Devtas

Sumitra

Other names- Sumeetra

King Dashratha had three chief queens, Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. Sumitra was considered equal to Kaushalya in status. She was the daughter of the King of Magadha. She was serene, sweet natured and courteous and therefore a favorite with everyone. She was balanced in her outlook and friendly with everyone around. It was because of her friendly disposition that she earned the name Sumitra, a good friend. She treated Kaushalya and Kaikeyi, the other two queens, with sisterly love and they too responded to her unselfish affection.

That is why, when the divine Kheer from the Putrakameshti yagna was divided among the three queens, both Kaushalya and Kaikeyi gave a part of their Kheer to Sumitra. As she received a double serving of the Kheer, Sumitra gave birth to two sons, Lakshman and Shatrughna.

As a mark of the love she had received from the queens, Sumitra urged her sons to serve their brothers selflessly. Lakshman was attached to Rama and Shatrughna became inseparable from Bharat to serve and protect them with devotion. When Bharat was about to leave with his maternal uncle Yudhajit for Kaikey, the kingdom of his maternal grandfather, Sumitra sent Shatrughna to accompany him.

Meanwhile, goaded by Manthara, Kaikeyi insisted on redeeming her two wishes or boons - A fourteen-year exile for Rama and the crown for her son Bharat . Rama was about to leave for the forest with Sita and Lakshman wanted to go along too. He came to Sumitra to ask her permission. Sumitra was overjoyed to hear this selfless decision of her son and praised him. “I am blessed indeed to have a son like you. A younger brother who devotes himself to his elder brother is indeed blessed.”

“I will look after Kaushalya who will be grieving for her son and you look after Rama and Sita in the forest,” she said to her son.

It is this noble, selfless, generous trait of Sumitra that makes her a venerable character of the Ramayana.