Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 29: Sītā Persists in Requesting Him to Take Her to the ForestText 2.29.10
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 29: Sītā Persists in Requesting Him to Take Her to the Forest
Text 2.29.10
आदेशो वनवासस्य प्राप्तव्यः स मया किल।
सा त्वया सह तत्राहं यास्यामि प्रिय नान्यथा।।
ādeśo vana-vāsasya prāptavyaḥ sa mayā kila
sā tvayā saha tatrāhaṁ yāsyāmi priya nānyathā
ādeśaḥ = this fate as prophesized by them; vana-vāsasya = of loving in the forest; prāptavyaḥ = supposed to receive; saḥ = this; mayā kila = I was actually; sā1 tvayā saha = with You; tatra = to the forest; aham = I; yāsyāmi = will go; priya = dear Rāma; na anyathā = not by myself.
I was actually supposed to receive this fate of living in the forest as prophesized by them. Dear Rāma, I will go to the forest with You, not by myself.
1 Technical note: sā aham.
Sītā-devī implies that one’s fate cannot be changed.