Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 24, Shloka 8
कौशल्यारामसंवादः
Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma
अयं तु मामात्मभव स्तवादर्शनमारुतः।विलापदुःखसमिधो रुदिताश्रुहुताहुतिः।।2.24.6।।चिन्ताबाष्पमहाधूमस्तवागमनचित्तजः। कर्शयित्वा भृशं पुत्र निश्वासायाससम्भवः।।2.24.7।।त्वया विहीनामिह मां शोकाग्निरतुलो महान्।प्रधक्ष्यति यथा कक्षं चित्रभानुर्हिमात्यये।।2.24.8।।
ayaṃ tu mām ātmabhavaḥ tavādarśana-mārutaḥ |
vilāpa-duḥkha-samidhō ruditāśru-hutāhutiḥ || 2.24.6 ||
cintā-bāṣpa-mahādhūmas tavāgamanacittajaḥ |
karśayitvā bhṛśaṃ putra niśvāsāyāsa-sambhavaḥ || 2.24.7 ||
tvayā vihīnāṃ iha māṃ śokāgnir atulo mahān |
pradhakṣyati yathā kakṣaṃ citrabhānur himātyaye || 2.24.8 ||
Cuando te hayas ido, hijo mío, se alzará en mí un fuego inmenso e incomparable de pena—avivado por el viento de tu ausencia, alimentado por lamentos y dolor, con mis lágrimas como oblaciones y el espeso humo de pensamientos ansiosos. Nacido de suspiros fatigados, me consumirá y me abrasará, como el fuego ardiente quema la hierba seca en el calor del verano.
Seeing Rama full of auspicious qualities resolved to go to the forest and having spoken to him with the fullness of her heart, Devi Kausalya now braced herself up to perform ceremonies in the interest of Rama's well-being.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē caturviṅśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the twentyfourth sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.
FAQs
The passage shows the human cost of dharma: Rāma’s adherence to truth and duty entails separation and suffering for his mother. Dharma is portrayed as morally elevated yet emotionally painful.
Kausalyā imagines the devastation she will experience once Rāma departs for forest-exile, using sacrificial-fire imagery to describe grief.
Kausalyā’s deep maternal devotion and honesty of emotion; Rāma’s implied steadfastness, since such grief arises only because he will not abandon his pledged duty.