Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 15

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

कार्यस्त्रिरभिषेकश्च काले काले च नित्यशः।चरता नियमेनैव तस्माद्धुःखतरं वनम्।।2.28.15।।

Transliteration

kāryas triḥ abhiṣekaś ca kāle kāle ca nityaśaḥ |

caratā niyamenaiva tasmād duḥkhataraṃ vanam ||2.28.15||

Translation

厳しい戒めを守りつつ歩み暮らす者は、定められた時刻に日に三度の沐浴（浄め）を常に行わねばならぬ。ゆえに森の生活はいっそう苦しい。

Word by Word

• कार्यः: must be done
• कार्यः: Vidhi/Predicate (विधि/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्/यत्-भावे ‘कार्य’ (to be done), पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); ‘अभिषेकः’ विधेय-विशेषणम्

• त्रिः: thrice
• त्रिः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; संख्यावाचक-आवृत्तिवाचक (three times)

• अभिषेकः: ablution/bath
• अभिषेकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अभिषेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); here “bathing/ablution”

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

• काले: at the proper time
• काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन (sg.); “at the time”

• काले: at each (appointed) time
• काले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), सप्तमी (Loc.), एकवचन (sg.); पुनरुक्ति (repetition) = “at each time/regularly”

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

• नित्यशः: always
• नित्यशः: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; always/regularly

• चरता: by the wanderer (ascetic life)
• चरता: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle) ‘चरन्’ का तृतीया-एकवचन (Instr. sg.) रूप: “by one who is wandering/living (as ascetic)”

• नियमेन: by rule/discipline
• नियमेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), तृतीया (Instr.), एकवचन (sg.)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis “indeed/only”

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मात् (अव्यय/तद्-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; ablatival adverb “therefore”

• दुःखतरम्: more painful
• दुःखतरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); comparative; ‘वनम्’ विशेषणम्

• वनम्: forest (life)
• वनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

Context

Flowers collected with one's own hands, O innocent one, should be offered on the altar as per injunction of the Vedas. Therefore (life in the) forest is difficult.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• abhiṣeka (ablutions)

FAQs

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

Dharma is sustained by discipline (niyama): right living requires regular self-purification and time-bound observances even under hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma lists practical ascetic requirements to show Sītā that exile demands constant regimen, not comfort.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Rāma’s austerity and realism: he accepts strict practice as part of truthful dharma in exile.