Chapter 73

Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

VERSE 1

श्रुत्वा तु पितरम् वृत्तम् भ्रातरु च विवासितौ
भरतः दुह्ख सम्तप्तैदम् वचनम् अब्रवीत्

śrutvā tu pitaram vṛttam bhrātaru ca vivāsitau
bharataḥ duhkha samtaptaidam vacanam abravīt

SYNONYMS

śrutvātu: hearing | pitaram: his father | vṛttam: to be dead | bhrātaram: and both his brothers | vivāsitou: having been exiled | bharataḥ: Bharata | duḥkhasamtaptaḥ: was tormented | abravīt: and spoke | idam: these | vacanam: words. |

TRANSLATION

Hearing that his father was dead and both his brothers were exiled; Bharata was tormented with grief and spoke the following words:

VERSE 2

किम् नुण्कार्यम् हतस्य इह मम राज्येन शोचतः
विहीनस्य अथ पित्रा च भ्रात्रा पितृ समेन च

kim nuṇkāryam hatasya iha mama rājyena śocataḥ
vihīnasya atha pitrā ca bhrātrā pitṛ samena ca

SYNONYMS

vihīnasya: bereft of | pitrāca: of my father | atha: and | bhrātrāca: my brother | pitṛsamena: who is exactly like my father | kimnukāryam: what is the use | rājyena: with a kingdom | iha: now | mama: to me | śocataḥ: lamenting as I am | hatasya: with despair? |

TRANSLATION

Bereft of my father as well as my brother too, who is exactly like my father, what is the use of a kingdom now to me, lamenting as I am with despair?"

VERSE 3

दुह्खे मे दुह्खम् अकरोर् व्रणे क्षारम् इव आदधाः
राजानम् प्रेत भावस्थम् कृत्वा रामम् च तापसम्

duhkhe me duhkham akaror vraṇe kṣāram iva ādadhāḥ
rājānam preta bhāvastham kṛtvā rāmam ca tāpasam

SYNONYMS

kṛtvā: making | rājānam preta bhāvastham: the king die | rāmamca: and Rama | tāpasam: to be an ascetic | akaroḥ: you created | duḥkham: a sorrow | duḥkhe: in another sorrow | me: to me | adadhāḥ iva: like placing | kṣāram: salt | vraṇe: on a wound. |

TRANSLATION

"Making Dasaratha to die and turning Rama to be an ascetic, you brought one calamity after another like sprinkling salt on a wound."

VERSE 4

कुलस्य त्वम् अभावाय काल रात्रिर् इव आगता
अन्गारम् उपगूह्य स्म पिता मे न अवबुद्धवान्

kulasya tvam abhāvāya kāla rātrir iva āgatā
angāram upagūhya sma pitā me na avabuddhavān

SYNONYMS

tvam: you | āgatā: came | abhāvāya: for destruction | kulasya: of our race | kālarātrīva: like the night of destruction at the end of the world | me pitā: my father | na avabuddharān: could not be aware | upaguhya: of his embracing | aṅgāram: a live charcoal. |

TRANSLATION

"You came for destruction of our race, like the night of destruction coming at the end of the world. My father could not be aware of his embracing a live char-coal to his bosom."

VERSE 5

मृत्युमापादितो राजा त्वया मे पापदर्शिनि
सुखम् परिहृतम् मोहात्कुले।अस्मिन् कुलपांसनि

mṛtyumāpādito rājā tvayā me pāpadarśini
sukham parihṛtam mohātkule|asmin kulapāṃsani

SYNONYMS

pāpadarśini: O | malevolent voman! mṛtyum: the death | me pitā: of my father | āpāditaḥ: was caused | tvayā: by you | kulapāmsani: O | the one vho made our race uncaste! āsmin kule: In this race | sukham: happiness | parihṛtam: is deserted | mohāt: by your ignorance. |

TRANSLATION

"O, the malevolent woman! You caused the death of my father. O, the one who made our race unchaste! In this race, happiness is deserted through your ignorance."

VERSE 6

त्वाम् प्राप्य हि पिता मे।द्य सत्यसन्धो महायशाः
तीव्रदुःखाभिसम्तप्तो वृत्तो दशरथो नृपः

tvām prāpya hi pitā me|dya satyasandho mahāyaśāḥ
tīvraduḥkhābhisamtapto vṛtto daśaratho nṛpaḥ

SYNONYMS

nṛpaḥ: king | dasarathaḥ: Dasaratha | me: my | pitā: father | satyasandhaḥ: who was true to his promise | mahāyaśāḥ: and immensely famous | vṟ^ttaḥ: died | adya: now | tīvraduḥkhābhisamtaptaḥ: tormented as he was withbitter grief | prāpya: after acquiring | tvām: you. |

TRANSLATION

"My father, king Dasaratha, who was true to his promise and immensely famous, now died, tormented as he was with bitter grief, because of you."

VERSE 7

विनाशितो महाराजः पिता मे धर्मवत्सलः
कस्मात्प्रव्राजितो रामः कस्मादेव वनम् गतः

vināśito mahārājaḥ pitā me dharmavatsalaḥ
kasmātpravrājito rāmaḥ kasmādeva vanam gataḥ

SYNONYMS

kasmāt: why | me pitā: my father | mahārājaḥ: the monarch | dharmavatsalaḥ: fond of righteousness | vināśitaḥ: was killed? Kasmaat = why | rāmaḥ: Rama | gataḥ: went | pravrājitaḥ: on exile | vanam: to the forest? |

TRANSLATION

"Why did you kill my father the monarch, who was intent on righteousness? Why did you send Rama on exile to the forest?"

VERSE 8

कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च पुत्र शोक अभिपीडिते
दुष्करम् यदि जीवेताम् प्राप्य त्वाम् जननीम् मम

kausalyā ca sumitrā ca putra śoka abhipīḍite
duṣkaram yadi jīvetām prāpya tvām jananīm mama

SYNONYMS

duṣkaram: it is impossible | kausalyāca: Kausalya | sumitrāca: and Sumitra | putraśokābhipīḍite: who are afflicted with grief for their sons | jivetām yadi: will live | prāpya: getting at | tvām: you | jananīm: my mother. |

TRANSLATION

"It is impossible that Kausalya and Sumitra, who are afflicted with grief for their sons, will live in fellowship with you, my mother."

VERSE 9

ननु तु आर्यो अपि धर्म आत्मा त्वयि वृत्तिम् अनुत्तमाम्
वर्तते गुरु वृत्तिज्ञो यथा मातरि वर्तते

nanu tu āryo api dharma ātmā tvayi vṛttim anuttamām
vartate guru vṛttijño yathā mātari vartate

SYNONYMS

āryo api: even my elder brother | dharmātmā: the pious man | guruvṛttij^ṇaḥ: who knows how to behave with elders | vartate nanu: was indeed acting | anuttamām: with the best | vṛttim: behavior | tvayi: in your case | yathā: as how | vartate: he was behaving | mātari: with his mother. |

TRANSLATION

"Even Rama my elder brother, a pious man who knows how to behave with elders, used to act with the best behavior in your case, exactly as how he was behaving with his own mother."

VERSE 10

तथा ज्येष्ठा हि मे माता कौसल्या दीर्घ दर्शिनी
त्वयि धर्मम् समास्थाय भगिन्याम् इव वर्तते

tathā jyeṣṭhā hi me mātā kausalyā dīrgha darśinī
tvayi dharmam samāsthāya bhaginyām iva vartate

SYNONYMS

tathā: in the same manner | me: my | jyeṣṭhā: elder | mātā: mother | kausalyā: Kausalya | dīrghadarśinī: having far sightedness | samāsthāya: being established | dharmam: in piety | vartate hi: was indeed behaving | tvayi: with you | bhaginyāmiva: as your sister. |

TRANSLATION

"In the same manner, Kausalya, my elder mother having far sightedness and established in piety, indeed used to behave with you as your sister."

VERSE 11

तस्याः पुत्रम् कृत आत्मानम् चीर वल्कल वाससम्
प्रस्थाप्य वन वासाय कथम् पापे न शोचसि

tasyāḥ putram kṛta ātmānam cīra valkala vāsasam
prasthāpya vana vāsāya katham pāpe na śocasi

SYNONYMS

katham: why | na śocasi: are you not lamenting | prasthāpya: after sending | kṛtātmānam: the disciplined | tasyāḥ: Kausalya's | putram: son | cīravalkala vāsanam: clothed in a bark dress | vanavāsāya: to live in a forest? Paape = O |

TRANSLATION

"Why are you not lamenting, after sending Rama, the disciplined Kausalya 's son, clothed in a bark dress, to live in a forest? O, sinful one!"

VERSE 12

अपाप दर्शिनम् शूरम् कृत आत्मानम् यशस्विनम्
प्रव्राज्य चीर वसनम् किम् नु पश्यसि कारणम्

apāpa darśinam śūram kṛta ātmānam yaśasvinam
pravrājya cīra vasanam kim nu paśyasi kāraṇam

SYNONYMS

pravrājya: having sent into exile | apāpadarśanam: having a virtuous disposition | śūram: a valiant man | kṛtātmānam: a self-controlled | yaśasvinam: and illustrious man | cīravasanam: clothed in bark dress | kimnu: what | kāraṇam: reason | paśyasi: do you perceive? |

TRANSLATION

"You indeed sent into exile, clad in a bark dress, Rama having a virtuous disposition, a valiant man, a self controlled and illustrious man as he was. What reason do you gather for it?"

VERSE 13

लुब्धाया विदितः मन्ये न ते अहम् राघवम् प्रति
तथा हि अनर्थो राज्य अर्थम् त्वया नीतः महान् अयम्

lubdhāyā viditaḥ manye na te aham rāghavam prati
tathā hi anartho rājya artham tvayā nītaḥ mahān ayam

SYNONYMS

manye: I think | na viditaḥ: it is not known | te: to you | lubdhāyāḥ: the greedy woman | (vhat) aham: I | (believe) rāghavam prati: about Rama. Tathaahi = It is exactly so | ayam: this | mahām: great | anarthaḥ: calamity | āmītaḥ: has been brought in | tvāyā: by you | rājyārtham: for the sake of kingdom. |

TRANSLATION

"I think it is not known to you, a greedy woman, about my devotion towards Rama. It is exactly so. You have brought in this great calamity for the sake of a kingdom."

VERSE 14

अहम् हि पुरुष व्याघ्राव् अपश्यन् राम लक्ष्मणौ
केन शक्ति प्रभावेन राज्यम् रक्षितुम् उत्सहे

aham hi puruṣa vyāghrāv apaśyan rāma lakṣmaṇau
kena śakti prabhāvena rājyam rakṣitum utsahe

SYNONYMS

kena: by which | śaktiprabhāvena: source of strength | aham utsahe: can be able | rakṣitum: to protect | rājyam: the kingdom | apaśyam: without seeing | rāma lakṣmaṇou: Rama and Lakshmana | puruṣavyāghraou: the lions among men? |

TRANSLATION

"By which source of strength can I be able to protect the kingdom, without those lions among men, Rama and Lakshmana in proximity to me?"

VERSE 15

तम् हि नित्यम् महा राजो बलवन्तम् महा बलः
उअपाश्रितः अभूद् धर्म आत्मा मेरुर् मेरु वनम् यथा

tam hi nityam mahā rājo balavantam mahā balaḥ
uapāśritaḥ abhūd dharma ātmā merur meru vanam yathā

SYNONYMS

mahārājaḥ: Dasaratha the monarch | mahābalaḥ: having great strength | dharmātmā: and a pious mind | nityam: always | abhūtihi: indeed used to | upāśritaḥ: take refuge | tam: that Rama | balavantam: the strong man | meruvanam yathā: as a forest surrounding the mountain of Meru( taken refuge) | meruḥ: by Meru mountain." |

TRANSLATION

"Dasaratha the monarch, having great strength and a pious mind always indeed used to take refuge in that strong man Rama as the Meru mountain takes refuge in a forest surrounding the mountain."

VERSE 16

सो अहम् कथम् इमम् भारम् महा धुर्य समुद्यतम्
दम्यो धुरम् इव आसाद्य सहेयम् केन च ओजसा

so aham katham imam bhāram mahā dhurya samudyatam
damyo dhuram iva āsādya saheyam kena ca ojasā

SYNONYMS

kena: by what | ojasā: stamina | saḥ aham: I as such | vaheyam: can carry | āsādya: after obtaining | imam bhāram: this burden | damyaḥ iva: like a young bullock that is yet to be tamed | dhuram: the burden | mahādhurya samuddhṛtam: being lifted up by a giant bullock. |

TRANSLATION

"By what stamina, shall I sustain this burden of kingship any more than a young bullock that is yet to be tamed, would stand the strain on getting a load, lifted up with ease by a giant bullock."

VERSE 17

अथ वा मे भवेत् शक्तिर् योगैः बुद्धि बलेन वा
सकामाम् न करिष्यामि त्वाम् अहम् पुत्र गर्धिनीम्

atha vā me bhavet śaktir yogaiḥ buddhi balena vā
sakāmām na kariṣyāmi tvām aham putra gardhinīm

SYNONYMS

athavā: or rather | śaktiḥ: a strength | bhavet: may come into existence | me: to me | yogaiḥ: by following proper methods | buddh ibalenavā: or by strength of intelligence | aham: I | na kariṣyāmi: will not make | tvām: you | putragardhinīm: who are greedy (for getting the kingdom) for your son | sakāmām: fulfill your desire. |

TRANSLATION

"Or even if a strength can be brought into existence in me by following certain suitable methods or by strength of intelligence, I will not allow you, who are greedy in fetching of kingdom for your son, to fulfill your desire."

VERSE 18

न मे विकाङ्खा जायेत त्यक्तुम् त्वाम् पापनिश्चयाम्
यदि रामस्य नावेक्षा त्वयि स्यान्मातृवत्सदा

na me vikāṅkhā jāyeta tyaktum tvām pāpaniścayām
yadi rāmasya nāvekṣā tvayi syānmātṛvatsadā

SYNONYMS

na vikāṅkṣā: no aversion | na jāyeta: would have occurred | me: to me | (even)tvaktum: to desert | tvām: you | pāpaniścayām: a woman of evil designs | yadi rāmasya: if Rama | nasyāt avekṣā: did not see | tvayi: you | mātṛvat: like a mother | sadā: at all times. |

TRANSLATION

"No aversion would be felt by me even to desert you, a woman of evil designs, if Rama did not treat you like a mother at all times."

VERSE 19

उत्पन्ना तु कथम् बुद्धिस्तवेयम् पापदर्शिनि
साधुचारित्रविभ्राष्टे पूर्वेषाम् नो विगर्हिता

utpannā tu katham buddhistaveyam pāpadarśini
sādhucāritravibhrāṣṭe pūrveṣām no vigarhitā

SYNONYMS

pāpa darśini: O | malevolent voman! sādhucaritra vibhraṣṭe: with your good conduct disappeared! katham = How | iyam buddhiḥ: this intension | vigarhitā: forbidden by | naḥ: our | pūrveṣām: ancestors | utpannā: has arisen | tava: to you? |

TRANSLATION

"O, malevolent woman with your good conduct disappeared! How this idea forbidden by our ancestors, has arisen in your mind at all?"

VERSE 20

अस्मिन् कुले हि सर्वेषाम् ज्येष्ठो राज्ये।अभिषिच्यते
अपरे भ्रातरस्तस्मिन् प्रवर्तन्ते समाहिताः

asmin kule hi sarveṣām jyeṣṭho rājye|abhiṣicyate
apare bhrātarastasmin pravartante samāhitāḥ

SYNONYMS

jyeśṭhaḥ: the eldest | sarveṣām: of all | abhiṣicyate hi: should be indeed | rājye: in the kingdom | apare: the rest of | bhrātaraḥ: the brothers | pravartante: behave | samāhitāḥ: reverently | tasmin: towards the elder brother. |

TRANSLATION

"The eldest of all in this race should be indeed anointed as a king. The rest of his brothers are to behave reverently towards their elder brother."

VERSE 21

न हि मन्ये नृशसे त्वम् राजधर्ममवेक्षसे
गतिम् वा न विजानासि राजवृत्तस्य शाश्वतीम्

na hi manye nṛśase tvam rājadharmamavekṣase
gatim vā na vijānāsi rājavṛttasya śāśvatīm

SYNONYMS

nṛśamse: O | cruel voman! manye: I think that | tvam: you | na apekṣse: are not seeing | rājadharmam: the rules relating to kings | : or | na vijānāsi: you are not aware | śāśvatīm: of permanent | gatim: procedure | rāja Vṛttasya: of administration in kings. |

TRANSLATION

"O, cruel woman! I feel that you are not catching even a glimpse of the rules relating to kings or not even aware of a permanent procedure prevailing in the administration of kings."

VERSE 22

सततम् राजवृत्ते हि ज्येष्ठो राज्ये।अभिषिच्यते
राज्ञामेतत्समम् तत्स्यादिक्ष्वाकूणाम् विशेषतः

satatam rājavṛtte hi jyeṣṭho rājye|abhiṣicyate
rājñāmetatsamam tatsyādikṣvākūṇām viśeṣataḥ

SYNONYMS

rājavṛtte: according to the administration of kings | jyeṣṭhaḥ: the eldest son | satatam: always | hi: indeed | abhiṣicyate: gets inaugurated | rājye: in kingdom | etat: this procedure | samam: is similar | rāj^ṇām: to all kings | tat: that | syāt: occurs | viśeṣataḥ: especially | ikṣvākūṇām: in Ikshvaku kings. |

TRANSLATION

"According to the administration of kings the eldest son always indeed gets inaugurated in kingdom. This procedure is similar to all kings; especially so in the case of Ikshvaku kings."

VERSE 23

तेषाम् धर्मैकरक्षाणाम् कुलचारित्रयोगिनाम्
अत्र चारित्रशौण्डीर्यम् त्वाम् प्राप्य विनिवर्ततम्

teṣām dharmaikarakṣāṇām kulacāritrayoginām
atra cāritraśauṇḍīryam tvām prāpya vinivartatam

SYNONYMS

cāritra śouṅḍīryam: the pride of reputation | teṣām: of those belonging to Ikshvaku race | dharmaika rakṣāṇām: who protect righteousness alone | kulacāritra yoginām: and possessed of good racial conduct | vinivartitam: is turned away | prāpya: by obtaining | tvām: you | atra: in this case. |

TRANSLATION

"The pride of reputation of those belonging to Ikshvaku race, who protect righteousness alone and who possessed good family conduct, is turned away by you today."

VERSE 24

तवापि सुमहाभागा जनेन्द्राः कुलपूर्वगाः
बुद्धेर्मोहः कथमयम् सम्भूतस्त्वयि गर्हितः

tavāpi sumahābhāgā janendrāḥ kulapūrvagāḥ
buddhermohaḥ kathamayam sambhūtastvayi garhitaḥ

SYNONYMS

janendrāḥ api: even the kings | tavakulapūrvagāḥ: belonging to your ancestral race | sumahā bhāgāḥ: were very great people | katham: how | ayam: this | garhitaḥ: contemptible | mohaḥ: stupidity | buddheḥ: of minds | sambhūtaḥ: is born | tvayi: in you? |

TRANSLATION

"Even kings belonging to your ancestral race were great people. How has this contemptible stupidity of mind born in you?"

VERSE 25

न तु कामम् करिष्यामि तवा।अह्म् पापनिश्चये
त्वया व्यसनमारब्धम् जीवितान्तकरम् मम

na tu kāmam kariṣyāmi tavā|ahm pāpaniścaye
tvayā vyasanamārabdham jīvitāntakaram mama

SYNONYMS

pāpaniścaye: O | voman vith evil designs! aham tu: I | nakariṣyāni: will not fulfill | tava: your | kāmam: desire | vyasanam: a criminal act | mama jīvitāntakaram: which will cause an end to my life | ārabdham: has been undertaken | tvayā: by you. |

TRANSLATION

"O, woman with evil designs! I for one will not fulfill your desire. A criminal act, which will cause even an end to my life, has been undertaken by you."

VERSE 26

एष त्विदानीमेवाहमप्रियार्थम् तवनघम्
निवर्तयिष्यामि वनात् भ्रातरम् स्वजन प्रियम्

eṣa tvidānīmevāhamapriyārtham tavanagham
nivartayiṣyāmi vanāt bhrātaram svajana priyam

SYNONYMS

eṣāḥ aham tu: this I | idāmīm eva: now itself | tava apriyārtham: at the cause of your dislike | nivartayiṣyāmi: will bring back | bhrātaram: my brother | anagham: faultless man | svajanapriyam: a beloved man of his people | vanāt: from the forest. |

TRANSLATION

"Now itself at the cause of your dislike, I for one will bring back from the forest, my brother, who is a faultless man and a beloved man of his people."

VERSE 27

निवर्तयित्वा रामम् च तस्याहम् दीप्ततेजनः
दासभूतो भविष्यामि सुस्थिरेणान्तरात्मना

nivartayitvā rāmam ca tasyāham dīptatejanaḥ
dāsabhūto bhaviṣyāmi susthireṇāntarātmanā

SYNONYMS

nivartayitvā: bringing back | rāmam: Rama | susthireṇa: with a very firm | antarātmanā: mind | bhaviṣyāmi: I will become | dāsabhūtaḥ: a servant | tasya: to him | dīpta tejasaḥ: who is radiant with glory. |

TRANSLATION

"Bringing back Rama with a very firm mind, I will become a servant to him, who is radiant with glory."

VERSE 28

इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रिसप्ततितमः सर्गः

ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe trisaptatitamaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

uktvā: speaking | ityevam: as aforesaid | mahātmā: the high soled | bharataḥ: Bharata | tudan: pricking | tām: her | vākya gaṇaiḥ: with a multitude of words | priyetaraiḥ: which are unpleasant | nanāda: roared | bhūyaścāpi: again | simhoyathā: like a lion | parvatagahvarasthaḥ: stationed in a mountain cave. |

TRANSLATION

Speaking as aforesaid, the high soled Bharata, pricking her with a multitude of unpleasant words, roared again like a lion stationed in a mountain cave.