Shloka 17
सीतान्वेषणविलापः
Rama’s Lament and Search for Sita
अशोक शोकापनुद शोकोपहतचेतसम्।त्वन्नामानं कुरु क्षिप्रं प्रियासन्दर्शनेन माम्।।3.60.17।।
aśoka śokāpanuda śokopahata-cetasam | tvannāmānaṃ kuru kṣipraṃ priyā-sandarśanena mām || 3.60.17 ||
O Aśoka, du Vertreiber des Kummers—schnell, indem du mir den Anblick meiner Geliebten gewährst, mache mich deines Namens würdig; denn mein Herz ist vom Schmerz niedergeschlagen.
O Palmyra tree! be kind to me and tell me if you have seen my beautiful beloved who has breasts like ripe palmyra fruit?
FAQs
Dharma is the aspiration to regain inner steadiness through rightful reunion, not through harmful shortcuts; Rāma seeks relief from sorrow by truthful sight of Sītā.
Rāma appeals to the aśoka tree, punning on its name (‘without sorrow’), begging for any sign that will lead him to Sītā.
Self-restraint within grief—his plea is earnest but not destructive, showing disciplined longing.