Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 51: Guha and Lakṣmaṇa Converse at Night
Text 2.51.17
कथं पुत्रं महात्मानं ज्येष्ठं प्रियमपश्यतः।
शरीरं धारयिष्यन्ति प्राणा राज्ञो महात्मनः॥
kathaṁ putraṁ mahātmānaṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ priyam apaśyataḥ
śarīraṁ dhārayiṣyanti prāṇā rājño mahātmanaḥ
katham = how; putram = son; mahā-ātmānam = the great soul Rāma; jyeṣṭham = eldest; priyam = his dear; apaśyataḥ = when he does not see; śarīram = his body; dhārayiṣyanti = will sustain; prāṇāḥ = the life-airs; rājñaḥ = King Daśaratha; mahā-ātmanaḥ = of the great soul.
“How will the life-airs of the great soul King Daśaratha sustain his body when he does not see his dear eldest son, the great soul Rāma?
GLOSS. Putram indicates that Rāma was Daśaratha’s [true] son, a savior from the hell named Put.