Valmiki Ramayana 2.27.2: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 27, Shloka 2

सीताया वनगमननिश्चयः

Sita’s Resolve to Accompany Rama to the Forest

Spoken by Sita to RamaSetting: Ayodhya (implied)Debate over Sītā accompanying exile

Devanagari script

किमिदं भाषसे राम वाक्यं लघुतया ध्रुवम् ।

त्वया यदपहास्यं मे श्रुत्वा नरवरात्मज ॥२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.27.2

Transliteration

kim idaṃ bhāṣase rāma vākyaṃ laghutayā dhruvam |

tvayā yad apahāsyaṃ me śrutvā naravarātmaja ||2||

Translation

ഹേ രാമാ, ഇങ്ങനെ ലഘുവായി ഉറച്ചതുപോലെ നീ എന്തിന് ഈ വാക്കുകൾ പറയുന്നു? ഹേ നരശ്രേഷ്ഠന്റെ പുത്രാ, ഇതേ വാക്കുകൾ നിനക്കു പറഞ്ഞാൽ നീ കേട്ടാൽ, തീർച്ചയായും അവ നിനക്കു പരിഹാസ്യമായി തോന്നും.

Ask anything about this verse...Ask

Word by Word

• kim: what
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kim (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; interrogative qualifying idaṃ/vākyaṃ: 'what'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• idam: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana; demonstrative qualifying vākyaṃ
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• bhāṣase: are you speaking
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣ (भाष् धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (present), Madhyama puruṣa (2nd), Ekavacana; ātmanepada
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• rāma: O Rāma
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)

• vākyam: words/speech
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā (2nd), Ekavacana
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• laghutayā: lightly/trivially
• Type: Noun
• Root: laghutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana; instrumental of manner
• Role: Karaṇa (करण; manner)

• dhruvam: certainly
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dhruva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nipāta used adverbially meaning certainty (निश्चयार्थ)
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; emphasis)

• tvayā: by you
• Type: Noun
• Root: yuṣmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tṛtīyā (3rd), Ekavacana
• Role: Karta (कर्ता; agent of implied act 'to ridicule')

• yat: which/that
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun used as connector; Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; links clause
• Role: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; relative)

• apahāsyam: ridiculous/fit to be mocked
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apa-has (अप-हस् धातु) + ya (यत्/कृत्य sense)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive) used as predicate adjective; Napumsaka, Prathamā/Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; 'fit to be mocked'
• Role: Karma (कर्म; predicate about vākyaṃ)

• me: to me
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Caturthī (4th/चतुर्थी) or Ṣaṣṭhī enclitic form; here dative of reference: 'for me/to me'
• Role: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)

• śrutvā: having heard
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (श्रु धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (क्त्वा); 'having heard'
• Role: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)

• naravarātmaja: O son of the best of men
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara-vara-ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक); components: nara (नर) + vara (वर) + ātmaja (आत्मज)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana (vocative), Ekavacana
• Role: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

Sandhi Notes

• kimidaṃ→kim idam
• yadapahāsyaṃ→yat apahāsyam
• naravarātmaja as compound
• dhruvam used adverbially

Context

O Rama! why are you speaking so lightly? O prince! if you hear these very same words (spoken to you), you will ridicule me.

The teaching

Words that diminish another’s rightful resolve should be tested by imagining oneself in their place.

Duties in tension

• Rāma’s protective caution vs. Sītā’s autonomy and dharmic claim to accompany
• Gentleness in speech vs. truth that may sound dismissive

Ethical theme

Sadācāra / vāg-dharma

How it resolves

Ethical challenge through reciprocity and dignity

For your practice

Practice of mindful speech and ethical reciprocity; useful for daily reflection on how counsel is offered.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Raudra (fury), with Hasya (humour)

Mood

Sharp, challenging, indignant

Themes

• Dharma
• Satya
• Maryada
• Ethics
• Itihasa
• Marital fidelity
• Resolve

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā

FAQs

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

It highlights accountability and fairness in speech: one should not minimize another’s duty or pain with casual words; Dharma requires empathy and measured, truthful counsel.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā responds to Rāma’s attempt to dissuade her from accompanying him to exile, challenging the lightness of his reasoning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s moral clarity and firmness—she tests the consistency of Rāma’s words by applying them back to him.