Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 60, Shloka 22

षष्टितमः सर्गः — Kausalyā’s Lament and Sumantra’s Consolation

Sītā’s Fearless Forest-Life

Devanagari script

विधूय शोकं परिहृष्टमानसा महर्षियाते पथि सुव्यवत्स्थिताः।वनेरता वन्यफलाशनाः पितुश्शुभां प्रतिज्ञां परिपालयन्ति ते।।।।

Transliteration

vidhūya śokaṃ parihṛṣṭamānasā maharṣiyāte pathi suvyavatsthitāḥ |

vaneratā vanyaphalāśanāḥ pituḥ śubhāṃ pratijñāṃ paripālayanti te ||

Translation

Phủi sạch sầu đau, lòng trở nên an tịnh; vững bước trên con đường các đại ẩn sĩ đã định; vui sống giữa rừng, ăn trái rừng làm lương; họ đang gìn giữ trọn vẹn lời thệ nguyện cao quý của phụ vương.

Word by Word

• vidhūya: having shaken off
• vidhūya: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dhū (धातु) with vi-
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive): ‘having shaken off’

• śokam: grief
• śokam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• parihṛṣṭa-mānasāḥ: with delighted minds
• parihṛṣṭa-mānasāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parihṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, √hṛṣ/हृष्; PPP) + mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (whose mind is delighted), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ते-विशेषण

• maharṣi-yāte: (on the path) trodden by sages
• maharṣi-yāte: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक) + yāta (कृदन्त, √yā/या; PPP)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग? here: सप्तमी एकवचन agreeing with pathi (locative); तत्पुरुष: ‘gone/laid down by sages’

• pathi: on the path
• pathi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pathin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• su-vyavasthitāḥ: firmly established
• su-vyavasthitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + vyavasthita (कृदन्त, √sthā/स्था; PPP with vi-ava-)
• Form: PPP used adjectivally, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘well-established/firmly set’

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• ratāḥ: engaged, devoted
• ratāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rata (कृदन्त, √ram/रम्; PPP)
• Form: PPP, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘engaged/delighting’

• vanya-phala-āśanāḥ: eating forest fruits
• vanya-phala-āśanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vanya (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + āśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (forest-fruit-eaters), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ते-विशेषण

• pituḥ: of (their) father
• pituḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• śubhām: auspicious
• śubhām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रतिज्ञा-विशेषण

• pratijñām: promise
• pratijñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pratijñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• paripālayanti: uphold, maintain
• paripālayanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pāl (धातु) with pari-
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

Abandon your tears, delusion and despair arising out of sorrow. Rama is going to livein the forest, brushing aside all agony.

Characters & Entities

• Forest (vana)
• Father (Daśaratha, implied)

FAQs

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

Satya and dharma converge in vow-keeping: the exile is portrayed as faithful fulfillment of a father’s promise, aligned with the rishi-sanctioned path of disciplined living.

What is the narrative situation?

Sumantra depicts the exiles as mentally steady and even content in forest austerity, emphasizing that they are upholding Daśaratha’s pledge.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfast obedience and disciplined contentment—holding to a vow without resentment.