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

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः · Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Spoken by Rama to SitaSetting: Approach to the forest (vana, generic)Places named: vanaAnticipated route of exile; describing travel conditions

Devanagari script

लताकण्टकसङ्कीर्णाः कृकवाकूपनादिताः ।

निरपाश्च सुदुर्गाश्च मार्गा दुःखमतो वनम् ॥१०॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.28.10

Transliteration

latākaṇṭakasaṅkīrṇāḥ kṛkavākūpanāditāḥ |

nirapāś ca sudurgāś ca mārgā duḥkham ato vanam ||10||

Translation

หนทางทั้งหลายรกชัฏด้วยเถาวัลย์หนาม ก้องด้วยเสียงร้องของนกป่า ไร้น้ำและยากยิ่งจะผ่านไป; เพราะฉะนั้นพงไพรจึงเป็นที่แห่งความทุกข์

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Word by Word

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

• कृकवाकूपनादिताः: echoing with bird-cries
• 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)”
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sandhi Notes

• निरपाश्च = निरपाः + च
• सुदुर्गाश्च = सुदुर्गाः + च
• दुःखमतो = दुःखम् + अतः

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.

The teaching

Austerity is not romantic; clear-eyed awareness of hardship is part of truthful counsel.

Ethical theme

Satya (truthful warning) and tapas-awareness

For your practice

Supports contemplative renunciation: visualize discomfort to reduce attachment and strengthen resolve.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Bhayanaka (fear), with Karuna (compassion)

Mood

Harsh, foreboding, austere

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Compassion
• Ascetic hardship
• Maryādā
• Itihāsa

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

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.