Shloka 2.92.22
भरद्वाजाश्रमात् चित्रकूटमार्गनिर्देशः — Directions from Bharadvaja’s Hermitage to Chitrakuta
अस्या वामभुजं श्लिष्टा यैषा तिष्ठति दुर्मनाः। कर्णिकारस्य शाखेव शीर्णपुष्पा वनान्तरे।।2.92.22।। एतस्यास्तु सुतौ देव्याः कुमारौ देववर्णिनौ। उभौ लक्ष्मणशत्रुघ्नौ वीरौ सत्यपराक्रमौ।।2.92.23।।
asyā vāma-bhujaṁ śliṣṭā yaiṣā tiṣṭhati durmanāḥ |
karṇikārasya śākheva śīrṇa-puṣpā vanāntare ||2.92.22||
This woman, sunk in sorrow, stands clinging to Kausalyā’s left arm—like a karnikāra branch in a forest, its blossoms withered.
This lady plunged in grief, resembling the branch of a karnikara tree in the midst of the forest with blossoms withered and leaning on the left arm of Kausalya, is queen Sumitra, mother of two heroes, comparable to gods in beauty and possessing true prowess -- Lakshmana and Satrughna.
The simile conveys how grief can physically and mentally weaken even a virtuous queen; it highlights compassion and familial duty (dharma) as Kausalyā supports Sumitrā in shared suffering.
It reflects the truthful consequences of events set in motion by vows and promises: the queens must face the reality created by adherence to pledged words, showing satya as emotionally costly yet binding.