Chapter 43

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

ततः समीक्ष्य शयने सन्नम् शोकेन पार्थिवम्
कौसल्या पुत्र शोक आर्ता तम् उवाच मही पतिम्

tataḥ samīkṣya śayane sannam śokena pārthivam
kausalyā putra śoka ārtā tam uvāca mahī patim

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: Thereafter | kausalyā: Kausalya | putraśokārtā: afflicted with the grief of her son | samīkṣa: seeing | pārthivam: the king | śayane: lying down | sannam: depressed | śokena: with sorrow | uvāca: spoke | tam mahīpatim: thus to that monarch. |

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, Kausalya afflicted with grief of her son and seeing the king lying down depressed with sorrow, spoke to the monarch as follows:

VERSE 2

राघवो नर शार्दूल विषम् उप्त्वा द्विजिह्ववत्
विचरिष्यति कैकेयी निर्मुक्ता इव हि पन्नगी

rāghavo nara śārdūla viṣam uptvā dvijihvavat
vicariṣyati kaikeyī nirmuktā iva hi pannagī

SYNONYMS

kaikeyī: Kaikeyi | ahijihmagā: moving tortuously like a snake | uptvā: planted | viṣam: poison | rāghave: in Rama | naraśardūle: the tiger among men | vicariṣyati: and will wander about | pannagī iva: like a female serpent | nirmuktā: that has cast off its slough. |

TRANSLATION

"Having planted her poison on Rama the tiger among men, indeed Kaikeyi of crooked ways will surely wander about freely like a female serpent that has cast off its slough"

VERSE 3

विवास्य रामम् सुभगा लब्ध कामा समाहिता
त्रासयिष्यति माम् भूयो दुष्ट अहिर् इव वेश्मनि

vivāsya rāmam subhagā labdha kāmā samāhitā
trāsayiṣyati mām bhūyo duṣṭa ahir iva veśmani

SYNONYMS

labdhakāmā: having fulfilled her desire | vivāsya: of expelling | rāmam: Rama | subhagā: Kaikeyi | trāsayiṣyati: will frighten | samāhitā: by clamping down | mām: on me | duṣṭāhiriva: like a dangerous serpent | veśmani: in the hous. |

TRANSLATION

"Having fulfilled her desire of expelling Rama to the forest, Kaikeyi the charming woman will frighten by clamping down upon me, like a dangerous serpent in the house."

VERSE 4

अथ स्म नगरे रामः चरन् भैक्षम् गृहे वसेत्
काम कारः वरम् दातुम् अपि दासम् मम आत्मजम्

atha sma nagare rāmaḥ caran bhaikṣam gṛhe vaset
kāma kāraḥ varam dātum api dāsam mama ātmajam

SYNONYMS

dātum api: even giving | mama: my | ātmajam: son | dāsam: as a slave | varam: ( would have been) better | atha: thereafter | rāmaḥ: Rama | vaset sma: (would have) stayed | gṛhe: in the house | kāma kāraḥ: by doing the work entrusted | caran: and roaming about | nagare: in the city | bhaikṣyam: asking alms. |

TRANSLATION

"Even giving my son to her as a slave would have been better. By that Rama would have at least stayed in the house by doing the work entrusted by her and roaming about in the city, asking alms.

VERSE 5

पातयित्वा तु कैकेय्या रामम् स्थानात् यथा इष्टतः
प्रदिष्टः रक्षसाम् भागः पर्वणि इव आहित अग्निना

pātayitvā tu kaikeyyā rāmam sthānāt yathā iṣṭataḥ
pradiṣṭaḥ rakṣasām bhāgaḥ parvaṇi iva āhita agninā

SYNONYMS

rāmam: Rama | pātayitrā: having been thrown | sthānāt: out of his position | kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyi | yatheṣṭaḥ: as per her will | pradiṣṭaḥ: indicated | bhāgaḥ iva: as a part (of the sacrifice)thrown to | rakṣasām: ogres | parvaṇi: on a new or full moon | āhitāgninā: by one who tends the sacred fire. |

TRANSLATION

"Having willfully thrown Rama out of his position, Kaikeyi has acted in the same way as one who tends the sacred fire throws a part of the sacrifice to ogres on a new or full moon."

VERSE 6

गज राज गतिर् वीरः महा बाहुर् धनुर् धरः
वनम् आविशते नूनम् सभार्यः सह लक्ष्मणः

gaja rāja gatir vīraḥ mahā bāhur dhanur dharaḥ
vanam āviśate nūnam sabhāryaḥ saha lakṣmaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

sabhāryaḥ: together with wife | sahalakṣmaṇaḥ: accompanied by Lakshmana | gajarājagatiḥ: walking like the king of elephants | dhanurdharaḥ: wearing a bow | mahābāhuḥ: the mighty armed | vīraḥ: hero | nūnam: surely | āviśate: will have entered | vanam: the forest. |

TRANSLATION

Together with his wife, accompanied by Lakshmana and walking like king of elephants having a bow in hand, the mighty armed hero surely will have entered the forest "

VERSE 7

वने तु अदृष्ट दुह्खानाम् कैकेय्या अनुमते त्वया
त्यक्तानाम् वन वासाय का न्व् अवस्था भविष्यति

vane tu adṛṣṭa duhkhānām kaikeyyā anumate tvayā
tyaktānām vana vāsāya kā nv avasthā bhaviṣyati

SYNONYMS

vane: in the forest | kānu: what | avasthā: fate | bhaviṣyati: will befall (them) | adṛśṭa duḥkhānām: who had never seen suffering (before) | tyaktānām: who have been sent | tvayā: by you | vanavāsāya: to a forest life | anumate: as per the wish | kaikeyyāḥ: of Kaikeyi. |

TRANSLATION

" In the forest, what fate will befall them who had never seen such a suffering before and who have been sent by you to a forest life as per the wishes of Kaikeyi?"

VERSE 8

ते रत्न हीनाः तरुणाः फल काले विवासिताः
कथम् वत्स्यन्ति कृपणाः फल मूलैः कृत अशनाः

te ratna hīnāḥ taruṇāḥ phala kāle vivāsitāḥ
katham vatsyanti kṛpaṇāḥ phala mūlaiḥ kṛta aśanāḥ

SYNONYMS

ratna hīnaḥ: devoid of riches | te: they | taruṇāḥ: theyouthful beings | vivāsitāḥ: exiled | phalakāle: at the age when they should be enjoying | katham: how | vatsyanti: are they to live | kṝpaṇāḥ: in misery | phala mūlaiḥ: with fruits and roots | kṛtāśanāḥ: to be eaten. |

TRANSLATION

"Devoid of riches, those youthful beings, in exile at the age when they should be enjoying diversions of every kind, how are they to live in misery, having only roots and fruits for their nourishment?"

VERSE 9

अपि इदानीम् स कालः स्यान् मम शोक क्षयः शिवः
सभार्यम् यत् सह भ्रात्रा पश्येयम् इह राघवम्

api idānīm sa kālaḥ syān mama śoka kṣayaḥ śivaḥ
sabhāryam yat saha bhrātrā paśyeyam iha rāghavam

SYNONYMS

yat: when | saḥ kālaḥ: that time | śivaḥ: which | apisyāt: come | mama: to me idaaniim = now | śoka kṣayaḥ: that will bring an end to my sorrows | paśyayam: and I shall see | rāghavam: Rama | sabhāryam: with his wife | saha bhrātā: along with his brother | iha: here. |

TRANSLATION

"When that auspicious hour will come to me that will bring an end to my sorrows and I shall see Rama with his wife and brother returning here?"

VERSE 10

श्रुत्वा एव उपस्थितौ वीरौ कदा अयोध्या भविष्यति
यशस्विनी हृष्ट जना सूच्च्रित ध्वज मालिनी

śrutvā eva upasthitau vīrau kadā ayodhyā bhaviṣyati
yaśasvinī hṛṣṭa janā sūccrita dhvaja mālinī

SYNONYMS

śrutvaiva: hearing | upaśtiton: the presence | vīrou: of Rama and Lakshmana | kadā: when all | yaśasvinī: the famous | āyodhya: city of Ayodhya | bhaviṣyati: will transform | hṛṣṭajanā: into a city with people thrilling with rapture | sūcchrita dhvaja mālinī: and be adorned with rows of towering banners. |

TRANSLATION

"When will Ayodhya regain her pristine glory, with people thrilling with rapture and be adorned with rows of towering banners the moment it hears of the two heroic princes (Rama and Lakshmana) being present ? "

VERSE 11

कदा प्रेक्ष्य नर व्याघ्राव् अरण्यात् पुनर् आगतौ
नन्दिष्यति पुरी हृष्टा समुद्रैव पर्वणि

kadā prekṣya nara vyāghrāv araṇyāt punar āgatau
nandiṣyati purī hṛṣṭā samudraiva parvaṇi

SYNONYMS

kadā: when will | purī: this city | nandiṣyati: rejoice | samudra iva: like an ocean | hṛṣṭā: swelling jubilantly | parvaṇi: on a full moon night | prekṣya: to perceive | naravyāghrou: the two princes who are tigers among men | āgaton: come | punaḥ: back | araṇyāt: from the forest?". |

TRANSLATION

"When will the city rejoice like an ocean swelling jubilantly on a full moon night to perceive the two princes who are tigers among men come back from the forest? "

VERSE 12

कदा अयोध्याम् महा बाहुः पुरीम् वीरः प्रवेक्ष्यति
पुरः कृत्य रथे सीताम् वृषभो गो वधूम् इव

kadā ayodhyām mahā bāhuḥ purīm vīraḥ pravekṣyati
puraḥ kṛtya rathe sītām vṛṣabho go vadhūm iva

SYNONYMS

kadā: when will | mahābāhuḥ: the mighty armed | vīraḥ: hero(Rama) | pravekṣyati: enter | ayodhyā purīm: the city of Ayodhya | puraskṟ^tya sītām: placing Sita in front | rathe: in the chariot | govadhūmiva: as a cow | vṛṣabhaḥ: by a bull?" |

TRANSLATION

"When will the mighty armed hero (Rama) enter the city of Ayodhya placing Sita in his front in the chariot as a bull would follow a cow?"

VERSE 13

कदा प्राणि सहस्राणि राज मार्गे मम आत्मजौ
लाजैः अवकरिष्यन्ति प्रविशन्ताव् अरिम् दमौ

kadā prāṇi sahasrāṇi rāja mārge mama ātmajau
lājaiḥ avakariṣyanti praviśantāv arim damau

SYNONYMS

kadā: when will | praṇisahasrāṇi: thousands of men | avakiriṣyanti: shower | lājaiḥ: the parched grains of paddy | rāja mārge: on the royal highway | mama: my | ātmajou: two sons(Rama and Lakshmana) | arindamou: the subduer of their enemies | praviśantou: entering the city?" |

TRANSLATION

"When will thousands of men shower the parched grains of paddy on the royal highway over my two sons (Rama and Lakshmana) the subduer of their enemies, entering the city?"

VERSE 14

प्रविशनौ कदा।अपियोध्याम् द्रक्ष्यामि शुभकुण्डता
उदग्रायुधनिस्त्रींशौ सशृङ्गाविव पर्वतौ

praviśanau kadā|apiyodhyām drakṣyāmi śubhakuṇḍatā
udagrāyudhanistrīṃśau saśṛṅgāviva parvatau

SYNONYMS

kadā: when | drakṣyāmi: shall I see | śubhakuṇdatā: (the two princes)adorned with splendid ear-rings | udagrāyudha mistrimśou: and armed with excellent bows and swords | praviśantou: entering | ayodhyām: Ayodhya | parvatāviva: like(a pair of mountains) | saśṟ^ngou: crowned with peaks?" |

TRANSLATION

"When shall I see the two princes adorned with splendid ear-rings and armed with excellent bows and swords, entering Ayodhya like a pair of mountains crowned with peaks?"

VERSE 15

कदा सुमनसः कन्या द्विजातीनाम् फलानि च
प्रदिशन्त्यः पुरीम् हृष्टाः करिष्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणम्

kadā sumanasaḥ kanyā dvijātīnām phalāni ca
pradiśantyaḥ purīm hṛṣṭāḥ kariṣyanti pradakṣiṇam

SYNONYMS

kadā: when will | pradikṣiṇam kariṣyati: they make rounds clockwise of | purīm: the city | hṝṣṭāḥ: with rejoice | pradikṣantaḥ: giving away | sumanasaḥ: flowers | phalārica: and fruits | kanyā dvijātīnām: to virgins and brahmanas?" |

TRANSLATION

"When will those two princes with Sita merrily go round the city clockwise, giving away flowers and fruits to virgins and brahmanas?"

VERSE 16

कदा परिणतः बुद्ध्या वयसा च अमर प्रभः
अभ्युपैष्यति धर्मज्ञः त्रिवर्षैव माम् ललन्

kadā pariṇataḥ buddhyā vayasā ca amara prabhaḥ
abhyupaiṣyati dharmajñaḥ trivarṣaiva mām lalan

SYNONYMS

kadā: when will | dharmaġyaḥ: the pious Rama | pariṇataḥ: grown ripe | buddhyā: in intellect | amaraprabhaḥ: and shining like a god | vayasāca: in point of age | abhyupaiṣyati: return | mām: to me | lalan: cherishing (the world) | trivarṣaḥ iva: like the propitious and timely rain?" (Literally trivarshha " means three consecutive showers favorable to crops). |

TRANSLATION

"When will the pious Rama, grown ripe in intellect and shining like a god in point of age ,return to me, cherishing the world like the proportious and timely rain?"

VERSE 17

निह्संशयम् मया मन्ये पुरा वीर कदर्यया
पातु कामेषु वत्सेषु मातृऋणाम् शातिताः स्तनाः

nihsaṃśayam mayā manye purā vīra kadaryayā
pātu kāmeṣu vatseṣu mātṛṛṇām śātitāḥ stanāḥ

SYNONYMS

nissamśayam: undoubtedly | purā: in some past life | kadaryayā: through mean mindedness | vīra: oh valiant king | stanāḥ: the teats | mātṛiṇām: of mothers | śātitāḥ: were cut off | mayā: by me | vatseṣu: while their calves | pātukāmeṣu: were longing to suck them." |

TRANSLATION

"Undoubtedly in some past life, through mean-mindedness, Oh, valiant king, I believe that the teats of cows were cut off by me while their calves were longing to suck them."

VERSE 18

सा अहम् गौर् इव सिम्हेन विवत्सा वत्सला कृता
कैकेय्या पुरुष व्याघ्र बाल वत्सा इव गौर् बलात्

sā aham gaur iva simhena vivatsā vatsalā kṛtā
kaikeyyā puruṣa vyāghra bāla vatsā iva gaur balāt

SYNONYMS

puruṣavyāghra: Oh | ṭiger among heroes! vatsalā: fond of my child | gouriva: as a cow | sā aham: I as such | kṛtā: who made | balata: forcibly | vivatsāḥ: deprived of my child | kaikeyyea: by Kaikeyi | bālavatsā: having a calf of tender age | simhena: by a lion." |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, tiger among heroes! Fond of my child like a cow, I, as such was forcibly deprived of my child by Kaikeyi in the same way as a cow having a calf of tender age may be deprived of her calf by a lion."

VERSE 19

न हि तावद् गुणैः जुष्टम् सर्व शास्त्र विशारदम्
एक पुत्रा विना पुत्रम् अहम् जीवितुम् उत्सहे

na hi tāvad guṇaiḥ juṣṭam sarva śāstra viśāradam
eka putrā vinā putram aham jīvitum utsahe

SYNONYMS

aham: I | na utsahehi: cannot indeed wish | jīvitum: to survive | putram vinā: without my son | eka putra: the only son | juṣṭam: who is adorned | tāvadguṇaiḥ: with all virtues | sarva śāstra viśāradam: well-versed in all scriptures." |

TRANSLATION

"I cannot indeed wish to survive without my only son who is adorned with all virtues and is well-versed in all scriptures."

VERSE 20

न हि मे जीविते किंचित् सामर्थम् इह कल्प्यते
अपश्यन्त्याः प्रियम् पुत्रम् महा बाहुम् महा बलम्

na hi me jīvite kiṃcit sāmartham iha kalpyate
apaśyantyāḥ priyam putram mahā bāhum mahā balam

SYNONYMS

na kimcit: not the least | sāmarthyam: capacity | kalpyatehi: is indeed imaginable | me: in me | jīvite: to live | iha: here | apaśyantyāḥ: so long as I do not see | priyam putram: my beloved son | mahā bāhum: who is mighty armed | mahābalam: and of great strength." |

TRANSLATION

"There is not the least capacity imaginable in me to sustain my life here so long as I fail to perceive my beloved son (Rama) who is mighty armed and Lakshmana of great strength"

VERSE 21

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अयोध्य काण्डे त्रिचत्वारिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye ayodhya kāṇḍe tricatvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

ayam: This | hutāśaḥ: fire | tanūja śoka prabhavaḥ: born of grief occasioned by separation from my son | dīpayate: is torturing | mām: me | bhagavān: as the illustrious | divākaraḥ: sun | uddhata prabhaḥ: possessed of greatest splendor | raśmibhiḥ: by its rays | samutthitaḥ: appears | imām mahīm yathā: as to this earth | nidāghe: in summer." |

TRANSLATION

"This fire born of grief occasioned by separation from my son, is torturing me in the same way as the illustrious sun, possessed of greatest splendor, scorches this earth with its rays in summer." Thus completes 43rd 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 43 Top of Page 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 © August 2002, K. M. K. Murthy