Chapter 61

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

वनम् गते धर्म परे रामे रमयताम् वरे
कौसल्या रुदती स्वार्ता भर्तारम् इदम् अब्रवीत्

vanam gate dharma pare rāme ramayatām vare
kausalyā rudatī svārtā bhartāram idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

rāme: (When) Rama | dharma vare: excellent in virtue | vare: excellent | ramayatām: among those causing delight | gate: having gone | vanam: to the forest | kausalyā: Kausalya | svārtā: herself pained | rudatī: (and) weeping | abravīt: spoke | idam: these words | bhartāram: to her husband. |

TRANSLATION

When Rama, who is excellent in virtue and outstanding among those causing delight, having left for the forest, Kausalya who was feeling pained, spoke, weeping to her husband as follows:

VERSE 2

यद्यपि त्रिषु लोकेषु प्रथितम् ते मयद् यशः
सानुक्रोशो वदान्यः च प्रिय वादी च राघवः

yadyapi triṣu lokeṣu prathitam te mayad yaśaḥ
sānukrośo vadānyaḥ ca priya vādī ca rāghavaḥ

SYNONYMS

-3| prathitam yadyapi: despite the fame | triṣu lokeṣu: in the three worlds | te: of your | mahat: great | yaśaḥ: glory | rāghavaḥ: (that) Dasaratha | sānukrośaḥ: is compassionate | vadānyaḥ ca: bountiful | priya vādī ca: and kind in his words | katham: how | tau putrau: your two sons | sītayā saha: along with Seetha | sukha samvṛddhau: who grew comfortably | sahiṣyataḥ: can bear | duḥkham: suffering | vane: in the forest | duḥkhitau: when faced with hardships | nara vara śreṣṭha: O |

TRANSLATION

"Despite the fame in the three worlds of your great glory that Dasaratha is compassionate, bountiful and kind in his words, how your two sons along with Seetha who grew comfortably can bear suffering in the forest when faced with hardships, O the best among the foremost of men!"

VERSE 4

सा नूनम् तरुणी श्यामा सुकुमारी सुख उचिता
कथम् उष्णम् च शीतम् च मैथिली प्रसहिष्यते

sā nūnam taruṇī śyāmā sukumārī sukha ucitā
katham uṣṇam ca śītam ca maithilī prasahiṣyate

SYNONYMS

sā maithilī: that Seetha | taruṇī: who is a young lady | śyāmā: in the prime of Her youth | sukumārī: and very delicate | katham: how prasahiSyate = (She) can tolerate | nūnam: really | uṣṇam ca: heat | śītam ca: and cold? |

TRANSLATION

"That Seetha, who is a young lady in the prime of her youth and very delicate, can really tolerate heat and cold?"

VERSE 5

भुक्त्वा अशनम् विशाल अक्षी सूप दंश अन्वितम् शुभम्
वन्यम् नैवारम् आहारम् कथम् सीता उपभोक्ष्यते

bhuktvā aśanam viśāla akṣī sūpa daṃśa anvitam śubham
vanyam naivāram āhāram katham sītā upabhokṣyate

SYNONYMS

katham: how | sītā: Seetha | viśāla akṣī: the large-eyed | upabhokṣyate: can eat | āhāram: a good | vanyam naivāram: prepared with wild rice | bhuktvā: having eaten | śubham: a good | aśanam: food | sūpa damśa anvitam: containing soups and snacks? |

TRANSLATION

"How the large-eyed Seetha can eat a food prepared with wild rice, she having eaten here a good food containing soups and snacks?"

VERSE 6

गीत वादित्र निर्घोषम् श्रुत्वा शुभम् अनिन्दिता
कथम् क्रव्य अद सिम्हानाम् शब्दम् श्रोष्यति अशोभनम्

gīta vāditra nirghoṣam śrutvā śubham aninditā
katham kravya ada simhānām śabdam śroṣyati aśobhanam

SYNONYMS

aninditā: the irreproachable Seetha | śroṣyati: can hear | aśobhanam: the bad | śabdam: sounds | kravya ada simhānām: of cruel animals and lions | śrutvā: after hearing | śubham: the auspicious | gīta vāditra nirghoṣam: sounds of singing and music? |

TRANSLATION

"How that irreproachable Seetha can hear the horrid sounds of cruel animals and lions, after hearing the auspicious sounds of singing and music here?"

VERSE 7

महा इन्द्र ध्वज सम्काशः क्व नु शेते महा भुजः
भुजम् परिघ सम्काशम् उपधाय महा बलः

mahā indra dhvaja samkāśaḥ kva nu śete mahā bhujaḥ
bhujam parigha samkāśam upadhāya mahā balaḥ

SYNONYMS

kva: where | mahābalaḥ: the mighty hero Rama | mahendra dhvaja samkāśaḥ: resplendent as Mahendra's standard | mahābhujaḥ: and the mighty armed | śete nu: is sleeping indeed | bhujam: with his arm | upadhāya: as a pillow? |

TRANSLATION

Where Rama the mighty hero, resplendent as Mahendra's standard and the mighty armed is sleeping indeed with his arm as a pillow?"

VERSE 8

पद्म वर्णम् सुकेश अन्तम् पद्म निह्श्वासम् उत्तमम्
कदा द्रक्ष्यामि रामस्य वदनम् पुष्कर ईक्षणम्

padma varṇam sukeśa antam padma nihśvāsam uttamam
kadā drakṣyāmi rāmasya vadanam puṣkara īkṣaṇam

SYNONYMS

kadā: when | drakṣyāmi: shall I see | vadanam: the face | rāmasya: of Rama | padma varṇam: with the colour of a lotus | sukeśa antam: framed with marvelous locks | padma niḥśvāsam: of lotus-perfume | puṣkara īkṣaṇam: with eyes resembling lotus-petals | uttamam: and excellent? |

TRANSLATION

"When can I see the face of Rama with the colour of a lotus, framed with marvelous locks of lotus-perfume, with eyes resembling lotus-petals and excellent?"

VERSE 9

वज्र सारमयम् नूनम् हृदयम् मे न संशयः
अपश्यन्त्या न तम् यद् वै फलति इदम् सहस्रधा

vajra sāramayam nūnam hṛdayam me na saṃśayaḥ
apaśyantyā na tam yad vai phalati idam sahasradhā

SYNONYMS

me hṛdayam: my heart | nūnam: is surely | vajra sāramayam: made fully of the solid-interior of diamond | na: no | samśayaḥ: doubt | yat: for which | idam: this heart | na phalati vai: is not split | sahasradhā: into thousand pieces | apaśyantāḥ: even in my not seeing | tam: that Rama. |

TRANSLATION

There is no doubt that my heart is fully made of the solid-interior of a diamond, for which reason this heart is not shattered into a thousand pieces, even in my not seeing of that Rama."

VERSE 10

यत्त्वया करुणम् कर्म व्यपोह्य मम बान्धवाः
निरस्ता परिधावन्ति सुखार्हः कृपणा वने

yattvayā karuṇam karma vyapohya mama bāndhavāḥ
nirastā paridhāvanti sukhārhaḥ kṛpaṇā vane

SYNONYMS

vyapohya: having abandoned | karuṇam: kindly | karma: action | tvayā: by you | mana bāndhavāḥ: my kith and kin | sukhārhāḥ: worthy of comforts | nirastāḥ: have been banished | yat: for which reason | paridhāvanti: they are wandering around | vane: the forest | kṛpaṇāḥ: miserably." |

TRANSLATION

"It was not a kindly act by you that you banished my kith and kin, who were worthy of comforts to wander around in the forest in such a miserable condition."

VERSE 11

यदि पञ्चदशे वर्षे राघवः पुनरेष्यति
जह्याद्राज्यम् च कोशम् च भरतो नोपल्स्ख्यते

yadi pañcadaśe varṣe rāghavaḥ punareṣyati
jahyādrājyam ca kośam ca bharato nopalskhyate

SYNONYMS

rāghavaḥ punareṣyati yadi: even if Rama comes back | paṇcadaśevarṣe: in the fifteenth year | nopalakṣyete: it cannot be inferred | bharataḥ: that Bharata | jayāt: will abandon | rājyam ca: the kingdom and | kośam ca: the treasury." |

TRANSLATION

"Even if Rama comes back in the fifteenth year, it cannot be inferred that Bharata will abandon the kingdom and the treasury."

VERSE 12

भोजयन्ति किल श्राद्धे केचित्स्वनेव बान्धवान्
ततः पश्चात्समीक्षन्ते कृतकार्या द्विजर्षभान्

bhojayanti kila śrāddhe kecitsvaneva bāndhavān
tataḥ paścātsamīkṣante kṛtakāryā dvijarṣabhān

SYNONYMS

kecit: some | śrādhhe: in a ceremony in honour of dead relative | bhojayanti kila: indeed feed | svān: their won | bāndhavān iva: relatives only | kṛtakāryāḥ: having completed the ceremony | tataḥ paścāt: thereafter | samīkṣante: they look for | dvijarṣabhān: the illustrious Twice-born. |

TRANSLATION

"There are those who in a ceremony in hour of dead relatives, first feed their relatives and thereafter, to fulfill their duty, remember to invite the illustrious Twice-born.

VERSE 13

तत्र ये गुणवन्तश्च विद्वांसश्च द्विजातयः
न पश्चात्ते।अभिमन्यन्ते सुधामपि सुरोपमाः

tatra ye guṇavantaśca vidvāṃsaśca dvijātayaḥ
na paścātte|abhimanyante sudhāmapi suropamāḥ

SYNONYMS

tatra: there | ye: which | guṇavantaśca: the virtuous | vidvāmsaśca: and the learned dvija tayaH = Brahmanas | suropamāḥ: who are like unto gods | te: they | na abhimanyante: do not accept | paścātt: afterwards | sudhāmapi: even ambrosia. |

TRANSLATION

"The virtuous and the learned Brahmins, who are like unto gods, do not accept afterwards even food as delicious as ambrosia."

VERSE 14

ब्राह्मणेष्वपि तृप्तेषु पश्चाद्भोक्तुम् द्विजर्षभाः
नाभ्युपैतुमलम् प्राज्ञाः शृङ्गच्चेदमिवर्ष्भाः

brāhmaṇeṣvapi tṛpteṣu paścādbhoktum dvijarṣabhāḥ
nābhyupaitumalam prājñāḥ śṛṅgaccedamivarṣbhāḥ

SYNONYMS

tṛpteṣu: the contented | brāhmaṇeṣvapi: even if they are Brahmanas | prāñāḥ: wise | dvijarṣabhāḥ: and the best of Brahmanas | nābhyupaitumalam: cannot agree | bhoktum: to eat | paścāt: afterwards | śṛṅgaccedamiva: as splitting of thorns | ṛṣabhāḥ: of a bull. |

TRANSLATION

"The best of Brahmins in their wisdom, will not accept what remains of the food of which other Brahmins have partaken, regarding it as a bull shorn of its horns."

VERSE 15

एवम् कनीयसा भ्रात्रा भुक्तम् राज्यम् विशाम् पते
भ्राता ज्येष्ठा वरिष्ठाः च किम् अर्थम् न अवमंस्यते

evam kanīyasā bhrātrā bhuktam rājyam viśām pate
bhrātā jyeṣṭhā variṣṭhāḥ ca kim artham na avamaṃsyate

SYNONYMS

viṣāmpate: O | k͟hing! ṇakimartham: why not | jyeṣṭhāḥ: the eldest | variṣṭhaśca: and the best | bhrātā: brother | avamamsyate: refuse | rājyam: the kingdom | bhuktam: enjoyed | kanīyasā: by younger | bhrātrā: brother?" |

TRANSLATION

"O, king! Why not the eldest and the best brother refuse to accept the kingdom enjoyed by the younger brother?"

VERSE 16

न परेण आहृतम् भक्ष्यम् व्याघ्रः खादितुम् इच्चति
एवम् एव नर व्याघ्रः पर लीढम् न मंस्यते

na pareṇa āhṛtam bhakṣyam vyāghraḥ khāditum iccati
evam eva nara vyāghraḥ para līḍham na maṃsyate

SYNONYMS

vyāghraḥ: a tiger | neccati: does not wish | khāditum: to eat | bhakṣyam: a food | aśitam: eaten | vareṇa: by another animal | evam eva: in the same manner | naravyāghraḥ: a tiger among men | na manyate: does not accept | paralīḍham: that which has been enjoyed by another. |

TRANSLATION

"A tiger does not wish to share a part of food eaten by another animal. In the same manner, Rama the tiger among men may not accept that which has been enjoyed by another."

VERSE 17

हविर् आज्यम् पुरोडाशाः कुशा यूपाः च खादिराः
न एतानि यात यामानि कुर्वन्ति पुनर् अध्वरे

havir ājyam puroḍāśāḥ kuśā yūpāḥ ca khādirāḥ
na etāni yāta yāmāni kurvanti punar adhvare

SYNONYMS

haviḥ: oblations | ājyam: clarified butter | puroḍāśāḥ: leaving of an offering in a sacrifice | kuśāḥ: sacred grass | yūpāśca: sacrificial posts | khādirāḥ: made of trunk of Khadira tree | yātayāmāni: used once | etāni: these | na kurvanti: are not used | punaḥ: again | adhvare: in a sacrifice. |

TRANSLATION

"Oblations, clarified butter, leavings of an offering, sacred grass and sacrificial posts made of trunk of Khadira tree, once used, are not put to use again in a sacrifice."

VERSE 18

तथा हि आत्तम् इदम् राज्यम् हृत साराम् सुराम् इव
न अभिमन्तुम् अलम् रामः नष्ट सोमम् इव अध्वरम्

tathā hi āttam idam rājyam hṛta sārām surām iva
na abhimantum alam rāmaḥ naṣṭa somam iva adhvaram

SYNONYMS

tathā: thus | rāmaḥ: Rama | nālam: cannot | abhimantum: accept | idam rājyam: this kingdom | attam: taken away by others | surāmiva: as an ambrosia | hṛtasāram: whose essence has been taken away | adhvaramiva: and as in a sacrifice | naṣṭa somam: when the stalks of Soma plant (from which a beverage called Soma is prepared) are lost. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus, Rama cannot accept the kingdom taken away by other, as those not accepting an ambrosia whose essence has been taken away or as in a sacrifice, stalks of Soma plant (from which a beverage called Soma is prepared) are lost."

VERSE 19

न एवम् विधम् असत्कारम् राघवो मर्षयिष्यति
बलवान् इव शार्दूलो बालधेर् अभिमर्शनम्

na evam vidham asatkāram rāghavo marṣayiṣyati
balavān iva śārdūlo bāladher abhimarśanam

SYNONYMS

rāghavaḥ: Rama | na marṣayiṣyati: will not go through | evam vidham: such a type | astakāram: of dishonour | avamarśanam iva: as touching | vāladhe: of the tail | balavān: by a strong | śārdūlaḥ: tiger. |

TRANSLATION

"Rama will not go through such a type of dishonour, as a strong tiger does not endure even touching of its tail."

VERSE 20

नैतस्य सहिता लोका भयम् कुर्युर्महामृधे
अधर्मम् त्विह धर्मात्मा लोकम् धर्मेण योजयेत्

naitasya sahitā lokā bhayam kuryurmahāmṛdhe
adharmam tviha dharmātmā lokam dharmeṇa yojayet

SYNONYMS

lokāḥ: even if the worlds | sahitāḥ: get together | mahā mṛdhe: in a great battle | nakuryuḥ: they cannot stir up | bhayam: fear | etasya: in him | dharmātma: the virtuous minded Rama | yojayat: will provide | dharmeṇa: righteousness | lokam: to people | adharmam: with unrighteousness. |

TRANSLATION

"Even if all the worlds combine together in a great battle, they cannot stir up fear in him. The virtuous minded Rama will provide righteousness to the people with unrighteousness."

VERSE 21

नन्वसौ काञ्चनैर्बाणैर्महावीर्यो महाभुजः
युगान्त इव भूतानि सागरानपि निर्दहेत्

nanvasau kāñcanairbāṇairmahāvīryo mahābhujaḥ
yugānta iva bhūtāni sāgarānapi nirdahet

SYNONYMS

asau: this Rama | mahāvīryaḥ: with great prowess | mahābhujaḥ: and with mighty arms | nanu nirdahet: can surely burn up | bhūtāni: all beigns | sāgarānapi: and even the ocean | kāncanaiḥ bāṇaiḥ: like at the time of destruction of the world. |

TRANSLATION

"Rama with great prowess and with his mighty arms can surely burn up all beings and even the ocean itself by his golden arrows; like at the time of destruction of the world."

VERSE 22

स तादृशः सिम्ह बलो वृषभ अक्षो नर ऋषभः
स्वयम् एव हतः पित्रा जलजेन आत्मजो यथा

sa tādṛśaḥ simha balo vṛṣabha akṣo nara ṛṣabhaḥ
svayam eva hataḥ pitrā jalajena ātmajo yathā

SYNONYMS

saḥ naraṣabhaḥ: that excellent man | tādṛṣ\śaḥ: of such | simhabalaḥ: strength of a lion | vṛṣabhākṣaḥ: and with eyes like those of a bull | hataḥ: was mined | pitrā iva: indeed by father | svayam: of his own | ātmajoyathā: like (killing) its child | jalajena: by a fish. |

TRANSLATION

"That excellent man with such a lion's strength and with eyes like those of a bull was ruined indeed by his own father, like killing its child-fish by an adult fish."

VERSE 23

द्विजाति चरितः धर्मः शास्त्र दृष्टः सनातनः
यदि ते धर्म निरते त्वया पुत्रे विवासिते

dvijāti caritaḥ dharmaḥ śāstra dṛṣṭaḥ sanātanaḥ
yadi te dharma nirate tvayā putre vivāsite

SYNONYMS

putre: a son | dharma nirate: who is devoted to righteousness | nirvāsite: being sent to exile | tvayā: by you | dharmaḥ yadi: is it a right thing | śāsradṛṣṭah: as seen by scriptures | te: for you | sanātanaḥ: or an eternal thing | dvijāticaritaḥ: practised by the Twice born? |

TRANSLATION

"A son, who is devoted to righteousness, has been sent to exile by you. Is it a right thing for you, as seen by scriptures or is it an eternal conduct as practiced by the Twice born?"

VERSE 24

गतिर् एवाक् पतिर् नार्या द्वितीया गतिर् आत्मजः
तृतीया ज्ञातयो राजम्ः चतुर्थी न इह विद्यते

gatir evāk patir nāryā dvitīyā gatir ātmajaḥ
tṛtīyā jñātayo rājamḥ caturthī na iha vidyate

SYNONYMS

rājan: O | patiḥ: husband | ekā: is a chief | gatiḥ: refuge | nāryāḥ: for a womn | dvitīyā gatiḥ: her second refuge | ātmajaḥ: is a son | tṛiyā: the third refuge | jñātayḥ: is a near relative | na vidyate: there is no | caturdhī: fourth one | iha: here. |

TRANSLATION

"O, king! A husband is a chief refuge for a woman. Her second refuge is a son. The third refuge is her near-relative. There is no fourth one here."

VERSE 25

तत्र त्वम् चैव मे न अस्ति रामः च वनम् आश्रितः
न वनम् गन्तुम् इच्चामि सर्वथा हि हता त्वया

tatra tvam caiva me na asti rāmaḥ ca vanam āśritaḥ
na vanam gantum iccāmi sarvathā hi hatā tvayā

SYNONYMS

tatra: in those three refuges | tvam: you | naiva asi: do not indeed exist | rāmastu: Rama on his part | āśritaḥ: took refuge | vanam: to the forest | na iccāmi: I do not wish | gantum: to go | nihatā: I have been mined | sarvathā: in all ways | tvayā: b you. |

TRANSLATION

"Among those three refuges, you do not indeed exist. Rama on his part took refuge in a forest and I do not wish to go there. Thus, I have been ruined in all ways, by you."

VERSE 26

हतम् त्वया राज्यम् इदम् सराष्ट्रम्
हतः तथा आत्मा सह मन्त्रिभिः च
हता सपुत्रा अस्मि हताः च पौराः
सुतः च भार्या च तव प्रहृष्टौ

hatam tvayā rājyam idam sarāṣṭram
hataḥ tathā ātmā saha mantribhiḥ ca
hatā saputrā asmi hatāḥ ca paurāḥ
sutaḥ ca bhāryā ca tava prahṛṣṭau

SYNONYMS

idam: this | rājyam: kingdom | sarāṣṭram: along with neighbouring states | hatam: have been ruined | tvayā: by you | tathā: and | ātmā: you yourself | mantribhiḥ saha: along with ministers | hatāḥ: have got ruined | saputrāsmi: I along with my son | hatā: are ruined | purāśca: citizens too | tavā: your | sutaśca: son and | bhāryā: your wife Kaikeyi = prahR^iSTaa = delight. |

TRANSLATION

"This kingdom along with neighboring states has been ruined by you. You yourself along with ministers have been ruined. I along with my son are ruined. Citizens too are ruined. Your son Bharata and your wife Kaikeyi only are delighted."

VERSE 27

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे एकषष्टितमः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe ekaṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

niśamya: hearing | imām: this | giram: voice | dāruṇa śabda samśritām: consisting of cruel words | rājāpi: the king also | duhkhitaḥ: being distress | mumoha: became | tataḥ: thereafter | pārthivaḥ: the king | tadā: then | smaraḥ: again | svaduṣkṛtam: his own evil act | praviveśa: was entangled in | śokam: grief. |

TRANSLATION

Hearing the aforesaid voice of Kausalya, consisting of her cruel words, the king also being distressed, became disillusioned. Thereafter, the king then looking back on his own evil act, was entangled in grief