---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-24"
lang: "en"
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# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24

> तं समीक्ष्य व्यवसितं पितुर्निर्देशपालने।  
> कौसल्या बाष्पसंरुद्धा वचो धर्मिष्ठमब्रवीत्॥ १॥

Perceiving Śrī Rāma resolved on carrying out the command of his father, Kausalyā spoke as follows to her most pious son, her voice choked with tears : (1)

> अदृष्टदुःखो धर्मात्मा सर्वभूतप्रियंवदः।  
> मयि जातो दशरथात् कथमुञ्छेन वर्तयेत्॥ २॥

“Ah! born of me through Daśaratha, how will the pious-minded boy, who has never known sorrow and who speaks kindly to all created beings, live on grains gleaned from a market-place (after the heaps collected there for sale have been disposed of)? (2)

> यस्य भृत्याश्च दासाश्च मृष्टान्यन्नानि भुञ्जते।  
> कथं स भोक्ष्यते रामो वने मूलफलान्ययम्॥ ३॥

“How shall this boy, the same Rāma whose very dependants and servants partake of dainty dishes, eat roots and fruits in the forest? (3)

> क एतच्छ्रद्दधेच्छ्रुत्वा कस्य वा न भवेद् भयम्।  
> गुणवान् दयितो राज्ञः काकुत्स्थो यद् विवास्यते॥ ४॥

“Who will believe this story that Rāma, a scion of Kakutstha, the pet child of the Emperor and rich in excellences, is being exiled? And who will not be alarmed to hear this? (4)

> नूनं तु बलवाँल्लोके कृतान्तः सर्वमादिशन्।  
> लोके रामाभिरामस्त्वं वनं यत्र गमिष्यसि॥ ५॥

Sure enough, in this world, O Rāma, where you, who are so charming, are going to retire to the forest, destiny alone is mighty and rules all. (5)

> अयं तु मामात्मभवस्तवादर्शनमारुतः।  
> विलापदुःखसमिधो रुदिताश्रुहुताहुतिः॥ ६॥  
> चिन्ताबाष्पमहाधूमस्तवागमनचिन्तजः।  
> कर्शयित्वाधिकं पुत्र निःश्वासायाससम्भवः॥ ७॥  
> त्वया विहीनामिह मां शोकाग्निरतुलो महान्।  
> प्रधक्ष्यति यथा कक्ष्यं चित्रभानुर्हिमात्यये॥ ८॥

“Emaciating me to a remarkable degree, my son, this huge and incomparable fire of grief—which has its source in the mind, is fanned by the wind of your impending absence and fed by the firewood of anguish caused by weeping and is nourished by oblations poured in the shape of tears welling up at the time of weeping, nay, which is crowned with voluminous smoke in the form of intensity of thought, which springs up from anxiety concerning your return from exile at the end of fourteen years and which grows in intensity through pumping in the form of respiration—will consume me, bereft of you, here in the same way as a forest fire burns away dry wood and grass etc., at the end of winter. (6—8)

> कथं हि धेनुः स्वं वत्सं गच्छन्तमनुगच्छति।  
> अहं त्वानुगमिष्यामि यत्र वत्स गमिष्यसि॥ ९॥

“It is well known how a milch cow follows its roaming calf. I too shall accordingly follow you whithersoever, my child, you will go.” (9)

> यथा निगदितं मात्रा तद् वाक्यं पुरुषर्षभः।  
> श्रुत्वा रामोऽब्रवीद् वाक्यं मातरं भृशदुःखिताम्॥ १०॥

Duly hearing the aforesaid speech uttered by his mother, Śrī Rāma, a jewel among men, replied as follows to his mother, who was extremely distressed : (10)

> कैकेय्या वञ्चितो राजा मयि चारण्यमाश्रिते।  
> भवत्या च परित्यक्तो न नूनं वर्तयिष्यति॥ ११॥

“Betrayed by Kaikeyī and particularly when I have retired to the forest, the king will surely not survive if he is further deserted by you. (11)

> भर्तुः किल परित्यागो नृशंसः केवलं स्त्रियाः।  
> स भवत्या न कर्तव्यो मनसापि विगर्हितः॥ १२॥

“Moreover, it is sheer cruelty on the part of a woman to desert her husband. That should not be done by you even with the mind; for it is highly deprecated. (12)

> यावज्जीवति काकुत्स्थः पिता मे जगतीपतिः।  
> शुश्रूषा क्रियतां तावत् स हि धर्मः सनातनः॥ १३॥

“So long as my father, Emperor Daśaratha, a scion of Kakutstha, survives, let service be rendered to him by you; for such is the eternal moral code.” (13)

> एवमुक्ता तु रामेण कौसल्या शुभदर्शना।  
> तथेत्युवाच सुप्रीता राममक्लिष्टकारिणम्॥ १४॥

Feeling highly delighted when admonished as aforesaid by Śrī Rāma, Kausalyā of benign aspect, for her part, said “Amen !” to Śrī Rāma, who did things without undergoing any exertion. (14)

> एवमुक्तस्तु वचनं रामो धर्मभृतां वरः।  
> भूयस्तामब्रवीद् वाक्यं मातरं भृशदुःखिताम्॥ १५॥

Addressed in the foregoing words, Śrī Rāma, the foremost among those upholding the cause of righteousness, however, further spoke as follows to his aforesaid mother, who was feeling deeply distressed : (15)

> मया चैव भवत्या च कर्तव्यं वचनं पितुः।  
> राजा भर्ता गुरुः श्रेष्ठः सर्वेषामीश्वरः प्रभुः॥ १६॥

“Father’s command must be carried out by you as well as by me. He is the king, supporter, elder, superior, controller and master of us all. (16)

> इमानि तु महारण्ये विहृत्य नव पञ्च च।  
> वर्षाणि परमप्रीत्या स्थास्यामि वचने तव॥ १७॥

“Having sported in some great forest during the ensuing nine years and five with supreme delight, I shall then continue to be at your beck and call.” (17)

> एवमुक्ता प्रियं पुत्रं बाष्पपूर्णानना तदा।  
> उवाच परमार्ता तु कौसल्या सुतवत्सला॥ १८॥

Spoken to in these words, Kausalyā, for her part, who was full of affection for her son and was extremely miserable, then replied to her beloved son as follows, her face bathed in tears : (18)

> आसां राम सपत्नीनां वस्तुं मध्ये न मे क्षमम्।  
> नय मामपि काकुत्स्थ वनं वन्यां मृगीमिव॥ १९॥  
> यदि ते गमने बुद्धिः कृता पितरपेक्षया।  
> तां तथा रुदतीं रामो रुदन् वचनमब्रवीत्॥ २०॥

“It is not desirable for me, O Rāma, to live in the midst of these co-wives. If you have made up your mind to depart in deference to the wish of your father, pray, take me as well to the forest, O scion of Kakutstha, even as one would take a wild female deer.” Śrī Rāma, however, spoke to his mother, who was weeping as aforesaid : (19-20)

> जीवन्त्या हि स्त्रिया भर्ता दैवतं प्रभुरेव च।  
> भवत्या मम चैवाद्य राजा प्रभवति प्रभुः॥ २१॥

“For a married woman, so long as she is alive, her husband indeed is her deity as well as her lord. The king, our master, holds sway over you as well as over me today. (21)

> न ह्यनाथा वयं राज्ञा लोकनाथेन धीमता।  
> भरतश्चापि धर्मात्मा सर्वभूतप्रियंवदः॥ २२॥  
> भवतीमनुवर्तेत स हि धर्मरतः सदा।  
> यथा मयि तु निष्क्रान्ते पुत्रशोकेन पार्थिवः॥ २३॥  
> श्रमं नावाप्नुयात् किंचिदप्रमत्ता तथा कुरु।  
> दारुणश्चाप्ययं शोको यथैनं न विनाशयेत्॥ २४॥  
> राज्ञो वृद्धस्य सततं हितं चर समाहिता।  
> व्रतोपवासनिरता या नारी परमोत्तमा॥ २५॥  
> भर्तारं नानुवर्तेत सा च पापगतिर्भवेत्।  
> भर्तुः शुश्रूषया नारी लभते स्वर्गमुत्तमम्॥ २६॥  
> अपि या निर्नमस्कारा निवृत्ता देवपूजनात्।  
> शुश्रूषामेव कुर्वीत भर्तुः प्रियहिते रता॥ २७॥  
> एष धर्मः स्त्रिया नित्यो वेदे लोके श्रुतः स्मृतः।  
> अग्निकार्येषु च सदा सुमनोभिश्च देवताः॥ २८॥  
> पूज्यास्ते मत्कृते देवि ब्राह्मणाश्चैव सत्कृताः।  
> एवं कालं प्रतीक्षस्व ममागमनकांक्षिणी॥ २९॥  
> नियता नियताहारा भर्तृशुश्रूषणे रता।  
> प्राप्स्यसे परमं कामं मयि पर्यागते सति॥ ३०॥  
> यदि धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठो धारयिष्यति जीवितम्।  
> एवमुक्ता तु रामेण बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा॥ ३१॥  
> कौसल्या पुत्रशोकार्ता रामं वचनमब्रवीत्।  
> गमने सुकृतां बुद्धिं न ते शक्नोमि पुत्रक॥ ३२॥  
> विनिवर्तयितुं वीर नूनं कालो दुरत्ययः।  
> गच्छ पुत्र त्वमेकाग्रो भद्रं तेऽस्तु सदा विभो॥ ३३॥

“With the wise king continuing as the ruler of the world, surely we are not masterless. And Bharata too is pious-minded, speaks kindly to all created beings and is ever devoted to righteousness. He will undoubtedly serve you. Carefully act in such a way that when I have departed for the woods the king may not suffer agony in the least on account of grief caused by separation from his son, i.e., myself. And, remaining ever vigilant, constantly do good to the aged king, so that this poignant grief may not bring about his extinction. Nay, that woman who, though extremely noble and keenly devoted to sacred observances and fasts, does not serve her husband, is sure to attain the destiny of a sinner. Through service to one’s husband, on the other hand, even that woman who does not offer salutations to anyone other than her husband and is averse to the worship of gods, secures the highest heaven. Intent on doing that which is pleasing and good to her husband, a married woman should, therefore, do service to him alone: this is the lasting duty enjoined on a woman in the Vedas as well as in the Smṛti texts. Nay, while offering oblations to the fire, gods as well as celebrated Brāhmaṇas of noble vows should be worshipped with flowers and other articles for my sake, O godly lady ! Leading a regulated life and partaking of an austere fare, nay, devoted to the service of your husband, bide time as aforesaid, longing for my return from the forest. In this way you will attain the highest object of your desire when I have duly returned from the forest, provided, of course, the Emperor the foremost of those upholding the cause of righteousness retains his life.” Spoken to in these words by Śrī Rāma, however, Kausalyā, who was stricken with grief caused by the thought of the impending separation from her son, spoke as follows to Śrī Rāma, her eyes blinded with tears : “I cannot change your resolution to depart, which has been deliberately made, O dear and heroic son ! Surely destiny is hard to supersede. Therefore, depart you, my son, with an unwavering mind. Let good betide you at all times, O mighty son ! (22—33)

> पुनस्त्वयि निवृत्ते तु भविष्यामि गतक्लमा।  
> प्रत्यागते महाभागे कृतार्थे चरितव्रते।  
> पितुरानृण्यतां प्राप्ते स्वपिष्ये परमं सुखम्॥ ३४॥

“I shall be rid of affliction once more only when you have returned to Ayodhyā. I shall sleep most soundly only when you, my highly blessed son, return having accomplished your object and concluded your vow of leading a forest life for fourteen long years and thereby get square with i.e., cleared the debt of your father. (34)

> कृतान्तस्य गतिः पुत्र दुर्विभाव्या सदा भुवि।  
> यस्त्वां संचोदयति मे वच आविध्य राघव॥ ३५॥

“The course of destiny in this world is always hard to perceive, my son—the destiny which is urging you to depart setting aside my protest, O scion of Raghu ! (35)

> गच्छेदानीं महाबाहो क्षेमेण पुनरागतः।  
> नन्दयिष्यसि मां पुत्र साम्ना श्लक्ष्णेन चारुणा॥ ३६॥

“Depart now, O mighty-armed prince ! When you safely come back, you shall delight me, my son, with delightful and sweet words of consolation. (36)

> अपीदानीं स कालः स्याद् वनात् प्रत्यागतं पुनः।  
> यत् त्वां पुत्रक पश्येयं जटावल्कलधारिणम्॥ ३७॥

“Would that be the time when I see you once more, my dear son, come back from the forest, wearing matted locks and the bark of trees, turned this very moment !” (37)

> तथा हि रामं वनवासनिश्चितं  
> ददर्श देवी परमेण चेतसा।  
> उवाच रामं शुभलक्षणं वचो  
> बभूव च स्वस्त्ययनाभिकांक्षिणी॥ ३८॥

Inasmuch as the pious lady, Kausalyā, perceived with her penetrating mind that Śrī Rāma was resolved to take up his abode in the forest, she spoke benedictory words to him and got inclined to perform rites of averting evil through recitation of sacred texts. (38)

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