Sumitra
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Sumitra (Template:Langx, IAST: Sumitrā) is a princess of Kashi and the queen of Kosala in the Hindu epic Ramayana. Sumitra is the second queen consort of Dasharatha, the king of Kosala, who ruled from Ayodhya.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref> Regarded to be a wise and dedicated woman, she is the mother of the twins Lakshmana and Shatrughna.<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Etymology
The name Sumitra is of Sanskrit origin, and could be divided into Su meaning good, and Mitra, meaning friend. Thus, her name means 'a good friend' or 'one with a friendly nature'. She is known in other languages as Tamil: சுமித்திரை (Template:Pronunciation), Burmese: Thumitra, Malay: Samutra, Khmer and Template:Langx Samutthra Thewi).<ref name="Su-mitra" />
Legend
Birth
While Valmiki is silent on her parentage, later texts variously described her as a princess of Kashi or of Magadha, and belonging to the Haiheya clan.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> She is called the daughter of Magadha, as per Kalidasa’s Raghuvamsham.<ref name="pragyata" /> Kalidasa wrote, Template:Blockquote
Marriage and children
Sumitra was married to king Dasharatha as his second queen consort. In the Balakanda chapter of the Ramayana, Sumitra first appears.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Sumitra performs the asvamedha yagna alongside Dasharatha and his two other wives in hopes of blessings for children.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite journal</ref> At the sacrifice conducted by Rishyasringa to obtain sons for the childless Dasharatha, a divine being emerged from the flames with a golden vessel filled with divine payasam (a milk delicacy) prepared by the gods. Dasharatha offers half of this divine food to Kausalya, a quarter to Sumitra (i.e., literally 'half of that which remained'), an eighth to Kaikeyi (i.e., again, 'half of that which remained'), and then, upon reflection, gives the final eighth to Sumitra again.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Consequently, Kausalya gives birth to the prince Rama and Kaikeyi to Bharata. Having received two portions, Sumitra became the mother of twins, Lakshmana and Satrughna.<ref name="Su-mitra">Template:Cite web</ref>
Her elder son Lakshmana married Urmila, daughter of Janaka, King of Mithila and her younger son Shatrughan, married Shrutakirti, daughter of Janaka's brother Kushadhvaja.<ref name=":1" />
Rama's exile
Sumitra is known to encourage her son Lakshmana to go into exile with Rama.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sumitra is described to have found a lot of happiness around her son Lakshmana, with the latter being described as the 'enhancer of her joy' and is also known as Saumitra (Template:Langx).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Despite this, she sends her son in his brother's service.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Before his departure, Sumitra tells Lakshmana, "Ram is your elder brother, and the future king. Do not neglect your duty. Serve and guard him, and show your devotion, at all times."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Assessment
Neither the principal queen nor the favoured wife, Sumitra was single-minded in her devotion to her husband and to the senior queen, Kausalya.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Considered as the wisest of Dasharatha's three wives, she supported Lakshmana's decision to accompany Rama, to serve him during his exile, and comforted Kausalya after the departure of her son.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the Ramayana, Sumitra is faultless and charming and skilled in her employment of words.<ref name="pragyata" /> Sumitra's husband, Dasharatha deems her worthy and is fearful of losing the respect in her eyes. He says, Template:Blockquote
Literature
After the exile of Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana, the benevolent Sumitra consoles Queen Kausalya with her persuasive words:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Blockquote During Rama's consecration, Sumitra offers her blessings to the prince:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In popular culture
Films
- Suma portrayed Sumitra in the 1997 Telugu film Ramayanam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Dishi Duggal voiced Sumitra in the 2010 animated Hindi film Ramayana: The Epic.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Sandhya Janak portrayed Sumitra in the 2011 Telugu film Sri Rama Rajyam.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Television
- Rajnibala portrayed Sumitra in the 1987 series Ramayan and the 1988 series Luv Kush.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Kamalika Guha Thakurta portrayed Sumitra in 2000 series Vishnu Puran
- Jyoti Joshi portrayed Sumitra in the 2002 series Ramayan.
- Sangeeta Kapure portrayed Sumitra in the 2008 series Ramayan.
- Anushka Singh portrayed Sumitra in the 2011 series Devon Ke Dev...Mahadev.
- Anjalie Gupta portrayed Sumitra in the 2012 series Ramayan.
- Kanishka Soni portrayed Sumitra in the 2015 series Sankat Mochan Mahabali Hanumaan.
- Sampada Vaze portrayed Sumitra in the 2015 series Siya Ke Ram.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- Preeti Gandwani portrayed Sumitra in the 2018 series Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Bhawna Aneja portrayed Sumitra in the 2024 series Shrimad Ramayan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Gurpreet Kaur Sandhu portrayed Sumitra in 2024 DD National series Kakabhushundi Ramayan- Anasuni Kathayein.
YouTube
- Priyankshi Keswani portrayed Sumitra in 2024 YouTube series Valmiki Ramayan.