# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 39 — Sumitrā comforts Kausalyā *She praises Lakṣmaṇa’s service and Sītā’s companionship and assures Kausalyā of Rāma’s return and abhiṣeka* Portion: Departure and mourning in Ayodhyā · Verses: 16 · Ref format: 2.39. ## Sequence - Sumitrā reminds Kausalyā that Rāma's departure preserves Daśaratha's truth and reflects his own integrity (39.1–3) - Lakṣmaṇa is faithfully caring for him, and Sītā has freely chosen to share his hardships (39.4–7) - she pictures the sun, breeze, and moon treating him gently in recognition of his goodness (39.8–10) - 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 (39.11–12) - she describes the tears of joy Kausalyā will shed when her son returns and bows at her feet → her reassurance brings Kausalyā relief (39.13–16). ## Verses **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: **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? **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. **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. **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. **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. **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? **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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. **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.