“Om Sri Lakshmi Narashimhan Nahama”
Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 44
Sumitra Assuages Kausalya’s Grief
Summary
Establishing the greatness of Rama, Sumitra of gracious speech, assuages Kausalya’s grief.
Chapter [Sarga] 44 in Detail
vilapantiim tathaa taam tu kausalyaam pramada uttamaam |
idam dharme sthitaa dharmyam sumitraa vaakyam abraviit || 2-44-1
Sumitra, who was devoted to righteousness spoke the following words, which were virtuous, to the celebrated Kausalya, the foremost among women, who had been wailing as aforesaid
tava aarye sad gunaih yuktah putrah sa purusa uttamah |
kim te vilapitena evam kripanam ruditena vaa || 2-44-2
“That son of yours, oh the venerable one, is endowed with excellent virtues and is the foremost among men. What is the use in your lamenting in this way or in weeping piteously?”
yah tava aarye gatah putrah tyaktvaa raajyam mahaa balah |
saadhu kurvan mahaatmaanam pitaram satya vaadinaam || 2-44-3
shistaih aacarite samyak shashvat pretya phala udaye |
raamah dharme sthitah shrestho na sa shocyah kadaacana || 2-44-4
“Oh, noble lady! Your son is having mighty strength. He proved his high- soled father perfectly truthful by renouncing his throne. He stood firmly in righteousness, which is always practiced perfectly by disciples and which gives fruits even after death. That Rama, the most excellent man, never deserves to be lamented.”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 44 vartate ca uttamaam vrittim laksmano asmin sadaa anaghah |
dayaavaan sarva bhuutesu laabhah tasya mahaatmanah || 2-44-5
“Lakshmana, the faultless man and the compassionate man towards all beings, always renders the best form of service to Rama. His conduct is beneficial to the high-soled Rama.”
aranya vaase yad duhkham jaanatii vai sukha ucitaa |
anugacchati vaidehii dharma aatmaanam tava aatmajam || 2-44-6
Sita, who was habituated to comforts, even after knowing the pain whatsoever, is accompanying your virtuous- soled son.”
kiirti bhuutaam pataakaam yo loke bhraamayati prabhuh |
dama satya vrata parah kim na praaptah tava aatmajah || 2-44-7
“What has not been secured by your capable son, who is rich in virtue and is engrossed in the vow of truthfulness, and the banner of whose fame flutters though out the world?”
vyaktam raamasya vijnaaya shaucam maahaatmyam uttamam |
na gaatram amshubhih suuryah samtaapayitum arhati || 2-44-8
“Having known the purity and magnanimity of Rama , the sun assuredly will not be able to torment Rama’s body with his rays.“
shivah sarvesu kaalesu kaananebhyo vinihsritah |
raaghavam yukta shiita usnah sevisyati sukho anilah || 2-44-9
“Auspicious and delightful breeze of moderate heat and cold, blowing from woods at all times , will render service to Rama”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 44 shayaanam anagham raatrau pitaa iva abhiparisvajan |
rashmibhih samsprishan shiitaih candramaa hlaadayisyati || 2-44-10
“Gently touching with its cool rays when he is reposing at night and embracing him like a father, the moon will refresh Rama”
dadau ca astraani divyaani yasmai brahmaa mahaa ojase |
daanava indram hatam dristvaa timi dhvaja sutam rane || 2-44-11
sa shuurah purushhavyaaghrah svabaahubalamaashritah |
asantrasto.a pyaranyastho veshmaniiva nivatsyati || 2-44-12
“Formerly, when Rama killed Subaahu the son of Sambarasura the chief of demons, Brahma being delighted , gave celestial weapons to Rama, the man with great splendor. Rama the hero and the tiger among men, relying on the strength of his own arms, will dwell fearlessly in the forest as if in his own palace”
yasyeshhupadamaasaadya vinaasham yaanti shatravah |
katham na prthivii tasya shaasane sthaatumarhati || 2-44-13
“How can earth cannot be under the command of Rama, to whose aim of arrows, the enemies fall an easy prey?”
yaa shriihshauryam cha raamasya yaa cha kalyaanasatvataa |
nivrittaaranyavaasah svam kshipram raajyamavaapsyati || 2-44-14
“The splendor endowed with Rama, the valor that is in him and the beneficent strength that resides in him lead one to believe that when he completes the term of his exile in the forest, he will speedily regain his kingdom.”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 44 suuryasyaapi bhavetsuuryohyagneragnih prabhoh prabhoh |
shriyashcha shriirbhavedagryaa kiirtyaah kshamaakshamaa || 2-44-15
daivatam daivataanaam cha bhuutaanaam bhuutasattamah |
tasya kehyagunaa devi vane vaa pyathavaa pure || 2-44-16
“Oh, Kausalya! Rama is the illuminator of even the sun, fire of fire, the ruler of rules, the splendor of splendor, the foremost glory of glory, the forbearance of forbearance, the god of gods and the foremost being of all the beings. Indeed, what handicaps are there for him in the forest or in Ayodhya?”
prithivyaa saha vaidehyaa shriyaa ca purusa risabhah |
ksipram tisribhir etaabhih saha raamah abhiseksyate || 2-44-17
“Rama the best among men will be installed on the throne soon along with the Mother Earth (the consort of lord Vishnu), Sita the princess of Videha kingdom and Lakshmi (the goddess of fortune another consort of Vishnu)”
duhkhajam visrijanti asram niskraamantam udiiksya yam |
samutsraksyasi netraabhyaam ksipram aanandajam payah || 2-44-18
kushachiiradharam devam gachchhantamaparaajitam |
siitevaanugataa lakshmiistasya kim naama durlabham || 2-44-19
“Seeing Rama departing, all the people in Ayodhya smitten as they were with upsurge of grief shed tears born of agony. The goddess of fortune as Sita followed the invincible hero even as he departed for the forest, clad in a garment of the sacred Kusa grass. Indeed, what can be difficult for him to obtain?”
dhanurgrahavaro yasya baanakhadgaastrabhritsvayam |
lakshmanovrajati hyagre tasya kim naama durlabham || 2-44-20
“What can be difficult to obtain for, to whose front indeed walks Lakshmana himself the best among the holders of bow wielding arrows, sword and missiles?”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 44 nivrittavanavaasam tam drashhtaasi punaraagatam |
jahishokam cha moham cha devi satyam braviimi te || 2-44-21
“Oh, Kausalya! I tell you the truth: you can see Rama coming back, on having completed the term of his exile in the forest. Abandon grief and infatuation.”
shirasaa charanaavetau vandamaanamanindite |
punardrakshyasi kalyaani! putram chandramivoditam || 2-44-22
“Oh, auspicious Kausalya, the irreproachable one! You will be able to see your son, like the rising moon, saluting respectfully your feet, by bowing his head.”
punah pravishhtam drshhtvaa tamabhishhiktam mahaashriyam |
samutsrakshyasi netraabhyaam kshipramaanndajam payah || 2-44-23
“Seeing Rama shining with great splendor appearing before you again, having been coroneted, you will be shedding soon tears of joy from your eyes”
maa shoko devi duhkham vaa na raaame driahyrw.ashivam |
kshipram drakshyasi putram tvam sasiitam saha lakshmanam || 2-44-24
“Oh, Kausalya! Do not have uneasiness or grief. Rama has no ill luck. You will be able to see soon your son along with Sita, accompanied by Lakshmana”.
tvayaa sheshhoo janashcaiva samaashvaasyo yadaaanaghe |
kimidaaniimidam devi karoshhi hridi viklabam || 2-44-25
“Oh, the faultless queen! While people are to be consoled by you at this moment, why are you fostering grief in your heart?”
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 44 naarhaa tvam shochitum devi yasyaaste raaghavassutah |
na hi raamaatparo loke vidyate satpathe sthitah || 2-44-26
“Oh, Queen! You, whose son is Rama, ought not to grieve, for none is established in right path in the world than Rama.”
abhivaadayamaanam tam dristvaa sasuhridam sutam |
mudaa ashru moksyase ksipram megha lekaa iva vaarsikii || 2-44-27
“Seeing your son saluting with his friends, you will at once begin to shed tears, like a line of clouds in a rainy season”
putrah te varadah ksipram ayodhyaam punar aagatah |
paanibhyaam mridupiinaabhyaam charanau piidayishhyati || 2-44-28
“Your son the bestower of boons, will soon return to Ayodhya, and touch your feet with his gentle but muscular hands”
abhivaadya namasyantam shuuram sasuhridam sutam |
mudaasraih prokshyasi punarmegharaaji rivaachalam || 2-44-29
“When your son the hero along with his friends salute you respectfully in adoration, you will sprinkle tears of joy in the same way as a line of clouds pour rain on the mountain.”
aashvaasayantii vividhaishcha vaakyai |
rvaakyopachaare kushalaanaadyaa |
raamasya taam maataramevamuktvaa |
devii sumitraaviraraama raamaa || 2-44-30
Sumitra the queen, skilled in her employment of words, who is faultless and charming, thus consoled Rama’s mother with various words and finally stopped speaking.
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Valmiki Ramayana – Ayodhya Kanda – Chapter 44 nishamya tal laksmana maatri vaakyam |
raamasya maatur nara deva patnyaah |
sadyah shariire vinanaasha shokah |
sharad gatah meghaiva alpa toyah || 2-44-31
Hearing those words of Sumitra the mother of Lakshmana, the agony of Kausalya Rama’s mother and the wife of Dasaratha quickly disappeared in the same way as an autumnal cloud with a little water in it disappears quickly.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye ayodhya kaande chatushchatvaarimshah sargah
Thus completes 44th chapter in the Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate
References
K. M. K. Murthy. (1999). Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya.
Merriam-Webster. (2007). At http://www.m-w.com.
Reference.com. (2007). At http://www.reference.com.
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