Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.10: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 10

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

लताकण्टकसङ्कीर्णाः कृकवाकूपनादिताः।निरपाश्च सुदुर्गाश्च मार्गा दुःखमतो वनम्।।2.28.10।।

Sanskrit recitationValmiki Ramayana 2.28.10

Transliteration

latākaṇṭakasaṅkīrṇāḥ kṛkavākūpanāditāḥ | nirapāś ca sudurgāś ca mārgā duḥkham ato vanam ||

Translation

Os caminhos estão tomados por trepadeiras espinhosas, ecoam com os clamores das aves selvagens, são sem água e dificílimos de atravessar; por isso a floresta é lugar de sofrimento.

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Word by Word

• लताकण्टकसङ्कीर्णाः: strewn with thorny creepers
• लताकण्टकसङ्कीर्णाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लता-कण्टक-सङ्कीर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), बहुवचन (pl.); ‘मार्गाः’ विशेषणम्; “strewn with creepers and thorns”

• कृकवाकूपनादिताः: echoing with bird-cries
• कृकवाकूपनादिताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृकवाकू-उपनादित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), बहुवचन (pl.); ‘उपनादित’ = उप-नद् (धातु) क्त; “resounding with cries of kṛkavākū (a bird)”

• निरपाः: waterless
• निरपाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-अप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), बहुवचन (pl.); ‘मार्गाः’ विशेषणम्; निर् (without) + अप् (water)

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

• सुदुर्गाः: very difficult (to traverse)
• सुदुर्गाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-दुर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), बहुवचन (pl.); ‘मार्गाः’ विशेषणम्; सु (very) + दुर्ग (hard to traverse)

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

• मार्गाः: paths
• मार्गाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (m.), प्रथमा (Nom.), बहुवचन (pl.)

• दुःखम्: suffering
• दुःखम्: Predicate (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); predicate

• अतः: therefore
• अतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; therefore

• वनम्: forest (life)
• वनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

Context

.The paths full of thorny creepers, echoing with the noise of wild fowls, and with no water (to drink) are difficult to tread. So forest is a source of suffering.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Sītā
• vana (forest)
• mārga (paths)

FAQs

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

Dharma is tied to realistic discernment: Rāma describes hardship frankly, implying that righteous choices must consider consequences and capacity.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma details the dangers of forest travel to dissuade Sītā from accompanying him.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Responsibility and foresight—protecting loved ones by truthful warning.