HomeRamayanaKishkindha KandaSarga 30Shloka 4.30.1
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Shloka 4.30.1

शरत्प्रवेशे रामविलापः तथा सुग्रीवप्रमादे लक्ष्मणप्रेषणम् (Autumn’s Onset: Rama’s Lament and Lakshmana Sent to Sugriva)

गुहं प्रविष्टे सुग्रीवे विमुक्ते गगने घनैः।वर्षरात्रोषितो रामः कामशोकाभिपीडितः।।पाण्डुरं गगनं दृष्ट्वा विमलं चन्द्रमण्डलम्।शारदीं रजनीं चैव दृष्ट्वा ज्योत्स्नानुलेपनाम्।।कामवृत्तं च सुग्रीवं नष्टां च जनकात्मजाम्।बुद्ध्वा कालमतीतं च मुमोह परमातुरः।।

guhaṃ praviṣṭe sugrīve vimukte gagane ghanaiḥ |

varṣarātroṣito rāmaḥ kāmaśokābhipīḍitaḥ ||4.30.1||

When Sugrīva had entered his cave and the sky was freed from heavy clouds, Rāma—who had endured the nights of the rainy season—remained oppressed by longing and grief.

While Sugriva was in his residence, Rama was (in Prasravana mountain) spending his rainy nights tormented by passion (for Sita). Sugriva was engaged in love, forgetting the time fixed for taking up the search for Sita. When the sky became clear of clouds after the rainy season, Rama sat gazing at the clear autumnal Moon's orb. He was besmeared with moon-light and felt perturbed as time was running out. And then fell into a swoon. (only a few months remained for the completion of the exile and Bharata will put an end to himself if Rama does not return to Ayodhya on the stipulated day. This worried Rama.)

S
Sugrīva
R
Rāma
R
rainy season (varṣā)
C
cave (guhā)

The verse sets up the ethical tension between personal pleasure and pledged duty: Sugrīva’s withdrawal contrasts with the urgency of a promise, while Rāma’s suffering underscores steadfast commitment to truth and responsibility.

After the monsoon ends and the sky clears, Sugrīva remains in comfort, while Rāma continues to suffer in separation from Sītā, awaiting action on the search.

Rāma’s endurance (kṣamā/śama) is emphasized—he bears pain without abandoning the righteous course.