Valmiki Ramayana 2.37.12: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 37, Shloka 12

अयोध्याकाण्डे सर्गः ३७ · चीरधारणं, सीतासंकल्पः, वसिष्ठोपदेशः

Bark-Robe Episode and Vasistha’s Admonition

Devanagari script

कथं नु चीरं बध्नन्ति मुनयो वनवासिनः ।

इति ह्यकुशला सीता सा मुमोह मुहुर्मुहुः ॥१२॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.37.12

Transliteration

kathaṃ nu cīraṃ badhnanti munayo vanavāsinaḥ |

iti hy akuśalā sītā sā mumohā muhur muhuḥ ||12||

Translation

Tidak mahir akan hal demikian, Sītā bertanya dengan bingung: “Bagaimanakah para resi penghuni rimba mengikat pakaian kulit kayu?” Lalu berkali-kali ia tertegun dan terpinga-pinga.

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Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having placed/made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• कण्ठे: on the neck
• कण्ठे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• चीरम्: bark garment
• चीरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एकम्: one (end)
• एकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of (end/part of) cīram, contextually 'one (end)'

• आदाय: having taken/held
• आदाय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√dā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• पाणिना: with (her) hand
• पाणिना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāṇi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तस्थौ: stood
• तस्थौ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• हि: indeed
• हि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक निपात

• अकुशला: unskilled
• अकुशला: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akuśala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण of जनकात्मजा

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• व्रीडिता: ashamed
• व्रीडिता: Kartṛ-viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vrīḍ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जनकात्मजा: Janaka's daughter (Sita)
• जनकात्मजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka + ātmajā (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (daughter of Janaka)

Context

Sita, unacquainted with wearing bark robes, asked Rama, perplexed 'How do the sages who live in the forest wear bark garment?'.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• munis (sages)

FAQs

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

Dharma here appears as willing adaptation to righteous hardship: Sītā earnestly learns the disciplines of forest-life to share her husband’s exile.

What is the narrative situation?

As preparations for vanavāsa (forest-exile) begin, Sītā, unused to ascetic clothing, asks how bark garments are worn.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Commitment and humility—Sītā’s readiness to learn and endure austerity for dharma and companionship.