Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 6

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

हितबुद्ध्या खलु वचो मयैतदभिधीयते।सदा सुखं न जानामि दुःखमेव सदा वनम्।।2.28.6।।

Transliteration

hitabuddhyā khalu vaco mayaitad abhidhīyate |

sadā sukhaṃ na jānāmi duḥkham eva sadā vanam || 2.28.6 ||

Translation

ನಿನ್ನ ಹಿತವನ್ನು ಮನಸ್ಸಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಇಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡೇ ನಾನು ಈ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಳುತ್ತೇನೆ. ಅರಣ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಶಾಶ್ವತ ಸುಖವನ್ನು ನಾನು ತಿಳಿದಿಲ್ಲ; ಅರಣ್ಯವು ಸದಾ ದುಃಖಮಯವೇ.

Word by Word

• हितबुद्ध्या: with good intention/prudence
• हितबुद्ध्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित-बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (sg.); हेतु/उपायार्थे ‘हितबुद्ध्या’ = with beneficial intention

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/assurance

• वचः: speech/words
• वचः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); here as subject with passive verb

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr-karana in passive (कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (sg.)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); ‘वचः’ विशेषणम्

• अभिधीयते: is being said
• अभिधीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): “is being said/uttered”

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• सुखम्: happiness
• सुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc./कर्म), एकवचन (sg.)

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)

• जानामि: I know
• जानामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• दुःखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc./कर्म), एकवचन (sg.)

• एव: only
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb)

• वनम्: forest (life)
• वनम्: Adhikarana/Predicate (अधिकरण/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); here as predicate-nominative: “the forest (life) [is] always sorrow”

Context

When the great Rama decided not to take her along with him to the forest, Sita, deeply grieved said these words.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē aṣṭāviṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the twentyeighth sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Truth spoken for another’s good (hita + satya): Rāma frames his discouragement as compassionate truth rather than harsh refusal.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma clarifies that his warnings are motivated by concern, asserting that forest life is dominated by hardship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate honesty—speaking difficult truths to protect a loved one.