सर्वेषां दोषरत्नानां सुसमुद्गिकयाऽनया । दुःखशृङ्खलया नित्यमलमस्तु मम स्त्रिया ॥ २३ ॥
sarvēṣāṁ dōṣaratnānāṁ susamudgikayā’nayā | duḥkhaśṛṅkhalayā nityamalamastu mama striyā || 23 ||
Translation
Enough for me, always, of woman, this fine casket of all the jewels of faults, this chain of sorrows!
Word by word
- sarvēṣāṁ
- of all
- dōṣa
- of faults
- ratnānāṁ
- the jewels
- su
- fine
- samudgikayā
- casket
- anayā
- this
- duḥkha
- of sorrows
- śṛṅkhalayā
- chain
- nityam
- always
- alam
- enough
- astu
- be
- mama
- for me
- striyā
- of woman
Meaning
A casket keeps jewels together; this one keeps faults. And it is a chain. The commentary: a box for the gems of faults, and sorrow the lock and chain. "Enough for me" (alam astu mama) is a personal renunciation: Rāma speaks for himself, a young man turning from marriage and pleasure to the search for truth. It is his vow, not a judgment of others.