Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.18 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 18

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

अतीव वातास्तिमिरं बुभुक्षा चात्र नित्यशः।भयानि च महान्त्यत्र ततो दुःखतरं वनम्।।2.28.18।।

Transliteration

atīva vātās timiraṃ bubhukṣā cātra nityaśaḥ |

bhayāni ca mahānty atra tato duḥkhataraṃ vanam ||2.28.18||

Translation

Di sana ada angin kencang, kegelapan, dan kelaparan yang berterusan; juga bahaya-bahaya besar, maka kehidupan di hutan itu amatlah sukar.

Word by Word

• atīva: excessively
• atīva: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atīva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (intensifier adverb: 'excessively')

• vātāḥ: winds
• vātāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

• timiram: darkness
• timiram: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: timira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

• bubhukṣā: hunger
• bubhukṣā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bubhukṣā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Ekavacana

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

• atra: there
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (locative adverb: 'here/there')

• nityaśaḥ: constantly
• nityaśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityaśaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (frequency adverb: 'always/constantly')

• bhayāni: fears
• bhayāni: Karta (कर्ता/Subject, item in list)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana

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

• mahānti: great
• mahānti: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (महत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Bahuvacana; agrees with bhayāni

• atra: there
• atra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Deśa-avyaya (locative adverb)

• tataḥ: therefore
• tataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (causal/consecutive: 'therefore/then')

• duḥkhataraṃ: more painful
• duḥkhataraṃ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक) + tara (तरप् प्रत्यय)
• Form: Comparative adjective (tarap), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate for vanam

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

Context

There are various forms of fierce reptiles fearlessly crawling on the ground. So (living in the) forest is extremely dangerous.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Satya aligned with dharma: Rāma speaks truthfully about suffering, teaching that righteous choices require informed acceptance of hardship.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma enumerates environmental hardships to dissuade Sītā from joining him in exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Fortitude and honesty—acknowledging fear and deprivation without abandoning duty.