Chapter [Sarga] 59

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 59

Introduction

Sumantra narrates the ghastly fate of Ayodhya, both its animate and inanimate beings. Dasaratha laments and soon falls unconscious.

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mama tu ashvaa nivR^ittasya na praavartanta vartmani |
uSNam ashru vimuncantaH raame samprasthite vanam || 2-59-1

1.raame= Rama; samprasthite= having departed; vanam= to the forest; nivR^ittasya= the returning; ashvaaH tu= horses, however; mama= of mine; pramuNcantaH shedding; uSNam= warm; ashru= tears; na praavartanta= did not proceed; vartmani= on the way.

“Rama having departed to the forest, horses on the return path however, shedding warm tears, did not proceed further on the way.”

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ubhaabhyaam raaja putraabhyaam atha kR^itvaa aham j~nalim |
prasthitaH ratham aasthaaya tat duhkham api dhaarayan || 2-59-2

2. atha= thereafter; aham= I; kR^itvaa= offering (salutation); aJNjalim= with joined palms; ubhaabhyaam= to both; raaja putraabhyaam= the princes; dhaarayan= keeping back; tat= that; duHkham api= grief; aasthaaya= ascended; ratham= the chariot; prasthitaH= and moved on.

“I, on my part, offering salutation with joined palms to both the princes and keeping back from that grief, ascended the chariot and moved on.”

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guhaa iva saardham tatra eva sthitaH asmi divasaan bahuun |
aashayaa yadi maam raamaH punaH shabdaapayed iti || 2-59-3

3. aashayaa= with the hope; iti= that; shabdaapayed dyadi= I shall be called; punaH= again; raamaH- (by) Rama; sthitaH asmi= I stayed; tatraiva= there only; guhena saartham= along with Guha; bahuun= for many (three); divasaan= days.

“With the hope that I shall be called again by Rama, I stayed there along with Guha for three days.”

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viSaye te mahaa raaja maama vyasana karshitaaH |
api vR^ikSaaH parimlaanaH sapuSpa ankura korakaaH || 2-59-4

4. mahaaraaja= Oh, emperor; vR^iSaaH api= even trees; te viSaye= in your domain; parimlaanaH= have withered; sa puSpa ankura korakaaH= without flowers, sprouts and buds; raama vyasana karshitaaH= having emaciated due to Rama’s separation.

“Oh, emperor! Even trees in your domain have withered, without giving flowers sprouts and buds, having emaciated due to Rama’s separation.”

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upataptodakaa nadyaH palvalaani saraamsi ca |
pariSkupalaashaani vanaanyupavanaani ca || 2-59-5

5. nadyaH= rivers; palvalaani= pools; saraamsi ca= lakes; upataptodakaaH= were with lot water; vanaani= groves; upavanaani cha= and gardens; pariSkupalaashaani= were with their leaves, parched up.

“Rivers, pools and lakes were with hot water. Groves and gardens were with their leaves, parched up.”

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na ca sarpanti sattvaani vyaalaa na prasaranti ca |
raama shoka abhibhuutam tan niSkuujam abhavad vanam || 2-59-6

6. sattvaani= Living beings; na ca sarpanti= are not moving; vyaalaaH ca= wild animals too; na prasaranti= are not roaming around; tat vanam= that forest; abhavad= became; niSkuujam= silent; raama shoka abhibhuutam= predominated by grief towards Rama

“Living beings are not moving. Wild animals too are not roaming around. That forest became silent, predominated by grief towards Rama.”

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liina puSkara patraaH ca nara indra kaluSa udakaaH |
samtapta padmaaH padminyo liina miina vihamgamaaH || 2-59-7

7. narendram= Oh, emperor; padminyaH= lotus-lakes (were); liina puSkara patraaH ca= with lotus-leaves hiding under water; having pressed themselves closely together; kaluSa udakaaH= with muddy waters; samtapta padmaaH= with parched lotus-flowers; liina miina vihamgamaaH= and in which fish and water-fowls having disappeared.

“Oh, emperor! Lotus-lakes were with lotus-leaves hiding under water pressing themselves closely together, with muddy waters, with parched lotus-flowers and in which fish and water fowls have completely disappeared.”

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jalajaani ca puSpaaNi maalyaani sthalajaani ca |
na adya bhaanti alpa gandhiini phalaani ca yathaa puram || 2-59-8

8. jalajaani= water-born; puSpaaNi= flowers; maalyaani= flowers; sthalajaani= living on dry land; adya= now; alpa gandhiini= giving very little fragrance; phalaani ca= and fruits; na bhaanti= do not have luscious look; yathaa puram= as before.

“Water-born flowers and flowers living on dry lands now give very little fragrance and fruits do not have a luscious look as before.”

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atrodyaanaani shuunyaani praliinavihagaani ca |
na caabhiraamaanaaraamaan pashyaami manujarSabha || 2-59-9

9. manujarSabha= Oh, best of men; udyaanaani= the gardens; atra= here; shuunyaani= are empty of men; praliina vihagaani ca= and the birds have vanished; na pashyaami= I am not seeing; aaraamaan= the gardens; abhiraaman= as charming.

“Oh, best of men! The gardens here are empty of men and the birds have vanished. I am not seeing the gardens as charming (as before).”

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pravishantam ayodhyaam maam na kashcit abhinandati |
naraa raamam apashyantaH nihshvasanti muhur muhuH || 2-59-10

10. na kashchit= nobody; abhinandati= greeted me; pravishantam= entering; ayodhyaayaam= into Ayodhya City; apashyantaH= having not seen; raamam= Rama; naraaH= the people; nishvasanti= are breathing; muhur muhuH= again and again.

“Nobody greeted me, entering into Ayodhya City. Having not seen Rama, the people are breathing their sigh of lamentation again and again.”

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deva raajaratham dR^iSTvaa vinaa raamamihaagatam |
duHkhaadashrumukhaH sarvo raajamaargagato janaH || 2-59-11

11. deva= Oh emperor; dR^iSTvaa= seeing; raajaratham= the royal chariot; aagatam= coming; iha= here; ninaa raamam= without Rama; sarvaH= all; janaH= the people; raajamarga gataH= going along the royal high-way; ashrumukhaH= are having their faces filled with tears; duHkhaat= by grief.

“Oh, emperor! Seeing the royal chariot returning here without Rama, all the people along the royal high-way are shedding tears with grief.”

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harmyaiH vimaanaiH praasaadaiH avekSya ratham aagatam |
haahaa kaara kR^itaa naaryo raama adarshana karshitaaH || 2-59-12

12. aavekSya= seeing; ratham= the chariot; aagatam= coming; naaryaH= women; harmyaiH= from mansions; vimaanaiH= seven-storied buildings; praasaadaiH= and royal palaces; haahaakarakR^itaH= are crying ‘ha ha!’; raamadarshanakarshitaaH= being troubled by non-appearance of Rama.”

“Seeing the returned chariot, women from mansions, seven-storied buildings and royal palaces are crying ‘ha ha!’, being troubled by the non-appearance of Rama.”

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aayataiH vimalaiH netraiH ashru vega pariplutaiH |
anyonyam abhiviikSante vyaktam aartataraaH striyaH || 2-59-13

13. striyaH= women; aartataraaH= being more sorrowful; abhiviikSante= are looking at; anyonyam= each other; avyaktam= indistinctly; aayataiH= with their long; vimalaiH= bright; netraiH= eyes; ashru vega pariplutaiH= overwhelmed with a flood of tears.

“Women, being more sorrowful, are looking at each other indistinctly with their long bright eyes overwhelmed with a flood of tears.”

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na amitraaNaam na mitraaNaam udaasiina janasya ca |
aham aartatayaa kamcit visheSam na upalakSaye || 2-59-14

14. aham= I; na upalakSaye= do not see; kimchit= any; visheSam= distinction; aartatayaa= in their agony; amitraaNaam= in non-friends; mitraaNaam= friends; udaasiina janasya= and neutral people.

“I do not see any distinction in their agony, whether they are non-friends, friends or neutral people.”

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aprahR^iSTa manuSyaa ca diina naaga turamgamaa |
aarta svara parimlaanaa vinihshvasita nihsvanaa || 2-59-15
niraanandaa mahaa raaja raama pravraajana aatulaa |
kausalyaa putra hiinaa ivaayodhyaa pratibhaati maa maa || 2-59-16

15-16. mahaaraja= Oh, emperor; ayodhyaa= the city of Ayodhya; aprahR^iSTa manuSyaa cha= with joyless people; diina naaga turamgamaa= with elephants and horses looking miserable; aarta svara parimlaanaa= with sighing exhaustion to cries of pain; vinihshvasita nihsvanaa= filled with sounds of moaning; niraanandaa= cheerless; raama pravraajana aatulaa= anguish due to Rama’s exile; pratibhaati= as Kausalya; putra hiinaa= without her son.

“Oh, emperor! The city of Ayodhya with its joy-less people, with its elephants and horses looking miserable, with sighing exhaustion due to cries of pain, filled with sounds of moaning, cheerless and feeling anguish due to Rama’s exile, appears to me, like Queen Kausalya without her son.”

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suutasya vacanam shrutvaa vaacaa parama diinayaa |
baaSpa upahatayaa raajaa tam suutam idam abraviit || 2-59-17

17. raajaa= the king; shrutvaa= hearing; suutasya= Sumantra’s; vachanam= words; abraviit= spoke; idam= this; tam suutam= to that charioteer; vaacaa= in a voice; baaSpa upahatayaa= choked with tears; parama diinayaa= and very much woeful.

Hearing Sumantra’s words, the king in a voice choked with tears and very much woeful, spoke to that charioteer as follows:

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kaikeyyaa viniyuktena paapa abhijana bhaavayaa |
mayaa na mantra kushalaiH vR^iddhaiH saha samarthitam || 2-59-18

18. viniyuktena= enjoined; kaikeyyaa= by Kaikeyi; paapa abhijana bhaavayaa= with sinful birth and intention, na samarthitam= it was not deliberated; mayaa= by me; mantra kushalaiH= with people experienced in counsel; vR^iddhaiH saha= and with elders.

“Enjoined by Kaikeyi with her sinful birth and intention, I could not deliberate with people experienced in counsel or with elders beforehand.”

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na suhR^idbhir na ca amaatyaiH mantrayitvaa na naigamaiH |
mayaa ayam arthaH sammohaat strii hetoh sahasaa kR^itaH || 2-59-19

19. ayam= this; arthaH= act; kR^itaH= has been done; mayaa= by me; sahasaa= in haste; sammohaat= due to infatuation; strii hetoH= for the sake of a woman; na mantrayitvaa= without consulting; suhR^idbhiH= with friends; na mantrayitvaa= nor by consulting; amaatyaiH= with ministers; naigamaiH ca= or with interpreters of sacred texts.

“This act has been done by me in haste due to infatuation for the sake of a woman, without consulting with friends or ministers or with interpreters of sacred texts."

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bhavitavyatayaa nuunam idam vaa vyasanam mahat |
kulasya asya vinaashaaya praaptam suuta yadR^icchayaa || 2-59-20

20. suuta= Oh, Sumantra; idam= this; mahat= great; vyasanam= calamity; nuunam= surely; praaptam= has come; bhavitavyatayaa= as an inevitable consequence; vaa= r; vinaashaaya= for the ruin; asya= of this; kulasya= race; yadR^icchayaa= or accidentally.

“Oh, Sumantra! This great calamity, surely, has come as an inevitable consequence or for the ruin of this race or accidentally.”

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suuta yady asti te kimcin mayaa api sukR^itam kR^itam |
tvam praapaya aashu maam raamam praaNaaH samtvarayanti maam || 2-59-21

21. suuta= Oh, Sumantra; asti yadi= If at all; kimchit= any; sukR^itam= favour; kR^itam= has been done; te= to you; mayaa= by me; tvam= you; praapaya= lead; maam= me; aashu= fast; raamam= to Rama; praaNaaH= (my) vital spirits; samtvarayanti= are hastening; maam= me.

Oh, sumantra! If at all I have done any favour to you, lead me fast to Rama. My vital spirits are hastening me.”

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yad yad yaa api mama eva aaj~naa nivartayatu raaghavam |
na shakSyaami vinaa raama muhuurtam api jiivitum || 2-59-22

22. yadyat aaj~naa= if there is the same unlimited authority; mama= of mine; yaa api= even now; raaghavam nivartayatu= let Rama be brought back; na shakSyaami= I cannot; jiivitum= survive; raamam vinaa= without Rama; muhuurtam api= even for a moment.

“If there is the same unlimited authority of mine even now, let Rama be brought back to Ayodhya. I cannot survive without Rama even for a moment.”

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athavaa api mahaa baahur gataH duuram bhaviSyati |
maam eva ratham aaropya shiighram raamaaya darshaya || 2-59-23

23. athavaa= or perhaps; mahaa baahuH= Rama the mighty armed; gataH bhaviSyati= might have gone; duuram= along way; aaropya maam eva= make me to ascend; ratham= the chariot; shiighram= quickly; darshaya= and show (me); raamaaya= to Rama.

“Or perhaps Rama the mighty-armed might have gone a long way. Make me to ascend the chariot and quickly show me to Rama.”

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vR^itta damSTraH mahaa iSvaasaH kva asau lakSmaNa puurvajaH |
yadi jiivaami saadhv enam pashyeyam saha siitayaa || 2-59-24

24. kva= where is; asau= that; lakSmaNa puurvajaH= Rama; vR^itta damSTro= having round teeth; mahaa iSvaasaH= and wearing a large bow? Pashyeyam yadi= If I can see; enam= him; saadhu= well; siitayaa saha= with Seetha; jiivaami= I can survive.

“Where is that Rama having pearl-like teeth and wearing a large bow? If only I can see him well with Seetha, I can survive.”

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lohita akSam mahaa baahum aamukta maNi kuNDalam |
raamam yadi na pashyaami gamiSyaami yama kSayam || 2-59-25

25. na pashyeyam yadi= if I cannot see; raamam= Rama; lohita akSam= having red eyes; mahaa baahum= mighty arms; aamukta maNi kuNDalam=with ear-rings made of gems; gamiSyaami= I shall proceed; yam kSayam= to the world of death.

“If I cannot see Rama having red eyes, mighty arms and with ear-rings made of gems, I shall proceed to the world of Death.”

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ataH nu kim duhkhataram yo aham ikSvaaku nandanam |
imaam avasthaam aapanno na iha pashyaami raaghavam || 2-59-26

26. kim nu= what is; duhkhataram= more distressing; ataH= than; saH aham= that I; aapannaH= who has got into; imaam= this; avasthaam= condition; na pashyaami= am not seeing; raaghavam= Rama; ikSvaaku kula nandanam= who is a delight to Ikshvaku dynasty; iha= here?

“What is more distressing to me after getting into this condition, in not seeing here, Rama who is a delight to Ikshvaku dynasty?”

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haa raama raama anuja haa haa vaidehi tapasvinii |
na maam jaaniita duhkhena mriyamaaNam anaathavat || 2-59-27

27. haa raama= Oh, Rama; haa raamaanuja= Oh, younger brother of Rama; tapasvinii= unfortunate; haa vaidehi= Oh, Seetha; na jaaniita= you do not know; maam= me; mriyamaaNam= as dying; duHkena= with grief; anaathavat= like one abandoned.

“Oh, Rama! Oh, Younger Brother of Rama! Oh, unfortunate Seetha! You do not know that I am dying with grief, like one abandoned.”

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sa tena raajaa duHkhena bhR^ishamarpitacetanaH |
avagaaDhaH suduSpaaram shokasaagamabraviit || 2-59-28

28. saH raajaa= that Dasaratha; arpitachetasaH= his mind despaired; bhR^iSam= very much; duHkena= with grief; avagaaDhaH= plunged; shoka saagaram= in an ocean of sorrow; suduSpaaram= which is very difficult to be crossed; abraviit= spoke (as follows)

King Dasaratha, his mind very much despaired with grief and plunged in an ocean of sorrow, very difficult to be crossed, spoke (as follows)

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raamashokamahaabhogaH siitaavirahapaaragaH |
shvasitormimahaavarto baaSpaphenajalaavilaH || 2-59-29
baahuvikshepamiinaugho vikranditamahaasvanaH |
prakiirNakeshashaivaalaH kaikeyiibaDabaamukhaH || 2-59-30
mamaashruvegaprabhavaH kubjaavaakyamahaagrahaH |
varavelo nR^ishamsaayaa raamapravraajanaayataH || 2-59-31
yasmin bata nimagno.aham kausalye raaghavam vinaa |
dustaraH jiivataa devi mayaa ayam shoka saagaraH || 2-59-32

33-36. deevii= Oh, queen; kausalye= Kausalya; yasmin= In which; aham= I; nimagnaH= am plunged; asau= in this; shoka saagaraH= ocean of grief; raamashokamahaabhogaH= its area of sorrow is for Rama; siitaavirahapaaragaH= its shore is Seetha’s separation; shvasitormimahaavartaH= its waves and huge whirl-pools are sighs of anguish; baaSpaphenajalaavilaH= It is agitated with water and foam as tears; baahuvikshhepamiinaughaH= throwing away of arms is the swarm of fishes; vikranditamahaasvanaH= its great sounds are cries of lamentation; prakiirNakeshashaivaalaH= the scattered hair is its duck-weed. kaikeyiibaDabaamukhaH= Kaikeyi is its submarine fire; mamaashruvegaprabhavaH= which is the cause for the rust in my tears; kubjaavaakyamahaagrahaH= the words of the hump-backed are its huge crocodiles; varavelaH= with shores as boons; nR^ishamsaayaaH= of the cruel Kaikeyi; raamapravraajanaayataH= its long stretch is due to sending of Rama to a far way place; dustaraH= It cannot be crossed jiivitaa= alive; mayaa= by me; raaghavam vinaa= without Rama.

“Oh, Queen Kausalya! I am plunged in this ocean of grief. Its area of sorrow is for Rama. its other shore is Seetha’s separation. Its waves and huge whirlpools are sighs of anguish. It is agitated with water and foam as tears. Throwing away of arms is the swarm of fishes. Its great sounds are cries of lamentation. The scattered hari is its duck-week. Kaikeyi is its submarine fire. Which is the cause for the rush in my tears. The words of the hum-backed are its huge crocodiles. Its shores are the boons asked by the cruel Kaikeyi. Its long stretch is due to sending of Rama to far away place. I cannot cross this ocean alive, without Rama. What a pity!”

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ashobhanam yo aham iha adya raaghavam |
didR^ikSamaaNo na labhe salakSmaNam
iti iva raajaa vilapan mahaa yahaashaH
papaata tuurNam shayane sa muurchitaH || 2-59-33

33. saH raajaa= that king; mahaayashaaH= of great renown; vilapan= lamenting; itiiva= in the manner; yaH aham= which I; didR^ikSamaaNaH= want to see; adya= now; raaghavam= Rama; salakSmaNam= along with Lakshmana; na labhe= (I am) not able to obtain; iha= here; ashobhanam= It is very bad; muurchitaH= became unconscious; tuurNam= soon; papaata= and fell; shayane= on his couch.

“Though I want to see Rama and Lakshmana now, I am not able to see them here. It is very bad.” – thus lamenting, the king of great renown soon became unconscious and fell down on his couch.

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iti vilapati paarthive pranaSTe |
karuNataram dviguNam ca raama hetoH |
vacanam anunishamya tasya devii |
bhayam agamat punar eva raama maataa || 2-59-34

34. anunishamya= hearing; tasya= his; vachanam= words; vilapati= lamenting; dviguNam ca= as much as twice; karuNataram= more pitiably; raama hetoH= for Rama; paarthive= and the king; pranaSTe= having fallen unconscious; devii= Kausalya; agamat= got; bhayam= fear; punareva= once again.

Hearing his words lamenting as much as twice more pitiably for Rama and the king having fallen unconscious, Kausalya was alarmed once again.

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe ekonaSaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus completes 59th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.