Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 5

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

सीते विमुच्यतामेषा वनवासकृता मतिः।बहुदोषं हि कान्तारं वनमित्यभिधीयते।।2.28.5।।

Transliteration

sīte vimucyatām eṣā vanavāsakṛtā matiḥ |

bahudoṣaṃ hi kāntāraṃ vanam ity abhidhīyate || 2.28.5 ||

Translation

シーターよ、森に住まうというこの決意を捨てよ。荒き野が『森』と呼ばれるのは、多くの危難と苦しみに満ちているからなのだ。

Word by Word

• सीते: O Sītā
• सीते: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सीता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• विमुच्यताम्: let (it) be abandoned
• विमुच्यताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘let it be given up/released’

• एषा: this
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• वनवासकृता: made for forest-dwelling
• वनवासकृता: Karta (कर्ता) (adjectival to subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वन + वास + कृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘वनवासेन कृता’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (of मतिः)

• मतिः: intention/resolve
• मतिः: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• बहुदोषम्: full of many faults/dangers
• बहुदोषम्: Karma (कर्म) (adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु + दोष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘बहवः दोषाः यस्मिन्’ as adjectival), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of कान्तारम्)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात

• कान्तारम्: wilderness
• कान्तारम्: Karma (कर्म) (predicate accusative with ‘called’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कान्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘wild forest/trackless wilderness’

• वनम्: forest
• वनम्: Karta (कर्ता) (subject of passive ‘abhidhīyate’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus/‘as’
• इति: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, इत्यादि-निपात (quotative particle)

• अभिधीयते: is called/said
• अभिधीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Context

Thus forest life is not suitable for you. On reconsideration, I see that there are many dangers in forest life.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• kāntāra (wilderness)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma is aligned with discernment (viveka): one should not romanticize hardship when it conflicts with safety, responsibility, and realistic assessment.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma directly urges Sītā to relinquish her wish to live in the forest, characterizing the wilderness as inherently perilous.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Practical wisdom and restraint—Rāma prioritizes careful judgment over emotional impulse.