Valmiki Ramayana 2.38.4: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 38, Shloka 4

अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टत्रिंशः सर्गः · Sita in Bark Garments; Public Outcry and Dasaratha’s Lament

Devanagari script

सुकुमारी च बाला च सततं च सुखोचिता ।

नेयं वनस्य योग्येति सत्यमाह गुरुर्मम ॥४॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.38.4

Transliteration

sukumārī ca bālā ca satataṃ ca sukhocitā |

neyaṃ vanasya yogyeti satyamāha gururmama ||4||

Translation

सीता बड़ी नाज़ुक है, अभी बच्ची है। हमेशा आराम में रही है। गुरु साहब ने कहा था, यह वन में नहीं रह सकती। सच कहा उन्होंने।

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Word by Word

• सुकुमारी (sukumārī): delicate, tender
• सुकुमारी (sukumārī): Visheshana (Attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• च (ca): and
• च (ca): Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयोत्तरक अव्यय)

• बाला (bālā): young girl
• बाला (bālā): Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• च (ca): and
• च (ca): Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयोत्तरक अव्यय)

• सततम् (satatam): always, constantly
• सततम् (satatam): Visheshana (Attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• च (ca): and
• च (ca): Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयोत्तरक अव्यय)

• सुखोचिता (sukhocitā): accustomed to comfort
• सुखोचिता (sukhocitā): Visheshana (Attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha + ucita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• न (na): not
• न (na): Visheshana (Attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negative particle (नञ् अव्यय)

• इयम् (iyam): she, this one
• इयम् (iyam): Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन), Demonstrative Pronoun (संज्ञावाचक सर्वनाम)

• वनस्य (vanasya): of the forest
• वनस्य (vanasya): Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• योग्या (yogyā): fit, suitable
• योग्या (yogyā): Visheshana (Attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yogya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• इति (iti): thus, so
• इति (iti): Sambandha (Connection/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इतिकारक अव्यय)

• सत्यम् (satyam): truly, indeed
• सत्यम् (satyam): Visheshana (Attribute/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial use (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• अह (aha): said
• अह (aha): Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ah (अधातु)
• Form: Lat Lakhara (लट् लकार), Third Person (प्रथम पुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• गुरुः (guruḥ): preceptor, teacher
• गुरुः (guruḥ): Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुल्लिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन)

• मम (mama): my
• मम (mama): Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive (षष्ठी विभक्ति), Singular (एकवचन), Personal Pronoun (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)

Context

Sita a delicate, young princess accustomed to comforts is not fit to dwell in the forest. This is what my preceptor has truly spoken.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Dasaratha
• Kaikeyi
• Vasishtha (implied as guru)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the principle of compassion and protection of the innocent. Dasaratha, as a king and elder, recognizes that subjecting a delicate, sheltered princess like Sita to forest hardships violates the protective duty (raksha-dharma) of a ruler and father-in-law. It underscores that Dharma includes considering individual capacity and circumstance before imposing hardships.

What is the narrative situation?

Dasaratha, overwhelmed with grief at seeing Sita dressed in bark garments preparing for forest exile, appeals to Kaikeyi. He cites his preceptor's words to argue that Sita, being young and accustomed to palace comforts, is unsuited for forest life. This is part of his desperate attempt to prevent or mitigate the suffering caused by Kaikeyi's demand for Rama's exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The verse emphasizes Daya (compassion) and the protective instinct of a righteous elder. Dasaratha's anguish reveals his sense of moral responsibility toward Sita, even as he remains bound by his earlier promise to Kaikeyi. It also indirectly highlights Sita's virtue of Pativrata (devotion to husband) as she willingly accepts hardship to accompany Rama.