Chapter 42
Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya
यावत् तु निर्यतः तस्य रजो रूपम् अदृश्यत
न एव इक्ष्वाकु वरः तावत् सम्जहार आत्म चक्षुषी
yāvat tu niryataḥ tasya rajo rūpam adṛśyata
na eva ikṣvāku varaḥ tāvat samjahāra ātma cakṣuṣī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
As long as the dust raised by the wheels of Rama's chariot could be seen, so long did the king not withdraw his gaze from it.
यावद् राजा प्रियम् पुत्रम् पश्यति अत्यन्त धार्मिकम्
तावद् व्यवर्धत इव अस्य धरण्याम् पुत्र दर्शने
yāvad rājā priyam putram paśyati atyanta dhārmikam
tāvad vyavardhata iva asya dharaṇyām putra darśane
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
As long as the king was seeing his beloved son who was exceedingly virtuous, so long did the dust in the earth appear to be rising for the purpose of seeing his son.
न पश्यति रजो अपि अस्य यदा रामस्य भूमिपः
तदा आर्तः च विषण्णः च पपात धरणी तले
na paśyati rajo api asya yadā rāmasya bhūmipaḥ
tadā ārtaḥ ca viṣaṇṇaḥ ca papāta dharaṇī tale
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When the dust raised by Rama's chariot was no longer visible, the unfortunate king afflicted by dejection, fell insensible on ground.
तस्य दक्षिणम् अन्वगात् कौसल्या बाहुम् अन्गना
वामम् च अस्य अन्वगात् पार्श्वम् कैकेयी भरत प्रिया
tasya dakṣiṇam anvagāt kausalyā bāhum anganā
vāmam ca asya anvagāt pārśvam kaikeyī bharata priyā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Dasaratha fell down, Kausalya his wife took her place on his right side to lift him up and Kaikeyi of charming limbs took her place on his left side.
ताम् नयेन च सम्पन्नो धर्मेण निवयेन च
उवाच राजा कैकेयीम् समीक्ष्य व्यथित इन्द्रियः
tām nayena ca sampanno dharmeṇa nivayena ca
uvāca rājā kaikeyīm samīkṣya vyathita indriyaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The king endowed with wisdom virtue and discretion seeing Kaikeyi beside him, said to her in great agitation as follows:
कैकेयि मा मम अन्गानि स्प्राक्षीस् त्वम् दुष्ट चारिणी
न हि त्वाम् द्रष्टुम् इच्चामि न भार्या न च बान्धवी
kaikeyi mā mama angāni sprākṣīs tvam duṣṭa cāriṇī
na hi tvām draṣṭum iccāmi na bhāryā na ca bāndhavī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, wicked Kaikeyi! Do not touch my limbs. I do not wish to see you .You are no longer my wife nor a relative."
ये च त्वाम् उपजीवन्ति न अहम् तेषाम् न ते मम
केवल अर्थ पराम् हि त्वाम् त्यक्त धर्माम् त्यजाम्य् अहम्
ye ca tvām upajīvanti na aham teṣām na te mama
kevala artha parām hi tvām tyakta dharmām tyajāmy aham
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I am not of those who are dependent on you nor are they anything to me. I discord you, by whom righteousness has been discorded and who are solely interested in avariciousness."
अगृह्णाम् यच् च ते पाणिम् अग्निम् पर्यणयम् च यत्
अनुजानामि तत् सर्वम् अस्मिम्ल् लोके परत्र च
agṛhṇām yac ca te pāṇim agnim paryaṇayam ca yat
anujānāmi tat sarvam asmiml loke paratra ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
All that contract which I entered into by taking your hand and circumambulating the sacred fire, I now renounce in this world and the next. "
भरतः चेत् प्रतीतः स्यात् राज्यम् प्राप्य इदम् अव्ययम्
यन् मे स दद्यात् पित्र् अर्थम् मा मा तत् दत्तम् आगमत्
bharataḥ cet pratītaḥ syāt rājyam prāpya idam avyayam
yan me sa dadyāt pitr artham mā mā tat dattam āgamat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"If Bharata feels cheerful for having got this kingdom which is imperishable, let the obsequial rites performed to me after my death do not reach me"
अथ रेणु समुध्वस्तम् तम् उत्थाप्य नर अधिपम्
न्यवर्तत तदा देवी कौसल्या शोक कर्शिता
atha reṇu samudhvastam tam utthāpya nara adhipam
nyavartata tadā devī kausalyā śoka karśitā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Meanwhile Kausalya the queen overwhelmed with grief, lifted up the king who was covered with dust and returned to her house.
हत्वा इव ब्राह्मणम् कामात् स्पृष्ट्वा अग्निम् इव पाणिना
अन्वतप्यत धर्म आत्मा पुत्रम् संचिन्त्य तापसम्
hatvā iva brāhmaṇam kāmāt spṛṣṭvā agnim iva pāṇinā
anvatapyata dharma ātmā putram saṃcintya tāpasam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The virtuous monarch, thinking deeply of his son Rama, was so desolated as one who has slain a brahmin intentionally or as touching the fire by hand.
निवृत्य एव निवृत्य एव सीदतः रथ वर्त्मसु
राज्ञो न अतिबभौ रूपम् ग्रस्तस्य अंशुमतः यथा
nivṛtya eva nivṛtya eva sīdataḥ ratha vartmasu
rājño na atibabhau rūpam grastasya aṃśumataḥ yathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Turning again and again towards the track of the chariot, the countenance of the king in grief lost its radiance like sun losing its radiance when swallowed by Rahu.
PURPORT
विललाप च दुह्ख आर्तः प्रियम् पुत्रम् अनुस्मरन्
नगर अन्तम् अनुप्राप्तम् बुद्ध्वा पुत्रम् अथ अब्रवीत्
vilalāpa ca duhkha ārtaḥ priyam putram anusmaran
nagara antam anuprāptam buddhvā putram atha abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Afflicted by grief, thinking of his beloved son he lamented. Knowing that his son reached the end of the city, he said as follows:
वाहनानाम् च मुख्यानाम् वहताम् तम् मम आत्मजम्
पदानि पथि दृश्यन्ते स महात्मा न दृश्यते
vāhanānām ca mukhyānām vahatām tam mama ātmajam
padāni pathi dṛśyante sa mahātmā na dṛśyate
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The marks of hooves of excellent horses which carried away my child are seen on the way. But he the great souled one is not being seen"
स नूनम् क्वचित् एव अद्य वृक्ष मूलम् उपाश्रितः
काष्ठम् वा यदि वा अश्मानम् उपधाय शयिष्यते
sa nūnam kvacit eva adya vṛkṣa mūlam upāśritaḥ
kāṣṭham vā yadi vā aśmānam upadhāya śayiṣyate
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"He who slept on comfort on coverings sprinkled with the essence of sandalwood and refreshed by fans waved over by him by the most deserving women, Rama the best of all my sons , will from now on , has to take refuge at the foot of a tree somewhere, lying down on its trunk or rest on a stone."
उत्थास्यति च मेदिन्याः कृपणः पांसुगुण्ठितः
विनिःस्वसन् प्रस्रवणात्क रेणूनामि वर्ष्भः
utthāsyati ca medinyāḥ kṛpaṇaḥ pāṃsuguṇṭhitaḥ
viniḥsvasan prasravaṇātka reṇūnāmi varṣbhaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The unfortunate one will wake up from the hard earth stained with dust, sighing like a bull-elephant rising from the side of a hill"
द्रक्ष्यन्ति नूनम् पुरुषा दीघ बाहुम् वने चराः
रामम् उत्थाय गच्चन्तम् लोक नाथम् अनाथवत्
drakṣyanti nūnam puruṣā dīgha bāhum vane carāḥ
rāmam utthāya gaccantam loka nātham anāthavat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
From today the inhabitants of the forest will behold that long armed lord of the world, Rama, rising from the ground and wandering around like an orphan"
सकामा भव कैकेयि विधवा राज्यम् आवस
कण्टकाक्रमण क्लान्तावनमद्य गमिष्यति
sakāmā bhava kaikeyi vidhavā rājyam āvasa
kaṇṭakākramaṇa klāntāvanamadya gamiṣyati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The daughter of Janaka, who was always accustomed to comforts, will wander exhausted in the forest through the thorny undergrowth "
अनभिज्ञा वनानाम् सा नूनम् भयमुपैष्यति
श्वापदान्र्धितम् श्रुत्वा गमिभीरम् रोमहर्ष्णम्
anabhijñā vanānām sā nūnam bhayamupaiṣyati
śvāpadānrdhitam śrutvā gamibhīram romaharṣṇam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Sita who was not earlier accustomed to woodlands, from now on will live in terror, hearing the roaring sound of wild beasts ,which was thundering ."
सकामा भवकैकेयि विधवा राज्य मावस
न हि तम् पुरुष व्याघ्रम् विना जीवितुम् उत्सहे
sakāmā bhavakaikeyi vidhavā rājya māvasa
na hi tam puruṣa vyāghram vinā jīvitum utsahe
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Kaikeyi! Let your desire be fulfilled! Dwell in the kingdom as a widow. I do not indeed wish to survive without Rama the tiger among men."
इति एवम् विलपन् राजा जन ओघेन अभिसम्वृतः
अपस्नातैव अरिष्टम् प्रविवेश पुर उत्तमम्
iti evam vilapan rājā jana oghena abhisamvṛtaḥ
apasnātaiva ariṣṭam praviveśa pura uttamam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thus lamenting, the king surrounded by his people, entered Ayodhya the best of cities like entering a disastrous house by one who has taken the funeral bath.
शून्य चत्वर वेश्म अन्ताम् सम्वृत आपण देवताम्
क्लान्त दुर्बल दुह्ख आर्ताम् न अत्याकीर्ण महा पथाम्
ताम् अवेक्ष्य पुरीम् सर्वाम् रामम् एव अनुचिन्तयन्
विलपन् प्राविशद् राजा गृहम् सूर्यैव अम्बुदम्
śūnya catvara veśma antām samvṛta āpaṇa devatām
klānta durbala duhkha ārtām na atyākīrṇa mahā pathām
tām avekṣya purīm sarvām rāmam eva anucintayan
vilapan prāviśad rājā gṛham sūryaiva ambudam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Seeing the entire city with its road-junctions and mansions deserted, its shops and temples closed, with its people exhausted with fatigue and plunged in affliction; its highways not very crowded ,the king entered his palace wailing and thinking of Rama alone as the sun enters a cloud.
महा ह्रदम् इव अक्षोभ्यम् सुपर्णेन हृत उरगम्
रामेण रहितम् वेश्म वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च
mahā hradam iva akṣobhyam suparṇena hṛta uragam
rāmeṇa rahitam veśma vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Bereft of Rama Sita and Lakshmana, the palace looked like a big pool rendered unperturbed due to emptying of snakes in it by Garuda*
PURPORT
अथ गद्गदशब्दस्तु विलपन्मनुजाधिपः
उवाच मृदुमन्धार्थम् वचनम् दीन मस्वरम्
atha gadgadaśabdastu vilapanmanujādhipaḥ
uvāca mṛdumandhārtham vacanam dīna masvaram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The lamenting monarch spoke in trembling accents and in soft, pitiful, indistinct and not clearly intelligible words (as follows):
कौसल्याया गृहम् शीघ्रम् राम मातुर् नयन्तु माम्
इति ब्रुवन्तम् राजानम् अनयन् द्वार दर्शितः
kausalyāyā gṛham śīghram rāma mātur nayantu mām
iti bruvantam rājānam anayan dvāra darśitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Take me quickly to the apartment of Kausalya the mother of Rama. Nowhere else my heart will find solace "
इति ब्रुवन्तम् राजान मनयन् द्वार्दर्शिनः
कौसल्याया गृहम् तत्र न्यवेश्यत विनीतवत्
iti bruvantam rājāna manayan dvārdarśinaḥ
kausalyāyā gṛham tatra nyaveśyata vinītavat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The attendants took the king who was speaking as aforesaid, to Kausalya's house and there he was gently laid (on a coach).
ततः तत्र प्रविष्टस्य कौसल्याया निवेशनम्
अधिरुह्य अपि शयनम् बभूव लुलितम् मनः
tataḥ tatra praviṣṭasya kausalyāyā niveśanam
adhiruhya api śayanam babhūva lulitam manaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Having entered Kausalya's apartment and even though laid on a coach, his heart became agitated.
पुत्रद्वयविहीनम् च स्नुषयापि विवर्जितम्
अपश्यद्भवनम् राजा नष्टचन्ध्रमिवाम्बरम्
putradvayavihīnam ca snuṣayāpi vivarjitam
apaśyadbhavanam rājā naṣṭacandhramivāmbaram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Bereft of his two sons and his daughter -in-law also having deserted, the king saw that house devoid of charm as a sky without a moon.
तच् च दृष्ट्वा महा राजो भुजम् उद्यम्य वीर्यवान्
उच्चैः स्वरेण चुक्रोश हा राघव जहासि माम्
tac ca dṛṣṭvā mahā rājo bhujam udyamya vīryavān
uccaiḥ svareṇa cukrośa hā rāghava jahāsi mām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Looking at that palace and lifting up his arm, the powerful monarch cried in a loud voice, " Oh, Rama! You have left us both, your mother and I."
सुखिता बत तम् कालम् जीविष्यन्ति नर उत्तमाः
परिष्वजन्तः ये रामम् द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुनर् आगतम्
sukhitā bata tam kālam jīviṣyanti nara uttamāḥ
pariṣvajantaḥ ye rāmam drakṣyanti punar āgatam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Alas! Those jewels among men who will survive the term of fourteen years, seeing Rama come back and embrace him, will be happy indeed."
अथ रात्र्याम् प्रपन्नायाम् कालरात्र्यामिआत्मनः
अर्धरात्रे दशरथह् कौसल्यामिदमब्रवीत्
atha rātryām prapannāyām kālarātryāmiātmanaḥ
ardharātre daśarathah kausalyāmidamabravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thereupon, the night having fallen, the night resembling the hour of death to him, Dasaratha spoke these words to Kausalya when the midnight struck :
रामम् मे।अनुगता दृष्टिरद्यापि न निवर्तते
न त्वाम् पश्यामि कौसल्ये साधु माम् पाणिना स्पृश
rāmam me|anugatā dṛṣṭiradyāpi na nivartate
na tvām paśyāmi kausalye sādhu mām pāṇinā spṛśa
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Kausalya! My sight has extinguished along with Rama and not returned. Even now, I am not able to see you properly. Touch me with your hand."
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अयोध्य काण्डे द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye ayodhya kāṇḍe dvicatvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Perceiving that monarch on the coach absorbed in the thought of Rama alone, Kausalya appeared very sad and sitting beside him, began to sigh and lament with a distressed look. Thus completes 42nd chapter in the Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic. Verse Locator for Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya : Chapter 42 Top of Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 © July 2002, K. M. K. Murthy