Shloka 6.49.8

शरबन्धनविलापः (The Lament under the Net of Arrows)

Devanagari script

किंनुवक्ष्यामिकौसल्यांमातरंकिंनुकैकयीम् ।कथमम्बांसुमित्रांचपुत्रदर्शनलालसाम् ।।6.49.8।।

Transliteration

kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi kausalyāṃ mātaraṃ kiṃ nu kaikayīm | katham ambāṃ sumitrāṃ ca putradarśanalālasām ||6.49.8||

Translation

What shall I say to mother Kausalyā—and what to Kaikeyī? And how shall I face mother Sumitrā, who longs to behold her son?

Context

"What can I say to mother Kausalya, Kaikeyi and mother Sumithra waiting to see her son?"

Characters & Entities

• Kausalyā
• Kaikeyī
• Sumitrā

FAQs

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

Accountability to elders and truthfulness in relationships: Rāma anticipates the moral burden of explaining events to the mothers, showing that dharma includes honest responsibility toward family.

What is the narrative situation?

In the war context, Rāma fears the consequences of returning to Ayodhyā if Lakṣmaṇa is lost, and he imagines the grief of the queens—especially Sumitrā awaiting her son.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Filial sensitivity and moral responsibility: Rāma measures his actions by their impact on elders and by his duty to give a truthful account.