Sumantra was unable to console Kausalya, who lied on the floor due to her extreme grief over her separation from Rama, even though he tries to avert her grief by telling her that Rama can reside in the forest delightfully, by warding off his agony.
Chapter [Sarga] 60 in Detail
tatah bhuuta upasristaa iva vepamaanaa punah punah |
dharanyaam gata sattvaa iva kausalyaa suutam abraviit || 2-60-1
Then, Kausalya, trembling again and again, as though possessed by a spirit, and lying on the floor without proper disposition of mind, spoke to Sumantra as follows:
naya maam yatra kaakutsthah siitaa yatra ca laksmanah |
taan vinaa ksanam api atra jiivitum na utsahe hi aham || 2-60-2
“Wherever Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana are there, take me to them. Without them, I do not cherish to live here even for a moment.”
nivartaya ratham shiighram dandakaan naya maam api |
atha taan na anugacchaami gamisyaami yama ksayam || 2-60-3
“Turn back the chariot quickly. Take also myself to the forest of Dandaka. Now, if I do not go after them, I shall enter the Death’s abode.”
baaspa vegaupahatayaa sa vaacaa sajjamaanayaa |
idam aashvaasayan deviim suutah praanjalir abraviit || 2-60-4
Sumantra with joined palms and with a voice choked with tears and in faint accents, consoling Kausalya, spoke these words to her.
tyaja shokam ca moham ca sambhramam duhkhajam tathaa |
vyavadhuuya ca samtaapam vane vatsyati raaghavah || 2-60-5
“Abandon grief, delusion and haste born of affliction. Rama, can reside in the forest, warding off anguish.”
laksmanah ca api raamasya paadau paricaran vane |
aaraadhayati dharmajnah para lokam jita indriyah || 2-60-6
“Lakshmana too, knowing about a righteous conduct, having subdued his senses and serving the feet of Rama in the forest, is propitiating the other world.”
vijane api vane siitaa vaasam praapya grihesv iva |
visrambham labhate abhiitaa raame samnyasta maanasaa || 2-60-7
“Seetha, getting a dwelling place resembling a house even in a lonely forest, her mind encamped in Rama and being fearless, is acquiring confidence.
na asyaa dainyam kritam kimcit susuuksmam api laksaye |
ucitaa iva pravaasaanaam vaidehii pratibhaati maa || 2-60-8
“Not even very minute depression, even a little, is seen developed in Seetha. It appears to me as though Seetha is accustomed to so many exiles.”
nagara upavanam gatvaa yathaa sma ramate puraa |
tathaiva ramate siitaa nirjanesu vanesv api || 2-60-9
“Seetha is taking delight in the desolate forests in the same manner as she was earlier enjoying in visiting gardens in the city.”
baalaa iva ramate siitaa baala candra nibha aananaa |
raamaa raame hi adiina aatmaa vijane api vane satii || 2-60-10
“Seetha, a charming woman with her face resembling a full moon and with her mind absorbed in Rama, even though staying in a lonely forest, is enjoying it like a little girl.”
tat gatam hridayam hi asyaah tat adhiinam ca jiivitam |
ayodhyaa api bhavet tasyaa raama hiinaa tathaa vanam || 2-60-11
“Seetha’s heart is directed towards Rama. Her life also is dependent on him. Even if Ayodhya is without Rama, then it becomes a forest to her.”
pari pricchati vaidehii graamaamh ca nagaraani ca |
gatim dristvaa nadiinaam ca paadapaan vividhaan api || 2-60-12
raamam hi laksmanam vaapi pristvaa jaanaati jaanatii |
ayodhyaakroshamaatre tu vihaaramiva samshritaa || 2-60-13
“As if only a couple of miles away from Ayodhya and as being in a garden there, Seetha on seeing villages, towns, movement of rivers, and various types of trees, enquires with Rama or Lakshmana and Knows well about them.”
idameva smaraamyasyaah sahasaivopajalpitam |
kaikeyiisamshritam vaakyam nedaaniim pratibhaati maam || 2-60-14
“I am remembering only these incidents about Seetha. It does not flash to my mind now of the words hurriedly spoken of by Seetha about Kaikeyi.”
dhvamsayitvaa tu tadvaakyam pramaadaatparyupasthitam |
hladanam vacanam suuto devyaa madhuramabraviit || 2-60-15
Expunging the remarks spoken by Seetha about Kaikeyi coming almost nearer to his lips by inadvertence, Sumantra spoke only delightful and sweet words to Kausalya.
adhvanaa vaata vegena sambhramena aatapena ca |
na hi gacchati vaidehyaah candra amshu sadrishii prabhaa || 2-60-16
“Seetha’s radiance resembling a moon’s gleam is not fading away due to her travel in the forest or due to the velocity of wind or because of her bewilderment or due to heat of the sun.”
sadrisham shata patrasya puurna candra upama prabham |
vadanam tat vadaanyaayaa vaidehyaa na vikampate || 2-60-17
“That face of altruistic Seetha resembling a lotus flower, whose luster is similar to that of a full moon, did not become changed.”
alakta rasa rakta abhaav alakta rasa varjitau |
adya api caranau tasyaah padma kosha sama prabhau || 2-60-18
“Her feet, which even though no longer painted with vermilion, still looks red as Alakta (red juice obtained from resin of certain trees), with luster equal to that of red lotus buds.”
nuupura udghusta helaa iva khelam gacchati bhaaminii |
idaaniim api vaidehii tat raagaa nyasta bhuusanaa || 2-60-19
“Seetha, sporting her tinkling anklets, walks playfully. Even now, Seetha dons her ornaments, as a mark of her passion towards Rama.”
gajam vaa viiksya simham vaa vyaaghram vaa vanam aashritaa |
na aahaarayati samtraasam baahuu raamasya samshritaa || 2-60-20
“Seetha, who stays in the forest, takes refuge in the arms of Rama and hence does not give herself to fear, even by seeing an elephant or a lion or a tiger.”
na shocyaah te na ca aatmaa te shocyo na api jana adhipah |
idam hi caritam loke pratisthaasyati shaashvatam || 2-60-21
“There is no need to pity them nor us nor the king too. This story will thrive in the world forever.”
vidhuuya shokam parihrista maanasaa |
maharsi yaate pathi suvyavasthitaah |
vane rataa vanya phala ashanaah pituh |
shubhaam pratijnaam paripaalayanti te || 2-60-22
“Abandoning grief, possessing cheerful minds, settling well in the path followed by great sages, delighting in the forest-life and eating fruits of the forest, they are keeping up the promise given to their father.”
tathaa api suutena suyukta vaadinaa |
nivaaryamaanaa suta shoka karshitaa |
na caiva devii viraraama kuujitaat |
priya iti putra iti ca raaghava iti ca || 2-60-23
Even if averted thus by Sumantra, who is speaking appropriately well, being emaciated by sorrow for her son, could not stop crying, “O, my dear son Rama!”
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande sstitamah sargah
Thus completes 60th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate