← 2.39.5 · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 39: Sumitrā comforts Kausalyā · 2.39.7 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.39.6

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 39: Sumitrā comforts Kausalyā. She praises Lakṣmaṇa’s service and Sītā’s companionship and assures Kausalyā of Rāma’s return and abhiṣeka

In the sequence: Lakṣmaṇa is faithfully caring for him, and Sītā has freely chosen to share his hardships

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

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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.