Shloka 17
लक्ष्मण-प्राणरक्षा:
Lakshmana’s Revival by the Herb-Mountain
किनुराज्येनदुर्धर्षलक्ष्मणेनविनामम ।कथंवक्ष्याम्यहंत्वम्बांसुमित्रांपुत्रवत्सलाम् ।।।।
kiṃ nu rājyena durdharṣa lakṣmaṇena vinā mama | kathaṃ vakṣyāmy ahaṃ tv ambāṃ sumitrāṃ putravatsalām ||
ഹേ ദുര്ധർഷനേ! ലക്ഷ്മണനില്ലാതെ എനിക്ക് രാജ്യം എന്തിന്? പുത്രവത്സലയായ അമ്മ സുമിത്രയോട് ഞാൻ എങ്ങനെ ചെന്നു പറയാൻ കഴിയും?
'Without Lakshmana who is difficult to win, what use is kingdom to me? What can I tell mother Sumithra who is the lover of her son?'
FAQs
Accountability to family and truthfulness: Rama measures kingship against moral responsibility—he cannot value power while failing his duty toward Lakṣmaṇa and Sumitrā.
Rama imagines the aftermath of Lakṣmaṇa’s death and the unbearable obligation of reporting it to Sumitrā.
Conscience and familial duty—placing ethical responsibility above political gain.