Valmiki Ramayana 2.28.24 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 28, Shloka 24

सीतानिवर्तनप्रयत्नः

Rama’s Attempt to Dissuade Sita from Forest Exile

Devanagari script

क्रोधलोभौ विमोक्तव्यौ कर्तव्या तपसे मतिः।न भेतव्यं च भेतव्ये नित्यं दुःखमतो वनम्।।2.28.24।।

Transliteration

krodhalobhau vimoktavyau kartavyā tapase matiḥ |

na bhetavyaṃ ca bhetavye nityaṃ duḥkham ato vanam || 2.28.24 ||

Translation

غصہ اور لالچ کو ترک کرنا چاہیے، اور چت کو تپسیا میں قائم کرنا چاہیے؛ اور خوفناک حالت میں بھی خوف کے آگے نہ جھکنا چاہیے۔ اسی لیے جنگل کی زندگی مسلسل سختی ہے۔

Word by Word

• krodhalobhau: anger and greed
• krodhalobhau: Karma (कर्म/Object of giving up)
• Type: Noun
• Root: krodha (क्रोध) + lobha (लोभ)
• Form: Dvandva (copulative: anger and greed); Puṃliṅga, Prathamā vibhakti, Dvivacana (Dual)

• vimoktavyau: should be abandoned
• vimoktavyau: Vidhi (विधि/obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-muc (वि-मुच् धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive/obligative), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; agrees with krodhalobhau

• kartavyā: must be made/fixed
• kartavyā: Vidhi (विधि/obligation predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive), Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; agrees with matiḥ

• tapase: for ascetic practice
• tapase: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/Goal: 'for austerity')
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (तपस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Caturthī vibhakti (Dative/4th), Ekavacana

• matiḥ: mind/resolve
• matiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Niṣedha-avyaya (negation particle)

• bhetavyam: one should fear
• bhetavyam: Vidhi (विधि/Prohibitive predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhī (भी धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya (gerundive), Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; impersonal prohibition with na

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (and)

• bhetavye: in fearful situations
• bhetavye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Circumstance)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhī (भी धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: Kṛtya used substantively; Napuṃsakaliṅga, Saptamī vibhakti, Ekavacana; locative of circumstance ('in what is to be feared')

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nityam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (always)

• duḥkham: painful
• duḥkham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate for vanam

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (therefore)

• vanam: forest life
• vanam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakaliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

Context

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

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Rāma
• tapas (austerity)
• krodha (anger)
• vana (forest)

FAQs

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

Dharma in hardship requires inner discipline: conquering anger and greed, cultivating tapas, and maintaining courage even when fear is justified.

What is the narrative situation?

Rāma describes the mental and moral demands of forest life—self-restraint and fearlessness—to show how difficult it is, especially for Sītā.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Self-mastery (dama) and steadfastness—qualities required for ascetic living and for meeting danger without panic.