Valmiki Ramayana 2.60.5: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 60, Shloka 5
षष्टितमः सर्गः · Kausalyā’s Lament and Sumantra’s Consolation
Sītā’s Fearless Forest-Life
Spoken by Sumantra to KausalyaSetting: Ayodhya (palace, counsel scene)Places named: forest (vana)
त्यज शोकं च मोहं च सम्भ्रमं दुःखजं तथा ।
व्यवधूय च सन्तापं वने वत्स्यति राघवः ॥५॥
tyaja śokaṃ ca mohaṃ ca sambhramaṃ duḥkhajaṃ tathā |
vyavadhūya ca santāpaṃ vane vatsyati rāghavaḥ ||5||
ശോകവും മോഹവും, ദുഃഖജന്യമായ വ്യാകുലതയും ഉപേക്ഷിക്കൂ; മനസ്സിലെ സന്താപം തള്ളിക്കളയൂ. രാഘവൻ വനത്തിൽ കഷ്ടങ്ങളെ അവഗണിച്ച് വസിക്കും.
Sandhi Notes
- vyavadhūya (prefixes vi+ava)
- vatsyati from √vas
Abandon your tears, delusion and despair arising out of sorrow. Rama is going to livein the forest, brushing aside all agony.
The teaching
Śoka and moha cloud judgment; remembering the righteous one’s endurance restores inner balance.
Duties in tension
- Natural grief of a mother vs duty to maintain composure and uphold royal dharma
- Attachment (moha) vs discernment (viveka)
- Ethical theme
- Emotional self-governance (dama) and trust in dharma
- How it resolves
- Counsel toward self-restraint and trust in Rama’s dharma
For your practice
Practical upadeśa for daily life: name the emotions (śoka, moha, sambhrama) and consciously release them; cultivate titikṣā.
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace), with Karuna (compassion)
- Mood
- Soothing, steadfast, clarifying
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Consolation
- Fortitude
- Tapas-like endurance
Instruction resembles viveka: grief and delusion are modifications of mind; steadiness comes from seeing dharma and impermanence clearly.
Echo of the call to overcome moha and attain śānti through knowledge/steadfastness (e.g., Īśa/Kaṭha themes of overcoming sorrow).
Bhagavad Gītā 2.13-2.15 (titikṣā, endurance of dualities); Rāmcaritmānas Ayodhyākāṇḍ (counsel to restrain grief and trust Rama’s dharma)
Upaniṣadic/Smṛti exhortations to abandon moha and cultivate dhairya
Rāmāyaṇa 2.18-2.19 (Rama’s acceptance of exile as dharma); Rāmāyaṇa 2.27 (Rama’s composure)
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Solemn
Śānta-niṣāda-prāya (settling cadence)
FAQs
The verse teaches steadfastness in dharma: Rama’s commitment to the exile is framed as purposeful endurance, and the listener is urged to replace paralyzing grief with clear-minded acceptance of righteous action.
Sumantra begins consoling Kausalya, urging her to restrain grief and reminding her that Rama will endure forest hardships with strength.
Rama’s resilience and self-mastery, presented as the model for facing suffering without abandoning duty.
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