Opening the text
एकोनचत्वारिंशः सर्गः · Dasaratha’s Lament, Sumantra’s Commission, and Sita’s Vow of Marital Dharma
स मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञो दुःखितश्च महीपतिः ।
विललाप महाबाहू राममेवानुचिन्तयन् ॥३॥
sa muhūrtam ivāsaṃjño duḥkhitaś ca mahīpatiḥ |
vilalāpa mahābāhū rāmam evānucintayan ||3||
Dilanda duka, sang raja perkasa, penguasa bumi, seakan tak sadar sekejap; lalu ia meratap, dengan pikiran terpaut hanya kepada Rāma.
The mighty-armed king lost consciousness for a moment and in grief lamented, brooding only over Rama.
The verse highlights the human cost of dharmic decisions: even a righteous king can be broken by sorrow when duty and affection collide. It frames Daśaratha’s suffering as part of the moral gravity surrounding Rāma’s exile.
After the developments leading to Rāma’s departure for the forest, Daśaratha is overcome by grief and briefly becomes almost unconscious, lamenting while thinking only of Rāma.
Daśaratha’s deep paternal love (vātsalya) is emphasized, alongside the implied burden of royal duty that has brought him to this crisis.
Answers come straight from the texts, with the shlokas they draw on. Ask in your own words.
A free sign-in with Google or Apple keeps your chat saved across web and the app.