Valmiki Ramayana 2.61.3 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 61, Shloka 3

कौसल्याविलापः

Kausalya’s Lament and Ethical Analogies on Kingship

Devanagari script

कथं नरवरश्रेष्ठ पुत्रौ तौ सह सीतया।दुःखितौ सुखसंवृद्धौ वने दुःखं सहिष्यतः।।2.61.3।।

Transliteration

kathaṃ naravaraśreṣṭha putrau tau saha sītayā | duḥkhitau sukhasaṃvṛddhau vane duḥkhaṃ sahiṣyataḥ || 2.61.3 ||

Translation

Ó melhor dos reis, como suportarão na floresta o sofrimento esses dois filhos teus, junto com Sītā, criados no conforto e agora feridos pela dor?

Word by Word

• katham: how
• katham: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: katham (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative adverb)

• nara-vara-śreṣṭha: O best of kings
• nara-vara-śreṣṭha: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक) + vara (प्रातिपदिक) + śreṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (vocative), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (best among men/kings)

• putrau: two sons
• putrau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन

• tau: those two
• tau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; putrau-विशेषण

• saha: with
• saha: Sahakari (सहकारी)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (with)

• sītayā: with Sita
• sītayā: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• duḥkhitau: afflicted
• duḥkhitau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: duḥkhita (प्रातिपदिक/PPP)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; putrau-विशेषण

• sukha-saṃvṛddhau: raised in comfort
• sukha-saṃvṛddhau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃvṛddha (कृदन्त, √vṛdh/वृध्; PPP)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (brought up in comfort), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; putrau-विशेषण

• vane: in the forest
• vane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• duḥkham: suffering
• duḥkham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duḥkha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• sahiṣyataḥ: will endure
• sahiṣyataḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sah (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

Context

O Dasaratha, the best among kings, how will your two sons and Sita brought up in great comfort now tolerate the hardships of forest life?

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• Rāma
• Lakṣmaṇa (implied by 'two sons')
• Sītā
• Forest (vana)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma is tested not only by vows and obedience but by compassion and proportionality: Kausalyā implies that a king’s decisions should not impose needless suffering on the innocent and the righteous.

What is the narrative situation?

Kausalyā pictures the physical and emotional hardships awaiting Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā in exile, questioning Daśaratha’s ability to bear moral responsibility for that suffering.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The endurance and duty-bound resolve expected of Rāma’s party is implied, while Kausalyā’s maternal compassion is explicit.