Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.6: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 6

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

Spoken by Rama to SitaSetting: Ayodhya (counsel)Places named: vanaPre-exile persuasion nearing culmination

Devanagari script

हितबुद्ध्या खलु वचो मयैतदभिधीयते ।

सदा सुखं न जानामि दुःखमेव सदा वनम् ॥६॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.28.6

Transliteration

hitabuddhyā khalu vaco mayaitad abhidhīyate |

sadā sukhaṃ na jānāmi duḥkham eva sadā vanam ||6||

Translation

เรากล่าวถ้อยคำนี้ด้วยปัญญาเพื่อประโยชน์แก่เธอ เราไม่รู้จักสุขอันยั่งยืนในป่าเลย—ในป่านั้นมีแต่ทุกข์อยู่เสมอ

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Word by Word

• हितबुद्ध्या: with good intention/prudence
• Type: Noun
• Root: हित-बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (sg.); हेतु/उपायार्थे ‘हितबुद्ध्या’ = with beneficial intention
• Role: Karana (करण)
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• खलु: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/assurance
• Role: Sambandha/Avyaya (सम्बन्ध/निपात)

• वचः: speech/words
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); here as subject with passive verb
• Role: Karta (कर्ता)

• मया: by me
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Kartr-karana in passive (कर्तृ-करण)

• एतत्: this
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); ‘वचः’ विशेषणम्
• Role: Visheshana (विशेषण)

• अभिधीयते: is being said
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (sg.), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): “is being said/uttered”
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• सुखम्: happiness
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc./कर्म), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध-निपात (negation particle)
• Role: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)

• जानामि: I know
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st), एकवचन (sg.), परस्मैपद
• Role: Kriya (क्रिया)

• दुःखम्: sorrow
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc./कर्म), एकवचन (sg.)
• Role: Karma (कर्म)

• एव: only
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात (restrictive particle)
• Role: Avadharana (अवधारण)

• सदा: always
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (adverb)
• Role: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)

• वनम्: forest (life)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); here as predicate-nominative: “the forest (life) [is] always sorrow”
• Role: Adhikarana/Predicate (अधिकरण/विधेय)

Sandhi Notes

• मयैतदभिधीयते = मया + एतत् + अभिधीयते
• दुःखमेव = दुःखम् + एव
• vacō (IAST) = वचः (visarga before voiced consonant often shown as o)

Context

I am saying all this in your interest. The forest is a haven of hardships. I know of nohappiness in the forest.

The teaching

Hita (welfare) is a dharmic motive; compassion may speak in the language of hard truth about duḥkha.

Duties in tension

• Truthful warning vs respecting Sītā’s chosen dharma of accompaniment
• Protecting spouse vs allowing shared hardship as spiritual partnership

Ethical theme

Hita-vākya / relational dharma

For your practice

Practice benevolent speech (hita-vacana) and clear-eyed acceptance of duḥkha; cultivate endurance without glamorizing hardship.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Somber, candid, protective

Themes

• Dharma
• Ethics
• Compassion
• Truthfulness

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Truth spoken for another’s good (hita + satya): Rāma frames his discouragement as compassionate truth rather than harsh refusal.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma clarifies that his warnings are motivated by concern, asserting that forest life is dominated by hardship.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Compassionate honesty—speaking difficult truths to protect a loved one.