← 2.23.33 · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 23: Rāma asks Sītā to remain in Ayodhyā

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.23.34

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 23: Rāma asks Sītā to remain in Ayodhyā. Rāma reveals the exile and asks Sītā to respect Bharata’s authority, honour the Queens and care for his grieving parents

In the sequence: he asks her to regard Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna as a brother and a son, and to conduct herself without giving offense to Bharata.

2.23.34

ahaṃ gamiṣyāmi mahāvanaṃ priye tvayā hi vastavyam ihaiva bhāmini
tvayā hi vastavyam ihaiva bhāmini
yathā vyalīkaṃ kuruṣe na kasya cit tathā tvayā kāryam idaṃ vaco mama
tathā tvayā kāryam idaṃ vaco mama

I shall go to the great forest, my dear; but you, my lovely one, must remain right here. Act upon this word of mine so that you give offense to no one.

Words: ahaṃ gamiṣyāmi — I shall go; mahāvanaṃ — to the great forest; priye — O dear one; tvayā hi — for by you; vastavyam — it is to be dwelt; ihaiva — here itself; bhāmini — O radiant lady; yathā — so that; vyalīkaṃ — offense, displeasure; kuruṣe — you do; na kasya cit — to no one; tathā — thus; tvayā — by you; kāryam — to be done; idaṃ vaco — this word; mama — my

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.