Shloka 1
षष्टितमः सर्गः — Kausalyā’s Lament and Sumantra’s Consolation
Sītā’s Fearless Forest-Life
ततो भूतोपसृष्टेव वेपमाना पुनः पुनः।धरण्यां गतसत्त्वेव कौसल्या सूतमब्रवीत्।।।।
tato bhūtopasṛṣṭeva vepamānā punaḥ punaḥ |
dharaṇyāṃ gatasattveva kausalyā sūtam abravīt ||
Da sprach Kausalyā, immer wieder bebend, als wäre sie von einem Geist ergriffen, und als läge sie, der Sinne beraubt, am Boden, zum Wagenlenker (Sumantra).
Thereafter Kausalya, trembling as if possessed by an evil spirit and rolling on the floor like one who her senses now and again, said to the charioteer (Sumantra):
FAQs
The verse foregrounds the dharmic weight of grief and restraint: even in overwhelming sorrow, speech and action remain morally significant. Kausalyā’s condition highlights how dharma is tested when one’s inner stability is shaken.
After Rāma’s departure toward exile, Kausalyā collapses in anguish and addresses Sumantra, who has returned/appeared as a witness to the departure and is being questioned or appealed to.
Kausalyā’s maternal devotion (mātṛ-prema) is emphasized—her identity and composure are overwhelmed by concern for Rāma, underscoring the depth of righteous familial love.