Chapter 116

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

प्रतिप्रयाते भरते वसन् रामः तपो वने
लक्षयाम् आस स उद्वेगम् अथ औत्सुक्यम् तपस्विनाम्

pratiprayāte bharate vasan rāmaḥ tapo vane
lakṣayām āsa sa udvegam atha autsukyam tapasvinām

SYNONYMS

bharate: Bharata | pratiprayāte: having returned | rāmaḥ: Rama | tapovane: who was dwelling in the woods | atha: then | lakṣayāmāsa: observed | sodvegam: the anxiety | tapasvinām: of the sages | outsukyam: and their perturbation. |

TRANSLATION

Bharata having returned (to Ayodhya), Rama who was dwelling in the woods, observed anxiety accompanied by perturbation among the sages.

VERSE 2

ये तत्र चित्र कूटस्य पुरस्तात् तापस आश्रमे
रामम् आश्रित्य निरताः तान् अलक्षयद् उत्सुकान्

ye tatra citra kūṭasya purastāt tāpasa āśrame
rāmam āśritya niratāḥ tān alakṣayad utsukān

SYNONYMS

alakṣayat: (He) saw | tatara: there | tām: those ascetics | purastāt: who were formerly | niratāh: quite pleased | tāpasāśrame: at Chitrakuta | āśritya: depending as they did | rāmam: on Rama | utsukān: anxious. |

TRANSLATION

He saw there those ascetics-who were formerly quite pleased in that hermitage at Chitrakuta depending as they did on Rama- anxious.

VERSE 3

नयनैर् भृकुटीभिः च रामम् निर्दिश्य शन्किताः
अन्योन्यम् उपजल्पन्तः शनैः चक्रुर् मिथः कथाः

nayanair bhṛkuṭībhiḥ ca rāmam nirdiśya śankitāḥ
anyonyam upajalpantaḥ śanaiḥ cakrur mithaḥ kathāḥ

SYNONYMS

nirdiśya: pointing out | rāmam: to Rama | nayanaiḥ: (through the movements) of their eyes | bhṛkuṭībhiśca: and eye-brows | śankitāh: minifesting their anxiety | upajalpantaḥ: whispering | śanaiḥ: slowly | anyonyam: among one another | cakruḥ: and framing | kathāḥ: legends | mithaḥ: in secret. |

TRANSLATION

Pointing out to Rama through the movements of their eyes and eye-brows manifesting their anxiety, they whispered among themselves, narrating some legends in secret.

VERSE 4

तेषाम् औत्सुक्यम् आलक्ष्य रामः तु आत्मनि शन्कितः
कृत अन्जलिर् उवाच इदम् ऋषिम् कुल पतिम् ततः

teṣām autsukyam ālakṣya rāmaḥ tu ātmani śankitaḥ
kṛta anjalir uvāca idam ṛṣim kula patim tataḥ

SYNONYMS

alakṣya: perceiving | teṣām: their | outsukyam: distress | rāmastu: Rama | tataḥ: then | śaṇkitaḥ: was filled with apprechension | svātmani: about himself | kṛtājñaliḥ: and with joined palms | uvāca: spoke | idam: these words | ṛṣim: to a sage | kulapatim: the leader of that community of ascetics (as follows): |

TRANSLATION

Perceiving their distress, Rama was filled with apprehension about himself and with joined palms spoke the following words to a sage, the leader of that community of ascetics:

VERSE 5

न कच्चिद् भगवन् किंचित् पूर्व वृत्तम् इदम् मयि
दृश्यते विकृतम् येन विक्रियन्ते तपस्विनः

na kaccid bhagavan kiṃcit pūrva vṛttam idam mayi
dṛśyate vikṛtam yena vikriyante tapasvinaḥ

SYNONYMS

bhagavat: O venerable sage! | mayi: is in me | kimcit: or any | idam: this | kaścit: some | vikṛtam: change | nadṛśyate: is not seen | yena: due to which | tapasvinaḥ: the ascetics | vikriyante: feel agitated. |

TRANSLATION

"O venerable sage! I fear that the conduct of my forefathers is not seen in me or there is some change for the worse in me, due to which the ascetics feel agitated."

VERSE 6

प्रमादाच् चरितम् कच्चित् किंचिन् न अवरजस्य मे
लक्ष्मणस्य ऋषिभिर् दृष्टम् न अनुरूपम् इव आत्मनः

pramādāc caritam kaccit kiṃcin na avarajasya me
lakṣmaṇasya ṛṣibhir dṛṣṭam na anurūpam iva ātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

ye avarajasya: has my younger brother | lakṣmaṇasya: Lakshmana | ātmanaḥ: the high-souled | pramādāt: through inadvertence | caritam: behaved | nānurūpam: unworthy of him | na dṛṣṭam kaścit: I hope it is not seen | ṛṣibhiḥ: by the sages. |

TRANSLATION

"Has my younger brother, the high-souled Lakshmana, through inadvertence, behaved unworthy of him while the sages were seeing?"

VERSE 7

कच्चित् शुश्रूषमाणा वः शुश्रूषण परा मयि
प्रमदा अभ्युचिताम् वृत्तिम् सीता युक्तम् न वर्तते

kaccit śuśrūṣamāṇā vaḥ śuśrūṣaṇa parā mayi
pramadā abhyucitām vṛttim sītā yuktam na vartate

SYNONYMS

kachit: I hope that | sītā: Seetha | śuśrūṣamāṇā: who is serving | vaḥ: you | śuśrūṣaṇaparā: and who is keen in serving | mayi: me | na vartate: has not behaved | yuktam: properly | vṛttim: according to the conduct | pramadābhyamcitām: suitable for women. |

TRANSLATION

"I hope that Seetha, who is serving you and who is keen in serving me, does not, I am afraid, behaved properly, according to the conduct suitable for women."

VERSE 8

अथ ऋषिर् जरया वृद्धः तपसा च जराम् गतः
वेपमान इव उवाच रामम् भूत दया परम्

atha ṛṣir jarayā vṛddhaḥ tapasā ca jarām gataḥ
vepamāna iva uvāca rāmam bhūta dayā param

SYNONYMS

atha: then | ṛṣiḥ: the sage | vṛddhaḥ: a grown-up man | gataḥ: and who got | jarām: old age | tapasāca: also by penance | vepamāna iva: appeared trembling | uvāca: and spoke | rāmam: to Rama | bhūtadayāparam: who was ever compassionate to all beings. |

TRANSLATION

Then, that grown-up sage, who was elderly both by age and penance, appeared trembling and spoke to Rama, who was ever compassionate to all beings, as follows:

VERSE 9

कुतः कल्याण सत्त्वायाः कल्याण अभिरतेः तथा
चलनम् तात वैदेह्याः तपस्विषु विशेषतः

kutaḥ kalyāṇa sattvāyāḥ kalyāṇa abhirateḥ tathā
calanam tāta vaidehyāḥ tapasviṣu viśeṣataḥ

SYNONYMS

tāta: O | kutaḥ: what is there | tapasviṣu: for us the ascetics | calanam: to fear | viśeṣataḥ: above all | vaidehyāḥ: from Seetha | kalyāṇa sattvāyāḥ: who is natural in her disposition | tathā: and | kalyāṇābhirateḥ: follower of virtue. |

TRANSLATION

"O, dear Rama! What is there for us the ascetics to fear above all from Seetha, who is natural in her disposition and is the follower of virtue?"

VERSE 10

त्वन् निमित्तम् इदम् तावत् तापसान् प्रति वर्तते
रक्षोभ्यः तेन सम्विग्नाः कथयन्ति मिथः कथाः

tvan nimittam idam tāvat tāpasān prati vartate
rakṣobhyaḥ tena samvignāḥ kathayanti mithaḥ kathāḥ

SYNONYMS

rakṣobhyaḥ: It is on account of demons | tvannimittam: through enmity to you | prativartate tāvate: have begun to oppress | tāpasān prati: the sages | tena: and by which samvigraaH = fear has arisen | kathayanti: they discuss | mithaḥ: with each other | kathāḥ: how (they may best defend themselves) |

TRANSLATION

"It is on account of demons, who, through enmity to you, have begun to oppress the sages. Alarmed by it, they discuss with each other how they can best defend themselves."

VERSE 11

रावण अवरजः कश्चित् खरो नाम इह राक्षसः
उत्पाट्य तापसान् सर्वान् जन स्थान निकेतनान्

rāvaṇa avarajaḥ kaścit kharo nāma iha rākṣasaḥ
utpāṭya tāpasān sarvān jana sthāna niketanān

SYNONYMS

12| tātaḥ: O | iha: here | rākṣasaḥ: a demon | kharonāma: called Khara | rāvaṇāvarajaḥ: Ravana's younger brother | utpāṭya: having uprooted | sarvān: all | tāpasān: the ascetics | janasthānaniketa: who dwell in Janasthana | dhṛṣṭaśca: and who is a boaster | jitakāśīca: victorious in battle | nṛśamsaḥ: cruel | puruṣādakaḥ: an eater of human flesh | avaliptaśca: haughty | pāpaśca: and sinful | na mṛṣyate: is unable to endure | tvām ca: you also. |

TRANSLATION

"O, darling! Here, a demon called Khara, Ravana's younger brother- who is a boaster, victorious in battle, cruel and eater of human flesh, haughty and sinful-having uprooted all the ascetics who dwell in Janasthana, is unable to endure you also."

VERSE 13

त्वम् यदा प्रभृति ह्य् अस्मिन्न् आश्रमे तात वर्तसे
तदा प्रभृति रक्षांसि विप्रकुर्वन्ति तापसान्

tvam yadā prabhṛti hy asminn āśrame tāta vartase
tadā prabhṛti rakṣāṃsi viprakurvanti tāpasān

SYNONYMS

tāta: My darling! yadaa = prabhR^iti = from which time | tvam: you | vartase: came to dwell | asmin āśrame: in this hermitage | tadā prabhṛti: from that time onwards | rakṣāmsi: the demons | viprakurvanti: continue to ill-treat | tāpasān: the ascetics. |

TRANSLATION

"My darling! From which time you came to dwell in this hermitage, from that time inwards, the demons continue to ill-treat the ascetics."

VERSE 14

दर्शयन्ति हि बीभत्सैः क्रूरैर् भीषणकैर् अपि
नाना रूपैर् विरूपैः च रूपैर् असुख दर्शनैः

darśayanti hi bībhatsaiḥ krūrair bhīṣaṇakair api
nānā rūpair virūpaiḥ ca rūpair asukha darśanaiḥ

SYNONYMS

darśayanti: (They) appear | bhībhatsaiḥ: in grotesque | krūraiḥ: and harmful | rūpaiḥ: forms | bhīṣaṇakairapi: fillign them with terror | nānārūpaiḥ: in diverse forms | virūpaiśca: (having) ugly | vikṛta darśanaiḥ: and unnatural demeanor. |

TRANSLATION

"They appear in grotesque and harmful forms, filling them with terror, in diverse forms and possessing ugly and unnatural demeanor."

VERSE 15

अप्रशस्तैर् अशुचिभिः सम्प्रयोज्य च तापसान्
प्रतिघ्नन्त्य् अपरान् क्षिप्रम् अनार्याः पुरतः स्थितः

apraśastair aśucibhiḥ samprayojya ca tāpasān
pratighnanty aparān kṣipram anāryāḥ purataḥ sthitaḥ

SYNONYMS

samprajyojya: flinging | apraśastaiḥ: filthy | aśucibhiḥ: and inauspicious objects | tāpasān: on some of the ascetics | anāryāḥ: these wicked demons | sthitāḥ: stand | purataḥ: in front of them | pratighnanti: and kill | aparān: some ascetics. |

TRANSLATION

"Flinging filthy and inauspicious objects on some of the ascetics, the wicked demons stand in front of them and kill some ascetics too."

VERSE 16

तेषु तेषु आश्रमस्थानेषु अबुद्धम् अवलीय च
रमन्ते तापसाम्ः तत्र नाशयन्तो अल्प चेतसः

teṣu teṣu āśramasthāneṣu abuddham avalīya ca
ramante tāpasāmḥ tatra nāśayanto alpa cetasaḥ

SYNONYMS

avalīyaca: hiding themselves | teṣu teṣu: in those | āśramasthāneṣu: hermitages | abuddham: unnoticed | alpacetanaḥ: those evil-minded demons | ramante: delight | nāśayantaḥ: in destroying | tāpasān: the ascetics | tatra: there. |

TRANSLATION

"Having themselves in those hermitages unnoticed, those evil-minded demons delight themselves in destroying the ascetics there."

VERSE 17

अपक्षिपन्ति स्रुग् भाण्डान् अग्नीन् सिन्चन्ति वारिणा
कलशाम्ः च प्रमृद्नन्ति हवने समुपस्थिते

apakṣipanti srug bhāṇḍān agnīn sincanti vāriṇā
kalaśāmḥ ca pramṛdnanti havane samupasthite

SYNONYMS

havane: (While) a sacrifice | samupasthite: is undertaken | avakṣipanti: (they) scatter | srugbāṇḍān: sacrificial vessels | siṇcanti: sprinkle | agnīn: the fires | vāriṇā: with water | pramattnanti: and break | kalaśāmśca: the water-pots. |

TRANSLATION

"At the time of pouring oblations into the sacred fire, they scatter the sacrificial vessels, sprinkle the fires with water and break the water-pots."

VERSE 18

तैर् दुरात्मभिर् आविष्टान् आश्रमान् प्रजिहासवः
गमनाय अन्य देशस्य चोदयन्त्य् ऋषयो अद्य माम्

tair durātmabhir āviṣṭān āśramān prajihāsavaḥ
gamanāya anya deśasya codayanty ṛṣayo adya mām

SYNONYMS

prajihāsavaḥ: resolved to leave | āśramān: these retreats | āmṛṣṭān: that have been invaded | taiḥ: by them | durātmabhiḥ: the evil spirits | ṛṣayaḥ: the ascetics | adya: today | codayanti: are urging | mām: me | gamanāya: to go | anyadeśaya: to another area. |

TRANSLATION

"Resolved to leave these retreats that have been invaded by evil spirits, the ascetics today are urging me to go to another area."

VERSE 19

तत् पुरा राम शारीराम् उपहिंसाम् तपस्विषु
दर्शयति हि दुष्टाः ते त्यक्ष्याम इमम् आश्रमम्

tat purā rāma śārīrām upahiṃsām tapasviṣu
darśayati hi duṣṭāḥ te tyakṣyāma imam āśramam

SYNONYMS

rāma: O | purā: before | te duṣṭāḥ: those wicked being | darśayanti hi: indeed show | śārīrām: bodily | upahimsām: injury | tapasviśū: to the ascetics | tyakṣyāmaḥ: we are abandoning | imam āśramam: this hermitage | tat: for that reason. |

TRANSLATION

"O, Rama! Before those wicked beings indeed show bodily injury to the ascetics, we are abandoning this hermitage."

VERSE 20

बहु मूल फलम् चित्रम् अविदूराद् इतो वनम्
पुराण आश्रमम् एव अहम् श्रयिष्ये सगणः पुनः

bahu mūla phalam citram avidūrād ito vanam
purāṇa āśramam eva aham śrayiṣye sagaṇaḥ punaḥ

SYNONYMS

avidūrāt: not far | itaḥ: from here | citram vanam: there is a colourful grove | bahumūlaphalam: having many roots and fruits | aham: I | śrayiṣye: will take shelter | punaḥ: again | purāṇāśramameva: in that previous hermitage itself | sagaṇaḥ: along with an assembly of sages. |

TRANSLATION

"Not far from here, there is a colourful grove yielding many roots and fruits. I will take shelter again in that previous hermitage itself, along with an assembly of sages."

VERSE 21

खरः त्वय्य् अपि च अयुक्तम् पुरा तात प्रवर्तते
सह अस्माभिर् इतो गग्च्छ यदि बुद्धिः प्रवर्तते

kharaḥ tvayy api ca ayuktam purā tāta pravartate
saha asmābhir ito gagccha yadi buddhiḥ pravartate

SYNONYMS

tāta: O | kharaḥ: Khara | purā pravantate: will behave | tvayyapica: in your case also | ayuktam: unjustly | buddhiḥ yadi: If your intellect | pravartate: is agreeable | gaccha: come | asmābhiḥ saha: along with us | itaḥ: form here. |

TRANSLATION

"O, darling! Khara, the demon will behave unjustly with you in the same way. If your mind feels so inclined, come along with us from here."

VERSE 22

सकलत्रस्य संदेहो नित्यम् यत् तस्य राघव
समर्थस्य अपि हि सतो वासो दुह्ख इह अद्य ते

sakalatrasya saṃdeho nityam yat tasya rāghava
samarthasya api hi sato vāso duhkha iha adya te

SYNONYMS

rāghava: O | te: to you | sakalatrasya: who are with your wife | samarthasyāpi hi sataḥ: though competent | nityam: and ever | yattasya: watchful | sandehaḥ: there is a danger | vāsaḥ: your stag | iha: here | adya: is now | duḥkham: difficult. |

TRANSLATION

"O, Rama! To you, who live with your wife, though you are competent and ever watchful, there is a danger. Your stay here is conduced with misery now."

VERSE 23

इत्य् उक्तवन्तम् रामः तम् राज पुत्रः तपस्विनम्
न शशाक उत्तरैर् वाक्यैर् अवरोद्धुम् समुत्सुकम्

ity uktavantam rāmaḥ tam rāja putraḥ tapasvinam
na śaśāka uttarair vākyair avaroddhum samutsukam

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ: Rama | rājaputram: the prince | na śaśāka: could not | avabandhum: desist | tam tapasvinam: that sage | samutsukam: and eager | uttaraiḥ: by responsive | vākyaiḥ: words. |

TRANSLATION

Rama the prince could not with his responsive words desist the said sage when he had spoken as aforesaid, eager as he was to leave the place.

VERSE 24

अभिनन्द्य समापृग्च्छ्य समाधाय च राघवम्
स जगाम आश्रमम् त्यक्त्वा कुलैः कुल पतिः सह

abhinandya samāpṛgcchya samādhāya ca rāghavam
sa jagāma āśramam tyaktvā kulaiḥ kula patiḥ saha

SYNONYMS

saḥ kulapati: that leader of the community | abhinandya: having greeted | samāpṛcchya: bade farewell | samādhāya: and justified his statement | rāghavam: to Rama | jagāma: went | tyaktvā: leaving | āśramam: the hermitage | kulaissaha: along with a company of sages. |

TRANSLATION

Having greeted, bidding farewell and justifying his statement to Rama, that leader of the community departed, leaving the hermitage, along with a host of sages.

VERSE 25

रामः संसाध्य तु ऋषि गणम् अनुगमना
देशात् तस्माच्चित् कुल पतिम् अभिवाद्य ऋषिम्
सम्यक् प्रीतैः तैर् अनुमत उपदिष्ट अर्थः
पुण्यम् वासाय स्व निलयम् उपसम्पेदे

rāmaḥ saṃsādhya tu ṛṣi gaṇam anugamanā
deśāt tasmāccit kula patim abhivādya ṛṣim
samyak prītaiḥ tair anumata upadiṣṭa arthaḥ
puṇyam vāsāya sva nilayam upasampede

SYNONYMS

anugamanāt: accompanying them for a distance | tasmāt deśāt: from that place | samsādhya: bidding farewell | ṛṣigaṇam: to that group of sages | abhivādya: offering salutation | ṛṣim: to that ascetic | kulapatim: the leader of the community | anumataḥ: and taking leave | taiḥ: of them | samyak: who were well | prītaiḥ: pleased | upadiṣṭārthaḥ: and having received their counsel | rāmaḥ: Rama | upasampade: reached | svam nilayam: his own home | puṇyam: which was sacred | vāsāya: to reside. |

TRANSLATION

Accompanying them for a distance from that place, bidding farewell to that group of sages, offering his salutation to that ascetic, the leader of the community and taking leave of them, who were well-pleased and having received their counsel, Rama returned to his dwelling, which was sacred to reside.

VERSE 26

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे षोडशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe ṣoḍaśottaraśatatamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ rāghavaḥ: that Rama | prabhuḥ: the lord | na jahau: did not leave | kṣaṇampai: even for a moment | āśramam: that hermitage (that had been deserted by the sages) | tāpasāśca: but some ascetics among them | dhṛtaguṇāḥ: who had fixed their mind | rāghavam: on Rama | ārṣacarite: who followed the conduct of the sages | satatam: constantly | anugatāḥ hi: followed Rama. |

TRANSLATION

That Rama, the lord, did not leave even for a moment that hermitage that had been deserted by the sages. But some ascetics among them who had fixed their mind on Rama (who followed the conduct of the sages) constantly followed Rama.