Shloka 2.103.25
पिण्डदानदर्शनम् — The Queens Behold Rama’s Śrāddha Offering
पद्ममातपसन्तप्तं परिक्लिष्टमिवोत्पलम्।काञ्चनं रजसा ध्वस्तं क्लिष्टं चन्द्रमिवाम्बुदैः।।2.103.25।।मुखं ते प्रेक्ष्य मां शोको दहत्यग्निरिवाऽश्रयम्।भृशं मनसि वैदेहि व्यसनारणिसम्भवः।।2.103.26।।
padmam ātapa-santaptaṃ parikliṣṭam ivotpalam | kāñcanaṃ rajasā dhvastaṃ kliṣṭaṃ candram ivāmbudaiḥ || 2.103.25 ||
Your face appears like a lotus scorched by the sun, like a water-lily withered; like gold sullied by dust, like the moon dimmed by clouds.
O Sita, after looking at your countenance, which is like a lotus, scorched by the sunshine, or like a withered water-lily or gold defiled by dust or the Moon obscured by the clouds, the fire of sorrow is burning my mind. The grief in my mind is like fire kindled from the arani (sacrificial faggots) that consumes its own souree. (On a circular wood piece, a wooden stick is placed and churned to produce fire specially in sacrifices is called arani.)
Dharma includes empathetic recognition of another’s suffering: Kausalyā does not reduce Sītā to a symbol, but truly ‘sees’ the cost of exile upon her.
Kausalyā, moved by Sītā’s changed appearance after forest-life, describes it through vivid similes.
Kausalyā’s tenderness and attentive empathy (dayā), expressed through poignant poetic observation.