Sumitra

2021-08-17T03:35:09Z

2405:201:3016:E091:FD43:5120:F2B4:F01E: /* Personality */

{{For|the Indian actress|Sumithra (actress)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{refimprove|date=August 2015}}
{{Infobox character
| series = [[Ramayana]]
| image = Four Sons of Dasaratha.jpg
| caption = Sumitra gives birth to twins (centre, top)
| name = Sumitra
| spouse = [[Dasharatha]]
| children = [[Lakshmana]] (son)<br/>[[Shatrughna]] (son)}}

'''''Sumitra''''' ({{lang-sa|सुमित्रा}}, [[IAST]]: Sumitrā) is the second consort and the queen of King [[Dasharatha]] of [[Ayodhya]] among his three wives.<ref>{{citation |url =http://www.charanamrit.com/gods/sumitra_2247 |title= Dasharatha's third Queen |publisher= Charanamrit.com |date=2012-06-19 }}</ref> She is the mother of twins [[Lakshmana]] and [[Shatrughna]] as mentioned in the Hindu epic, the [[Ramayana]].

She came from the ancient [[Kingdom of Kashi]]. She is considered as the wisest amongst the wives of Dasaratha. She is said to be the one who encouraged [[Lakshmana]] to accompany Rama and serve him during his exile. Sumitra often helped Dashratha with his problems. She was very much attached to her daughter-in-law Urmila and considered her above all. During Lakshman's exile, she only stood by her side all the time.

== Personality ==
[[File:Dasharatha give Payasa to his wives.jpg|thumb|180px|Dasharatha give Payasa to his wives]]

Sumitra is described as being fiercer and more powerful than Kaikeyi. However servitude is one of her many characteristics. In spite of being neither the principal queen or the favored one, she is single-minded in her devotion to her husband and principal queen Kaushalya. She is also known for her sacrifice of letting her son Lakshmana go to exile with Rama. Before marriage she was princess of [[Kingdom of Kashi|Kashi]] and belongs to [[Heheya Kingdom|Haiheya]] clan.

==Etymology==
Sumitra is broken into ''Su'' meaning ''good'' and ''Mitra'' meaning ''friend.'' Thus'','' her name means 'a good friend' or 'one with friendly nature'. She is known as, [[Tamil language|Tamil]]: சுமித்திரை{{IPA audio link|Ta-சுமித்திரை.ogg}}, [[Burmese language|Burmese]]: Thumitra, [[Malay language|Malay]]: Samutra, [[Khmer language|Khmer]] '' and '' {{lang-th|สมุทรเทวี}} ''Samutthra Thewi'').

==Portrayals Of Sumitra In Mass Media==

Sumitra has been portrayed by several actresses in different television adaptations of ''Ramayana'':

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year !! TV Series !! Channel !! Country !! Played by
|-
| 1987–1988 || [[Ramayan (1987 TV series)|Ramayan (TV series)]] || [[DD National]] || [[India]] ||
Rajni Bala
|-
| 1997-2000|| [[Jai Hanuman (1997 TV series)]] || [[DD Metro]] || [[India]] || Mangla Kenkare
|-
| 2000|| [[Vishnu Puran (TV series)|Vishnu Puran]]|| [[Zee TV]] || [[India]] || [[Kamalika Guha Thakurta]]
|-
| 2002 ||[[Ramayan (2002 TV series)]]||[[Zee TV]]||[[India]]|| Jyoti Joshi
|-
| 2008–2009 || [[Ramayan (2008 TV series)]] || [[NDTV Imagine]] || [[India]] || Sangeeta Kapure
|-
| 2012–2013 || [[Ramayan (2012 TV series)]] || [[Zee TV]] || [[India]] || Anjali Gupta
|-
| 2015–2016 || [[Siya Ke Ram]] || [[Star Plus]] || [[India]] || Sampada Vaje
|-
| 2019–2020 || [[Ram Siya Ke Luv Kush]] || [[Colors TV]] || [[India]] || Preeti Gandwani
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Raghuvamsa]]

{{Hindu-myth-stub}}
[[Category:Characters_in_the_Ramayana]]

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Sumitra