Chapter 66

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

तम् अग्निम् इव संशान्तम् अम्बु हीनम् इव अर्णवम्
हतप्रभम् इव आदित्यम् स्वर्गथम् प्रेक्ष्य भूमिपम्

tam agnim iva saṃśāntam ambu hīnam iva arṇavam
hataprabham iva ādityam svargatham prekṣya bhūmipam

SYNONYMS

2| prekṣya: Seeing | tam pārthivam: that king | svargastham: who was dead | agnimiva: like fire | samśāntam: which is fully extinguished | ārṇavamiva: like an ocean | ambuhīnam: bereft of water | ādityamiva: like the sun | hataprabham: dimmed in luster | kausalya: Kausalya | upagṛhya: holding | rāġ^ẏaḥ: the king's | śiraḥ: head | bāṣpapūrṇākṣī: having her eyes filled with tears | śokakarṣitā: who was stricken with grief | vividham: of various sorts | abhāṣata: spoke | kaikeyīm prati: to Kausalya (as follows: |

TRANSLATION

Seeing the aforesaid deceased king, who looked like a fully extinguished fire, a waterless ocean and a lusterless sun, Kausalya holding the king's head on her lap with her eyes full of tears and who was stricken with grief of various sorts, spoke to Kausalya as follows:

VERSE 3

सकामा भव कैकेयि भुन्क्ष्व राज्यम् अकण्टकम्
त्यक्त्वा राजानम् एक अग्रा नृशंसे दुष्ट चारिणि

sakāmā bhava kaikeyi bhunkṣva rājyam akaṇṭakam
tyaktvā rājānam eka agrā nṛśaṃse duṣṭa cāriṇi

SYNONYMS

k͟haikeyi: " O Kaikeyi | nṛśanse: the cruel one | duṣṭacāriṇi: and the evil doer! Bhava = you be there | sakāma: having fulfilled your desires | tyaktvā: deserting | rājānam: the king | bhuṅjvā: you can enjoy | rājyam: the kingdom | ekāgrā: undisturbed | akaṇtakam: and with out any hindrance." |

TRANSLATION

"O Kaikeyi the cruel one and the doer of evils! You be there, having fulfilled your desires. Deserting the king, you can enjoy the kingdom undisturbed and without any hindrance.

VERSE 4

विहाय माम् गतः रामः भर्ता च स्वर् गतः मम
विपथे सार्थ हीना इव न अहम् जीवितुम् उत्सहे

vihāya mām gataḥ rāmaḥ bhartā ca svar gataḥ mama
vipathe sārtha hīnā iva na aham jīvitum utsahe

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ: Rama | vihāya: has left | mām: me | gataḥ: and gone (to the forest) | mama: My | bharatāca: husband also | svargataḥ: has gone to heaven | aham: I | na utsahe: do not wish | jīvitum: to live | sārtha hīnena: as left behind by a caravan | vipathe: in a wrong road" |

TRANSLATION

"Rama has left me and gone to the forest. My husband too has left for heaven. I do not wish to live, as one left behind by a caravan in a wrong road."

VERSE 5

भर्तारम् तम् परित्यज्य का स्त्री दैवतम् आत्मनः
इच्चेज् जीवितुम् अन्यत्र कैकेय्याः त्यक्त धर्मणः

bhartāram tam parityajya kā strī daivatam ātmanaḥ
iccej jīvitum anyatra kaikeyyāḥ tyakta dharmaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

kāstrī: which woman | icchet: would wish | jīvitum: to survive | parityajya: leaving | ātmanaḥ tam bhartāram: her that husband | daivatam: who was divine? | kaikeyyāḥ anyatra: except Kaikeyi | tyakda dharmaṇaḥ: who was kicked off righteousness." |

TRANSLATION

"Which woman would wish to survive, leaving her husband who was divine, except Kaikeyi who kicked off righteousness?"

VERSE 6

न लुब्धो बुध्यते दोषान् किम् पाकम् इव भक्षयन्
कुब्जा निमित्तम् कैकेय्या राघवाणान् कुलम् हतम्

na lubdho budhyate doṣān kim pākam iva bhakṣayan
kubjā nimittam kaikeyyā rāghavāṇān kulam hatam

SYNONYMS

lubdaḥ: a greedy person | na buddhyate: cannot understand | doṣān: one's faults. Bhakshhayanniva = like one who eats | kimpākam: a forbidden dish | kubjānimiḥan: Due to that hump-backed woman | kulam: the race | rāghavāṇām: of Raghu dynasty | hitam: has been destroyed | kaikeyyā: by Kaikeyi." |

TRANSLATION

"A greedy person cannot understand one's faults, like one who eats a forbidden dish. Due to that hump- backed woman, Kaikeyi has ruined the race of Raghu dynasty."

VERSE 7

अनियोगे नियुक्तेन राज्ञा रामम् विवासितम्
सभार्यम् जनकः श्रुत्वा पतितप्स्यति अहम् यथा

aniyoge niyuktena rājñā rāmam vivāsitam
sabhāryam janakaḥ śrutvā patitapsyati aham yathā

SYNONYMS

śrutvā: hearing | rāmam: that Rama | sabhāryam: along with his wife | vivāsitam: have been sent to exile | rāġ^yā: by the king | myuktena: coerced | aniyoge: to do an unworthy act | janakaḥ: Janaka | paritapsyati: will profusely lament | aham yathā: as I do." |

TRANSLATION

"Hearing Rama along with his wife have been sent to exile by the king as he was coerced as he was (Kaikeyi) to do an unworthy act, Janaka will profusely lament as I do."

VERSE 8

स मामनाथाम् विधवाम् नाद्य जानाति धार्मिकः
रामः कमल पत्र अक्षो जीव नाशम् इतः गतः

sa māmanāthām vidhavām nādya jānāti dhārmikaḥ
rāmaḥ kamala patra akṣo jīva nāśam itaḥ gataḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ rāmaḥ: that Rama | dharmikaḥ: the pious man | kamala patrākṣaḥ: having eyes like lotus leaves | gataḥ: having got | nāśam: disappeared | itaḥ: from here | jīvam: even though | adya: now | na jānāti: does not know | mām: me | anādham: to have become support-less | vidhavām: widow." |

TRANSLATION

"Rama the pious man who is possessed of like lotus leaves, and who has disappeared from here even though living, now does not know me to have because a support -less widow.

VERSE 9

विदेह राजस्य सुता तहा सीता तपस्विनी
दुह्खस्य अनुचिता दुह्खम् वने पर्युद्विजिष्यति

videha rājasya sutā tahā sītā tapasvinī
duhkhasya anucitā duhkham vane paryudvijiṣyati

SYNONYMS

tathā: even so | sītā: Sita | sutā: the daughter | videha rājasya: of king of Videha | tapasvinī: the pitiable lady | anucitā: and who is unworthy | duḥkhasya: of lamentation | parudvijiṣyati: will get frightened | duḥkham: with grief | vane: in the forest." |

TRANSLATION

"Even so, Sita, the daughter of king of Videha, the pitiable lady and who is unworthy of lamentation, will get frightened with grief in the forest.

VERSE 10

नदताम् भीम घोषाणाम् निशासु मृग पक्षिणाम्
निशम्य नूनम् संस्त्रस्ता राघवम् संश्रयिष्यति

nadatām bhīma ghoṣāṇām niśāsu mṛga pakṣiṇām
niśamya nūnam saṃstrastā rāghavam saṃśrayiṣyati

SYNONYMS

santraptā: greatly alarmed | niśamya: to hear | bhimaghoṣaṇām: fearfully crying | mṛgapakṣiṇām: wild animals and birds | nadatām: making their noises | niśāsu: in nights | samśrayiṣyaḥ: she will take refuge | nūnam: surely | rāghavam: with Rama." |

TRANSLATION

"Greatly alarmed to hear the fearful cries of wild animals and birds making their noises in nights, surely she will cling herself to Rama.

VERSE 11

वृद्धः चैव अल्प पुत्रः च वैदेहीम् अनिचिन्तयन्
सो अपि शोक समाविष्टः ननु त्यक्ष्यति जीवितम्

vṛddhaḥ caiva alpa putraḥ ca vaidehīm anicintayan
so api śoka samāviṣṭaḥ nanu tyakṣyati jīvitam

SYNONYMS

saḥapi: Janaka too | vṛddhaścaiva: who is aged | alpa putraśca: and who was not having sons | anucintayan: will be thinking | vaidehīm: of Sita | śokamāviṣṭaḥ: over whelmed with grief | tyakṣyatinanu: and will surely abandon | jīvitum: his life." |

TRANSLATION

"Janaka too who is aged, and who is not having sons, will be thinking of Sita, over whelmed with grief and will surely abandon his life.

VERSE 12

साहमद्यैव दिष्टान्तम् गमिष्यामि पतिव्रता
इदम् शरीरमालिङ्ग्य प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम्

sāhamadyaiva diṣṭāntam gamiṣyāmi pativratā
idam śarīramāliṅgya pravekṣyāmi hutāśanam

SYNONYMS

adyaiva: today itself | sā aham: I too | pativratā: in devotion to my husband | gamiṣyāmi: will get | diṣṭāntam: my appointed end | pravakṣyāmi: I shall enter | hutāśam: the fire | āliṅgya: duly embracing | idam: this | śarīram: body of my husband" |

TRANSLATION

"Today itself, I too in devotion to my husband, will meet my appointed end. I shall enter the fire, duly embracing this body of my husband.

VERSE 13

ताम् ततः सम्परिष्वज्य विलपन्तीम् तपस्विनीम्
व्यपनिन्युः सुदुह्ख आर्ताम् कौसल्याम् व्यावहारिकाः

tām tataḥ sampariṣvajya vilapantīm tapasvinīm
vyapaninyuḥ suduhkha ārtām kausalyām vyāvahārikāḥ

SYNONYMS

vyāvakāri kāḥ: chamberlains | vyapanyuḥ: reverently removed | tataḥ: from that place | tām kausalyā: that Kausalya | tapasvinīm: who was unfortunate | suduḥkhārtām: who was in the excessof her grief | sampariṣvajya: and closely embracing her dead husband. |

TRANSLATION

The chamberlains reverently removed from that place that unfortunate Kausalya, who was in excess of her grief and was closely embracing her dead husband.

VERSE 14

तैल द्रोण्याम् अथ अमात्याः सम्वेश्य जगती पतिम्
राज्ञः सर्वाणि अथ आदिष्टाः चक्रुः कर्माणि अनन्तरम्

taila droṇyām atha amātyāḥ samveśya jagatī patim
rājñaḥ sarvāṇi atha ādiṣṭāḥ cakruḥ karmāṇi anantaram

SYNONYMS

atha: thereafter | amātyāḥ: the ministers | ādiṣṭāḥ: assigned | samveśya: kept | jagatīpatim: the king | tailadroṇyām: in an oil through | cakruḥ: and did | sarvāṇi: all karmaaNi = the acts | anantaram: that were to be done thereafter | rāṅgaḥ: for the king. |

TRANSLATION

The ministers assigned for the job kept the king in an oil trough and did all the acts that were to be done therafter.

VERSE 15

न तु सम्कलनम् राज्ञो विना पुत्रेण मन्त्रिणः
सर्वज्ञाः कर्तुम् ईषुस् ते ततः रक्षन्ति भूमिपम्

na tu samkalanam rājño vinā putreṇa mantriṇaḥ
sarvajñāḥ kartum īṣus te tataḥ rakṣanti bhūmipam

SYNONYMS

mantriṇaḥ: the ministers | sarvaġ^yāḥ: who were knowing all such matters | na īṣuḥ: were not willing | kartum: to do | samkalanam: cremation | rāġ^yaḥ: for the king | vinā putreṇa: in the absence of his sons | tataḥ: and that is why | rakṣantu: preserved | bhūmipam: the king. |

TRANSLATION

The ministers who were knowing all such matters were not willing to do cremation for the king in the absence of his sons and that is why preserved the king's body .(in an oil through).

VERSE 16

तैल द्रोण्याम् तु सचिवैः शायितम् तम् नर अधिपम्
हा मृतः अयम् इति ज्ञात्वा स्त्रियः ताः पर्यदेवयन्

taila droṇyām tu sacivaiḥ śāyitam tam nara adhipam
hā mṛtaḥ ayam iti jñātvā striyaḥ tāḥ paryadevayan

SYNONYMS

jñātrā: knowing | tam narādhipam: that the king | śāyitam: also laid down | taila droṇyām: in an oil through | tāḥ: those | striyaḥ: women | puryadevayan: cried | iti: thus: "haa = Alas! Ayam = He | mṛtaḥ: is dead!" |

TRANSLATION

Seeing that the king was laid down in an oil through by the ministers those women in the gynaacium cried "Alas! He is dead!"

VERSE 17

बाहून् उद्यम्य कृपणा नेत्र प्रस्रवणैः मुखैः
रुदन्त्यः शोक सम्तप्ताः कृपणम् पर्यदेवयन्

bāhūn udyamya kṛpaṇā netra prasravaṇaiḥ mukhaiḥ
rudantyaḥ śoka samtaptāḥ kṛpaṇam paryadevayan

SYNONYMS

mukhaiḥ: with their faces | netra prasravaṇaiḥ: with eyes flowing with tears | kṛpaṇāḥ: the miserable women | udyamya: lifted up | bāhūn: their arms | rudantyaḥ: and while weeping | śokasantaptāḥ: stricken with grief | kṛpaṇā: pitiably | paryadevayā: lamented as follows:- |

TRANSLATION

Crying their faces with eyes flowing with tears, the miserable women through up their arms, stricken with grief as they were and pitiably lamented as follows:

VERSE 18

हा महाराज रामेण सततम् प्रियवादिना
विहीनाः सत्यसन्धेन किमर्थम् विजहासि नः

hā mahārāja rāmeṇa satatam priyavādinā
vihīnāḥ satyasandhena kimartham vijahāsi naḥ

SYNONYMS

"hā mahārāja: Alas! Great king! ViviinaaH = when we are deprived | rāmeṇa: of Rama | priya vādinā: who speaks lovingly | satatam: always | satya sandhena: and keeps up his promise | kimartham: why | vijahāsi: have you left | naḥ: us?" |

TRANSLATION

"Alas! Great king! When we are already deprived of Rama who speaks lovingly and who always keeps up his promise, why have you left us?"

VERSE 19

कैकेय्या दुष्टभावाया राघवेण वियोजिताः
कथम् पतिघ्न्या वत्स्यामः समीपे विधवा वयम्

kaikeyyā duṣṭabhāvāyā rāghaveṇa viyojitāḥ
katham patighnyā vatsyāmaḥ samīpe vidhavā vayam

SYNONYMS

viyojitā: far in distance | rāghaveṇa: Rama | katham: how | vayam: shall we | vidhāvaḥ: without our husband | vatyāyaḥ: = live | samīpe: in proximity | kaikeyyāḥ: to Kaikeyi | duṣṭabhāvayāḥ: of perverse nature | patighnāḥ: and who killed her husband?" |

TRANSLATION

"Far in distance from Rama, how shall we without our husband, live in proximity to Kaikeyi of wretched nature, who killed her husband?

VERSE 20

स हि नाथः सदास्माकम् तव च प्रभुरात्मवान्
वनम् रामो गतः श्रीमान् विहाय नृपतिश्रियम्

sa hi nāthaḥ sadāsmākam tava ca prabhurātmavān
vanam rāmo gataḥ śrīmān vihāya nṛpatiśriyam

SYNONYMS

saḥ: that | rāmaḥ: Rama | nāthaḥ: who was a protector | sadā: always | asmākam: to us | tava ca: and to you | prabhuḥ: a capable person | ātmavān: a prudent man | śrīmān: an eminent man | gataḥ hi: has indeed gone | vanam: to the forest | vihāya: living | nṛpatiśriyam: the loving kingdom." |

TRANSLATION

"Rama, a protector to you and all of us as well as a capable, prudent and an eminent man, has indeed gone on exile to the forest, leaving this lovely kingdom.

VERSE 21

त्वया तेन च वीरेण विना व्यसनमोहिताः
कथम् वयम् निवत्स्यामः कैकेय्या च विदूषिताः

tvayā tena ca vīreṇa vinā vyasanamohitāḥ
katham vayam nivatsyāmaḥ kaikeyyā ca vidūṣitāḥ

SYNONYMS

katham: how | vayam: can we | vidūṣitāḥ: by Kaikeyi | vyasana mohihatā: who is stupefied | nivatsyāmaḥ: live | tvayā vinā: and without that heroic Rama." |

TRANSLATION

"How can we, being disgraced by Kaikeyi, and stupefied by evil passion, live without you and the heroic Rama."

VERSE 22

यया तु राजा रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः
सीतया सह सम्त्य्क्ताः सा कमन्यम् न हास्यति

yayā tu rājā rāmaśca lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ
sītayā saha samtyktāḥ sā kamanyam na hāsyati

SYNONYMS

yayā: by which Kaikeyi | rājā: the king | rāmaśca: Rama | lakśmaṇaśca: Lakshmana | mahābalah: of great strength | samtyaktāḥ: were abandoned | : by her | kam: whom | anyam: else | na hāsyati: cannot be abandoned?" |

TRANSLATION

"Whom else will Kaikeyi by whom have been abandoned the king as well as Rama along with Lakshmana great strength and Sita- not abandon?

VERSE 23

ता बाष्पेण च सम्वीताः शोकेन विपुलेन च
व्यवेष्टन्त निरानन्दा राघवस्य वरस्त्रीयः

tā bāṣpeṇa ca samvītāḥ śokena vipulena ca
vyaveṣṭanta nirānandā rāghavasya varastrīyaḥ

SYNONYMS

bāṣpeṇa: with tears | vipulena: with excessive | śokenaca: agony | rāghavasya: Dasaratha's | tāḥ varastriyaḥ: those excellent wives | sam vī tāh: together in arrow | vyaveṣṭanta: rolled on the ground | nirānandāḥ: sorrowful as they were." |

TRANSLATION

"With tears and excessive agony, those excellent Dasaratha's wives together in a row, rolled on the ground, sorrowful as they were."

VERSE 24

निशा नक्षत्र हीना इव स्त्री इव भर्तृ विवर्जिता
पुरी न अराजत अयोध्या हीना राज्ञा महात्मना

niśā nakṣatra hīnā iva strī iva bhartṛ vivarjitā
purī na arājata ayodhyā hīnā rājñā mahātmanā

SYNONYMS

ayodhayā purī: the city of Ayodhya | hīnā: bereft | rāġ^yā: of the king Dasaratha | mahātmanā: the high soled | nārāzata: was splendour less | niśeva: as a night | candra vihīnā: without moon | strīva: and as a woman | bhartṛvihīnā: without husband." |

TRANSLATION

The city of Ayodhya, bereft of the high-soled king Dasaratha, was splendour-less, as a night without moon and as awoman without husband.

VERSE 25

बाष्प पर्याकुल जना हाहा भूत कुल अन्गना
शून्य चत्वर वेश्म अन्ता न बभ्राज यथा पुरम्

bāṣpa paryākula janā hāhā bhūta kula anganā
śūnya catvara veśma antā na babhrāja yathā puram

SYNONYMS

bāṣpa paryākula janā: people disturbed with tears | hāhābhūta kulāṅganā: with virtuous women raising cries of distress | śūnyacatvara veśmantā: its cross roads and entrances of horses looking desolate | na babhrāja: did not shine | yathāpuram: as before. |

TRANSLATION

With people disturbed with tears, with virtuous women raising cries of distress and with its cross -roads and entrances of houses looking desolate, the city of Ayodhya did not shine as before.

VERSE 26

गत प्रभा द्यौर् इव भास्करम् विना
व्यपेत नक्षत्र गणा इव शर्वरी
निवृत्तचारः सहसा गतो रविः
प्रवृत्तचारा राजनी ह्युपस्थिता

gata prabhā dyaur iva bhāskaram vinā
vyapeta nakṣatra gaṇā iva śarvarī
nivṛttacāraḥ sahasā gato raviḥ
pravṛttacārā rājanī hyupasthitā

SYNONYMS

narādhipe: (while)the king | gate tu: has gone | tridivam: to heaven | śokāt: due to misery | nṛpāṇga nāsu: the king's wives | mahītalasthāsuca: were lying on the ground | raviḥ: the sun | sahasā: quickly | gataḥ: went away | nivṛḥacāyāḥ: retreating its movement. rajanii = The night | upāsthitā hī-: approaches | pravṛḥacārā: darkness having proceeded to spread. |

TRANSLATION

While the king has gone to heaven due to grief and while the king's wives were lying on the ground , the sun suddenly went away retreating its movement. The night approached, with its darkness having proceeded to spread throughout.

VERSE 27

ऋते तु पुत्राद्दहनम् महीपते
र्नरोचयन्ते सुहृदः समागताः
इतीव तस्मिन् शयने न्यवेशय
न्विचिन्त्य राजानमचिन्त्य दर्शनम्

ṛte tu putrāddahanam mahīpate
rnarocayante suhṛdaḥ samāgatāḥ
itīva tasmin śayane nyaveśaya
nvicintya rājānamacintya darśanam

SYNONYMS

suṛdaḥ: the friends and relatives | samāgatāḥ: who came there | na rocayante: did not like | mahīpateḥ: the king's | dahanam: cremation | putrātṛte: in the absence of his sons | itivā: Thus | vicintya: thinking | nyaveśayan: kept | rājānam: the king | acintya darśanam: of inconceivable sight | tasmin śayane: in that resting place. |

TRANSLATION

The friends and relatives who came there, did not like the king's cremation in the absence of his sons. Thus thinking, they kept the king of inconceivable sight in that resting place(oil- trough)

VERSE 28

गतप्रभा द्यौरिव भास्करम् विना
व्यपेतनक्षत्रगणेव शर्वरी
पुरी बभासे रहिता मह आत्मना
न च अस्र कण्ठ आकुल मार्ग चत्वरा

gataprabhā dyauriva bhāskaram vinā
vyapetanakṣatragaṇeva śarvarī
purī babhāse rahitā maha ātmanā
na ca asra kaṇṭha ākula mārga catvarā

SYNONYMS

rahitā: deserted by | mahātmanā: the high-soled Dasaratha | asrakaṇṭhākula mārgacatvāra: with its roads and cross-roads filled with people choked with tears in their throats | purī: the city of Ayodhya | dyouriva: looking like sky | bhāskaram vinā: without sun | śarvarīva: and like night | vyapeta nakṣātragaṇā: with its multitude of stars disappeared | nababhāse: did not shine | gata prabhā: with its light having gone away. |

TRANSLATION

Deserted by the high-soled Dasaratha, with its roads and cross roads filled with people choked with tears in their throats, the city of Ayodhya, looking like sky without sun and night with its multitude of stars disappeared, did not shine with its light having gone away.

VERSE 29

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे ष्ट्ष्ष्टितम सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe ṣṭṣṣṭitama sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

tadā: then | naradeva samkṣaye: while the king was dead | narāśca: men | nāryaśca: and women | nagaryām: in the city | samatya: converged | samghaśah: in groups | vigarhamāṇāḥ: abusing | bharatasya: Bharata's | mātaram: mother | babhūvaḥ: become | ārtāḥ: disturbed | nacalebhiva: and did not obtain | śarma: happiness. |

TRANSLATION

After the king's death, men and women in the city converged in groups, abusing Bharata's mother, became disturbed and did not obtain happiness.