# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 52 — Sumantra reports the farewells

*Rāma asks Bharata to care for the family, Lakṣmaṇa condemns the banishment and Sītā stands silently in tears*

Portion: Sumantra’s return and the parents’ grief · Verses: 26 · Ref format: 2.52.<verse>

## Sequence

- After reviving, Daśaratha asks Sumantra how the travelers will eat, sleep, and survive in the forest (52.1–7)
- he asks what each of them said at their parting (52.8–9)
- Sumantra conveys Rāma's respectful greetings to his father and the Queens, and his request that Kausalyā care for Daśaratha (52.10–14)
- he adds Rāma's appeal for Bharata to honor all the mothers and their father, noting that Rāma himself was weeping as he spoke (52.15–17)
- he then reports Lakṣmaṇa's angry questions: what offense justified the banishment, and how could the King expect the people's affection after treating Rāma this way? → Lakṣmaṇa said he now regarded Rāma as his father and protector (52.18–22)
- Sumantra says Sītā spoke no word to him; she stood in tears, looking toward her husband and then the chariot (52.23–26).

## Verses

**2.52.1**  
pratyāśvasto yadā rājā mohāt pratyāgataḥ punaḥ  
athājuhāva taṃ sūtaṃ rāmavṛttāntakāraṇāt  
When the king had regained his breath and come back once more from his swoon, he summoned that charioteer to learn the tidings of Rāma.

**2.52.2**  
vṛddhaṃ paramasaṃtaptaṃ navagraham iva dvipam  
viniḥśvasantaṃ dhyāyantam asvastham iva kuñjaram  
(He summoned the charioteer,) aged and sorely tormented, like a newly captured elephant, sighing deeply and brooding, like an elephant that is unwell.

**2.52.3**  
rājā tu rajasā sūtaṃ dhvastāṅgaṃ samupasthitam  
aśru pūrṇamukhaṃ dīnam uvāca paramārtavat  
To the charioteer who had come, his limbs grimed with dust, his face full of tears, and wretched, the king spoke, himself in the utmost anguish:

**2.52.4**  
kva nu vatsyati dharmātmā vṛkṣamūlam upāśritaḥ  
so 'tyantasukhitaḥ sūta kim aśiṣyati rāghavaḥ  
bhūmipālātmajo bhūmau śete katham anāthavat  
'Where will the righteous one dwell, sheltering at the foot of a tree? That Rāghava, so utterly used to comfort—what, charioteer, will he eat? How does the son of the earth's guardian lie upon the bare ground like one forlorn?'

**2.52.5**  
yaṃ yāntam anuyānti sma padāti rathakuñjarāḥ  
sa vatsyati kathaṃ rāmo vijanaṃ vanam āśritaḥ  
'He whom, as he went, foot-soldiers, chariots, and elephants used to follow—how will that Rāma dwell, taking to a lonely forest?'

**2.52.6**  
vyālair mṛgair ācaritaṃ kṛṣṇasarpaniṣevitam  
kathaṃ kumārau vaidehyā sārdhaṃ vanam upasthitau  
'Ranged by beasts of prey and wild animals, haunted by black serpents—how have the two princes, together with Vaidehī, come to such a forest?'

**2.52.7**  
sukumāryā tapasvinyā sumantra saha sītayā  
rājaputrau kathaṃ pādair avaruhya rathād gatau  
'How, Sumantra, did the two princes, together with tender, hapless Sītā, descend from the chariot and go on foot?'

**2.52.8**  
siddhārthaḥ khalu sūta tvaṃ yena dṛṣṭau mamātmajau  
vanāntaṃ praviśantau tāv aśvināv iva mandaram  
'Your purpose is surely fulfilled, charioteer, in that you saw my two sons entering the forest's edge, like the two Aśvins entering Mandara.'

**2.52.9**  
kim uvāca vaco rāmaḥ kim uvāca ca lakṣmaṇaḥ  
sumantra vanam āsādya kim uvāca ca maithilī  
āsitaṃ śayitaṃ bhuktaṃ sūta rāmasya kīrtaya  
'What word did Rāma speak, and what did Lakṣmaṇa say, and, Sumantra, once she reached the forest, what did the Maithilī say? Tell me, charioteer, of Rāma's sitting, his lying down, and his eating.'

**2.52.10**  
iti sūto narendreṇa coditaḥ sajjamānayā  
uvāca vācā rājānaṃ sabāṣpaparirabdhayā  
Thus urged on by the king, the charioteer answered the king in a voice that faltered and was choked with tears.

**2.52.11**  
abravīn māṃ mahārāja dharmam evānupālayan  
añjaliṃ rāghavaḥ kṛtvā śirasābhipraṇamya ca  
'Upholding dharma, O great king, Rāghava, having made an añjali and bowed his head, said to me:'

**2.52.12**  
sūta madvacanāt tasya tātasya viditātmanaḥ  
śirasā vandanīyasya vandyau pādau mahātmanaḥ  
'Charioteer, in my name the two feet of that father of mine—the wise-souled, great-souled one, worthy to be revered with the head—are to be worshipped.'

**2.52.13**  
sarvam antaḥpuraṃ vācyaṃ sūta mad vacanāt tvayā  
ārogyam aviśeṣeṇa yathārhaṃ cābhivādanam  
'The whole harem, charioteer, is to be addressed by you in my name: (wish them all) health without distinction, and salutation each as is due.'

**2.52.14**  
mātā ca mama kausalyā kuśalaṃ cābhivādanam  
devi devasya pādau ca devavat paripālaya  
'And to my mother Kausalyā, wishes for her well-being and salutation, and (this word): "Lady, tend the feet of the king as you would a god's."'

**2.52.15**  
bharataḥ kuśalaṃ vācyo vācyo madvacanena ca  
sarvāsv eva yathānyāyaṃ vṛttiṃ vartasva mātṛṣu  
'Bharata is to be greeted with wishes for his welfare and told in my name: "Toward all the mothers alike conduct yourself justly."'

**2.52.16**  
vaktavyaś ca mahābāhur ikṣvākukulanandanaḥ  
pitaraṃ yauvarājyastho rājyastham anupālaya  
'And the mighty-armed delight of the Ikṣvāku line is to be told: "Set up as heir-apparent, cherish your father, seated on the throne."'

**2.52.17**  
ity evaṃ māṃ mahārāja bruvann eva mahāyaśāḥ  
rāmo rājīvatāmrākṣo bhṛśam aśrūṇy avartayat  
Even as he spoke thus to me, O great king, the greatly glorious Rāma, whose eyes were coppery-red like lotuses, shed abundant tears.

**2.52.18**  
lakṣmaṇas tu susaṃkruddho niḥśvasan vākyam abravīt  
kenāyam aparādhena rājaputro vivāsitaḥ  
But Lakṣmaṇa, greatly enraged, said with a sigh: 'For what offense has the prince been banished?'

**2.52.19**  
yadi pravrājito rāmo lobhakāraṇakāritam  
varadānanimittaṃ vā sarvathā duṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam  
rāmasya tu parityāge na hetum upalakṣaye  
'If Rāma has been sent into exile, it was done from motives of greed, or on account of the granting of boons—in any case an evil deed has been done; yet in the abandonment of Rāma I can perceive no reason.'

**2.52.20**  
asamīkṣya samārabdhaṃ viruddhaṃ buddhilāghavāt  
janayiṣyati saṃkrośaṃ rāghavasya vivāsanam  
'Undertaken without reflection, contrary to right, out of levity of judgment—the banishment of Rāghava will provoke an outcry.'

**2.52.21**  
ahaṃ tāvan mahārāje pitṛtvaṃ nopalakṣaye  
bhrātā bhartā ca bandhuś ca pitā ca mama rāghavaḥ  
'For my part, I no longer recognize any fatherhood in the great king; to me Rāghava is brother, master, kinsman, and father.'

**2.52.22**  
sarvalokapriyaṃ tyaktvā sarvalokahite ratam  
sarvaloko 'nurajyeta kathaṃ tvānena karmaṇā  
'Having cast off one dear to all the world and devoted to the welfare of all the world—how could the whole world hold you dear for this deed?'

**2.52.23**  
jānakī tu mahārāja niḥśvasantī tapasvinī  
bhūtopahatacitteva viṣṭhitā vṛṣmṛtā sthitā  
But Jānakī, O great king, poor lady, sighing, stood transfixed, as though her mind were possessed by a spirit, dazed and forgetful of herself.

**2.52.24**  
adṛṣṭapūrvavyasanā rājaputrī yaśasvinī  
tena duḥkhena rudatī naiva māṃ kiṃ cid abravīt  
The illustrious princess, who had never before known misfortune, weeping with that grief, did not say a single word to me.

**2.52.25**  
udvīkṣamāṇā bhartāraṃ mukhena pariśuṣyatā  
mumoca sahasā bāṣpaṃ māṃ prayāntam udīkṣya sā  
Gazing up at her husband, her face growing parched, she, on seeing me depart, suddenly burst into tears.

**2.52.26**  
tathaiva rāmo 'śrumukhaḥ kṛtāñjaliḥ sthito 'bhaval lakṣmaṇabāhupālitaḥ  
tathaiva sītā rudatī tapasvinī nirīkṣate rājarathaṃ tathaiva mām  
Even so Rāma, his face wet with tears, his palms joined, stood there guarded by Lakṣmaṇa's arm; and even so poor weeping Sītā gazed after the royal chariot, and after me too.