Chapter 65

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

अथ रात्र्याम् व्यतीतायाम् प्रातर् एव अपरे अहनि
वन्दिनः पर्युपातिष्ठंस् तत् पार्थिव निवेशनम्

atha rātryām vyatītāyām prātar eva apare ahani
vandinaḥ paryupātiṣṭhaṃs tat pārthiva niveśanam

SYNONYMS

2| atha: thereafter | rātryām vyatītāyām: while the night passed away | prātaḥ eva: at the dawn itself | apare: of the following | ahari: day | paryupātiṣṭhan: there approached | tat: that | pārthiva niveśanam: residence of the emperor | paramasamskārāḥ: highly cultured | uttamaśrutāḥ: excellently learned | sūtāḥ: bards | maṇgaḻāśca: who were pronouncers of benedictions | stutiśīlāḥ: and whose custom was to eulogize the king | gāyakāḥ: as well as singers | vandinaḥ: and panegyrists | nigadantaḥ: pronouncing | pṛthak pṛthak: in different styles. |

TRANSLATION

While the night passed away, there arrived at the residence of the emperor, at the dawn of the next day, highly cultured and excellently learned bards who were pronouncers of benedictions and whose custom was to eulogize the king, as well as singers and panegyrists uttering recitations in different styles.

VERSE 3

राजानम् स्तुताम् तेषामुदात्ताभिहिताशिषाम्
प्रासादाभोगविस्तीर्णः स्तुतिशब्दो ह्यवर्तत

rājānam stutām teṣāmudāttābhihitāśiṣām
prāsādābhogavistīrṇaḥ stutiśabdo hyavartata

SYNONYMS

teṣām: their | stutiśabdaḥ: sounds of praises | udattābhitāśiṣā: uttering benedictions in a loud voice | stuvatām: and pronouncing accolades | rājānan: of the king | āvartatahi: pervaded | prāsādābhogavistīrṇaḥ: in full |

TRANSLATION

Their sounds of praises, uttering benedictions in a loud voice and pronouncing accolades of the king, pervaded in full the interior area of the palace.

VERSE 4

ततस्तु स्तुवताम् तेषाम् सूतानाम् पाणिवादकाः
अवदानान्युदाहृत्य पाणिवादा नवादयन्

tatastu stuvatām teṣām sūtānām pāṇivādakāḥ
avadānānyudāhṛtya pāṇivādā navādayan

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | teṣām sūtānām: while those bards | stuvatām: were uttering praises | pāṇivādakāḥ: some others who make noises of claps | avādayān: pronounced claps | udāhṛtya: illustrating | avadānāmi: the glorious acts (of Dasaratha). |

TRANSLATION

While those bards are uttering praises, others who make a bang of claps, patted the claps, eulogizing the previous glorious acts of Dasaratha.

VERSE 5

तेन शब्देन विहगाः प्रतिबुद्धा विसस्वनुः
शाखास्थाः पञ्जरस्थाश्च ये राजकुलगोचराः

tena śabdena vihagāḥ pratibuddhā visasvanuḥ
śākhāsthāḥ pañjarasthāśca ye rājakulagocarāḥ

SYNONYMS

ye: which | vihagāḥ: birds | rājakula gocarāḥ: dwelling in the royal palaces | śākhāsthāḥ: on the branches of trees | panjarasthāḥca: and in cages | pratibuddhāḥ: were awakened | tena śabdena: by that sound | visasvanuḥ: began to twitter. |

TRANSLATION

The birds dwelling in royal palaces perched on the branches of trees and others in cages were awakened by that sound and began to twitter.

VERSE 6

व्याहृताः पुण्य्शब्दाश्च वीणानाम् चापि निस्स्वनाः
आशीर्गेयम् च गाथानाम् पूरयामास वेश्म तत

vyāhṛtāḥ puṇyśabdāśca vīṇānām cāpi nissvanāḥ
āśīrgeyam ca gāthānām pūrayāmāsa veśma tata

SYNONYMS

puṇya śabdāśca: the auspicious words | vyāhṟ^tāḥ: uttered | nissvanāḥca: and the notes | vīṇānām: of Vina | āśīrgeyamca: as well as blissful songs | gāthānām: of the metric verses | pūrayāmāsa: filled | tat: that | veśma: palace. |

TRANSLATION

The auspicious words uttered by bards parrots etc and the notes of Vina as well as blissful songs of the metric verses filled that palace.

VERSE 7

ततः शुचि समाचाराः पर्युपस्थान कोविदः
स्त्री वर्ष वर भूयिष्ठाउपतस्थुर् यथा पुरम्

tataḥ śuci samācārāḥ paryupasthāna kovidaḥ
strī varṣa vara bhūyiṣṭhāupatasthur yathā puram

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | yathā puram: as before | śuci samācārāḥ: those who maintain pure practices | paryupasthāna kovidāḥ: and those who were skilled in the services to the king | strīvarṣavarabhūyiṣṭhāḥ: most of whom were women and eunuchs | upatasthuḥ: arrived to serve(the king). |

TRANSLATION

Then, as before, persons who maintain pure practices and those who were skilled in the services to the king, most of whom were women and eunuchs, arrived there to serve the king.

VERSE 8

हरि चन्दन सम्पृक्तम् उदकम् कान्चनैः घटैः
आनिन्युः स्नान शिक्षा आज्ञा यथा कालम् यथा विधि

hari candana sampṛktam udakam kāncanaiḥ ghaṭaiḥ
āninyuḥ snāna śikṣā ājñā yathā kālam yathā vidhi

SYNONYMS

snāna śikṣājñāḥ: those who took care of royal ablutions | āninyuḥ: brought | udakam: water | haricandana samvṛktam: spinkled with yellow sandal | kāṇcanaiḥ: in golden | ghaṭaiḥ: pitchers | yathākālam: in accordance with the appropriate time | yathāvidhi: and according to the set procedures. |

TRANSLATION

Those who took care of royal ablutions brought water sprinkled with yellow sandal in golden pitchers in accordance with appropriate time and the set procedures.

VERSE 9

मन्गल आलम्भनीयानि प्राशनीयान् उपस्करान्
उपनिन्युस् तथा अपि अन्याः कुमारी बहुलाः स्त्रियः

mangala ālambhanīyāni prāśanīyān upaskarān
upaninyus tathā api anyāḥ kumārī bahulāḥ striyaḥ

SYNONYMS

tathā: in that manner | striyaḥapi: women too | kumarībahuḻāḥ: most of whom were virgins | upaninyuḥ: brought | maṇgaḻālamba nīyāni: all that were pleasing to touch praashaniiyaan = eatables | upaskarān: decorations and ornaments. |

TRANSLATION

In that manner, women too most of whom were virgins brought all that were pleasing to the touch, eatables, decorative clothing and ornaments.

VERSE 10

सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्नम् सर्वम् विधिवदर्चितम्
सर्वम् सुगुणलक्स्मीवत्तद्भभूवाभिहारिकम्

sarvalakṣaṇasampannam sarvam vidhivadarcitam
sarvam suguṇalaksmīvattadbhabhūvābhihārikam

SYNONYMS

sarvam: all that | tat: that | abhihārikam: which was brought near him | abhūt: was | sarva lakṣaṇasampannam: rich with all auspicious characteristics | arcitam: was offered with reverence | vidhivat: as per prescribing scriptures | suguṇa lakṣmīvat: was extremely graceful. |

TRANSLATION

All that was brought near him was endowed with all auspicious characteristics offered with reverence as per prescribed scriptures. All that was extremely graceful.

VERSE 11

ततः सूर्योदयम् यावत्सर्वम् परिसमुत्सुकम्
तस्थावनुपसम्प्राप्तम् किम् स्विदित्युपश्

tataḥ sūryodayam yāvatsarvam parisamutsukam
tasthāvanupasamprāptam kim svidityupaś

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: thereafter | sarvam: all that retinue | parisamutsukam: greatly excited | anupasamprāptam: without coming near to the king | upaśaṇkitam: with a suspicion | kim svit iti: as to what was it | tasthou: stayed thus | sūryodayam yāvat: till sun rise. |

TRANSLATION

All that retinue, greatly excited as they were, without coming near to the king and with a suspicion as to what was it, stayed thus till sunrise.

VERSE 12

अथ याः कोसल इन्द्रस्य शयनम् प्रत्यनन्तराः
ताः स्त्रियः तु समागम्य भर्तारम् प्रत्यबोधयन्

atha yāḥ kosala indrasya śayanam pratyanantarāḥ
tāḥ striyaḥ tu samāgamya bhartāram pratyabodhayan

SYNONYMS

atha: then | yāḥ striyaḥ: which women | anantarāḥ: have no hindrance | śayanam prati: towards the bed | kosalendrāya: of Dasaratha | tāḥ tu: those women only | samāgamya: approached | bhartāram: their lord | pratyabodhayan: and woke him up. |

TRANSLATION

The women who were empowered to go near the bed of Dasaratha went in proximity to him and woke him up.

VERSE 13

तथाप्युचितवृत्तास्ता विनयेन नयेन च
न ह्यस्य शयनम् स्पृष्ट्वा किम् चिदप्युपलेभिरे

tathāpyucitavṛttāstā vinayena nayena ca
na hyasya śayanam spṛṣṭvā kim cidapyupalebhire

SYNONYMS

tathāpi: even so | tāḥ: those women | ucitavṟ^ttāḥ: having proper conduct | vinayena: by their modesty | nayena: (and) by their prudence | spṛṣṭvā: touched | śayanam: the bed | asya: of Dasaratha | na upalebhire: and could not detect | kimcit api: anything either. |

TRANSLATION

Even so, those modest and prudent women with proper conduct, touched Dasaratha's bed and could not detect any sign of life whatsoever in him.

VERSE 14

ताः स्त्रीयः स्वप्नशीलज्ञास्चेष्टासंचलनादिषु
ता वेपथु परीताः च राज्ञः प्राणेषु शन्किताः

tāḥ strīyaḥ svapnaśīlajñāsceṣṭāsaṃcalanādiṣu
tā vepathu parītāḥ ca rājñaḥ prāṇeṣu śankitāḥ

SYNONYMS

tāḥ strīyaḥ: those women | svapnaśīlajñāḥ: knew the condition of a body in sleep | ceṣṭā samcalanādiṣu: by its gestures | tāḥ: those women as such | śaṇkitaḥ: were apprehensive | rājñaḥ: of the king`s | prāṇeṣu: life | vepathuparītāḥca: possessed of tremor | samcakāśire: and were revealing | pratisrotastṛṇāgrāṇām: like tips of reeds standing against a stream. |

TRANSLATION

Those women knew the condition of a body in sleep, by its gestures, movements and others. As such, they were possessed of tremor apprehensive as they were about the king's life and they resembled like tips of reeds standing against a stream.

VERSE 15

अथ सम्वेपमनानाम् स्त्रीणाम् दृष्ट्वा च पार्थिवम्

atha samvepamanānām strīṇām dṛṣṭvā ca pārthivam

SYNONYMS

atha: now | dṛṣṭvāca: on seeing | pārthivam: the king | tasya: its | viniścayaḥ: certainty | jaġ^ye: arose | sandehamānānām: in the minds of doubting | strīṇām: women | yat: of which | pāpam: calamity | āśaṇkitam: that was apprehended. |

TRANSLATION

Now, seeing the king, certainty arose in the minds of those doubting women about the calamity (of death) that was apprehended.

VERSE 16

कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च पुत्रशोकपराजिते

kausalyā ca sumitrā ca putraśokaparājite

SYNONYMS

putra śoka parājite: overpowered by grief for their sons | prasupte: the slumbering | kausalyāca: Kausalya | sumitrāca: and Sumitra | na prabudhyate: did not wake up | kālasamanvite yathā: as if they were completely possessed of death. |

TRANSLATION

Overpowered by grief for their sons, the slumbering Kausalya and Sumitra did not wake up, as though they were completely overtaken by death.

VERSE 17

निष्प्रभा च विवर्णा च सन्ना शोकेन सन्नता

niṣprabhā ca vivarṇā ca sannā śokena sannatā

SYNONYMS

kausalya: Kausalya | niṣprabhāca: bereft of luster | vivarṇā: pale faced | sannā: emaciated | śokena: by grief | sannatā: and dispirited | na vyarājata: did not shine brightly | tāreva: like a star | timirāvṛtā: hidden away in darkness. |

TRANSLATION

Kausalya bereft of luster, pale faced, emaciated with grief and dispirited, did not shine brightly (as before) like a star hidden away in darkness.

VERSE 18

कौसल्यानन्तरम् राज्ञः सुमित्रा तदन्तनरम्

kausalyānantaram rājñaḥ sumitrā tadantanaram

SYNONYMS

devī: the queen | kausalyā: Kausalya | anantaram: immediately close | rājñaḥ: to the king | sumitrā: and sumitra | tadanantaram: on her side | na sma vibhrājate: was not shining (as before) | śokāśru lulitānanā: with her face ruffled by tears of grief. |

TRANSLATION

The queen Kausalya, immediately close to the king and with Sumitra on her side, was not shining as before with her face ruffled by tears of grief.

VERSE 19

ते च दृष्ट्वा तथा सुप्ते शुभे देव्यौ च तम् नृपम्

te ca dṛṣṭvā tathā supte śubhe devyau ca tam nṛpam

SYNONYMS

antaḥpuram: the gynaecium | dṛṣṭvā: having seen | te devyon śubhe: those distinguished queens | supte: sleeping | tam: and that | nṛpam: king | tathā: in that manner | āmanyata: thought | udgataprāṇam: that the king had lost his life | suptameva: while merely sleeping. |

TRANSLATION

The persons in the gynaecium, having seen those distinguished queens in slumber and also the king in that manner, thought that the king had lost his life while just sleeping.

VERSE 20

ततः प्रचुक्रुशुर् दीनाः सस्वरम् ता वर अन्गनाः

tataḥ pracukruśur dīnāḥ sasvaram tā vara anganāḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | tāḥ varāṇganāḥ: those beautiful women | dīnaḥ: miserably | pracukruśuḥ: cried loudly | sasvaram: with their voice | kareṇavaḥ iva: like female elephants crying | sthāna pracyuta yūthapāḥ: removed from their place | araṇye: in the forest. |

TRANSLATION

Then, those beautiful women miserably cried loudly with their voice, like female elephants crying when their group leader an elephant was removed from their place in the forest.

VERSE 21

तासाम् आक्रन्द शब्देन सहसा उद्गत चेतने

tāsām ākranda śabdena sahasā udgata cetane

SYNONYMS

kausalyāca: Kausalya and | sumitrāca: Sumitra | sahasā: suddenly | udgatacetane: obtained consciousness | tāsām ākranda śabdena: by their sound of cries | babhūvatuḥ: and became | tyakta nidre: relieved of sleep. |

TRANSLATION

Kausalya and Sumitra suddenly obtained consciousness by the sound of their cries and woke up from sleep.

VERSE 22

कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च दृष्ट्वा स्पृष्ट्वा च पार्थिवम्

kausalyā ca sumitrā ca dṛṣṭvā spṛṣṭvā ca pārthivam

SYNONYMS

kausalyāca: Kausalya | sumitrāca: and Sumitra | dṛṣṭvā: on seeing | spṛṣṭvāca: and touching | pārthivam: the king | parikruśya: cried | hānāthā iti: as �O | lord!' patatuḥ: and fell | dharaṇītala: on the ground. |

TRANSLATION

Kausalya and Sumitra, on seeing and touching king Dasaratha, cried �O, Lord!' and fell on the ground.

VERSE 23

सा कोसल इन्द्र दुहिता वेष्टमाना मही तले

sā kosala indra duhitā veṣṭamānā mahī tale

SYNONYMS

veṣṭamānā: rolling | mahītale: on the floor | rajodhvastā: and covered by dust | : that | kausalyendra duhitā: daughter of Kosala king | na babhrāja: was not shining | tāreva: like a star | cyutā: slipped down | gaganāt: from the sky. |

TRANSLATION

Rolling on the floor and covered by dust, Kausalya the daughter of Kosala king was not shining as before and resembled a star falling down from the sky.

VERSE 24

नृपे शान्तगुणे जाते कौसल्याम् पतिताम् भुवि

nṛpe śāntaguṇe jāte kausalyām patitām bhuvi

SYNONYMS

nṛpe: the king | jāte: became | śāntaguṇe: one whose virtues were destroyed | tāḥstriyaḥ: all the women | apaśyan: saw | kausalya: Kausalya | patitām: who fell | bhuvi: on the ground | nāgavadhū miva: like a female elephant | hatām: which was killed (and felled on ground). |

TRANSLATION

While the king was deceased, all the women saw Kausalya who fell on the floor appearing as a female elephant, which was killed and felled on the ground.

VERSE 25

ततः सर्वा नरेन्द्रस्य कैकेयीप्रमुखाः स्त्रियः

tataḥ sarvā narendrasya kaikeyīpramukhāḥ striyaḥ

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: thereafter | kaikeyīpramukhāḥ: Kaikeyi and others | sarve: all | narendrasya: the king`s | striyaḥ: women | rudantyaḥ: were weeping | śokasantaptāḥ: being afflicted by grief | nipetuḥ: fell | gatacetanāḥ: unconscious. |

TRANSLATION

Kaikeyi and all other wives of king Dasaratha were weeping afflicted by grief and fell unconscious.

VERSE 26

ताभिः स बलवान्नादः क्रोशन्तीभिरनुद्रुतः

tābhiḥ sa balavānnādaḥ krośantībhiranudrutaḥ

SYNONYMS

balavān: great | saḥnādaḥ: that noise | anudrutaḥ: = supplemented | tābhiḥ: by those women | krośantībhiḥ: wailing | sphītīkṛtaḥ: was made greater | bhūyaḥ: more | yena: by which | tat: that | gṛham: house |

TRANSLATION

That great noise was supplemented by those wailing women, bloated by which, it rendered the house all the more noisy.

VERSE 27

तत् समुत्त्रस्त सम्भ्रान्तम् पर्युत्सुक जन आकुलम्

tat samuttrasta sambhrāntam paryutsuka jana ākulam

SYNONYMS

28| tatsadma: that gynoecium | naradevasya: of the king | īyuṣaḥ: who met | diṣṭāntam: the appointed end (death) | santrapta sambhrānta paryutsaka janākulam: was filled with people bewildered with fear and restlessness | tumulākrandam: with tumultuous wailing | sarvatāḥ: all around | paritāpārtabāndhavan: having relatives disturbed by sorrow | nipatitānandam: with its happiness withered away | sadyaḥ: suddenly | babhūva: and became | dīnaviklaba darśanam: a sight of misery and despondency. |

TRANSLATION

That gynaecium of the king who met his appointed end was filled with people who felt bewildered with fear and restlessness, with tumultuous wail all around, and crowded with relatives disturbed by sorrow, with happiness withered away in it suddenly and became a sight of misery and despondency.

VERSE 29

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे पञ्चषष्टितमः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe pañcaṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

ājñāya: knowing | yaśasvinam: the glorious | pārthivarṣabham: king of excellence | atītam: had passed away | samparivārya: surrounded him | suduḥkhitāḥ: with great sorrow | karuṇam: pitiably | rudantyaḥ: wailing | bhruśam: profusely | vylapan: and lamented | pragṛhya: grasping | bāhum: their hands | anāthavāt: like orphans. |

TRANSLATION

Knowing that the glorious king of excellence had passed away, the king's wives surrounded him with great sorrow; pitiably wailing profusely and lamented, grasping their hands one another, like orphans.