Valmiki Ramayana 2.29.21: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 29, Shloka 21

सीताया वनगमननिश्चयः · Sita’s Resolve to Accompany Rama to the Forest

Devanagari script

ययदि मां दुःखितामेवं वनं नेतुं न चेच्छसि ।

विषमग्निं जलं वाऽहमास्थास्ये मृत्युकारणात् ॥२१॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.29.21

Transliteration

yadi māṃ duḥkhitām evaṃ vanaṃ netuṃ na cecchasi |

viṣam agniṃ jalaṃ vā 'ham āsthāsye mṛtyu-kāraṇāt ||21||

Translation

మీరు ఈ విధంగా దుఃఖితమైన నన్ను వనానికి తీసికెళ్లదలచుకోకపోతే, మరణకారణంగా నేను విషమో, అగ్నియో, జలమో ఆశ్రయించెదను।

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Word by Word

• यदि: if
• यदि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदि (अव्यय)
• Form: शर्तार्थक-अव्यय (conditional particle)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दुःखिताम्: distressed
• दुःखिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुःखित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (माम्)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: रीत्यर्थक-अव्यय (adverb: thus/in this way)

• वनम्: to the forest
• वनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे कर्म

• नेतुम्: to take/lead
• नेतुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

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

• इच्छसि: you wish
• इच्छसि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष्/इच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• विषम्: poison
• विषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Vikalpa (विकल्प)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive: or)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• आस्थास्ये: I shall resort to / undertake
• आस्थास्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + स्था (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• मृत्युकारणात्: for the sake of death / from a death-causing motive
• मृत्युकारणात्: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक) + कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (मृत्योः कारणम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे अपादान (from the motive/cause)

Context

If you do not wish to take your wife in this time of distress to the forest I shall die by consuming poison or throwing myself into fire or drowning in water.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• poison (viṣa)
• fire (agni)
• water (jala)

FAQs

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

It dramatizes the perceived inseparability of marital duty; however, ethically it also shows the tension between dharma and extreme emotional resolve, highlighting how dharmic ideals can be invoked under distress.

What is the narrative situation?

After repeated refusals, Sītā makes a drastic declaration to compel Rāma to accept her as a companion in exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Unyielding commitment (dṛḍha-niścaya), though expressed through a severe ultimatum born of grief and fear of separation.