Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 13

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

उपवासश्च कर्तव्यो यथा प्राणेन मैथिलि।जटाभारश्च कर्तव्यो वल्कलाम्बरधारिणा।।2.28.13।।

Transliteration

upavāsaś ca kartavyo yathā prāṇena maithili | jaṭābhāraś ca kartavyo valkalāmbaradhāriṇā ||

Translation

また、斎戒（断食）も己の力に応じて行うべきだ、マイティリーよ。樹皮の衣をまとう者は、結い固めた苦行の髪（ジャター）の重みも負わねばならぬ。

Word by Word

• उपवासः: fasting
• उपवासः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• कर्तव्यः: must be done
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधि/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; ‘उपवासः’ विधेय-विशेषणम्

• यथा: according to
• यथा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक (according as)

• प्राणेन: with (one’s) capacity
• प्राणेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr.), एकवचन (sg.); सामर्थ्यवाचक-प्रयोगः: “according to one’s strength/life-capacity”

• मैथिलि: O Maithili
• मैथिलि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मैथिली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), सम्बोधन (Voc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• जटाभारः: mass of matted hair
• जटाभारः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जटा-भार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); “burden/mass of matted hair”

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; conjunction

• कर्तव्यः: must be borne/done
• कर्तव्यः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधि/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive), पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन; ‘जटाभारः’ विधेय-विशेषणम्

• वल्कलाम्बरधारिणा: by the wearer of bark-cloth
• वल्कलाम्बरधारिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वल्कल-अम्बर-धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr.), एकवचन (sg.); “by one wearing bark-garments”; ‘धारिन्’ = धृ (धातु) णिनि-प्रत्यय (agent noun)

Context

One has to wear robes of bark and matted hair and take to fasting as long as one can, O daughter of Mithila!

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (Maithilī)
• Mithilā
• upavāsa (fasting)
• jaṭā (matted hair)
• valkala (bark garment)

FAQs

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

Dharma in exile is austerity with measure: Rāma notes fasting should match one’s capacity, combining discipline with responsible self-care.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma outlines the ascetic requirements of forest life—fasting, bark garments, and matted hair—continuing his attempt to dissuade or prepare Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Measured austerity and practical righteousness—discipline without self-destruction.