Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 52: Rāma Crosses the Gaṅgā on Guha’s Boat
Text 2.52.35
यथा च तव कैकेयी सुमित्रा वाविशेषतः।
तथैव देवी कौसल्या मम माताविशेषतः॥
yathā ca tava kaikeyī sumitrā vāviśeṣataḥ
tathaiva devī kausalyā mama mātāviśeṣataḥ
yathā ca = just as; tava = You; kaikeyī = Queen Kaikeyī; sumitrā = Queen Sumitrā; vā = and; aviśeṣataḥ = don’t discriminate between; tathā eva devī = Queen; kausalyā = Kausalyā; mama = My; mātā = mother; aviśeṣataḥ = You should not discriminate against.
“Just as You don’t discriminate between Queen Kaikeyī and Queen Sumitrā, You should not discriminate against My mother Queen Kausalyā.
1 It is well known that Bharata and Śatrughna were intimate brothers and that Bharata dealt with Śatrughna’s mother the way He dealt with His own mother Kaikeyī.
This verse elaborates on the idea set out in the previous verse. Queen Sumitrā is referred to here because of [Bharata’s] partiality towards Śatrughna.1