Chapter [Sarga] 42

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 42

Introduction

The dust raised by Rama’s chariot having disappeared for a while, Dasaratha feels dejected and fell insensible on ground. When Kaikeyi comes forward to support him he scolds and asks her not to touch him. Kausalya then lifts him up and persuades him to return to their house. His personal attendants take him to Kausalya’s apartments and seeing him plunged in grief, Kausalya seats herself beside him and began to lament in various ways.

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yaavat tu niryataH tasya rajo ruupam adR^ishyata |
na eva ikSvaaku varaH taavat samjahaara aatma cakSuSii || 2-42-1

1. yaavat= so long as; rajoruupam= the appearance of dust; adR^ishyata= was seen; tasya= (while) Rama; niryataH= was going; taavat= so long; ikshhvaakuvaraH= Dasaratha the best of Ikshvakus; naiva samjahaara= did not withdraw; aatmachakshhushhii= his eyes.

As long as the dust raised by the wheels of Rama’s chariot could be seen, so long did the king not withdraw his gaze from it.

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yaavad raajaa priyam putram pashyati atyanta dhaarmikam |
taavad vyavardhata iva asya dharaNyaam putra darshane || 2-42-2

2. yaavat=As long as; raajaa=the king; pashyati=was seeing; priyam=his beloved; putram=son; atyanta dhaarmikam =who was exceedingly virtuous; taavat=so long; dharaNyaam=the dust in earth; vyavardhateva=appeared to be raising; asya putra darshane=for the purpose of seeing his son.

As long as the king was seeing his beloved son who was exceedingly virtuous, so long did the dust in the earth appear to be rising for the purpose of seeing his son.

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na pashyati rajo api asya yadaa raamasya bhuumipaH |
tadaa aartaH ca viSaNNaH ca papaata dharaNii tale || 2-42-3

3. yadaa= When; rajo api=the dust assuredly, asya raamasya= of the Rama,na pashyati= was no longer seen; tadaa= then; bhuumipaH= the king; aartaHcha= afflicted by; vishhaNNaHcha= dejection; papaata= fell; dharaNiitale= on ground.

When the dust raised by Rama’s chariot was no longer visible, the unfortunate king afflicted by dejection, fell insensible on ground.

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tasya dakSiNam anvagaat kausalyaa baahum anganaa |
vaamam ca asya anvagaat paarshvam kaikeyii bharata priyaa || 2-42-4

4. kausalya= Kausalya; aNganaa= his wife; anvaagaat= took place; tasya dakshhiNam baahum= on his right side .kaikeyiicha= Kaikeyi ;sumadhyamaa= of charming limbs; anvagaat= took her place; vaamam= on the left; paarshvam= side.

When Dasaratha fell down, Kausalya his wife took her place on his right side to lift him up and Kaikeyi of charming limbs took her place on his left side.

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taam nayena ca sampanno dharmeNa nivayena ca |
uvaaca raajaa kaikeyiim samiikSya vyathita indriyaH || 2-42-5

5. raajaa= The king, sampannaH = endowed with; nayena= wisdom; dharmeNa= virtue; vinayenacha= and discretion; samiikshhya = seeing; taam kaikeyiim = that Kaikeyi; uvaacha =said to her; vyathitendriyaH = in his agitated senses.

The king endowed with wisdom virtue and discretion seeing Kaikeyi beside him, said to her in great agitation as follows:

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kaikeyi maa mama angaani spraakSiis tvam duSTa caariNii |
na hi tvaam draSTum icchaami na bhaaryaa na ca baandhavii || 2-42-6

6. kaikeyi=Oh,Kaikeyi! tvam = you dushTachaariNii= of wicked conduct; maa spraakshhii =do not touch; mama=my; aNgaani=limbs; nahi ichchhaami=I do not want; drashhTum=to see; tvaam =you; na bhaaryaa = are not my wife; na =nor; baandhavii =a relative

“Oh, wicked Kaikeyi! Do not touch my limbs. I do not wish to see you .You are no longer my wife nor a relative.”

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ye ca tvaam upajiivanti na aham teSaam na te mama |
kevala artha paraam hi tvaam tyakta dharmaam tyajaamy aham || 2-42-7

7. aham= I; na= am not; ye cha= of those; anujivanti= who are; dependent ,tvaam= on you, na= nor; te= are they; mama= on me. aham= I; tyajaami= discord; tvaam= you; tvaktadharmaam= who left righteousness; kevalaarthaparaam= and interested in avariciousness alone.

“I am not of those who are dependent on you nor are they anything to me. I discord you, by whom righteousness has been discorded and who are solely interested in avariciousness.”

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agR^ihNaam yac ca te paaNim agnim paryaNayam ca yat |
anujaanaami tat sarvam asmiml loke paratra ca || 2-42-8

8. tatsarvam= All that; aagR^hNaamitiyat= by taking; te= your; paaNim =hand; paryaNayamchayat= circumabubulating; agnim= the sacred fire; anujaanaami=I renounce; asmin loke= in this world; paratracha= and the next.

All that contract which I entered into by taking your hand and circumambulating the sacred fire, I now renounce in this world and the next. ”

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bharataH cet pratiitaH syaat raajyam praapya idam avyayam |
yan me sa dadyaat pitr artham maa maa tat dattam aagamat || 2-42-9

9. syaatchet= In case, bharataH= Bharata; pratititaH= is cheerful man, praapya= after obtaining; idam raajyam= this kingdom ; avyayam= which is imperishable; yat= what ever; dadyaat= is given ; me = to me; pitrartham= in the form of obsequial rites; maagamat = let it reach; maam= me.

“If Bharata feels cheerful for having got this kingdom which is imperishable, let the obsequial rites performed to me after my death do not reach me"

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atha reNu samudhvastam tam utthaapya nara adhipam |
nyavartata tadaa devii kausalyaa shoka karshitaa || 2-42-10

10. atha=Therafter;kausalya= Kausalya; devii= the queen; shokakarshitaa =overwhelmed with grief; samutthaapya = lifted up; tam naraadhipam= that king; reNusamuddhvastam=who was covered with dust; tadaa= then; nyavartata = returned (home).

Meanwhile Kausalya the queen overwhelmed with grief, lifted up the king who was covered with dust and returned to her house.

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hatvaa iva braahmaNam kaamaat spR^iSTvaa agnim iva paaNinaa |
anvatapyata dharma aatmaa putram samcintya taapasam || 2-42-11

11. dharmaatma= The virtuous Dasaratha ; samchinthya :thinking deeply of; putram= his son ;raaghavam= Rama; anvatapyata= was desolated; hatveva= as one who has slain; brahmaNam= a Brahmin; kaamaat = intentionally; spR^ishhTvaa= or as touching; agnim= fire , paaNinaa = by hand.

The virtuous monarch, thinking deeply of his son Rama, was so desolated as one who has slain a brahmin intentionally or as touching the fire by hand.

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nivR^itya eva nivR^itya eva siidataH ratha vartmasu |
raaj~no na atibabhau ruupam grastasya amshumataH yathaa || 2-42-12

12. nivR^ityaiva nivR^ityaiva =Turning again and again ,rathavartmasu =towards the track of the chariot, ruupam =the countenance ,raaG^yaH=of the king ,siidataH=in grief ,naati babhou=lost its radiance , amshumataHyathaa =like sun ,grastasya =when swallowed by Rahu .*

Turning again and again towards the track of the chariot, the countenance of the king in grief lost its radiance like sun losing its radiance when swallowed by Rahu.

*-Rahu- the inauspicious planet sent to swallow the sun at the time of eclipse.

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vilalaapa ca duhkha aartaH priyam putram anusmaran |
nagara antam anupraaptam buddhvaa putram atha abraviit || 2-42-13

13. duhkhaartaaH = Afflicted by grief; anusmaran= thinking of ; priyam= his beloved; putram= son ,vilalaapacha= he lamented;.atha = Thereafter; buddhvaa= knowing ; putram= his son;anupraaptam= reaching ; nagaraantam = the end of the city ; abraviit= he said :

Afflicted by grief, thinking of his beloved son he lamented. Knowing that his son reached the end of the city, he said as follows:

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vaahanaanaam ca mukhyaanaam vahataam tam mama aatmajam |
padaani pathi dR^ishyante sa mahaatmaa na dR^ishyate || 2-42-14

14. padaani=The marks of hooves; mukhyaanaam =oh excellent ; vaahanaam=horses;vahataam=which carried;mama=my;aatmajam=child ;tam=that Rama ;dR^shyante=were seen; pathi=on the way; saH=He ; mahaatmaa=the great souled; na dR^ishyate=is not seen .

“The marks of hooves of excellent horses which carried away my child are seen on the way. But he the great souled one is not being seen”

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sa nuunam kvacit eva adya vR^ikSa muulam upaashritaH |
kaaSTham vaa yadi vaa ashmaanam upadhaaya shayiSyate || 2-42-15
utthaasyati ca medinyaaH kR^ipaNaH paamshu guNThitaH |
vinihshvasan prasravaNaat kareNuunaam iva R^iSabhaH || 2-42-16

15,16. yaH= He who; shete= slept; sukheshhu= in comfort ;upadhaaneshhu = on coverings ;chandana ruushhitaH = sprinkled with the essence of sandalwood; viijyamaana= refreshed by fans over him ; mahaarhaabhiH= by the most deserving ;striibhiH= women; saH= that Rama ;mama sutottamaH= the best of all my sons ;nuunam= will from now on ;upaashritaH= has to take refuge ;vR^ikshhamuulam= at the foot of a tree ;kvachideva= somewhere ;shayishhyate= lying down; kaashhTam vaa= on the trunk ; yadivaa= or ; upadhaaya= rest on; aashmaanam= a stone.”

“He who slept on comfort on coverings sprinkled with the essence of sandalwood and refreshed by fans waved over by him by the most deserving women, Rama the best of all my sons , will from now on , has to take refuge at the foot of a tree somewhere, lying down on its trunk or rest on a stone."

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utthaasyati cha medinyaaH kR^ipaNaH paamsuguNThitaH |
viniHsvasan prasravaNaatka reNuunaami varshhbhaH || 2-42-17

17. kR^ipeNaH = The unfortunate one; utthaasyaticha= will wake up; medinyaaH=from the hard earth; paamshugunDitaH=stained with dust ;vivasvasan=sighing;R^ishhabhaH =like a bull elephant ,the lord of ; kareNuunaam=female elephants; prasravaNaat iva=(rising from)the side of a hill.”

“The unfortunate one will wake up from the hard earth stained with dust, sighing like a bull-elephant rising from the side of a hill”

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drakSyanti nuunam puruSaa diigha baahum vane caraaH |
raamam utthaaya gacchantam loka naatham anaathavat || 2-42-18

18. nuunam= from today; purushhaaH= the men ; vanecharaaH= who are the inhabitants of the forest; drakshhyanti= will behold ; diirghabaahum= that long armed ; lokanaatham= lord of the world; raamam = Rama ; utthaaya= rising from the ground ;gachchhantam= and wandering around ; anaathavat= like an orphan.”

From today the inhabitants of the forest will behold that long armed lord of the world, Rama, rising from the ground and wandering around like an orphan”

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sakaamaa bhava kaikeyi vidhavaa raajyam aavasa |
kaNTakaakramaNa klaantaavanamadya gamishhyati || 2-42-19

19. saa= That Sita; sukhasadochitaa= who was always accustomed to comforts; ishhTaa= the beloved; sutaa= daughter; janakasya= of king Janaka ; adya= now ; gamishhyanti = will wander; vanam= in the forest; kaNTakaakramaNaklaantaa= exhausted through the thorny undergrowth.”

“The daughter of Janaka, who was always accustomed to comforts, will wander exhausted in the forest through the thorny undergrowth ”

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anabhijJNaa vanaanaam saa nuunam bhayamupaishhyati |
shvaapadaanrdhitam shrutvaa gamibhiiram romaharshhNam || 2-42-20

20. saa= Sita ;anabhiG^yaa= who was not accustomed ;vanaanaam= to woodlands ;nuunam= from now on; upaishhyati= will obtain ;bhayam= fear; shrutvaa= hearing ;shvaapadaa narditam= the roaring sound of wild beasts; gambhiiram= which was thundering; romaharshhaNam= causing hair to stand on end.

“Sita who was not earlier accustomed to woodlands, from now on will live in terror, hearing the roaring sound of wild beasts ,which was thundering .”

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sakaamaa bhavakaikeyi vidhavaa raajya maavasa |
na hi tam puruSa vyaaghram vinaa jiivitum utsahe || 2-42-21

21. Kaikeyi= Oh, Kaikeyi! Bhava= be; sakaamaa= your desire fulfilled! aavasa= Dwell ; raajyam= in the kingdom ;vidhavaa= as a widow; na utsahe hi= I do not indeed wish; jiivitum= to live; tamvinaa= without Rama ; purushhavyaaghram= the tiger among men.”

“Oh, Kaikeyi! Let your desire be fulfilled! Dwell in the kingdom as a widow. I do not indeed wish to survive without Rama the tiger among men.”

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iti evam vilapan raajaa jana oghena abhisamvR^itaH |
apasnaataiva ariSTam pravivesha pura uttamam || 2-42-22

22. ityevam= Thus; vilapam= lamenting; raajaa = the king; abhisamvR^itaH = surrounded; janoughena = by his people ; pravivesha= entered ; purothamam = Ayodhya the best of cities; arishhTam iva = like enering a disastrous house; apasnaataH= by the one who has taken the funeral bath.

Thus lamenting, the king surrounded by his people, entered Ayodhya the best of cities like entering a disastrous house by one who has taken the funeral bath.

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shuunya catvara veshma antaam samvR^ita aapaNa devataam |
klaanta durbala duhkha aartaam na atyaakiirNa mahaa pathaam |
taam avekSya puriim sarvaam raamam eva anucintayan |
vilapan praavishad raajaa gR^iham suuryaiva ambudam || 2-42-23

23. aavekshhya = seeing; taam =that; sarvaam=entire; puriim =city ;shuunya chatvara veshmaantaam =with its road junctions and mansions deserted ; samvR^itaapaNa devataam =with its shops and temples closed ; klaanta durbala duHkhaartaam =with people exhausted with fatigue and plunged in affliction ; naatyaakiirNe mahaapathaam =its highways not very crowded ; raajaa = the king ;praavishat =entered ;vilaapan =wailing ;anuchintayan =thinking; raamameva =of Rama alone;ambudam iva =as the cloud ;suuryaH =by a sun.

Seeing the entire city with its road-junctions and mansions deserted, its shops and temples closed, with its people exhausted with fatigue and plunged in affliction; its highways not very crowded ,the king entered his palace wailing and thinking of Rama alone as the sun enters a cloud.

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mahaa hradam iva akSobhyam suparNena hR^ita uragam |
raameNa rahitam veshma vaidehyaa lakSmaNena ca || 2-42-24

24. rahitam=Bereft; raameNa= of Rama;vaidehyaa=Sita ;lakshhmaNenacha =and Lakshmana ;veshma=the palace ;mahaahradam iva=(looked) like a big pool ; akshhobhyam= rendered unperturbed; hR^itoragam= emptied of snakes ;suvarNena =by Garuda.

Bereft of Rama Sita and Lakshmana, the palace looked like a big pool rendered unperturbed due to emptying of snakes in it by Garuda*

*Garuda was a mythical bird (chief of feathered race, enemy of the serpent race)

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atha gadgadashabdastu vilapanmanujaadhipaH |
uvaacha mR^idumandhaartham vachanam diina masvaram || 2-42-25

25. atha = Thereafter; vilapan = the lamenting ;vasudhaadhipaH = monarch ; uvaacha= spoke ; gadgada shabdaH= in trembling accents; mR^idu =in soft; diinam= pitiful ; asvaram= indistinct ; mandaartham= and not clearly intelligible ;vachanam= words .

The lamenting monarch spoke in trembling accents and in soft, pitiful, indistinct and not clearly intelligible words (as follows):

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kausalyaayaa gR^iham shiighram raama maatur nayantu maam |
iti bruvantam raajaanam anayan dvaara darshitaH || 2-42-26

26. nayantu=Take; maam= me; shiighram= quickly; gR^iham= to the apartment ; kausalyaayaaH = of Kausalya ;raama maatuH= the mother of Rama; na anyatra= Nowhere else ; mama hR^idayasya = my heart ;bhavishhyati hi= will indeed find; ashvaasaH = solace .”

“Take me quickly to the apartment of Kausalya the mother of Rama. Nowhere else my heart will find solace ”

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iti bruvantam raajaana manayan dvaardarshinaH |
kausalyaayaa gR^iham tatra nyaveshyata viniitavat || 2-42-27

27. dvaaradarshinaH =the attendants; anayan = took; raajaanam =the king ;bruvantam =who was speaking; iti =thus ;kausalyaaH = to Kausalya’s; gR^iham =house . tatra =there; viniitavat=(he was ) gently; nyaveshyata =laid .

The attendants took the king who was speaking as aforesaid, to Kausalya’s house and there he was gently laid (on a coach).

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tataH tatra praviSTasya kausalyaayaa niveshanam |
adhiruhya api shayanam babhuuva lulitam manaH || 2-42-28

28. tataH=Then; pravishhTasya= having entered; kausalyaaH= Kausalya’s; niveshanam= apartment; tasya= his; manaH= heart; babhuuva= became; lulitam = agitated; adhiruhyaapi = even though laid on ;shayanam = a coach .

Having entered Kausalya’s apartment and even though laid on a coach, his heart became agitated.

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putradvayavihiinam cha snushhayaapi vivarjitam |
apashyadbhavanam raajaa nashhTachandhramivaambaram || 2-42-29

29. putradvaya vihiinam= bereft of two sons; snushhayaapi = and the daughter in law also; vivarjitam= having left; raajaa= the king; apashyat = saw; bhavanam= the house; ambaram iva= as a sky; nashhTochandram= without a moon .

Bereft of his two sons and his daughter –in-law also having deserted, the king saw that house devoid of charm as a sky without a moon.

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tac ca dR^iSTvaa mahaa raajo bhujam udyamya viiryavaan |
uccaiH svareNa cukrosha haa raaghava jahaasi maam || 2-42-30

30. dR^ishhTvaa= Looking at; tat= that house; udyamya = and lifting up; bhujam= his arm; viiryavaan= the powerful; mahaaraajaH = monarch; chukrosha = cried ; uchchaiHsvareNa= in loud voice; haa raaghava= Oh ,Rama! jahaasi= you have left ; maam= us(both your mother and I).

Looking at that palace and lifting up his arm, the powerful monarch cried in a loud voice, ” Oh, Rama! You have left us both, your mother and I.”

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sukhitaa bata tam kaalam jiiviSyanti nara uttamaaH |
pariSvajantaH ye raamam drakSyanti punar aagatam || 2-42-31

31. bata= Alas! Ye= Those; narottamaH = jewels among men; jiivishhyanti= who will survive; tam kaalam= the term; drakshhyanti= and see; raamam= Rama;punaH aagatam= come back ;parishhvajantaH= and embracing him ;sukhitaaH= will be happy .

“Alas! Those jewels among men who will survive the term of fourteen years, seeing Rama come back and embrace him, will be happy indeed.”

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atha raatryaam prapannaayaam kaalaraatryaamiaatmanaH |
ardharaatre dasharathah kausalyaamidamabraviit || 2-42-32

32. atha= thereupon ;raatrayaam= the night ;prasannaam= having fallen; kaala raatryaamiva= (the night) resembling the hour of death ;aatmanaH= to him; dasarathaH = Dasaratha; abraviit = spoke; idam = these words ;kausalyaam= to Kausalya; artharaatre = at that midnight

Thereupon, the night having fallen, the night resembling the hour of death to him, Dasaratha spoke these words to Kausalya when the midnight struck :

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raamam me.anugataa dR^ishhTiradyaapi na nivartate |
na tvaam pashyaami kausalye saadhu maam paaNinaa spR^isha || 2-42-33

33. kausalye =”Oh,Kausalya! me dR^ishhTiH =My sight ;anugataa=extinguished along with ; raamam=Rama;na nivartate =and not turned out. adyaapi=Even now; na pashyaami =I cannot see; tvaa=you;saadhu=properly ;spR^isha=touch ;maam=me ;paaNinaa=with your hand.”

“Oh, Kausalya! My sight has extinguished along with Rama and not returned. Even now, I am not able to see you properly. Touch me with your hand."

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tam raamam eva anuvicintayantam |
samiikSya devii shayane nara indram |
upa upavishya adhikam aarta ruupaaupa |
vinihshvasantii vilalaapa kR^icchram || 2-42-34

34. samiikshhya= perceiving; tam narendram= that monarch; shayane= on the coach ;anuvichintayantam= absorbed in the thought ;raamam eva= of Rama alone; devii= Kausalya; adhikam aartaruupaa= appeared very sad ;upaavishya= and sitting down beside him ;viniHshvasantii= began to sigh; vilalaapa= and lament; kR^ichchham= with distressed look.

Perceiving that monarch on the coach absorbed in the thought of Rama alone, Kausalya appeared very sad and sitting beside him, began to sigh and lament with a distressed look.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye ayodhya kaaNDe dvicatvaari.mshaH sargaH

Thus completes 42nd chapter in the Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.