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Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 22

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

द्रुमाः कण्टकिनश्चैव कुशा: काशाश्च भामिनि।वने व्याकुलशाखाग्रास्तेन दुःखतरं वनम्।।2.28.22।।

drumāḥ kaṇṭakinaś caiva kuśāḥ kāśāś ca bhāmini |

vane vyākula-śākhāgrās tena duḥkhataraṃ vanam ||2.28.22||

麗しき人よ、森には棘ある樹々があり、クシャ草とカーシャの葦が生い、梢は枝が絡み乱れている。ゆえに森の暮らしはこの上なく苦しい。

drumāḥtrees
drumāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootdruma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
kaṇṭakinaḥthorny
kaṇṭakinaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootkaṇṭakin (कण्टकिन् प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; agrees with drumāḥ
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (and)
evaindeed
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormAvyaya (emphasis: 'indeed/just')
kuśāḥkuśa grass
kuśāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootkuśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
kāśāḥreeds
kāśāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)
TypeNoun
Rootkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana
caand
ca:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
FormConjunction (and)
bhāminiO beautiful lady
bhāmini:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
TypeNoun
Rootbhāminī (प्रातिपदिक)
FormStrīliṅga, Sambodhana, Ekavacana
vanein the forest
vane:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootvana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana
vyākulaśākhāgrāḥwith tangled branch-tops
vyākulaśākhāgrāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootvyākula (व्याकुल) + śākhā (शाखा) + agra (अग्र)
FormTatpuruṣa (with entangled branch-tops); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Bahuvacana; qualifies drumāḥ (understood)
tenatherefore
tena:
Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormInstrumental form used adverbially (tena = 'therefore/for that reason')
duḥkhataraṃmore painful
duḥkhataraṃ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate)
TypeAdjective
Rootduḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तरप् प्रत्यय)
FormComparative, Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate for vanam
vanamforest life
vanam:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootvana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNapuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

O lovely Sita! there are thorny trees with branches on the top interlaced with one another. There are kusa grass and reeds. So forest life is very hard.

R
Rāma
S
Sītā
K
kuśa
V
vana (forest)

FAQs

Dharma-based guidance is grounded in reality: one should not choose a path (like exile) without understanding its concrete hardships.

Rāma continues detailing the forest terrain—thorny growth and tangled thickets—to persuade Sītā to remain safe.

Responsibility—Rāma tries to shield Sītā by truthful, detailed counsel.