Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 29: Sītā Persists in Requesting Him to Take Her to the ForestText 2.29.5
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 29: Sītā Persists in Requesting Him to Take Her to the Forest
Text 2.29.5
त्वया च सह गन्तव्यं मया गुरुजनाज्ञया।
त्वद्वियोगेन मे राम त्यक्तव्यमिह जीवितम्॥
tvayā ca saha gantavyaṁ mayā guru-janājñayā
tvad-viyogena me rāma tyaktavyam iha jīvitam
tvayā ca saha = with You; gantavyam mayā = I should go; guru-jana-ājñayā = on the order of our gurus; tvat-viyogena = separated from You; me = my; rāma = Rāma; tyaktavyam = I will give up; iha = here; jīvitam = life.
On the order of our gurus, I should go with You. Rāma, separated from You, I will give up my life here.
The gurus are His father Daśaratha and mother Kaikeyī. Sītā-devī’s argument is that an instruction for Him is also an instruction for her in accordance with the Śruti statement—ardho vā eṣa ātmano yat patnī: “For one’s wife is half of himself.” (Taittirīya-saṁhitā 6.1.8.5)