Chapter 38

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

तस्याम् चीरम् वसानायाम् नाथवत्याम् अनाथवत्
प्रचुक्रोश जनः सर्वो धिग् त्वाम् दशरथम् तु इति

tasyām cīram vasānāyām nāthavatyām anāthavat
pracukrośa janaḥ sarvo dhig tvām daśaratham tu iti

SYNONYMS

tasyām: that Seetha | nātha vatyām: though protected by her husband | vasānāyām: is wearing | cīram: bark of trees | anāthavat: like a helpless woman | sarvaḥ: all | janaḥ: the people | pracukrośa: loudly cried out | iti: thus | dhik: "Fie | tvām: upon you | daśaratham: dasaratha!" |

TRANSLATION

On seeing Seetha wearing bark of trees like a helpless woman, eventhough protected by her husband all the people there loudly cried out: "Fie upon you, Dasaratha!"

VERSE 2

तेन तत्र प्रणादेन दुःखितस्स महीपतिः
चिच्छेद जीविते श्रद्धाम् धर्मे यशसि चात्मनः

tena tatra praṇādena duḥkhitassa mahīpatiḥ
ciccheda jīvite śraddhām dharme yaśasi cātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

duḥkhitaḥ: pained | tena praṇādena: by that loud cry | tatra: there | mahīpatiḥ: that king | ciccheda: lost | śraddhām: interest | ātmanaḥ: in his | jīvete: life | dharme: religious merit | yaśasi: esteem. |

TRANSLATION

Pained by that loud cry there, King Dasaratha lost interest in his life, religious merit and esteem.

VERSE 3

स निह्श्वस्य उष्णम् ऐक्ष्वाकः ताम् भार्याम् इदम् अब्रवीत्
कैकेयि कुश चीरेण न सीता गन्तुम् अर्हति

sa nihśvasya uṣṇam aikṣvākaḥ tām bhāryām idam abravīt
kaikeyi kuśa cīreṇa na sītā gantum arhati

SYNONYMS

saḥ: that | aikṣvākaḥ: Dasaratha | niḥśvasya: by sighing | uṣṇam: warmly | abravīt: spoke | bhāryām: to his wife | idam: these words | k͟haikeyi! sītā: Seetha | nārhati: does not deserve | gantum: to go | kuśacīreṇa: with a robe made of Kusa grass" |

TRANSLATION

Dasaratha with a warm sigh, spoke to his wife these words. "Oh, Kaikeyi! Seetha does not deserve to go with a robe made of Kusa grass."

VERSE 4

सुकुमारी च बाला च सततम् च सुखोचिता
नेयम् वनस्य योग्येति सत्यमाह गुरुर्मम

sukumārī ca bālā ca satatam ca sukhocitā
neyam vanasya yogyeti satyamāha gururmama

SYNONYMS

mama guruḥ: my preceptor | satyam: truly | aha: says | iti: that | iyam: this Seetha | sukumārīca: who is delicate | bālāca: young and | sukhocita: ever habituated to comforts | nayogyā: is not fit | vanasya: for forest. |

TRANSLATION

"My preceptro truly says that Seetha, who is delicate young and ever habituated to comforts, is not fit for forest-life"

VERSE 5

इयम् हि कश्यापकरोति किंचि
त्तपस्विनी राजवरस्य कन्या
या चीरमासाद्य जनस्य मध्ये
स्थिता विसम्ज्ञा श्रमणीव काचित्

iyam hi kaśyāpakaroti kiṃci
ttapasvinī rājavarasya kanyā
yā cīramāsādya janasya madhye
sthitā visamjñā śramaṇīva kācit

SYNONYMS

: which Seetha | āsadya: by obtaining | cīram: a bark of tree | kācit śramaṇīva: like a hermitess | sthitā: standing | visaṇña: dumb founded | madhye: in the midst | janasya: of men | iyam: such | tapasvinī: pitiable | rājavarasya kanyā: daughter of Janaka(the jewel of kings) | kimcint apakāroti: has done any harm | kasya: to any one? |

TRANSLATION

"has this pitiable daughter of Janaka, the jewel of kings, done any harm to any one that, having obtained a bark of tree she is standing like a hermitess dumbfounded in the midst of men?"

VERSE 6

चीराण्यसास्या जनकस्य कन्या
नेयम् प्रतिज्ञा मम दत्तपूर्वा
यथासुखम् गच्छतु राजपुत्री
वनम् सम्ग्रा सह सर्वर्त्नैः

cīrāṇyasāsyā janakasya kanyā
neyam pratijñā mama dattapūrvā
yathāsukham gacchatu rājaputrī
vanam samgrā saha sarvartnaiḥ

SYNONYMS

janakasya kanyā: (let0 daughter of Janaka(Seetha) | apāsyā: throw away | cīrāṇi: barks of trees | na: No | iyam: such | pratiñā: pledge | datta pūrvā: was given earlier | gacchatu rājaputrī: let the priness go | vanam: to the forest | yathāsukham: happily | samagrā: fully | sarva ratnaiḥ saha: with all valuable possessions. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha the daughter of Janaka need not wear these barks of trees. No such pledge was given be me earlier. hence, let this prinecess go to the forest happily fully provided ewith all valuable possesssions."

VERSE 7

अजीवनार्हेण मया नृशंसा
कृता प्रतिज्ञा नियमेन तावत्
त्वया हि बाल्यात् प्रतिपन्नमेतत्
त्न्माम् दहेद् वेणुमिवात्मपुष्पम्

ajīvanārheṇa mayā nṛśaṃsā
kṛtā pratijñā niyamena tāvat
tvayā hi bālyāt pratipannametat
tnmām dahed veṇumivātmapuṣpam

SYNONYMS

nṛśamsā: a cruel | pratiñā: pledge | kṛtāvat: has been made | niyamena: on oath | mayā: by me | ajīvanārheṇa: who do not deserve to survive | etat: this(providing robes of hermitess to Seetha) | pratipannamhi: has been initiated | tvayā: by you | bālyāt: by sheer childishness | tat: that | dahet: will consume | mām: me | ātma puṣpam iva: as by its own flow | veṇum: to a bamboo. |

TRANSLATION

"A Cruel pledge has been made on oath by me, who do not deserve to survive. This (providing robes of hermitess to Seetha) has been initiated by you by sheer childishness. That will consume me, as by its own flower to a bamboo."

VERSE 8

रामेण यदि ते पा पे किंचित्कृतमशोभनम्
अपकारः क इह ते वैदेह्या दर्शितो।अधमे

rāmeṇa yadi te pā pe kiṃcitkṛtamaśobhanam
apakāraḥ ka iha te vaidehyā darśito|adhame

SYNONYMS

pāpe: Oh | evil vomen! adhame: the mean woman! ashobhanam kR^itamyadi = (even) supposing an offence is done | kimcit: a little | rāmeṇa: by Rama | te: to you | kaḥ: what | apakāraḥ: harm | darśitaḥ: was displayed | iha: here | vaidehyā: by Seetha?" |

TRANSLATION

"Oh evil woman! (Even) supposing a little offence is done by Rama to you, what harm was displayed to you here by Seetha? Oh, mean woman!"

VERSE 9

मृगीवोत्फुल्लनयना मृदुशीला तपस्विनी
अपकारम् कमिह ते करोति जनकात्मजा

mṛgīvotphullanayanā mṛduśīlā tapasvinī
apakāram kamiha te karoti janakātmajā

SYNONYMS

kam apakāram: "What harm | iha: on earth | karoti: can be done | janakātmajā: by daughter of Janada(Seetha) utphullanayanaa = who has blooming eyes | mṛgīva: like those of a female deer | mṛdu śīlā: soft in disposition | tapasvinī: a practiser of penance?" |

TRANSLATION

"What harm on earth can be done to you by Seetha, who has blooming eyes like those of a female deer, soft in disposition a practiser of penance?"

VERSE 10

ननु पर्याप्तम् एतत् ते पापे राम विवासनम्
किम् एभिः कृपणैः भूयः पातकैः अपि ते कृतैः

nanu paryāptam etat te pāpe rāma vivāsanam
kim ebhiḥ kṛpaṇaiḥ bhūyaḥ pātakaiḥ api te kṛtaiḥ

SYNONYMS

pāpe: Oh | the evil voman! rāmavivāsanam: sending Rama to exile | etat: thus | te: for you | paryāptam nanu: is indeed enough | kim: what use | bhūyaḥ: further | kṛtaiḥ: in being done | ebhiḥ: these | kṛpaṇaiḥ: wretched | pātakairapi: sinful acts too. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, the evil woman! Sending Rama to exile thus indeed is enough for you. What use is there for you in further doing these wretched, sinful acts too.

VERSE 11

प्रतिज्ञातम् मया तावत् त्वयोक्तम् देवि शृण्वता
रामम् यदभिषेकाय त्वमिहाअत मब्रवीः

pratijñātam mayā tāvat tvayoktam devi śṛṇvatā
rāmam yadabhiṣekāya tvamihāata mabravīḥ

SYNONYMS

śriṇatā: hearing | uktam: the speech | tvayā: by you | tvam: you | abravīḥ: spoke | rāmam: to Rama | āgatam: who came | iha: here | abhiṣekāya: for coronation | tāvat: that much | pratiñāt: was acceded | mayā: by me | devi: Oh |

TRANSLATION

"Hearing the speech you gave to Rama who came here for coronation, only that much was acceded by me, Oh queen!"

VERSE 12

तत्त्वेतत्समतिक्रम्य निरयम् गन्तुमिच्छसि
मैथिलीमपि या हि त्व मीक्षसे चीरवासिनीम्

tattvetatsamatikramya nirayam gantumicchasi
maithilīmapi yā hi tva mīkṣase cīravāsinīm

SYNONYMS

atikramya: transgressing | tat etat: all that | evam: you | : somehow or other | icchasi: wish | gantum: to go | nirayam: to hell | īkṣase: by perceiving | maithilīm api: Seetha also | cīra vāsinīm: clad in bark of trees. |

TRANSLATION

"Transgressing all that, you somehow or other wish to go to hell, by perceiving Seetha also clad in bark of trees.

VERSE 13

इतीव राजा विलपन्महात्मा
शोकस्य नान्तम् स ददर्श किंचित्
भृशातुरत्वाच्च पपात भूमौ
तेनैव पुत्रव्यसनेन मग्नः

itīva rājā vilapanmahātmā
śokasya nāntam sa dadarśa kiṃcit
bhṛśāturatvācca papāta bhūmau
tenaiva putravyasanena magnaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ rājā: that king | mahātmā: the high-soulded | itīva: thus | vilapan: lamenting | na dadarśa: did not see | kimcit: any | autam: cessation | śokasya: of that sorrow | magnaḥ: drenched | putra vyasnena eva: in excessive devotion to his son | papāte: to fell | bhūmau: on the gound | bhṛśāturatvācca: having been hurt very mcuh. |

TRANSLATION

That high-souled king thus lamenting, did not see any ending to that sorrow. Drenched as he was in excessive devotion to his son and having been hurt vey much, he fell down on the ground.

VERSE 14

एवम् ब्रुवन्तम् पितरम् रामः सम्प्रस्थितः वनम्
अवाक् शिरसम् आसीनम् इदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

evam bruvantam pitaram rāmaḥ samprasthitaḥ vanam
avāk śirasam āsīnam idam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ: Rama | samprasthitaḥ: who was setting out | vanam: to forest | abravīt: spoke | idam vacanam: these words | pitaram: to his father | bruvantam: who was speaking | evam: thus | avākcirasam: bowing down his head | āsīnam: siiting. |

TRANSLATION

Rama, who was setting out to the forest, spoke these words to his father, who was speaking thus bowing down his head, sitting there.

VERSE 15

इयम् धार्मिक कौसल्या मम माता यशस्विनी
वृद्धा च अक्षुद्र शीला च न च त्वाम् देव गर्हिते

iyam dhārmika kausalyā mama mātā yaśasvinī
vṛddhā ca akṣudra śīlā ca na ca tvām deva garhite

SYNONYMS

dharmika: Oh | deva: king! iyam = this | kausalyā: Kausalya = Kausalya | mama mātā: my mother | yaśasvinī: the glorious woman | vṛddhā: is aged | akṣudra śīlāca: not base natured | naca garhate: will not accuse | tvām: you. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, virtuous king! This glorious Kausalya, my mother is aged. She is not of base nature and will not accuse you.

VERSE 16

मया विहीनाम् वरद प्रपन्नाम् शोक सागरम्
अदृष्ट पूर्व व्यसनाम् भूयः सम्मन्तुम् अर्हसि

mayā vihīnām varada prapannām śoka sāgaram
adṛṣṭa pūrva vyasanām bhūyaḥ sammantum arhasi

SYNONYMS

varada: Oh | the bestover of būns! arhasi: you are worthy | sammantum: to respect(her) | bhūyaḥ: much | vihīnam: who is deprived | māa: of me | prapannām: who got | śoka sāgaram: an ocean of sorrow | adṛṣṭa pūrva vyasanām: such an affliction not being seen by her earlier. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, the bestower of boons! You are worthy of amply respection her, who is deprived of me, who is immersed in an ocean of sorrow and who has not see such an affliction earlier."

VERSE 17

पुत्रशोकम् यथा नर्चेत्त्वया पूज्येन पूजिता
माम् हि संचिन्तयन्ती सा त्वयि जीवेत् तपस्विनी

putraśokam yathā narcettvayā pūjyena pūjitā
mām hi saṃcintayantī sā tvayi jīvet tapasvinī

SYNONYMS

pūjitā: being honoured | tvayā: by you | pūjyena: the venerable man | : she | tapasvinī: the pitiable woman | naṛcchet: will not obtain | yathā: such | putra śokam: grief for her son | samcintayantī: thinking | māmhi: of me alone | jīvet: will have life | tvayi: in you. |

TRANSLATION

"Having been honoured by you the venerable man, she the pitiable woman will not get such a grief for her son, thinking of me alone and she will draw breath in you."

VERSE 18

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अयोध्य काण्डे अष्टा त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye ayodhya kāṇḍe aṣṭā triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

mahendropama: Oh | king equal to the great īndra the ruler of gods! arhasi: you are worthy | vidhātum: to destine | imām: my mother | jāta gardhinīm: who has high affection towards her son | yathā: in such a manner | tathā: that | na vrajet: she will not go | yamakṣayam: to the house of yama the God of Death | syasya: by abandoning | jīvitam: her life | śoka karśitā: emaciated by grief | mayi vanasthe: while I am in the forest. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, the king akim to the mighty Indra the ruler of gods! You must see that my mother, who has high affection towards her son, will not depart to the house of Yama the God of Death, by abandoning her life being emaciated by grief after my departure for the forest." Thus completes 38th chapter of ayodhya Kanda in glorious Valmiki Ramayana, the work of a sage and the oldest epic. Verse Locator for Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya : Chapter 38 Top of Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 © April 2002, K. M. K. Murthy