Shloka 2.39.3

एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः — Dasaratha’s Lament, Sumantra’s Commission, and Sita’s Vow of Marital Dharma

Devanagari script

स मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञो दुःखितश्च महीपतिः।विललाप महाबाहू राममेवानुचिन्तयन्।।2.39.3।।

Transliteration

nātantrī vādyate vīṇā nācakro vartate rathaḥ |

nā patiḥ sukham edheta yā syād api śatātmajā ||2.39.29||

Translation

A vīṇā without strings cannot be played; a chariot without wheels cannot move. So too, a woman without her husband does not flourish in happiness, even if she has a hundred sons.

Context

The mighty-armed king lost consciousness for a moment and in grief lamented, brooding only over Rama.

Characters & Entities

• Sītā
• Kauśalyā
• pati (husband) (concept)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse asserts a traditional dharmic ideal of marital unity: the wife’s well-being is presented as inseparable from her husband’s presence and role. It uses concrete analogies to argue for the centrality of the marital bond.

What is the narrative situation?

Sītā speaks to Kauśalyā while affirming her commitment to Rāma and the values that define her understanding of wifely duty, in the context of Rāma’s impending forest exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s steadfastness (niṣṭhā) and loyalty (pativratā-bhāva) are emphasized through her uncompromising identification with her husband’s fate.