← 2.38 Kausalyā imagines Rāma’s return · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.40 The citizens follow to the Tamasā →

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 39: Sumitrā comforts Kausalyā

Summary. She praises Lakṣmaṇa’s service and Sītā’s companionship and assures Kausalyā of Rāma’s return and abhiṣeka

Sequence

  1. Sumitrā reminds Kausalyā that Rāma's departure preserves Daśaratha's truth and reflects his own integrity (2.39.1–3)
  2. Lakṣmaṇa is faithfully caring for him, and Sītā has freely chosen to share his hardships (2.39.4–7)
  3. she pictures the sun, breeze, and moon treating him gently in recognition of his goodness (2.39.8–10)
  4. she recalls that Brahmā gave Rāma divya astras (divine weapons) after the slaying of Timidhvaja's son, and assures Kausalyā that he will be installed with Sītā and royal fortune beside him (2.39.11–12)
  5. she describes the tears of joy Kausalyā will shed when her son returns and bows at her feet → her reassurance brings Kausalyā relief. (2.39.13–16)

Verses 2.39.1–16

2.39.1

vilapantīṃ tathā tāṃ tu kausalyāṃ pramadottamām
idaṃ dharme sthitā dharmyaṃ sumitrā vākyam abravīt

As Kausalyā, that best of women, lamented thus, Sumitrā, established in righteousness, spoke to her this righteous word:

Words: vilapantīṃ — lamenting; tathā — thus, so; tāṃ tu — her; kausalyāṃ — Kausalyā; pramadottamām — best of women; idaṃ — this; dharme — in righteousness; sthitā — established, standing; dharmyaṃ — righteous, lawful; sumitrā — Sumitrā; vākyam — word, speech; abravīt — said

2.39.2

tavārye sadguṇair yuktaḥ putraḥ sa puruṣottamaḥ
kiṃ te vilapitenaivaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ ruditena vā

Noble lady, that son of yours, best of men, is endowed with every good quality; what use to you is this piteous wailing or weeping?

Words: tavārye — O your noble one, noble lady of yours; sadguṇair — with good qualities; yuktaḥ — endowed, joined; putraḥ — son; sa — that; puruṣottamaḥ — the best of men; kiṃ — what (use); te — to you; vilapitenaivaṃ — by such lamenting; kṛpaṇaṃ — piteous, wretched; ruditena — by weeping; vā — or

2.39.3

yas tavārye gataḥ putras tyaktvā rājyaṃ mahābalaḥ
sādhu kurvan mahātmānaṃ pitaraṃ satyavādinām

That mighty son of yours, noble lady, who has gone away renouncing the kingdom, thereby makes good his great-souled, truth-speaking father.

Words: yas — who; tavārye — O your noble one; gataḥ — gone; putras — son; tyaktvā — having renounced; rājyaṃ — kingdom; mahābalaḥ — of great strength; sādhu kurvan — acting rightly, making good; mahātmānaṃ — the great-souled; pitaraṃ — father; satyavādinām — truth-speaking

2.39.4

śiṣṭair ācarite samyak śaśvat pretya phalodaye
rāmo dharme sthitaḥ śreṣṭho na sa śocyaḥ kadā cana

Firmly set in the righteousness rightly practised by the virtuous, ever yielding its fruit in the hereafter, Rāma is the best; he is never to be mourned.

Words: śiṣṭair — by the wise, virtuous; ācarite — practised, followed; samyak — rightly, properly; śaśvat — ever, perpetually; pretya — after death, in the hereafter; phalodaye — yielding its fruit; rāmo — Rāma; dharme — in righteousness; sthitaḥ — established; śreṣṭho — the best; na sa śocyaḥ — he is not to be mourned; kadā cana — ever, at any time

2.39.5

vartate cottamāṃ vṛttiṃ lakṣmaṇo 'smin sadānaghaḥ
dayāvān sarvabhūteṣu lābhas tasya mahātmanaḥ

And the ever-blameless Lakṣmaṇa, compassionate to all beings, keeps up the highest conduct toward him; this is the great-souled one's own gain.

Words: vartate — behaves, keeps up; cottamāṃ — and the highest; vṛttiṃ — conduct, behaviour; lakṣmaṇo — Lakṣmaṇa; 'smin — toward him; sadānaghaḥ — ever blameless; dayāvān — compassionate; sarvabhūteṣu — toward all beings; lābhas — gain, advantage; tasya — of him, his; mahātmanaḥ — of the great-souled one

2.39.6

araṇyavāse yad duḥkhaṃ jānatī vai sukhocitā
anugacchati vaidehī dharmātmānaṃ tavātmajam

Well aware of the hardship of forest life, though accustomed to comfort, Vaidehī yet follows your righteous son.

Words: araṇyavāse — in dwelling in the forest; yad — which, what; duḥkhaṃ — hardship, sorrow; jānatī — knowing; vai — indeed; sukhocitā — accustomed to comfort; anugacchati — follows; vaidehī — Vaidehī (Sītā); dharmātmānaṃ — the righteous-souled; tavātmajam — your son

2.39.7

kīrtibhūtāṃ patākāṃ yo loke bhrāmayati prabhuḥ
damasatyavrataparaḥ kiṃ na prāptas tavātmajaḥ

The lord who waves aloft in the world a banner that is his very fame, devoted to self-restraint and to the vow of truth — what has your son not attained?

Words: kīrtibhūtāṃ — that has become his fame; patākāṃ — banner, flag; yo — who; loke — in the world; bhrāmayati — causes to wave, whirls about; prabhuḥ — the lord, master; damasatyavrataparaḥ — intent on restraint and the vow of truth; kiṃ na prāptas — what has he not attained; tavātmajaḥ — your son

2.39.8

vyaktaṃ rāmasya vijñāya śaucaṃ māhātmyam uttamam
na gātram aṃśubhiḥ sūryaḥ saṃtāpayitum arhati

Plainly recognizing Rāma's purity and supreme greatness of soul, the sun will not presume to scorch his body with its rays.

Words: vyaktaṃ — clearly, plainly; rāmasya — of Rāma; vijñāya — having recognized; śaucaṃ — purity; māhātmyam — greatness of soul; uttamam — supreme, highest; na gātram — not the body; aṃśubhiḥ — with rays; sūryaḥ — the sun; saṃtāpayitum — to scorch, torment; arhati — is fit, will presume

2.39.9

śivaḥ sarveṣu kāleṣu kānanebhyo viniḥsṛtaḥ
rāghavaṃ yuktaśītoṣṇaḥ seviṣyati sukho 'nilaḥ

A kindly, pleasant breeze, issuing from the woods at all seasons, its warmth and coolness duly tempered, will wait upon Rāghava.

Words: śivaḥ — auspicious, kindly; sarveṣu — in all; kāleṣu — seasons, times; kānanebhyo — from the forests; viniḥsṛtaḥ — issued forth, come out; rāghavaṃ — Rāghava; yuktaśītoṣṇaḥ — with cool and heat duly balanced; seviṣyati — will serve, attend upon; sukho — pleasant; 'nilaḥ — the wind, breeze

2.39.10

śayānam anaghaṃ rātrau pitevābhipariṣvajan
raśmibhiḥ saṃspṛśañ śītaiś candramā hlādayiṣyati

As the blameless one lies asleep at night, the moon, embracing him like a father and touching him with its cool rays, will gladden him.

Words: śayānam — lying asleep; anaghaṃ — the blameless one; rātrau — at night; pitevābhipariṣvajan — embracing like a father; raśmibhiḥ — with its rays; saṃspṛśañ — touching; śītaiś — cool; candramā — the moon; hlādayiṣyati — will gladden, refresh

2.39.11

dadau cāstrāṇi divyāni yasmai brahmā mahaujase
dānavendraṃ hataṃ dṛṣṭvā timidhvajasutaṃ raṇe

To him, the greatly vigorous one, Brahmā gave celestial weapons, on beholding the lord of the Dānavas, the son of Timidhvaja, slain in battle.

Words: dadau — gave; cāstrāṇi — and weapons; divyāni — celestial, divine; yasmai — to whom; brahmā — Brahmā; mahaujase — to the greatly vigorous one; dānavendraṃ — the lord of the Dānavas; hataṃ — slain; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; timidhvajasutaṃ — the son of Timidhvaja; raṇe — in battle

2.39.12

pṛthivyā saha vaidehyā śriyā ca puruṣarṣabhaḥ
kṣipraṃ tisṛbhir etābhiḥ saha rāmo 'bhiṣekṣyate

That bull among men, Rāma, will soon be consecrated together with these three — the earth, Vaidehī, and Royal Fortune.

Words: pṛthivyā — with the earth; saha — together with; vaidehyā — with Vaidehī; śriyā — with Śrī (Fortune, royal splendour); ca — and; puruṣarṣabhaḥ — the bull among men; kṣipraṃ — soon, quickly; tisṛbhir — by/with the three; etābhiḥ — with these; saha — together with; rāmo — Rāma; 'bhiṣekṣyate — will be consecrated, anointed

2.39.13

duḥkhajaṃ visṛjanty asraṃ niṣkrāmantam udīkṣya yam
samutsrakṣyasi netrābhyāṃ kṣipram ānandajaṃ payaḥ

Shedding tears born of sorrow as you watched him depart, you will soon, seeing him again, pour from your eyes tears born of joy instead.

Words: duḥkhajaṃ — born of grief; visṛjanty — shedding, releasing; asraṃ — tear, tears; niṣkrāmantam — departing, going out; udīkṣya — having watched, gazed after; yam — whom; samutsrakṣyasi — you will pour forth; netrābhyāṃ — from the two eyes; kṣipram — soon, quickly; ānandajaṃ — born of joy; payaḥ — water, tears

2.39.14

abhivādayamānaṃ taṃ dṛṣṭvā sasuhṛdaṃ sutam
mudāśru mokṣyase kṣipraṃ meghalekeva vārṣikī

Seeing your son with his companions bowing before you, you will soon shed tears of gladness, like a line of rain-clouds in the wet season.

Words: abhivādayamānaṃ — saluting, paying homage; taṃ — that; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; sasuhṛdaṃ — with his friends; sutam — son; mudāśru — tears of joy; mokṣyase — you will release, shed; kṣipraṃ — soon; meghalekeva — like a streak of cloud; vārṣikī — of the rainy season

2.39.15

putras te varadaḥ kṣipram ayodhyāṃ punar āgataḥ
karābhyāṃ mṛdupīnābhyāṃ caraṇau pīḍayiṣyati

Your boon-granting son, soon returned again to Ayodhyā, will press your feet with his soft, plump hands.

Words: putras — son; te — your; varadaḥ — boon-granting; kṣipram — soon; ayodhyāṃ — to Ayodhyā; punar — again; āgataḥ — come, returned; karābhyāṃ — with his two hands; mṛdupīnābhyāṃ — soft and plump; caraṇau — the two feet; pīḍayiṣyati — will press, clasp

2.39.16

niśamya tal lakṣmaṇamātṛvākyaṃ rāmasya mātur naradevapatnyāḥ
sadyaḥ śarīre vinanāśa śokaḥ śaradgato megha ivālpatoyaḥ

Hearing that word of Lakṣmaṇa's mother, the grief in the body of Rāma's mother, the wife of the god-among-men, at once vanished, like an autumn cloud with little water.

Words: niśamya — having heard; tal — that; lakṣmaṇamātṛvākyaṃ — the word of Lakṣmaṇa's mother; rāmasya — of Rāma; mātur — of the mother; naradevapatnyāḥ — of the wife of the king (god among men); sadyaḥ — at once, immediately; śarīre — in the body; vinanāśa — perished, vanished; śokaḥ — grief; śaradgato — gone to autumn, autumnal; megha — a cloud; ivālpatoyaḥ — like one with little water

← 2.38 Kausalyā imagines Rāma’s return · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.40 The citizens follow to the Tamasā →

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.

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