Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 30, Shloka 31

सीताया वनानुगमननिश्चयः

Sita’s Resolve to Accompany Rama to the Forest

Devanagari script

न खल्वहं न गच्छेयं वनं जनकनन्दिनि।वचनं तन्नयति मां पितु स्सत्योपबृंहितम्।।2.30.31।।

Transliteration

na khalv ahaṃ na gaccheyaṃ vanaṃ janaka-nandini | vacanaṃ tan nayati māṃ pituḥ satyopabṛṃhitam || 2.30.31 ||

Translation

ໂອ ທິດາແຫ່ງຊະນະກະ! ບໍ່ແມ່ນວ່າຂ້າພະເຈົ້າບໍ່ຈະໄປປ່າ; ແຕ່ພຣະບັນຊາຂອງພຣະບິດາ—ອັນຖືກສົ່ງເສີມດ້ວຍສັດຈະ—ນຳຂ້າພະເຈົ້າໄປທີ່ນັ້ນ.

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (indeed/surely)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (with double negation sense: ‘it is not that I will not…’)

• गच्छेयम्: I would go
• गच्छेयम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जनकनन्दिनि: O daughter of Janaka
• जनकनन्दिनि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनक-नन्दिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (जनकस्य नन्दिनी)

• वचनम्: the word/command
• वचनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (vacanam)

• नयति: leads
• नयति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √नी (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पितुः: of (my) father
• पितुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सत्योपबृंहितम्: confirmed by truth
• सत्योपबृंहितम्: Visheshaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्य-उपबृंहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (vacanam); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP) ‘strengthened/confirmed’; तत्पुरुष-समास (सत्येन उपबृंहितम्)

Context

Not that I shall not go to the forest (go I must). My father's word nourished by truth isleading me there, O daughter of Janaka!

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā (Janakanandinī)
• Daśaratha (implied as father)
• Satya (truth)

FAQs

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

Satya and obedience to a father’s truthful command are treated as binding dharma, even when they demand personal loss.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma clarifies that exile is not optional; he goes because Daśaratha’s word, grounded in truth, compels him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Filial piety and truth-allegiance—Rāma subordinates preference to the moral force of a truthful promise.