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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 24: Sītā claims a share in the exile

Summary. She insists that a wife shares her husband’s fate and chooses forest hardship with Rāma over comfort without him

Sequence

  1. Sītā objects that a wife shares her husband's fortune, so the exile applies to her too (2.24.1–4)
  2. she offers to walk ahead and clear thorns from his path, saying that life beside him is better than palace comforts (2.24.5–7)
  3. she reminds him that her parents have already taught her her responsibilities and says she can live happily in the forest while caring for him (2.24.8–10)
  4. she promises to eat roots and fruit without becoming a burden, and looks forward to seeing rivers, mountains, and woods under his protection (2.24.11–13)
  5. she says even heaven would not please her without him (2.24.14–16)
  6. she declares that she is prepared to die rather than be separated from him → Rāma remains reluctant and begins explaining the dangers of forest life. (2.24.17–19)

Verses 2.24.1–19

2.24.1

evam uktā tu vaidehī priyārhā priyavādinī
praṇayād eva saṃkruddhā bhartāram idam abravīt

Thus addressed, the princess of Videha, worthy of love and sweet of speech, angered out of very love, said this to her husband:

Words: evam uktā tu — but thus addressed; vaidehī — the princess of Videha; priyārhā — worthy of love; priyavādinī — sweet of speech; praṇayād eva — out of very love; saṃkruddhā — angered; bhartāram — to her husband; idam abravīt — said this

2.24.2

āryaputra pitā mātā bhrātā putras tathā snuṣā
svāni puṇyāni bhuñjānāḥ svaṃ svaṃ bhāgyam upāsate

Noble husband, father, mother, brother, son, and daughter-in-law—each enjoying their own merits—partake of their own several portion of fortune.

Words: āryaputra — O noble husband; pitā — father; mātā — mother; bhrātā — brother; putras tathā — and son; snuṣā — daughter-in-law; svāni puṇyāni — their own merits; bhuñjānāḥ — enjoying; svaṃ svaṃ — each his own; bhāgyam — portion, fortune; upāsate — they partake of, attend upon

2.24.3

bhartur bhāgyaṃ tu bhāryaikā prāpnoti puruṣarṣabha
ataś caivāham ādiṣṭā vane vastavyam ity api

But the wife alone obtains the fortune of her husband, O bull among men; and therefore I too am enjoined that I must dwell in the forest.

Words: bhartur bhāgyaṃ — the husband's fortune; tu — but; bhāryaikā — the wife alone; prāpnoti — obtains; puruṣarṣabha — O bull among men; ataś caivāham — and therefore I; ādiṣṭā — enjoined, directed; vane — in the forest; vastavyam — it is to be dwelt; ity api — even so

2.24.4

na pitā nātmajo nātmā na mātā na sakhījanaḥ
iha pretya ca nārīṇāṃ patir eko gatiḥ sadā

Not father, not son, not oneself, not mother, not friends—for women, here and in the hereafter, the husband alone is ever the refuge.

Words: na pitā — not the father; nātmajo — not the son; nātmā — not oneself; na mātā — not the mother; na sakhījanaḥ — not friends; iha — here (in this world); pretya ca — and after death; nārīṇāṃ — of women; patir eko — the husband alone; gatiḥ — refuge, recourse; sadā — always

2.24.5

yadi tvaṃ prasthito durgaṃ vanam adyaiva rāghava
agratas te gamiṣyāmi mṛdnantī kuśakaṇṭakān

If you set out this very day for the impassable forest, Rāghava, I shall go before you, crushing the kuśa-grass and thorns.

Words: yadi tvaṃ prasthito — if you set out; durgaṃ — impassable; vanam — forest; adyaiva — this very day; rāghava — O Rāghava; agratas te — before you; gamiṣyāmi — I shall go; mṛdnantī — crushing, treading down; kuśakaṇṭakān — the kuśa-grass and thorns

2.24.6

īrṣyā roṣau bahiṣkṛtya bhuktaśeṣam ivodakam
naya māṃ vīra viśrabdhaḥ pāpaṃ mayi na vidyate

Casting out jealousy and anger like water left over after drinking, lead me, O hero, with confidence; there is no fault in me.

Words: īrṣyā roṣau — jealousy and anger; bahiṣkṛtya — having cast out; bhuktaśeṣam — the remnant of a meal; ivodakam — like water; naya māṃ — lead me; vīra — O hero; viśrabdhaḥ — confident, trusting; pāpaṃ — sin, fault; mayi — in me; na vidyate — there is not

2.24.7

prāsādāgrair vimānair vā vaihāyasagatena vā
sarvāvasthāgatā bhartuḥ pādacchāyā viśiṣyate

Better than palace-terraces, aerial cars, or flight through the sky, is the shade of a husband's feet, which attends one in every condition.

Words: prāsādāgrair — by palace-terraces; vimānair vā — or by aerial cars; vaihāyasagatena vā — or by travel through the air; sarvāvasthāgatā — attending in every condition; bhartuḥ — of the husband; pādacchāyā — the shade of the feet; viśiṣyate — is superior, preferable

2.24.8

anuśiṣṭāsmi mātrā ca pitrā ca vividhāśrayam
nāsmi saṃprati vaktavyā vartitavyaṃ yathā mayā

I have been instructed by my mother and my father in various matters; I need not now be told how I ought to conduct myself.

Words: anuśiṣṭāsmi — I have been instructed; mātrā ca — by my mother; pitrā ca — and by my father; vividhāśrayam — on various grounds; nāsmi — I am not; saṃprati — now; vaktavyā — to be told; vartitavyaṃ — how to conduct oneself; yathā mayā — as by me

2.24.9

sukhaṃ vane nivatsyāmi yathaiva bhavane pituḥ
acintayantī trīṃl lokāṃś cintayantī pativratam

I shall dwell happily in the forest, just as in my father's house, giving no thought to the three worlds, thinking only of devotion to my husband.

Words: sukhaṃ — happily; vane — in the forest; nivatsyāmi — I shall dwell; yathaiva — just as; bhavane pituḥ — in my father's house; acintayantī — not thinking of; trīṃl lokāṃś — the three worlds; cintayantī — thinking of; pativratam — devotion to my husband

2.24.10

śuśrūṣamāṇā te nityaṃ niyatā brahmacāriṇī
saha raṃsye tvayā vīra vaneṣu madhugandhiṣu

Ever serving you, restrained and living chastely, I shall take delight with you, O hero, in the forests fragrant with honey.

Words: śuśrūṣamāṇā — serving, obeying; te — you; nityaṃ — always; niyatā — restrained, self-controlled; brahmacāriṇī — living chastely; saha raṃsye — I shall delight together; tvayā — with you; vīra — O hero; vaneṣu — in the forests; madhugandhiṣu — fragrant with honey

2.24.11

tvaṃ hi kartuṃ vane śakto rāma saṃparipālanam
anyasya pai janasyeha kiṃ punar mama mānada

For you, Rāma, are able in the forest to protect even another person here—how much more me, O bestower of honor?

Words: tvaṃ hi — for you; kartuṃ — to give, do; vane — in the forest; śakto — able; rāma — O Rāma; saṃparipālanam — complete protection; anyasya — of another; pai — even (emphatic particle); janasyeha — of a person here; kiṃ punar — how much more; mama — me, mine; mānada — O bestower of honor

2.24.12

phalamūlāśanā nityaṃ bhaviṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ
na te duḥkhaṃ kariṣyāmi nivasantī saha tvayā

I shall always live on fruits and roots—no doubt of it; I shall cause you no trouble while dwelling with you.

Words: phalamūlāśanā — eating fruits and roots; nityaṃ — always; bhaviṣyāmi — I shall be; na saṃśayaḥ — no doubt; na te duḥkhaṃ kariṣyāmi — I shall cause you no sorrow; nivasantī — dwelling; saha tvayā — with you

2.24.13

icchāmi saritaḥ śailān palvalāni vanāni ca
draṣṭuṃ sarvatra nirbhītā tvayā nāthena dhīmatā

I wish to see the rivers, the mountains, the pools, and the forests, fearless everywhere with you, my wise protector.

Words: icchāmi — I wish; saritaḥ — the rivers; śailān — the mountains; palvalāni — the pools; vanāni ca — and the forests; draṣṭuṃ — to see; sarvatra — everywhere; nirbhītā — fearless; tvayā nāthena — with you as protector; dhīmatā — wise

2.24.14

haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇāḥ padminīḥ sādhupuṣpitāḥ
iccheyaṃ sukhinī draṣṭuṃ tvayā vīreṇa saṃgatā

Happy and in company with you, my hero, I would wish to see the lotus-ponds strewn with swans and kāraṇḍava-ducks, in fair bloom.

Words: haṃsakāraṇḍavākīrṇāḥ — strewn with swans and kāraṇḍava-ducks; padminīḥ — the lotus-ponds; sādhupuṣpitāḥ — in fair bloom; iccheyaṃ — I would wish; sukhinī — happy; draṣṭuṃ — to see; tvayā vīreṇa — with you, the hero; saṃgatā — joined, in company

2.24.15

saha tvayā viśālākṣa raṃsye paramanandinī
evaṃ varṣasahasrāṇāṃ śataṃ vāhaṃ tvayā saha

With you, O large-eyed one, I shall delight, supremely joyful; thus would I live with you even a hundred thousand years.

Words: saha tvayā — with you; viśālākṣa — O large-eyed one; raṃsye — I shall delight; paramanandinī — supremely joyful; evaṃ — thus; varṣasahasrāṇāṃ — of thousands of years; śataṃ — a hundred; vāhaṃ — even I; tvayā saha — with you

2.24.16

svarge 'pi ca vinā vāso bhavitā yadi rāghava
tvayā mama naravyāghra nāhaṃ tam api rocaye

And even if a dwelling in heaven itself should fall to me without you, Rāghava, O tiger among men, I would not care even for that.

Words: svarge 'pi ca — and even in heaven; vinā — without; vāso — a dwelling; bhavitā — shall be; yadi — if; rāghava — O Rāghava; tvayā — you (i.e. without you); mama — mine; naravyāghra — O tiger among men; nāhaṃ — not I; tam api — even that; rocaye — I desire, care for

2.24.17

ahaṃ gamiṣyāmi vanaṃ sudurgamaṃ mṛgāyutaṃ vānaravāraṇair yutam
mṛgāyutaṃ vānaravāraṇair yutam
vane nivatsyāmi yathā pitur gṛhe tavaiva pādāv upagṛhya saṃmatā
tavaiva pādāv upagṛhya saṃmatā

I shall go to the forest so hard to traverse, full of deer and thronged with monkeys and elephants; I shall dwell in the forest as in my father's house, clasping your very feet, devoted to you alone.

Words: ahaṃ gamiṣyāmi — I shall go; vanaṃ — to the forest; sudurgamaṃ — very hard to traverse; mṛgāyutaṃ — full of deer; vānaravāraṇair yutam — thronged with monkeys and elephants; vane nivatsyāmi — I shall dwell in the forest; yathā pitur gṛhe — as in my father's house; tavaiva pādāv — your very feet; upagṛhya — having clasped; saṃmatā — devoted, agreeable

2.24.18

ananyabhāvām anuraktacetasaṃ tvayā viyuktāṃ maraṇāya niścitām
tvayā viyuktāṃ maraṇāya niścitām
nayasva māṃ sādhu kuruṣva yācanāṃ na te mayāto gurutā bhaviṣyati
na te mayāto gurutā bhaviṣyati

Lead me, whose heart is fixed on none but you and full of love, resolved on death if parted from you; graciously grant my entreaty—through me no burden will ever be yours.

Words: ananyabhāvām — devoted to no other; anuraktacetasaṃ — with loving heart; tvayā viyuktāṃ — separated from you; maraṇāya niścitām — resolved on death; nayasva māṃ — lead me; sādhu kuruṣva — kindly do; yācanāṃ — the entreaty; na te — not to you; mayāto — through me hence; gurutā — heaviness, burden; bhaviṣyati — will be

2.24.19

tathā bruvāṇām api dharmavatsalo na ca sma sītāṃ nṛvaro ninīṣati
na ca sma sītāṃ nṛvaro ninīṣati
uvāca caināṃ bahu saṃnivartane vane nivāsasya ca duḥkhitāṃ prati
vane nivāsasya ca duḥkhitāṃ prati

Though she spoke thus, that best of men, devoted to dharma, did not wish to take Sītā along; and he said much to her, grieved as she was, urging her to turn back and about the hardships of dwelling in the forest.

Words: tathā bruvāṇām api — though speaking thus; dharmavatsalo — devoted to dharma; na ca sma — and did not; sītāṃ — Sītā; nṛvaro — the best of men; ninīṣati — wishes to take, lead; uvāca caināṃ — and he said to her; bahu — much; saṃnivartane — concerning turning back; vane nivāsasya ca — and of dwelling in the forest; duḥkhitāṃ prati — toward the grieved one

← 2.23 Rāma asks Sītā to remain in Ayodhyā · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.25 Rāma describes the hardships of forest life →

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.

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