Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.24 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 24

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

क्रोधलोभौ विमोक्तव्यौ कर्तव्या तपसे मतिः।न भेतव्यं च भेतव्ये नित्यं दुःखमतो वनम्।।2.28.24।।

Transliteration

krodhalobhau vimoktavyau kartavyā tapase matiḥ |

na bhetavyaṃ ca bhetavye nityaṃ duḥkham ato vanam || 2.28.24 ||

Translation

ക്രോധവും ലോഭവും ഉപേക്ഷിക്കേണ്ടതാണ്; മനസ്സിനെ തപസ്സിൽ സ്ഥിരപ്പെടുത്തണം; ഭയപ്പെടേണ്ട സാഹചര്യത്തിലും ഭയത്തിന് അടിമയാകരുത്—അതുകൊണ്ട് വനവാസം നിരന്തരം കഷ്ടമാണ്.

Word by Word

• krodhalobhau: anger and greed
• krodhalobhau: Karma (कर्म/Object of giving up)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (क्रोध) + lobha (लोभ)
• Form: Dvandva (copulative: anger and greed); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Dvivacana (Dual)

• vimoktavyau: should be abandoned
• vimoktavyau: Vidhi (विधि/obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-muc (वि-मुच् धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive/obligative), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; agrees with krodhalobhau

• kartavyā: must be made/fixed
• kartavyā: Vidhi (विधि/obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with matiḥ

• tapase: for ascetic practice
• tapase: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Goal: 'for austerity')
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (तपस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/4th), Ekavacana

• matiḥ: mind/resolve
• matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negation particle)

• bhetavyam: one should fear
• bhetavyam: Vidhi (विधि/Prohibitive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhī (भी धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; impersonal prohibition with na

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (and)

• bhetavye: in fearful situations
• bhetavye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhī (भी धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya used substantively; Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana; locative of circumstance ('in what is to be feared')

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (always)

• duḥkham: painful
• duḥkham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate for vanam

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (therefore)

• vanam: forest life
• vanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Context

I am saying all this in your interest. The forest is a haven of hardships. I know of nohappiness in the forest.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• tapas (austerity)
• krodha (anger)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma in hardship requires inner discipline: conquering anger and greed, cultivating tapas, and maintaining courage even when fear is justified.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma describes the mental and moral demands of forest life—self-restraint and fearlessness—to show how difficult it is, especially for Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-mastery (dama) and steadfastness—qualities required for ascetic living and for meeting danger without panic.