Shloka 4
कौशल्यारामसंवादः
Kausalya–Rama Dialogue on Exile-Dharma
कः एतच्छ्रद्दधेच्छ्रुत्वा कस्य वा न भवेद्भयम्।गुणवान्दयितो राज्ञा राघवो यद्विवास्यते।।2.24.4।।
ka etac chraddadhec chrutvā kasya vā na bhaved bhayam |
guṇavān dayito rājñā rāghavo yad vivāsyate || 2.24.4 ||
ഇത് കേട്ട് ആര് വിശ്വസിക്കും, ആര്ക്കാണ് ഭയം തോന്നാതിരിക്കുക? ഗുണവാനും രാജാവിന് അതിപ്രിയനുമായ രാഘവനെ രാജാവുതന്നെ വനവാസത്തിലേക്ക് അയക്കുന്നു!
Go now, O my mighty-armed son! and come back safe. And on your return, delight me with your sweet, gentle utterances.
FAQs
The verse highlights the moral shock when royal action appears to contradict dharma: a virtuous, beloved prince being exiled by the king. It implicitly questions how rāja-dharma and personal affection can come into conflict.
Kausalyā reacts to the news that Rāma is to be sent to the forest; she expresses disbelief and fear at the reversal of expected justice.
Rāma’s guṇa (virtue/excellence) and his being dayita (deeply loved), underscoring that the suffering falls upon the most deserving.