Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 37: Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā Wear Clothes of Bark
Text 2.37.3
यो हि दत्त्वा द्विपश्रेष्ठं कक्ष्यायां कुरुते मनः।
रज्जुस्नेहेन किं तस्य त्यजतः कुञ्जरोत्तमम्॥
yo hi dattvā dvipa-śreṣṭhaṁ kakṣyāyāṁ kurute manaḥ
rajju-snehena kiṁ tasya tyajataḥ kuñjarottamam
yaḥ hi = who; dattvā = after giving away; dvipa-śreṣṭham = it; kakṣyāyām = on the rope that binds his excellent elephant 1; kurute = sets; manaḥ = his mind; rajju-snehena = of his affection for that rope; kim = what is the use; tasya = for one; tyajataḥ = [after all] he has already given away; kuñjara-uttamam = that excellent elephant.
For one who sets his mind on the rope that binds his excellent elephant after giving it away, what is the use of his affection for that rope? [After all,] he has already given away the excellent elephant!