Ramayana 2.123

Ramayana · translated by Ralph T.H. Griffith

"Now thou hast heard thy brother, take His counsel if thou hold it wise, And do the thing his words advise, Do not, my son, with tears I pray, My rival's wicked word obey, Leave me not here consumed with woe, Nor to the wood, an exile, go. If thou, to virtue ever true, Thy duty's path would still pursue, The highest duty bids thee stay And thus thy mother's voice obey. Thus Kasyap's great ascetic son A seat among the Immortals won: In his own home, subdued, he stayed, And honour to his mother paid. If reverence to thy sire be due, Thy mother claims like honour too, And thus I charge thee, O my child, Thou must not seek the forest wild. Ah, what to me were life and bliss, Condemned my darling son to miss? But with my Rama near, to eat The very grass itself were sweet. But if thou still wilt go and leave Thy hapless mother here to grieve, I from that hour will food abjure, Nor life without my son endure. Then it will be thy fate to dwell In depth of world-detested hell. As Ocean in the olden time Was guilty of an impious crime That marked the lord of each fair flood As one who spills a Brahman's blood."(288)

Ramayana 2.123 · Ramayana · 2

Themes in this passage

Children Family Dharma The Divine Nature Grief Joy Patience

Children in other traditions

The same theme, as Christianity, Islam and Hellenism address it.

These are the children of Abihail the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz;

1 Chronicles 5:14 · Bible · 1 Chronicles

Or hath He daughters whereas ye have sons?

Quran 52:39 · Quran · The Mountain

they reached the low lying city of Lacedaemon, where they drove straight to the abode of Menelaus36 [and found him in his own house, feasting with his many clansmen in honour of the wedding of his son, and also of his daughter, whom he was marrying to the son of that valiant warrior Achilles. He had given his consent and promised her to him while he was still at Troy, and now the gods were bringing the marriage about; so he was sending her with chariots and horses to the city of the Myrmidons over whom Achilles’ son was reigning. For his only son he had found a bride from Sparta,37 the daughter of Alector. This son, Megapenthes, was born to him of a bondwoman, for heaven vouchsafed Helen no more children after she had borne Hermione, who was fair as golden Venus herself.

Odyssey 4.2 · Odyssey · 4

While thus they strive, Tlepolemus the great,[153] Urged by the force of unresisted fate, Burns with desire Sarpedon’s strength to prove; Alcides’ offspring meets the son of Jove. Sheathed in bright arms each adverse chief came on. Jove’s great descendant, and his greater son. Prepared for combat, ere the lance he toss’d, The daring Rhodian vents his haughty boast:

Iliad 5.66 · Iliad · 5

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