Valmiki Ramayana 2.60.11 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 60, Shloka 11

षष्टितमः सर्गः — Kausalyā’s Lament and Sumantra’s Consolation

Sītā’s Fearless Forest-Life

Devanagari script

तद्गतं हृदयं ह्यस्यास्तदधीनं च जीवितम्।अयोध्यापि भवेऽत्तस्या रामहीना तदा वनम्।।।।

Transliteration

tadgataṃ hṛdayaṃ hy asyās tadadhīnaṃ ca jīvitam |

ayodhyāpi bhavet tasyā rāmahīnā tadā vanam ||

Translation

കാരണം അവളുടെ ഹൃദയം രാമനിൽ തന്നെ നിശ്ചലമായി പതിഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു; അവളുടെ ജീവനും അവനിൽ ആശ്രിതം. രാമനില്ലാതെ അവൾക്കു അയോധ്യ പോലും വനമായിത്തോന്നും.

Word by Word

• tat-gatam: gone to him/fixed on him
• tat-gatam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + gata (√gam, कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (तस्मिन् गतम्); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with हृदयम्)

• hṛdayam: heart
• hṛdayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• asyāḥ: of her
• asyāḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• tat-adhīnam: dependent on him
• tat-adhīnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + adhīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (तस्य अधीनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with जीवितम्)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction: 'and')

• jīvitam: life
• jīvitam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jīvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• ayodhyā: Ayodhya
• ayodhyā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ayodhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; 'even'

• bhavet: would become
• bhavet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (3rd person singular)

• tasyāḥ: for her/of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; षष्ठी, एकवचन (Genitive singular)

• rāma-hīnā: without Rama
• rāma-hīnā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक) + hīna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समासः (यत्र रामो नास्ति/यया रामः हीनः); स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन (agreeing with अयोध्या)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (then)

• vanam: a forest
• vanam: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया/प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-नाम (predicate nominative/accusative sense: 'a forest')

Context

Her heart is ever united with Rama, and her life is under his control. Without Rama, even Ayodhya would become a forest for her.

Characters & Entities

• Sita
• Rama
• Ayodhya
• Forest

FAQs

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

The verse upholds fidelity and truthful emotional alignment: Sītā’s dharma is expressed as unwavering attachment to righteousness embodied in Rāma, valuing moral companionship over comfort or place.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra explains to Kausalyā that Sītā is not psychologically ‘abandoned’ in exile because her inner life is anchored in Rāma; separation from him would be the real deprivation.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Constancy (sthāyitva) in love and purpose—Sītā’s life-orientation does not shift with external circumstance.