noun
• Root: वनवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (वने वासः)
• Role: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• मनस्विनी: high-minded
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; इयम्-विशेषणम्
• Role: कर्ता-विशेषण

Sandhi Notes

• ऊचुश्च = ऊचुः च
• नैवं = न एवम्
• नियुक्तेयं = नियुक्ता इयम्

Context

Profoundly distressed, they said to Rama glowing with burning lustre O dear, no one has ordered this high-minded Sita to dwell in the forest.

The teaching

Even when dharma is clear, the community voices compassion—ethical life includes counsel, not mere compliance.

Duties in tension

• Rama’s adherence to exile vow/royal command
• Protection of Sita’s welfare and propriety
• Compassionate counsel of elders vs. prince’s resolve

Ethical theme

Care ethics vs. vow-ethics

How it resolves

Appeal/objection raised; resolution deferred to Rama’s dharmic decision

For your practice

Practice of speaking dharma with compassion: petitioning without anger; seeing tejas as steadiness rather than domination.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Vira (heroism)

Mood

Pleading, protective, austere

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Compassion
• Maryada
• Itihasa
• Ethics

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Sita

FAQs

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

Dharma includes fairness and proper scope of obligation: the women argue that Sita is not bound by the command directed at Rama, so imposing exile on her appears unjust.

What is the narrative situation?

Palace women plead with Rama, protesting that Sita was not commanded to undergo forest exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Nyāya-buddhi (sense of justice) and compassion—speaking up to protect Sita from undue suffering.