Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 30: Rāma Allows Sītā to Follow Him to the Forest
Text 2.30.38
स मा पिता यथा शास्ति सत्यधर्मपथे स्थितः।
तथा वर्तितुमिच्छामि स हि धर्मः सनातनः॥
sa mā pitā yathā śāsti satya-dharma-pathe sthitaḥ
tathā vartitum icchāmi sa hi dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ
saḥ1 mā = Me; pitā = My father; yathā = the way; śāsti = governs; satya-dharma-pathe = on the path of truthfulness and dharma; sthitaḥ = who is situated; tathā vartitum = to act; icchāmi = I desire; saḥ = that; hi = for; dharmaḥ = dharma; sanātanaḥ = is the eternal.
I desire to act the way My father, who is situated on the path of truthfulness and dharma, governs Me, for that is the eternal dharma.
1 Technical note: saḥ pitā.
Saḥ indicates that according to Lord Rāma, His father has the independence to govern Him [the way he wants].