Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 40: Rāma Departs from Ayodhyā
Text 2.40.24
आयसं हृदयं नूनं राममातुरसंशयम्।
यद्देवगर्भप्रतिमे वनं याति न भिद्यते॥
āyāsaṁ hṛdayaṁ nūnaṁ rāma-mātur asaṁśayam
yad deva-garbha-pratime vanaṁ yāti na bhidyate
āyāsam = must be made of iron; hṛdayam nūnam = heart; rāma-mātuḥ = Rāma’s mother’s; asaṁśayam = undoubtedly; yat = because; deva-garbha-pratime = [even] when He who resembles the son of a deva; vanam = the forest; yāti = leaves for; na bhidyate = it does not break apart.
Undoubtedly Rāma’s mother’s heart must be made of iron because it does not break apart [even] when He who resembles the son of a deva leaves for the forest!1
1 This was spoken in extreme distress.
GLOSS. In some manuscripts, veda-garbha-pratime appears instead of deva-garbha-pratime indicating that Rāma resembled Lord Brahmā [in His gravity while departing to the forest].