Shloka 46
तदक्षयं महद्दुःखं नोत्सहे सहितुं चिरम्।विप्रकारं सपत्नीनामेवं जीर्णाऽपि राघव।।।।
tad akṣayaṃ mahad duḥkhaṃ notsahe sahituṃ ciram | viprakāraṃ sapatnīnām evaṃ jīrṇāpi rāghava ||
అందువల్ల, హే రాఘవా! ఈ మహత్తరమైన, అంతులేని దుఃఖాన్ని నేను ఎక్కువకాలం భరించలేను; సహపత్నుల అవమానకరమైన వేధింపులనూ—ఇంత వృద్ధురాలినైనా—సహించలేను।
Therefore, O Rama, I cannot at this old age endure this great, endless sorrow and the insults from co-wives for long.
FAQs
It points to the limits of human endurance and the duty of compassion within family life; Dharma is violated when power is used to humiliate the vulnerable.
Kausalyā tells Rāma that the exile and the resulting social humiliation from rival queens have become unbearable, especially in her old age.
Vulnerability paired with truthfulness—she openly acknowledges her frailty rather than masking it with pride.