Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 44, Shloka 4
सुमित्रोपदेशः
Sumitra’s Consolation to Kausalya
यस्तवार्ये गतः पुत्रस्त्यक्त्वा राज्यं महाबलः।साधु कुर्वन् महात्मानं पितरं सत्यवादिनम्।।2.44.3।।शिष्टैराचरिते सम्यक्छश्वत्प्रेत्यफलोदये।रामो धर्मे स्थित श्रेष्ठो न स शोच्यः कदाचन।।2.44.4।।
yas tavārye gataḥ putras tyaktvā rājyaṃ mahābalaḥ | sādhu kurvan mahātmānaṃ pitaraṃ satyavādinam || śiṣṭair ācarite samyak śaśvat pretya-phalodaye | rāmo dharme sthitaḥ śreṣṭho na sa śocyaḥ kadācana ||
O noble lady, your mighty son has departed after renouncing the kingdom, so as to uphold the righteous, truth-speaking word of his great-souled father. He stands established in dharma—the excellent path properly practiced by the virtuous, whose enduring fruits ripen in the world beyond; therefore Rāma is never to be mourned.
In order to vindicate the words of his great and truthful father, O noble lady,your mighty son has renounced the kingdom and has gone (to the forest). He has stuck to the path so scrupulously followed by the wise, the everlasting results of which can be fully realised in the world to come. Such a peerless son is never to be grieved over.
FAQs
The verse teaches satya and dharma as supreme obligations: Rāma sacrifices personal gain (kingdom) to uphold his father’s truthful commitment, showing that righteousness outweighs worldly power.
Sumitrā explains to Kausalyā that Rāma’s forest departure is not failure but a dharmic act—protecting Daśaratha’s truth and following the path honored by the virtuous.
Rāma’s integrity and self-sacrifice—renunciation undertaken to preserve truth and moral order.