Shloka 53
गोदावरीतटे सीतान्वेषणम्
The Search for Sītā at the Godāvarī
भक्षितायां हि वैदेह्यां हृतायामपि लक्ष्मण।।।।के हि लोके प्रियं कर्तुं शक्तास्सौम्य ममेश्वराः।
bhakṣitāyāṃ hi vaidehyāṃ hṛtāyām api lakṣmaṇa | ke hi loke priyaṃ kartuṃ śaktāḥ saumya mameśvarāḥ ||
Jika Vaidehī telah dimakan—atau sekalipun hanya diculik—maka, wahai Lakṣmaṇa yang lembut, siapa di dunia ini, bahkan di antara para dewa, yang sanggup menghadirkan kebahagiaan bagiku?
If Sita has been devoured or kidnapped, none in this world or even gods could do anything to make me happy, O handsome Lakshmana !
FAQs
Marital fidelity and responsibility are treated as dharma: Sītā’s loss would render all worldly consolations meaningless, underscoring the sanctity of the spousal bond.
Rāma voices despair that no power—human or divine—can restore his happiness if Sītā is harmed or abducted.
Single-minded devotion and emotional truthfulness (he does not mask grief).