Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 118, Shloka 7

अनसूयोपदेशः तथा सीताया स्वयंवरकथा

Anasuya’s Counsel and Sita’s Swayamvara Narrative

Devanagari script

आगच्छन्त्याश्च विजनं वनमेवं भयावहम्।समाहितं मे श्वश्र्वा च हृदये तद्धृतं महत्।।2.118.7।।

Transliteration

āgacchantyāś ca vijanaṁ vanam evaṁ bhayāvaham | samāhitaṁ me śvaśrvā ca hṛdaye tad dhṛtaṁ mahat || 2.118.7 ||

Translation

เมื่อข้าพเจ้าออกเดินสู่ป่ารกร้างอันน่าหวาดหวั่นนั้น คำสั่งสอนอันยิ่งใหญ่ที่แม่สามีประทานแก่ข้าพเจ้าได้ถูกวางไว้ในดวงใจ และข้าพเจ้าก็ยึดมั่นไว้แน่นแฟ้นในหทัย

Word by Word

• āgacchantyāḥ: while (I was) coming
• āgacchantyāḥ: Kala (काल/समय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā-√gam (धातु) → āgacchantī (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), शतृ (śatṛ), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (singular); मम (implicit) इति सम्बन्धः (of me, while coming)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• vijanam: desolate
• vijanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vijana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular); वनम् इति विशेषणम्

• vanam: forest
• vanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular)

• evam: thus
• evam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (thus)

• bhayāvaham: fearful / terrifying
• bhayāvaham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhaya + āvaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'bringing fear'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (singular); वनम् इति विशेषणम्

• samāhitam: imparted / instructed
• samāhitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-√dhā (धातु) → samāhita (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), क्त (kta), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); उपदेश/वचनम् इति भावः (something imparted)

• me: to me
• me: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (Dative), एकवचन (singular)

• śvaśrvā: by (my) mother-in-law
• śvaśrvā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvaśrū (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन (singular)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (and)

• hṛdaye: in (my) heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन (singular)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• dhṛtam: held / retained
• dhṛtam: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √dhṛ (धातु) → dhṛta (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), क्त (kta), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); तत् इति विशेषणम् (held)

• mahat: great
• mahat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular); तत् इति विशेषणम्

Context

Then Rama did not accept the offer of my father straightaway before he knew the opinion of his father Dasaratha, king of Ayodhya.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• forest (vana)

FAQs

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

Dharma is sustained by śikṣā (wise counsel) and inner steadiness: one carries righteous instruction into hardship and lives by it.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā recalls the advice she received from her mother-in-law at the time of departing for forest-exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness and receptivity to guidance—Sītā’s commitment to remember and embody the elders’ counsel in adversity.