Shloka 16
तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान् रामो रुन्धन्नपि धिया शुच: । स्मरंस्तस्या गुणांस्तांस्तान्नाशक्नोद् रोद्धुमीश्वर: ॥ १६ ॥
tac chrutvā bhagavān rāmo rundhann api dhiyā śucaḥ smaraṁs tasyā guṇāṁs tāṁs tān nāśaknod roddhum īśvaraḥ
Hearing that mother Sītā had entered the earth, Bhagavān Śrī Rāma was stricken with grief. Though the Supreme Lord, as He remembered Sītā’s exalted virtues, He could not restrain His sorrow born of transcendental love.
Lord Rāmacandra’s grief at the news of Sītādevī’s entering the earth is not to be considered material. In the spiritual world also there are feelings of separation, but such feelings are considered spiritual bliss. Grief in separation exists even in the Absolute, but such feelings of separation in the spiritual world are transcendentally blissful. Such feelings are a sign of tasya prema-vaśyatva-svabhāva, being under the influence of hlādinī-śakti and being controlled by love. In the material world such feelings of separation are only a perverted reflection.
FAQs
This verse says that after hearing the news, Rāma remembered Sītā’s many virtues, and despite trying to restrain His grief, He could not stop His tears.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating Lord Rāmacandra’s līlā to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.
Even while practicing self-control, sincere love and gratitude may bring tears; the verse teaches dignified emotional honesty while remembering the good qualities of others.