वनं प्रव्रजिते पत्यावपत्यविरहातुरा । ज्ञाततत्त्वाप्यभून्नष्टे वत्से गौरिव वत्सला ॥ २१ ॥
vanam pravrajite patyav apatya-virahatura jnata-tattvapy abhun naste vatse gaur iva vatsala
- vanam
- to the forest
- pravrajite patyau
- when her husband left home
- apatya-viraha
- by separation from her son
- atura
- very sorry
- jnata-tattva
- knowing the truth
- api
- although
- abhut
- she became
- naste vatse
- when her calf is lost
- gauh
- a cow
- iva
- like
- vatsala
- affectionate.
Devahuti’s husband had already left home and accepted the renounced order of life, and then her only son, Kapila, left home. Although she knew all the truths of life and death, and although her heart was cleansed of all dirt, she was very aggrieved at the loss of her son, just as a cow is affected when her calf dies.