Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 21: Rāma asks Kausalyā to remain with Daśaratha · 2.21.2 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.21.1

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 21: Rāma asks Kausalyā to remain with Daśaratha. Kausalyā asks to follow Rāma, he persuades her to remain and care for the grieving Daśaratha

In the sequence: Kausalyā imagines Rāma, raised in comfort, struggling to live on roots and fruit

2.21.1

taṃ samīkṣya tv avahitaṃ pitur nirdeśapālane
kausalyā bāṣpasaṃruddhā vaco dharmiṣṭham abravīt

Observing him intent on carrying out his father's command, Kausalyā, choked with tears, spoke these most righteous words.

Words: taṃ — him; samīkṣya — having observed; tv — but; avahitaṃ — intent, attentive; pitur — of the father; nirdeśapālane — in carrying out the command; kausalyā — Kausalyā; bāṣpasaṃruddhā — choked with tears; vaco — speech; dharmiṣṭham — most righteous; abravīt — spoke

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.