Chapter 60

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

ततः भूत उपसृष्टा इव वेपमाना पुनः पुनः
धरण्याम् गत सत्त्वा इव कौसल्या सूतम् अब्रवीत्

tataḥ bhūta upasṛṣṭā iva vepamānā punaḥ punaḥ
dharaṇyām gata sattvā iva kausalyā sūtam abravīt

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | kausalyā: Kausalya | vepamānā: trembling | punaḥ punaḥ: again and again | bhūta upasṛṣṭā iva: as though possessed by a spirit | dharaṇyām: and lying on the floor | gata sattvā iva: without proper disposition of mind | abravīt: spoke | sūtam: to Sumantra (as follows) |

TRANSLATION

Then, Kausalya, trembling again and again, as though possessed by a spirit, and lying on the floor without proper disposition of mind, spoke to Sumantra as follows:

VERSE 2

नय माम् यत्र काकुत्स्थः सीता यत्र च लक्ष्मणः
तान् विना क्षणम् अपि अत्र जीवितुम् न उत्सहे हि अहम्

naya mām yatra kākutsthaḥ sītā yatra ca lakṣmaṇaḥ
tān vinā kṣaṇam api atra jīvitum na utsahe hi aham

SYNONYMS

yatra: wherever is | kākutsthaḥ: Rama | sītā ca: and Seetha | lakṣmaṇaḥ: Lakshmana | naya: take | mām: me | tatra: there | tān vinā: without them | aham: I | na utsahe: do not cherish | jīvitum: to live | atra: here | kṣaṇam api: even for a moment. |

TRANSLATION

"Wherever Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana are there, take me to them. Without them, I do not cherish to live here even for a moment."

VERSE 3

निवर्तय रथम् शीघ्रम् दण्डकान् नय माम् अपि
अथ तान् न अनुगच्चामि गमिष्यामि यम क्षयम्

nivartaya ratham śīghram daṇḍakān naya mām api
atha tān na anugaccāmi gamiṣyāmi yama kṣayam

SYNONYMS

nivartaya: turn back | ratham: the chariot | śīghram: quickly | naya: take | mām api: me also | daṇḍakān: to the forest of Dandaka | atha: now | na anugaccāmi: if I do not go after | tān: them | gamiṣyāmi: I shall enter | yama kṣayam: the death's abode. |

TRANSLATION

"Turn back the chariot quickly. Take also myself to the forest of Dandaka. Now, if I do not go after them, I shall enter the Death's abode."

VERSE 4

बाष्प वेगौपहतया स वाचा सज्जमानया
इदम् आश्वासयन् देवीम् सूतः प्रान्जलिर् अब्रवीत्

bāṣpa vegaupahatayā sa vācā sajjamānayā
idam āśvāsayan devīm sūtaḥ prānjalir abravīt

SYNONYMS

sūtaḥ: Sumantra | vācā: with a voice | bāṣpa vegaupahatayā: choked with tears | sajjamānayā: in faint accents | prānjaliḥ: with joined palms | āśvāsayan: consoling | devīm: Kausalya | abravīt: spoke | idam: these words (to her). |

TRANSLATION

Sumantra with joined palms and with a voice choked with tears and in faint accents, consoling Kausalya, spoke these words to her.

VERSE 5

त्यज शोकम् च मोहम् च सम्भ्रमम् दुह्खजम् तथा
व्यवधूय च सम्तापम् वने वत्स्यति राघवः

tyaja śokam ca moham ca sambhramam duhkhajam tathā
vyavadhūya ca samtāpam vane vatsyati rāghavaḥ

SYNONYMS

tyaja: abandon | śokam: grief | moham: delusion | tathā: and | sambhramam ca: heaste | duhkhajam: born of affliction | rāghavaḥ: Rama | vatsyati: can reside | vane: in the forest | vyavadhūya: warding off | samtāpam: anguish. |

TRANSLATION

"Abandon grief, delusion and haste born of affliction. Rama, can reside in the forest, warding off anguish."

VERSE 6

लक्ष्मणः च अपि रामस्य पादौ परिचरन् वने
आराधयति धर्मज्ञः पर लोकम् जित इन्द्रियः

lakṣmaṇaḥ ca api rāmasya pādau paricaran vane
ārādhayati dharmajñaḥ para lokam jita indriyaḥ

SYNONYMS

lakṣmaṇaḥ ca api: Lakshmana too | dharmajñaḥ: knowing about righteous conduct | jitendriyāḥ: having subdued his senses | paricaran: serving | pādau: the feet | rāmasya: of Rama | vane: in the forest | ārādhayati: is propitiating | para lokam: the other world. |

TRANSLATION

"Lakshmana too, knowing about a righteous conduct, having subdued his senses and serving the feet of Rama in the forest, is propitiating the other world."

VERSE 7

विजने अपि वने सीता वासम् प्राप्य गृहेष्व् इव
विस्रम्भम् लभते अभीता रामे सम्न्यस्त मानसा

vijane api vane sītā vāsam prāpya gṛheṣv iva
visrambham labhate abhītā rāme samnyasta mānasā

SYNONYMS

sītā: Seetha | prāpya: getting | vāsam: a dwelling place | gṛheṣva iva: resembling a house | vijane vane api: even in a lonely forest | samnyasta mānasā: her mind being encamped | rāme: in Rama | abhītā: being fearless | labhate: and acquiring | visrambham: confidence. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha, getting a dwelling place resembling a house even in a lonely forest, her mind encamped in Rama and being fearless, is acquiring confidence.

VERSE 8

न अस्या दैन्यम् कृतम् किंचित् सुसूक्ष्मम् अपि लक्षये
उचिता इव प्रवासानाम् वैदेही प्रतिभाति मा

na asyā dainyam kṛtam kiṃcit susūkṣmam api lakṣaye
ucitā iva pravāsānām vaidehī pratibhāti mā

SYNONYMS

na susūkṣmam api: not even very minute | dainyam: depression | kimcit: even a little | lakṣate: is seen | kṛtam: developed | asyāḥ: in Seetha | mā pratibhāti: It appears to me | vaidehī: (that) Seetha | ucitā iva: is as though accustomed | pravāsānām: to so many exiles. |

TRANSLATION

"Not even very minute depression, even a little, is seen developed in Seetha. It appears to me as though Seetha is accustomed to so many exiles."

VERSE 9

नगर उपवनम् गत्वा यथा स्म रमते पुरा
तथैव रमते सीता निर्जनेषु वनेष्व् अपि

nagara upavanam gatvā yathā sma ramate purā
tathaiva ramate sītā nirjaneṣu vaneṣv api

SYNONYMS

yathā: how | sītā: Seetha | ramate sma: was rejoicing | purā: earlier | gatvā: going | nagara upavanam: to gardens I the city | tathaiva: in the same manner | ramate: (She) is taking delight | vaneṣva api: in forests also | nirjaneṣu: which are desolate. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha is taking delight in the desolate forests in the same manner as she was earlier enjoying in visiting gardens in the city."

VERSE 10

बाला इव रमते सीता बाल चन्द्र निभ आनना
रामा रामे हि अदीन आत्मा विजने अपि वने सती

bālā iva ramate sītā bāla candra nibha ānanā
rāmā rāme hi adīna ātmā vijane api vane satī

SYNONYMS

sītā: Seetha | rāmā: a charming woman | bala candra nibhānanāḥ: having her face resembling a full moon | adīna atmā: her mind settled | rāme: in Rama | satī api: even though staying | vijane: in a lonely | vane: forest | ramate: is enjoying it | bālā iva: like a little girl. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha, a charming woman with her face resembling a full moon and with her mind absorbed in Rama, even though staying in a lonely forest, is enjoying it like a little girl."

VERSE 11

तत् गतम् हृदयम् हि अस्याः तत् अधीनम् च जीवितम्
अयोध्या अपि भवेत् तस्या राम हीना तथा वनम्

tat gatam hṛdayam hi asyāḥ tat adhīnam ca jīvitam
ayodhyā api bhavet tasyā rāma hīnā tathā vanam

SYNONYMS

asyāḥ: Her | hṛdayam: heart | tat gatam: is directed towards Rama | jīvitam ca: her life also | tat adhīnam: is resting on him | ayodhyā api: even if Ayodhya | rāma hīnā: is without Rama | bhavet: it becomes | vanam: a forest | tasyāḥ: to her | tadā: then. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha's heart is directed towards Rama. Her life also is dependent on him. Even if Ayodhya is without Rama, then it becomes a forest to her."

VERSE 12

परि पृच्चति वैदेही ग्रामाम्ः च नगराणि च
गतिम् दृष्ट्वा नदीनाम् च पादपान् विविधान् अपि

pari pṛccati vaidehī grāmāmḥ ca nagarāṇi ca
gatim dṛṣṭvā nadīnām ca pādapān vividhān api

SYNONYMS

-13| ayodhyākrośamātre: As if only a couple of miles away from Ayodhya | samśritā iva: and as being in | vihāram: a garden (there) | vaidehī: Seetha | dṛṣṭvā: seeing | grāmāmḥ ca: villages | nagarāṇi ca: towns | gatim ca: the movement | nadīnām: of rivers | vividhān: various types | pādapān api: of trees also | pari pṛccati: and enquires | rāmam: Rama | pṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇam vāpi: or by enquiring Lakshmana | jānatī: and knows about them. |

TRANSLATION

"As if only a couple of miles away from Ayodhya and as being in a garden there, Seetha on seeing villages, towns, movement of rivers, and various types of trees, enquires with Rama or Lakshmana and Knows well about them."

VERSE 14

इदमेव स्मराम्यस्याः सहसैवोपजल्पितम्
कैकेयीसंश्रितम् वाक्यम् नेदानीम् प्रतिभाति माम्

idameva smarāmyasyāḥ sahasaivopajalpitam
kaikeyīsaṃśritam vākyam nedānīm pratibhāti mām

SYNONYMS

smarām: I am remembering | idameva: this only | asyāḥ: of her | na pratibhāti: it does not flash | : to me | idānīm: now | vākyam: of the words | sahasaiva: hurriedly | upajalpitam: spoken (by Seetha) | kaikeyīsamśritam: about Kaikeyi. |

TRANSLATION

"I am remembering only these incidents about Seetha. It does not flash to my mind now of the words hurriedly spoken of by Seetha about Kaikeyi."

VERSE 15

ध्वंसयित्वा तु तद्वाक्यम् प्रमादात्पर्युपस्थितम्
ह्लदनम् वचनम् सूतो देव्या मधुरमब्रवीत्

dhvaṃsayitvā tu tadvākyam pramādātparyupasthitam
hladanam vacanam sūto devyā madhuramabravīt

SYNONYMS

dhvamsayitvā: expunging | tadvākyam: those words (spoken by Seetha about Kaikeyi) | paryupasthitam: coming near (to his lips) | pramādāt: by inadvertence | sūtaḥ: Sumantra | abravīt: spoke | hladanam: delightful | madhuram: and sweet | vacanam: words | devyāḥ: to Kausalya. |

TRANSLATION

Expunging the remarks spoken by Seetha about Kaikeyi coming almost nearer to his lips by inadvertence, Sumantra spoke only delightful and sweet words to Kausalya.

VERSE 16

अध्वना वात वेगेन सम्भ्रमेण आतपेन च
न हि गच्चति वैदेह्याः चन्द्र अंशु सदृशी प्रभा

adhvanā vāta vegena sambhrameṇa ātapena ca
na hi gaccati vaidehyāḥ candra aṃśu sadṛśī prabhā

SYNONYMS

vaidehyāḥ: Seetha's | prabhā: radiance | candra amśu sadṛśī: equivalent to moon's rays | na hi gaccati: does not disappear | adhvanā: due to travel | vāta vegena: or for velocity of wind | sambhrameṇa: or bewilderment | ātapena ca: or due to heat of the sun. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha's radiance resembling a moon's gleam is not fading away due to her travel in the forest or due to the velocity of wind or because of her bewilderment or due to heat of the sun."

VERSE 17

सदृशम् शत पत्रस्य पूर्ण चन्द्र उपम प्रभम्
वदनम् तत् वदान्याया वैदेह्या न विकम्पते

sadṛśam śata patrasya pūrṇa candra upama prabham
vadanam tat vadānyāyā vaidehyā na vikampate

SYNONYMS

tat vadanam: that face | vaidehyāḥ: of Seetha | vadānyāyāḥ: which is altruistic | sadṛśam: is similar | śata patrasya: to a lotus | pūrṇa candra upama prabham: whose lustre is similar to that of a full moon | na vikampate: did not become changed." |

TRANSLATION

"That face of altruistic Seetha resembling a lotus flower, whose lustre is similar to that of a full moon, did not become changed."

VERSE 18

अलक्त रस रक्त अभाव् अलक्त रस वर्जितौ
अद्य अपि चरणौ तस्याः पद्म कोश सम प्रभौ

alakta rasa rakta abhāv alakta rasa varjitau
adya api caraṇau tasyāḥ padma kośa sama prabhau

SYNONYMS

tasyāḥ: Her | caraṇau: feet | alakta rasa varjitau: which even though no longer painted with vermilion | adya api: still | alakta rasa rakta abhāva: looks red as Alakta (red juice obtained from resin of certain trees) | padma kośa sama prabhau: with a lustre equal to that of red lotus buds. |

TRANSLATION

"Her feet, which even though no longer painted with vermilion, still looks red as Alakta (red juice obtained from resin of certain trees), with lustre equal to that of red lotus buds."

VERSE 19

नूपुर उद्घुष्ट हेला इव खेलम् गच्चति भामिनी
इदानीम् अपि वैदेही तत् रागा न्यस्त भूषणा

nūpura udghuṣṭa helā iva khelam gaccati bhāminī
idānīm api vaidehī tat rāgā nyasta bhūṣaṇā

SYNONYMS

bhāminī: Seetha | nūpura udghuṣṭa helā: sporting her tinkling anklets | khelam: playfully | gaccati: walks | vaidehī: Seetha | idānīm api: even now | nyasta bhūṣaṇā: is donned with her ornaments | tat rāgā: as a mark of passion towards Rama. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha, sporting her tinkling anklets, walks playfully. Even now, Seetha dons her ornaments, as a mark of Her passion towards Rama."

VERSE 20

गजम् वा वीक्ष्य सिम्हम् वा व्याघ्रम् वा वनम् आश्रिता
न आहारयति सम्त्रासम् बाहू रामस्य संश्रिता

gajam vā vīkṣya simham vā vyāghram vā vanam āśritā
na āhārayati samtrāsam bāhū rāmasya saṃśritā

SYNONYMS

āśritā: Seetha who stays | vanam: in the forest | samśritā: takes refuge | bāhū: in the arms | rāmasya: of Rama | na āhārayati: (and hence) does not give herself | samtrāsam: to fear | vīkṣya: by seeing | gajam vā: an elephant | simham vā: or a lion | vyāghram vā: or a tiger. |

TRANSLATION

"Seetha who stays in the forest, takes refuge in the arms of Rama and hence does not give Herself to fear, even by seeing an elephant or a lion or a tiger."

VERSE 21

न शोच्याः ते न च आत्मा ते शोच्यो न अपि जन अधिपः
इदम् हि चरितम् लोके प्रतिष्ठास्यति शाश्वतम्

na śocyāḥ te na ca ātmā te śocyo na api jana adhipaḥ
idam hi caritam loke pratiṣṭhāsyati śāśvatam

SYNONYMS

na śocyāḥ: there is no need to pity | na: nor | ātmā na ca: us | jana adhipaḥ api: the king also | idam: this | caritam: story | pratiṣṭhāsyati: will thrive | loke: in the world | śāśvatam: forever. |

TRANSLATION

"There is no need to pity them nor us nor the king too. This story will thrive in the world forever."

VERSE 22

विधूय शोकम् परिहृष्ट मानसा
महर्षि याते पथि सुव्यवस्थिताः
वने रता वन्य फल अशनाः पितुः
शुभाम् प्रतिज्ञाम् परिपालयन्ति ते

vidhūya śokam parihṛṣṭa mānasā
maharṣi yāte pathi suvyavasthitāḥ
vane ratā vanya phala aśanāḥ pituḥ
śubhām pratijñām paripālayanti te

SYNONYMS

te: they | vidhūya: abandoning | śokam: grief | parihṛṣṭa mānasāḥ: having cheerful minds | suvyavasthitāḥ: well settled | pathi: in the path | maharṣi yāte: followed by great sages | ratāḥ: delighting in | vane: forest | vanya phala aśanāḥ: eating fruits obtained in the forest | paripālayanti: are keeping up | śubhām: the auspicious | pratijñām: promise | pituḥ: given to their father. |

TRANSLATION

"Abandoning grief, possessing cheerful minds, settling well in the path followed by great sages, delighting in the forest-life and eating fruits of the forest, they are keeping up the promise given to their father."

VERSE 23

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे ष्ष्टितमः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe ṣṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

nivāryamāṇā api: even if averted | tathā: thus | sūtena: by Sumantra | suyukta vādinā: who is speaking suitably well | devī: Kausalya | suta śoka karśitā: being emaciated by the sorrow for her son | na caiva virarāma: could not stop | kūjitāt: crying | priyeti: as dear | putra iti: as son | rāghava iti: as Rama. |

TRANSLATION

Even if averted thus by Sumantra, who is speaking appropriately well, being emaciated by sorrow for her son, could not stop crying, "O, my dear son Rama!"