--- title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 44" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-44" lang: "en" --- # Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 44 > विलपन्तीं तथा तां तु कौसल्यां प्रमदोत्तमाम्। > इदं धर्मे स्थिता धर्म्यं सुमित्रा वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ १॥ Sumitrā, who was devoted to righteousness, addressed for her part the following words, which were in consonance with the spirit of righteousness, to the celebrated Kausalyā, the foremost of women, who had been wailing as aforesaid : (1) > तवार्ये सद्गुणैर्युक्तः स पुत्रः पुरुषोत्तमः। > किं ते विलपितेनैवं कृपणं रुदितेन वा॥ २॥ “That son of yours, O noble lady, is adorned with excellent virtues and is the foremost among men. What purpose will be served by your wailing in this way or by weeping piteously? (2) > यस्तवार्ये गतः पुत्रस्त्यक्त्वा राज्यं महाबलः। > साधु कुर्वन् महात्मानं पितरं सत्यवादिनम्॥ ३॥ > शिष्टैराचरिते सम्यक्शश्वत् प्रेत्य फलोदये। > रामो धर्मे स्थितः श्रेष्ठो न स शोच्यः कदाचन॥ ४॥ “Your noblest son, Rāma, who is possessed of great strength, O noble lady, and who, having renounced the throne, has proceeded to the forest, thereby proving his high-souled father to be perfectly truthful, is devoted to the path of virtue, which has been eternally and duly followed by the cultured and which brings its reward in the other world. As such he never deserves to be pitied. (3-4) > वर्तते चोत्तमां वृत्तिं लक्ष्मणोऽस्मिन् सदानघः। > दयावान् सर्वभूतेषु लाभस्तस्य महात्मनः॥ ५॥ “The sinless Lakṣmaṇa, who is full of compassion to all created beings, always renders the best form of service to Rāma. Thus there is gain alone to that high-souled prince. (5) > अरण्यवासे यद् दुःखं जानन्त्येव सुखोचिता। > अनुगच्छति वैदेही धर्मात्मानं तवात्मजम्॥ ६॥ “The daughter of the ruler of the Videhas too, who is worthy of all comfort, is following your pious-minded son, even though aware of the suffering attendant upon forest life. (6) > कीर्तिभूतां पताकां यो लोके भ्रमयति प्रभुः। > धर्मः सत्यव्रतपरः किं न प्राप्तस्तवात्मजः॥ ७॥ “What blessing has not been secured by your powerful son, who is all virtue and is pledged to the vow of truthfulness, and the banner of whose fame flutters throughout the world? (7) > व्यक्तं रामस्य विज्ञाय शौचं माहात्म्यमुत्तमम्। > न गात्रमंशुभिः सूर्यः संतापयितुमर्हति॥ ८॥ “Fully aware of the purity, which is so well-known, as well as of the great magnanimity of Rāma, the sun ought not to scorch his person by its rays. (8) > शिवः सर्वेषु कालेषु काननेभ्यो विनिःसृतः। > राघवं युक्तशीतोष्णः सेविष्यति सुखोऽनिलः॥ ९॥ “A favourable and delightful breeze of moderate heat and cold, blowing from the woods at all times, will render service to Rāma. (9) > शयानमनघं रात्रौ पितेवाभिपरिष्वजन्। > घर्मघ्नः संस्पृशन् शीतश्चन्द्रमा ह्लादयिष्यति॥ १०॥ “Gently stroking him with its rays when he is reposing at night, and hugging him like a father, and driving away the heat of the day, the cool moon will exhilarate the sinless Rāma. (10) > ददौ चास्त्राणि दिव्यानि यस्मै ब्रह्मा महौजसे। > दानवेन्द्रं हतं दृष्ट्वा तिमिध्वजसुतं रणे॥ ११॥ > स शूरः पुरुषव्याघ्रः स्वबाहुबलमाश्रितः। > असंत्रस्तो ह्यरण्येऽसौ वेश्मनीव निवत्स्यते॥ १२॥ “Relying solely on the might of his arms, that heroic prince, a veritable tiger among men—on whom, endowed with great strength, Sage Viśwāmitra, a Brāhmaṇa who vied with Brahmā in creating a world of his own, bestowed celestial missiles on seeing the demon Subāhu, son of Śambara, whose banner bore the device of a large fish, the chief of demons, killed on the battlefield by Rāma—will surely dwell undaunted in the forest as in his own palace. (11-12) > यस्येषुपथमासाद्य विनाशं यान्ति शत्रवः। > कथं न पृथिवी तस्य शासने स्थातुमर्हति॥ १३॥ “How can the earth fail to obey the command of Rāma, to whose shafts the enemies fall an easy prey? (13) > या श्रीः शौर्यं च रामस्य या च कल्याणसत्त्वता। > निवृत्तारण्यवासः स्वं क्षिप्रं राज्यमवाप्स्यति॥ १४॥ “The splendour that invests Śrī Rāma, the valour that is natural to him and the beneficent strength that resides in him, lead one to believe that when the term of his exile in the forest has concluded, he will speedily regain his throne. (14) > सूर्यस्यापि भवेत् सूर्यो ह्यग्नेरग्निः प्रभोः प्रभुः। > श्रियाः श्रीश्च भवेदग्र्या कीर्त्याः कीर्तिः क्षमाक्षमा॥ १५॥ “Indeed he is the illuminator of the sun, which illumines the whole universe, the fire, revealer of fire, the ruler of rules, the foremost splendour of splendour, the glory, essence of glory and the forbearance, the sustaining power of forbearance. (15) > दैवतं देवतानां च भूतानां भूतसत्तमः। > तस्य के ह्यगुणा देवि वने वाप्यथवा पुरे॥ १६॥ “Nay, he is the god, adored of gods, the foremost being of all beings. Indeed what handicaps can there be for him in the forest or in Ayodhyā, O queen? (16) > पृथिव्या सह वैदेह्या श्रिया च पुरुषर्षभः। > क्षिप्रं तिसृभिरेताभिः सह रामोऽभिषेक्ष्यते॥ १७॥ “Assuredly the aforesaid Rāma, a jewel among men, will soon be installed on the throne alongwith the following three, viz, Mother Earth (a Consort of Lord Viṣṇu), Sītā (a princess of the Videha kingdom) and Śrī (the Goddess of Fortune, another Consort of Lord Viṣṇu, whom Rāma represents). (17) > दुःखजं विसृजत्यश्रु निष्क्रामन्तमुदीक्ष्य यम्। > अयोध्यायां जनः सर्वः शोकवेगसमाहतः॥ १८॥ “Perceiving him departing (from Ayodhyā), all the people in Ayodhyā shed tears of agony, smitten as they were with an upsurge of grief. (18) > कुशचीरधरं वीरं गच्छन्तमपराजितम्। > सीतेवानुगता लक्ष्मीस्तस्य किं नाम दुर्लभम्॥ १९॥ “Nay, Sītā, who is a compeer of Lakṣmī, followed the invincible hero even as he departed for the forest clad in a garment of the sacred Kuśa grass. Indeed what can be difficult to obtain for him? (19) > धनुर्ग्रहवरो यस्य बाणखड्गास्त्रभृत् स्वयम्। > लक्ष्मणो व्रजति ह्यग्रे तस्य किं नाम दुर्लभम्॥ २०॥ “In fact, what can be hard to obtain for him ahead of home indeed walks Lakṣmaṇa himself, the foremost of bowmen, wielding a sword, arrows and other missiles? (20) > निवृत्तवनवासं तं द्रष्टासि पुनरागतम्। > जहि शोकं च मोहं च देवि सत्यं ब्रवीमि ते॥ २१॥ “O queen, I tell you the truth: you will be able to see Rāma come back (to Ayodhyā) on having concluded the term of his exile in the forest. Pray, abandon grief and infatuation. (21) > शिरसा चरणावेतौ वन्दमानमनिन्दिते। > पुनर्द्रक्ष्यसि कल्याणि पुत्रं चन्द्रमिवोदितम्॥ २२॥ “You will again see your son—as one sees the rising moon, saluting these feet of yours with his head bent low, O blessed and irreproachable lady ! (22) > पुनः प्रविष्टं दृष्ट्वा तमभिषिक्तं महाश्रियम्। > समुत्स्रक्ष्यसि नेत्राभ्यां शीघ्रमानन्दजं जलम्॥ २३॥ “Seeing him returned to the palace and installed on the throne and invested with extraordinary splendour, you will soon begin to shed tears of joy in profusion. (23) > मा शोको देवि दुःखं वा न रामे दृष्यतेऽशिवम्। > क्षिप्रं द्रक्ष्यसि पुत्रं त्वं ससीतं सहलक्ष्मणम्॥ २४॥ “Let there be no grief or sorrow with regard to Rāma, O queen; for no ill-luck is seen in Rāma. Nay, you will soon behold your son accompanied by Sītā and by Lakṣmaṇa. (24) > त्वयाऽशेषो जनश्चायं समाश्वास्यो यतोऽनघे। > किमिदानीमिदं देवि करोषि हृदि विक्लवम्॥ २५॥ “Since all these people stricken with agony caused by separation from Rāma too deserve to be comforted by you, O sinless one, why do you harbour such grief in your heart at this moment, O godly lady? (25) > नार्हा त्वं शोचितुं देवि यस्यास्ते राघवः सुतः। > नहि रामात् परो लोके विद्यते सत्पथे स्थितः॥ २६॥ “You, O queen, whose son is Rāma, a scion of Raghu, ought not to grieve; for none is more devoted to the right path in the world than Rāma. (26) > अभिवादयमानं तं दृष्ट्वा ससुहृदं सुतम्। > मुदाश्रु मोक्ष्यसे क्षिप्रं मेघरेखेव वार्षिकी॥ २७॥ “Seeing your aforesaid son greeting you with his friends, you will at once begin to shed tears through joy in the same way as a mass of monsoon clouds would pour rain. (27) > पुत्रस्ते वरदः क्षिप्रमयोध्यां पुनरागतः। > कराभ्यां मृदुपीनाभ्यां चरणौ पीडयिष्यति॥ २८॥ “Returned soon to Ayodhyā, your son, who is capable of bestowing boons, will press your feet with his tender and fleshy hands. (28) > अभिवाद्य नमस्यन्तं शूरं ससुहृदं सुतम्। > मुदास्रैः प्रोक्षसे पुत्रं मेघराजिरिवाचलम्॥ २९॥ “Seeing your valiant son saluting you with his friends after accosting you with reverence, you will bathe him in tears shed through joy even as a mass of clouds would drench a mountain.” (29) > आश्वासयन्ती विविधैश्च वाक्यै- > र्वाक्योपचारे कुशलानवद्या। > रामस्य तां मातरमेवमुक्त्वा > देवी सुमित्रा विरराम रामा॥ ३०॥ Having spoken to Śrī Rāma’s celebrated mother as aforesaid, the charming and faultless Queen Sumitrā, who was a pastmaster in eloquence and was busy consoling her through various modes of expression, became silent. (30) > निशम्य तल्लक्ष्मणमातृवाक्यं > रामस्य मातुर्नरदेवपत्न्याः। > सद्यः शरीरे विननाश शोकः > शरद्गतो मेघ इवाल्पतोयः॥ ३१॥ On hearing that speech of Sumitrā, Lakṣmaṇa’s mother, the grief that had emaciated the body of Queen Kausalyā, the mother of Śrī Rāma, quickly disappeared like an autumnal cloud containing meagre water. (31) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.