Shloka 31
Śatrughna’s Entry into Ahicchatrā
Temptation of Sumada and the Goddess’s Boon
सुमतिरुवाच । एवं तुष्टा जगन्माता वृणीष्व वरमुत्तमम् । उवाच भक्तं सुमदं तपसा कृशदेहिनम्
sumatiruvāca | evaṃ tuṣṭā jaganmātā vṛṇīṣva varamuttamam | uvāca bhaktaṃ sumadaṃ tapasā kṛśadehinam
Sumati said: “Thus pleased, the Mother of the universe spoke to her devotee Sumada—whose body had grown lean through austerities—‘Choose the highest boon.’”
Sumati
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Sandhi Resolution Notes: सुमतिः + उवाच → सुमतिरुवाच; वरम् + उत्तमम् → वरमुत्तमम्; कृश + देहिनम् → कृशदेहिनम्
FAQs
The speaker is Sumati, narrating that the Divine Mother (Jaganmātā) became pleased and addressed her devotee Sumada, inviting him to choose a supreme boon.
It presents divine favor as responding to devotion: the Goddess directly addresses her bhakta and offers a boon, showing a personal, grace-filled relationship between deity and devotee.
Sincere austerity (tapas) and steadfast devotion lead to inner purification and divine compassion; spiritual effort is portrayed as meaningful when oriented toward the Divine.