Valmiki Ramayana 2.42.17 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42, Shloka 17
द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — दशरथस्य शोक-विलापः तथा कौशल्यागृह-प्रवेशः
Dasaratha’s Lament and Return to Kausalya’s Apartments
उत्थास्यति च मेदिन्याः कृपणः पांसुकुण्ठितः।विनिश्श्वसन् प्रस्रवणात्करेणूनामिवर्षभः।।।।
utthāsyati ca medinyāḥ kṛpaṇaḥ pāṃsukuṇṭhitaḥ | viniśśvasan prasravaṇāt kareṇūnām ivarṣabhaḥ ||
ذلك الراما المسكين، وقد علته غبرةُ التراب، سيقوم من الأرض وهو يزفر زفراتٍ ثقيلة، كفيلٍ عظيمٍ ينهض في براسرافَنا.
That unfortunate Rama, having been covered with dust, will get up from the ground sighing like a bull elephant rising from mount Prasravana.
FAQs
It reflects compassion within dharma: even when exile is ‘lawful’ by vows, the righteous heart recognizes suffering and responds with empathy rather than cold justification.
Daśaratha imagines Rāma enduring physical hardship—dust, ground-sleeping—and compares his rising to an elephant’s powerful movement.
Rāma’s strength under hardship (dhairya) is implied, while Daśaratha’s compassion is explicit.
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