Valmiki Ramayana 2.25.24: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 25, Shloka 24
कौशल्याया मङ्गलविधानम् · Kausalya’s Benedictions and Protective Rites for Rama
Spoken by Kausalya to RamaSetting: Forest/riverbank implied (ablution setting)Forest-life daily rites (snāna/upasparśana)
अग्निर्वायुस्तथा धूमो मन्त्राश्चर्षिमुखाच्च्युताः ।
उपस्पर्शनकाले तु पान्तु त्वां रघुनन्दन ॥२४॥
agnir vāyus tathā dhūmo mantrāś cārṣimukhāc cyutāḥ |
upasparśanakāle tu pāntu tvāṃ raghunandana ||24||
โอ้ผู้เป็นความปีติแห่งวงศ์รฆุ เมื่อพระองค์ทำการชำระกายด้วยการอาบน้ำอันเป็นมงคล ขอให้อัคนี วายุ ธูมะ และมนตร์ที่หลั่งออกจากโอษฐ์ของฤๅษีทั้งหลาย จงคุ้มครองพระองค์
Sandhi Notes
- अग्निर्वायुः = अग्निः + वायुः
- मन्त्राश्च = मन्त्राः + च
- चर्षिमुखात् = च + ऋषिमुखात्
- मुखाच्च्युताः = मुखात् + च्युताः
- त्वां = त्वाम् before consonant
May Fire, Wind, Smoke and Mantras emanated from the mouths of rishis protect you when you take your ablutions, O Son of the Raghu race! O Joy of the Raghus!
The teaching
Daily purity and disciplined rites sustain strength and protection during hardship; sacred sound and elemental order support the dharmic life.
- Ethical theme
- Ācāra-dharma / śauca
Devotion and practice
Encourages morning purification with mantra-remembrance; frames routine acts as protected sacred practice.
- Deity praised
- Agni, Vāyu (and ritual powers: Dhūma, ṛṣi-mantras)
- Form of praise
- Vandana (salutation)
- Mantra
- पान्तु त्वां रघुनन्दन
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Shanta (peace)
- Mood
- Ritual, purifying, guarded
Themes
- Dharma
- Satya
- Ritual purity
- Protective prayer
- Itihasa
Purification as inner discipline: external ablution mirrors antahkaraṇa-śuddhi; mantra as nāda leading mind toward steadiness.
Mantra and prāṇa (Vāyu) linkage echoes Upaniṣadic prāṇa-centrality; fire as inner tejas motif.
Prātaḥkāla (implied by ablution practice)
- Sita and Rama
- Spousal care through ritual-protection prayer (tender-reverent)
- Rama and Agni
- Purifier/ritual witness invoked at ablution (reverent)
- Rama and Vayu
- Life-breath/wind deity invoked for protection (reverent)
- Rama and Dhūma
- Sacrificial smoke/ritual sign invoked (reverent)
- Rama and Rishis
- Mantric guardianship via ṛṣi-vāk (reverent)
- Rama and Mantras
- Protective sound-form (śabda) (trusting)
Mahābhārata: emphasis on snāna, agni, and mantra for protection in forest-dwelling contexts (conceptual); Purāṇas: agni-vāyu as purifiers and protectors in ritual settings (conceptual)
Vedic ritual triad: agni and mantra; smoke as sacrificial sign (yajña imagery)
Araṇyakāṇḍa: frequent association of forest life with ṛṣi rites and daily purifications (conceptual continuity)
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Solemn
Measured, slightly softer cadence on "upasparśanakāle"
FAQs
Daily discipline and purity practices support dharma; sacred acts (like ablutions with mantra) are treated as protective and morally strengthening.
Kausalya extends protection to Rama’s everyday forest routine, especially ritual bathing, a key moment of vulnerability and sanctification.
Rama’s disciplined observance of righteous conduct and ritual propriety even in exile.
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