Chapter [Sarga] 60

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 60

Introduction

Sumantra was unable to console Kausalya, who lied on the floor due to her extreme grief over her separation from Rama, even though he tries to avert her grief by telling her that Rama can reside in the forest delightfully, by warding off his agony.

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tataH bhuuta upasR^iSTaa iva vepamaanaa punaH punaH |
dharaNyaam gata sattvaa iva kausalyaa suutam abraviit || 2-60-1

1. tataH= then; kausalyaa= Kausalya; vepamaanaa= trembling; punaH punaH= again and again; bhuuta upasR^iSTaa iva= as though possessed by a spirit; dharaNyaam= and lying on the floor; gata sattvaa iva= without proper disposition of mind; abraviit= spoke; suutam= to Sumantra (as follows)

Then, Kausalya, trembling again and again, as though possessed by a spirit, and lying on the floor without proper disposition of mind, spoke to Sumantra as follows:

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naya maam yatra kaakutsthaH siitaa yatra ca lakSmaNaH |
taan vinaa kSaNam api atra jiivitum na utsahe hi aham || 2-60-2

2. yatra= wherever are; kaakutsthaH= Rama; siitaa ca= and Seetha; yatra= wherever is; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; naya= take; maam= me; tatra= there; taan vinaa= without them; aham= I; na utsahe= do not cherish; jiivitum= to live; atra= here; kSaNam api= even for a moment.

“Wherever Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana are there, take me to them. Without them, I do not cherish to live here even for a moment.”

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nivartaya ratham shiighram daNDakaan naya maam api |
atha taan na anugacchaami gamiSyaami yama kSayam || 2-60-3

3. nivartaya= turn back; ratham= the chariot; shiighram= quickly; naya= take; maam api= me also; daNDakaan= to the forest of Dandaka; atha= now; na anugacchaami= if I do not go after; taan= them; gamiSyaami= I shall enter; yama kSayam= the death’s abode.

“Turn back the chariot quickly. Take also myself to the forest of Dandaka. Now, if I do not go after them, I shall enter the Death’s abode.”

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baaSpa vegaupahatayaa sa vaacaa sajjamaanayaa |
idam aashvaasayan deviim suutaH praanjalir abraviit || 2-60-4

4. suutaH= Sumantra; vaacaa= with a voice; baaSpa vegaupahatayaa= choked with tears; sajjamaanayaa= in faint accents; praanjaliH= with joined palms; aashvaasayan= consoling; deviim= Kausalya; abraviit= spoke; idam= these words (to her).

Sumantra with joined palms and with a voice choked with tears and in faint accents, consoling Kausalya, spoke these words to her.

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tyaja shokam ca moham ca sambhramam duhkhajam tathaa |
vyavadhuuya ca samtaapam vane vatsyati raaghavaH || 2-60-5

5. tyaja= abandon; shokam= grief; moham= delusion; tathaa= and; sambhramam ca= heaste; duhkhajam= born of affliction; raaghavaH= Rama; vatsyati= can reside; vane= in the forest; vyavadhuuya= warding off; samtaapam= anguish.

“Abandon grief, delusion and haste born of affliction. Rama, can reside in the forest, warding off anguish.”

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lakSmaNaH ca api raamasya paadau paricaran vane |
aaraadhayati dharmaj~naH para lokam jita indriyaH || 2-60-6

6. lakSmaNaH ca api= Lakshmana too; dharmaj~naH= knowing about righteous conduct; jitendriyaaH= having subdued his senses; paricaran= serving; paadau= the feet; raamasya= of Rama; vane= in the forest; aaraadhayati= is propitiating; para lokam= the other world.

“Lakshmana too, knowing about a righteous conduct, having subdued his senses and serving the feet of Rama in the forest, is propitiating the other world.”

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vijane api vane siitaa vaasam praapya gR^iheSv iva |
visrambham labhate abhiitaa raame samnyasta maanasaa || 2-60-7

7. siitaa= Seetha; praapya= getting; vaasam= a dwelling place; gR^iheSva iva= resembling a house; vijane vane api = even in a lonely forest; samnyasta maanasaa= her mind being encamped; raame= in Rama; abhiitaa= being fearless; labhate= and acquiring; visrambham= confidence.

“Seetha, getting a dwelling place resembling a house even in a lonely forest, her mind encamped in Rama and being fearless, is acquiring confidence.

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na asyaa dainyam kR^itam kimcit susuukSmam api lakSaye |
ucitaa iva pravaasaanaam vaidehii pratibhaati maa || 2-60-8

8. na susuukSmam api= not even very minute; dainyam= depression; kimchit= even a little; lakSate= is seen; kR^itam= developed; asyaaH= in Seetha; maa pratibhaati= It appears to me; vaidehii= (that) Seetha; ucitaa iva= is as though accustomed; pravaasaanaam= to so many exiles.

“Not even very minute depression, even a little, is seen developed in Seetha. It appears to me as though Seetha is accustomed to so many exiles.”

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nagara upavanam gatvaa yathaa sma ramate puraa |
tathaiva ramate siitaa nirjaneSu vaneSv api || 2-60-9

9. yathaa= how; siitaa= Seetha; ramate sma= was rejoicing; puraa= earlier; gatvaa= going; nagara upavanam= to gardens I the city; tathaiva= in the same manner; ramate= (She) is taking delight; vaneSva api= in forests also; nirjaneSu= which are desolate.

“Seetha is taking delight in the desolate forests in the same manner as she was earlier enjoying in visiting gardens in the city.”

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baalaa iva ramate siitaa baala candra nibha aananaa |
raamaa raame hi adiina aatmaa vijane api vane satii || 2-60-10

10. siitaa= Seetha; raamaa= a charming woman; bala candra nibhaananaaH= having her face resembling a full moon; adiina atmaa= her mind settled; raame= in Rama; satii api= even though staying; vijane= in a lonely; vane= forest; ramate= is enjoying it; baalaa iva= like a little girl.

“Seetha, a charming woman with her face resembling a full moon and with her mind absorbed in Rama, even though staying in a lonely forest, is enjoying it like a little girl.”

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tat gatam hR^idayam hi asyaaH tat adhiinam ca jiivitam |
ayodhyaa api bhavet tasyaa raama hiinaa tathaa vanam || 2-60-11

11. asyaaH= Her; hR^idayam= heart; tat gatam= is directed towards Rama; jiivitam ca= her life also; tat adhiinam= is resting on him; ayodhyaa api= even if Ayodhya; raama hiinaa= is without Rama; bhavet= it becomes; vanam= a forest; tasyaaH= to her; tadaa= then.

“Seetha’s heart is directed towards Rama. Her life also is dependent on him. Even if Ayodhya is without Rama, then it becomes a forest to her.”

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pari pR^icchati vaidehii graamaamH ca nagaraaNi ca |
gatim dR^iSTvaa nadiinaam ca paadapaan vividhaan api || 2-60-12
raamam hi lakSmanam vaapi pR^iSTvaa jaanaati jaanatii |
ayodhyaakroshamaatre tu vihaaramiva samshritaa || 2-60-13

12-13. ayodhyaakroshamaatre= As if only a couple of miles away from Ayodhya; samshritaa iva= and as being in; vihaaram= a garden (there); vaidehii= Seetha; dR^iSTvaa= seeing; graamaamH ca= villages; nagaraaNi ca= towns; gatim ca= the movement; nadiinaam= of rivers; vividhaan= various types; paadapaan api= of trees also; pari pR^icchati= and enquires; raamam= Rama; pR^iSTvaa lakSmaNam vaapi= or by enquiring Lakshmana; jaanatii= and knows about them.

“As if only a couple of miles away from Ayodhya and as being in a garden there, Seetha on seeing villages, towns, movement of rivers, and various types of trees, enquires with Rama or Lakshmana and Knows well about them.”

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idameva smaraamyasyaaH sahasaivopajalpitam |
kaikeyiisamshritam vaakyam nedaaniim pratibhaati maam || 2-60-14

14. smaraam= I am remembering; idameva= this only; asyaaH= of her; na pratibhaati= it does not flash; maa= to me; idaaniim= now; vaakyam= of the words; sahasaiva= hurriedly; upajalpitam= spoken (by Seetha); kaikeyiisamshritam= about Kaikeyi.

“I am remembering only these incidents about Seetha. It does not flash to my mind now of the words hurriedly spoken of by Seetha about Kaikeyi.”

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dhvamsayitvaa tu tadvaakyam pramaadaatparyupasthitam |
hladanam vacanam suuto devyaa madhuramabraviit || 2-60-15

15. dhvamsayitvaa= expunging; tadvaakyam= those words (spoken by Seetha about Kaikeyi); paryupasthitam= coming near (to his lips); pramaadaat= by inadvertence; suutaH= Sumantra; abraviit= spoke; hladanam= delightful; madhuram= and sweet; vachanam= words; devyaaH= to Kausalya.

Expunging the remarks spoken by Seetha about Kaikeyi coming almost nearer to his lips by inadvertence, Sumantra spoke only delightful and sweet words to Kausalya.

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adhvanaa vaata vegena sambhrameNa aatapena ca |
na hi gacchati vaidehyaaH candra amshu sadR^ishii prabhaa || 2-60-16

16. vaidehyaaH= Seetha’s; prabhaa= radiance; candra amshu sadR^ishii= equivalent to moon’s rays; na hi gacchati= does not disappear; adhvanaa= due to travel; vaata vegena= or for velocity of wind; sambhrameNa= or bewilderment; aatapena ca= or due to heat of the sun.

“Seetha’s radiance resembling a moon’s gleam is not fading away due to her travel in the forest or due to the velocity of wind or because of her bewilderment or due to heat of the sun.”

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sadR^isham shata patrasya puurNa candra upama prabham |
vadanam tat vadaanyaayaa vaidehyaa na vikampate || 2-60-17

17. tat vadanam= that face; vaidehyaaH= of Seetha; vadaanyaayaaH= which is altruistic; sadR^isham= is similar; shata patrasya= to a lotus; puurNa candra upama prabham= whose lustre is similar to that of a full moon; na vikampate= did not become changed.”

“That face of altruistic Seetha resembling a lotus flower, whose lustre is similar to that of a full moon, did not become changed.”

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alakta rasa rakta abhaav alakta rasa varjitau |
adya api caraNau tasyaaH padma kosha sama prabhau || 2-60-18

18. tasyaaH= Her; caraNau= feet; alakta rasa varjitau= which even though no longer painted with vermilion; adya api= still; alakta rasa rakta abhaava= looks red as Alakta (red juice obtained from resin of certain trees); padma kosha sama prabhau= with a lustre equal to that of red lotus buds.

“Her feet, which even though no longer painted with vermilion, still looks red as Alakta (red juice obtained from resin of certain trees), with lustre equal to that of red lotus buds.”

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nuupura udghuSTa helaa iva khelam gacchati bhaaminii |
idaaniim api vaidehii tat raagaa nyasta bhuuSaNaa || 2-60-19

19. bhaaminii= Seetha; nuupura udghuSTa helaa= sporting her tinkling anklets; khelam= playfully; gacchati= walks; vaidehii= Seetha; idaaniim api= even now; nyasta bhuuSaNaa= is donned with her ornaments; tat raagaa= as a mark of passion towards Rama.

“Seetha, sporting her tinkling anklets, walks playfully. Even now, Seetha dons her ornaments, as a mark of Her passion towards Rama.”

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gajam vaa viikSya simham vaa vyaaghram vaa vanam aashritaa |
na aahaarayati samtraasam baahuu raamasya samshritaa || 2-60-20

20. aashritaa= Seetha who stays; vanam= in the forest; samshritaa= takes refuge; baahuu= in the arms; raamasya= of Rama; na aahaarayati= (and hence) does not give herself; samtraasam= to fear; viikSya= by seeing; gajam vaa= an elephant; simham vaa= or a lion; vyaaghram vaa= or a tiger.

“Seetha who stays in the forest, takes refuge in the arms of Rama and hence does not give Herself to fear, even by seeing an elephant or a lion or a tiger.”

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na shocyaaH te na ca aatmaa te shocyo na api jana adhipaH |
idam hi caritam loke pratiSThaasyati shaashvatam || 2-60-21

21. na shocyaaH= there is no need to pity; na= nor; aatmaa na ca= us; na= nor; jana adhipaH api= the king also; idam= this; caritam= story; pratiSThaasyati= will thrive; loke= in the world; shaashvatam= forever.

“There is no need to pity them nor us nor the king too. This story will thrive in the world forever.”

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vidhuuya shokam parihR^iSTa maanasaa |
maharSi yaate pathi suvyavasthitaaH |
vane rataa vanya phala ashanaaH pituH |
shubhaam pratij~naam paripaalayanti te || 2-60-22

te= they; vidhuuya= abandoning; shokam= grief; parihR^iSTa maanasaaH= having cheerful minds; suvyavasthitaaH= well settled; pathi= in the path; maharSi yaate= followed by great sages; rataaH= delighting in; vane= forest; vanya phala ashanaaH= eating fruits obtained in the forest; paripaalayanti= are keeping up; shubhaam= the auspicious; pratij~naam= promise; pituH= given to their father.

“Abandoning grief, possessing cheerful minds, settling well in the path followed by great sages, delighting in the forest-life and eating fruits of the forest, they are keeping up the promise given to their father.”

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tathaa api suutena suyukta vaadinaa |
nivaaryamaaNaa suta shoka karshitaa |
na caiva devii viraraama kuujitaat |
priya iti putra iti ca raaghava iti ca || 2-60-23

23. nivaaryamaaNaa api= even if averted; tathaa= thus; suutena= by Sumantra; suyukta vaadinaa= who is speaking suitably well; devii= Kausalya; suta shoka karshitaa= being emaciated by the sorrow for her son; na caiva viraraama= could not stop; kuujitaat= crying; priyeti= as dear; putra iti= as son; raaghava iti= as Rama.

Even if averted thus by Sumantra, who is speaking appropriately well, being emaciated by sorrow for her son, could not stop crying, “O, my dear son Rama!”

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe SSTitamaH sargaH

Thus completes 60th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.