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228
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
What shall I say to high-minded Kausalya,
O Prince, when she asks me at Ayodhya
Where is my noble daughter-in-law ? and
how is she?'
 
इति रामं महात्मानं विलपन्तम नाथवत् ।
उवाच लक्ष्मणो भ्राता वचनं युक्तमव्ययम् ॥
 
To the high-souled Rama who was
lamenting thus like one devoid of hope
(support), his brother Lakshmana spoke
these appropriate and unanswerable words:
संस्तम्भ राम भद्रं ते मा शुचः पुरुषोत्तम ।
नेदृशानां मतिर्मन्दा भवत्यकलुपात्मनाम् ॥
 
O Rama, best of men, control yourself.
Good betide you; do not give way to
grief. The mind of those who like you
are clear-sighted does not, surely, become
clouded.
 
उत्साद्दो बलवानार्य नास्त्युत्साहात् परं बलम् ।
सोत्साहस्यास्ति लोकेऽस्मिन् न किञ्चिदपि दुर्लभम्
 
O noble one, hope is indeed mighty.
There is no power which is mightier
than hope. To one possessed of hope there
is nothing unattainable in this world.