Shloka 2.57.22

सप्तपञ्चाशः सर्गः — Sumantra’s Return to Ayodhya and the Palace’s Lament

Devanagari script

यथा च मन्ये दुर्जीवमेवं न सुकरं ध्रुवम्।आच्छिद्य पुत्रे निर्याते कौसल्या यत्र जीवति।।।।

Transliteration

yathā ca manye durjīvam evaṃ na sukaraṃ dhruvam |

ācchidya putre niryāte kausalyā yatra jīvati ||

Translation

Indeed, I think it is surely hard for Kausalyā to go on living in any manner at all, once her son has departed—torn away from her.

Context

I think it is indeed difficult for Kausalya to live wherever and whichever way she tries as she has been separated from her son. (the queens said).

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Rāma (as 'son', implied)

FAQs

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

It underscores the human burden borne in the pursuit of dharma: righteous outcomes may still inflict intense personal suffering, which must be acknowledged truthfully (satya) and met with compassion.

What is the narrative situation?

The queens reflect on Kausalyā’s likely inability to endure life after Rāma’s departure into exile.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Empathy: the speakers imaginatively enter Kausalyā’s sorrow rather than treating events as mere political necessity.