Chapter [Sarga] 66

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 66

Introduction

Kausalya reproaches Kaikeyi for her wrong deeds, while weeping profusely for her husband’s death. The chamberlains reverently remove Kausalya from the place of the king’s body, which they later keep in a trough filled with oil. The ministers and other functionaries return to their abodes, when the night fell in darkness.

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tam agnim iva samshaantam ambu hiinam iva arNavam |
hataprabham iva aadityam svargatham prekSya bhuumipam || 2-66-1
kausalyaa baaSpa puurNa akSii vividham shoka karshitaa |
upagR^ihya shiraH raaj~naH kaikeyiim pratyabhaaSata || 2-66-2

1,2. prekshhya= Seeing; tam paarthivam=that king; svargastham=who was dead; agnimiva=like fire; samshaantam=which is fully extinguished; aarNavamiva= like an ocean; ambuhiinam=bereft of water; aadityamiva=like the sun; hataprabham=dimmed in luster; kausalya=Kausalya; upagR^ihya=holding; raaG^YaH=the king’s; shiraH= head; baashhpapuurNaakshhii=having her eyes filled with tears; shokakarshhitaa=who was stricken with grief; vividham=of various sorts; abhaashhata=spoke; kaikeyiim prati=to Kausalya (as follows:

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:

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sakaamaa bhava kaikeyi bhunkSva raajyam akaNTakam |
tyaktvaa raajaanam eka agraa nR^ishamse duSTa caariNi || 2-66-3

3. Kaikeyi= “ O Kaikeyi; nR^ishanse=the cruel one; dushhTachaariNi=and the evil doer! Bhava=you be there; sakaama=having fulfilled your desires; tyaktvaa=deserting; raajaanam=the king; bhuN^jvaa=you can enjoy;raajyam=the kingdom;ekaagraa=undisturbed; akaNtakam=and with out any hindrance.”

“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.

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vihaaya maam gataH raamaH bhartaa ca svar gataH mama |
vipathe saartha hiinaa iva na aham jiivitum utsahe || 2-66-4

4. raamaH= Rama; vihaaya= has left; maam= me; gataH= and gone (to the forest); mama= My; bharataacha= husband also; svargataH= has gone to heaven; aham= I; na utsahe= do not wish; jiivitum= to live; saartha hiinena= as left behind by a caravan; vipathe= in a wrong road”

“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.”

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bhartaaram tam parityajya kaa strii daivatam aatmanaH |
icchej jiivitum anyatra kaikeyyaaH tyakta dharmaNaH || 2-66-5

5. kaastrii= which woman; ichchhet= would wish; jiivitum= to survive; parityajya= leaving; aatmanaH tam bhartaaram= her that husband; daivatam= who was divine?; kaikeyyaaH anyatra= except Kaikeyi; tyakda dharmaNaH= who was kicked off righteousness.”

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

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na lubdho budhyate doSaan kim paakam iva bhakSayan |
kubjaa nimittam kaikeyyaa raaghavaaNaan kulam hatam || 2-66-6

6. lubdaH= a greedy person; na buddhyate= cannot understand; doshhaan= one’s faults. Bhakshhayanniva= like one who eats; kimpaakam= a forbidden dish; kubjaanimiHan = Due to that hump-backed woman; kulam= the race; raaghavaaNaam= of Raghu dynasty; hitam= has been destroyed; kaikeyyaa= by Kaikeyi.”

“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.”

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aniyoge niyuktena raaj~naa raamam vivaasitam |
sabhaaryam janakaH shrutvaa patitapsyati aham yathaa || 2-66-7

7. shrutvaa = hearing; raamam= that Rama; sabhaaryam= along with his wife; vivaasitam= have been sent to exile; raaG^yaa= by the king; myuktena= coerced; aniyoge= to do an unworthy act; janakaH= Janaka; paritapsyati= will profusely lament; aham yathaa= as I do.”

“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."

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sa maamanaathaam vidhavaam naadya jaanaati dhaarmikaH |
raamaH kamala patra akSo jiiva naasham itaH gataH || 2-66-8

8. saH raamaH= that Rama; dharmikaH= the pious man; kamala patraakshhaH=having eyes like lotus leaves; gataH=having got; naasham= disappeared; itaH= from here; jiivam= even though; surviving; adya= now; na jaanaati= does not know; maam= me; anaadham= to have become support-less; vidhavaam= widow.”

“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.

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videha raajasya sutaa tahaa siitaa tapasvinii |
duhkhasya anucitaa duhkham vane paryudvijiSyati || 2-66-9

9. tathaa= even so; siitaa= Sita; sutaa= the daughter; videha raajasya= of king of Videha; tapasvinii= the pitiable lady; anuchitaa= and who is unworthy; duHkhasya= of lamentation; parudvijishhyati= will get frightened; duHkham= with grief; vane= in the forest.”

“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.

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nadataam bhiima ghoSaaNaam nishaasu mR^iga pakSiNaam |
nishamya nuunam samstrastaa raaghavam samshrayiSyati || 2-66-10

10. santraptaa= greatly alarmed; nishamya= to hear; bhimaghoshhaNaam= fearfully crying; mR^igapakshhiNaam= wild animals and birds; nadataam= making their noises; nishaasu= in nights; samshrayishhyaH= she will take refuge; nuunam= surely; raaghavam= with Rama.”

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

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vR^iddhaH caiva alpa putraH ca vaidehiim anicintayan |
so api shoka samaaviSTaH nanu tyakSyati jiivitam || 2-66-11

11. saHapi= Janaka too, vR^iddhashchaiva= who is aged; alpa putrashcha= and who was not having sons; anuchintayan= will be thinking; vaidehiim= of Sita; shokamaavishhTaH= over whelmed with grief; tyakshhyatinanu= and will surely abandon; jiivitum= his life.”

“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.

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saahamadyaiva diSTaantam gamiSyaami pativrataa |
idam shariiramaaliN^gya pravekshyaami hutaashanam || 2-66-12

12. adyaiva= today itself; saa aham= I too; pativrataa= in devotion to my husband; gamishhyaami= will get; dishhTaantam= my appointed end; pravakshhyaami= I shall enter; hutaasham= the fire; aaliN^gya= duly embracing; idam= this; shariiram= body of my husband”

“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.

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taam tataH sampariSvajya vilapantiim tapasviniim |
vyapaninyuH suduhkha aartaam kausalyaam vyaavahaarikaaH || 2-66-13

13. vyaavakaari kaaH= chamberlains; vyapanyuH= reverently removed; tataH= from that place; taam kausalyaa= that Kausalya; tapasviniim= who was unfortunate; suduHkhaartaam= who was in the excessof her grief; samparishhvajya= and closely embracing her dead husband.

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

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taila droNyaam atha amaatyaaH samveshya jagatii patim |
raaj~naH sarvaaNi atha aadiSTaaH cakruH karmaaNi anantaram || 2-66-14

14. atha= thereafter; amaatyaaH= the ministers; aadishhTaaH= assigned; samveshya= kept; jagatiipatim= the king; tailadroNyaam= in an oil through; chakruH= and did; sarvaaNi= all karmaaNi= the acts; anantaram= that were to be done thereafter; raaN^gaH= for the king.

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

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na tu samkalanam raaj~no vinaa putreNa mantriNaH |
sarvaj~naaH kartum iiSus te tataH rakSanti bhuumipam || 2-66-15

15. mantriNaH= the ministers; sarvaG^yaaH= who were knowing all such matters; na iishhuH= were not willing; kartum= to do; samkalanam= cremation; raaG^yaH= for the king; vinaa putreNa= in the absence of his sons; tataH= and that is why; rakshhantu= preserved; bhuumipam= the king.

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).

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taila droNyaam tu sacivaiH shaayitam tam nara adhipam |
haa mR^itaH ayam iti j~naatvaa striyaH taaH paryadevayan || 2-66-16

16. jJNaatraa= knowing; tam naraadhipam= that the king; shaayitam= also laid down; taila droNyaam= in an oil through; taaH= those ; striyaH= women; puryadevayan= cried, iti=thus: “haa= Alas! Ayam= He; mR^itaH= is dead!”

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

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baahuun udyamya kR^ipaNaa netra prasravaNaiH mukhaiH |
rudantyaH shoka samtaptaaH kR^ipaNam paryadevayan || 2-66-17

17. mukhaiH= with their faces; netra prasravaNaiH= with eyes flowing with tears; kR^ipaNaaH= the miserable women; udyamya= lifted up; baahuun= their arms; rudantyaH= and while weeping; shokasantaptaaH= stricken with grief; kR^ipaNaa= pitiably; paryadevayaa= lamented as follows:-

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:

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haa mahaaraaja raameNa satatam priyavaadinaa |
vihiinaaH satyasandhena kimartham vijahaasi naH || 2-66-18

18. “haa mahaaraaja= Alas! Great king! ViviinaaH=when we are deprived; raameNa= of Rama; priya vaadinaa= who speaks lovingly; satatam= always; satya sandhena= and keeps up his promise; kimartham= why; vijahaasi= have you left; naH= us?”

“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?”

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kaikeyyaa duSTabhaavaayaa raaghaveNa viyojitaaH |
katham patighnyaa vatsyaamaH samiipe vidhavaa vayam || 2-66-19

19. viyojitaa= far in distance; raaghaveNa= Rama; katham= how; vayam =shall we; vidhaavaH = without our husband; vatyaayaH= = live; samiipe= in proximity; kaikeyyaaH= to Kaikeyi; dushhTabhaavayaaH= of perverse nature; patighnaaH= and who killed her husband?”

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

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sa hi naathaH sadaasmaakam tava ca prabhuraatmavaan |
vanam raamo gataH shriimaan vihaaya nR^ipatishriyam || 2-66-20

20. saH= that; raamaH= Rama; naathaH= who was a protector; sadaa= always; asmaakam= to us; tava cha= and to you; prabhuH= a capable person; aatmavaan= a prudent man; shriimaan= an eminent man; gataH hi= has indeed gone; vanam= to the forest; vihaaya= living; nR^ipatishriyam= the loving kingdom.”

“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.

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tvayaa tena ca viireNa vinaa vyasanamohitaaH |
katham vayam nivatsyaamaH kaikeyyaa ca viduuSitaaH || 2-66-21

21. katham= how; vayam= can we; viduushhitaaH= by Kaikeyi; vyasana mohihataa= who is stupefied; by evil passion; nivatsyaamaH= live; tvayaa vinaa= and without that heroic Rama.”

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

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yayaa tu raajaa raamashca lakshmaNashca mahaabalaH |
siitayaa saha samtyktaaH saa kamanyam na haasyati || 2-66-22

22. yayaa= by which Kaikeyi; raajaa= the king; raamashcha= Rama; lakshmaNashcha= Lakshmana; mahaabalah= of great strength; along with Sita; samtyaktaaH= were abandoned; saa= by her; kam= whom; anyam= else; na haasyati= cannot be abandoned?”

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

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taa baaSpeNa ca samviitaaH shokena vipulena ca |
vyaveSTanta niraanandaa raaghavasya varastriiyaH || 2-66-23

23. baashhpeNa= with tears; vipulena= with excessive; shokenacha= agony; raaghavasya= Dasaratha’s; taaH varastriyaH= those excellent wives; sam vii taah= together in arrow; vyaveshhTanta= rolled on the ground; niraanandaaH= sorrowful as they were.”

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

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nishaa nakSatra hiinaa iva strii iva bhartR^i vivarjitaa |
purii na araajata ayodhyaa hiinaa raaj~naa mahaatmanaa || 2-66-24

24. ayodhayaa purii= the city of Ayodhya; hiinaa= bereft; raaG^yaa= of the king Dasaratha; mahaatmanaa= the high soled; naaraaJata= was splendour less; nisheva= as a night; chandra vihiinaa= without moon; striiva= and as a woman; bhartR^ivihiinaa= without husband.”

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

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baaSpa paryaakula janaa haahaa bhuuta kula anganaa |
shuunya catvara veshma antaa na babhraaja yathaa puram || 2-66-25

25. baashhpa paryaakula janaa= people disturbed with tears; haahaabhuuta kulaaN^ganaa= with virtuous women raising cries of distress; shuunyachatvara veshmantaa= its cross roads and entrances of horses looking desolate , (the city of Ayodhya); na babhraaja= did not shine; yathaapuram= as before.

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.

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gata prabhaa dyaur iva bhaaskaram vinaa |
vyapeta nakSatra gaNaa iva sharvarii |
nivR^ittacaaraH sahasaa gato raviH |
pravR^ittacaaraa raajanii hyupasthitaa || 2-66-26

26. naraadhipe= (while)the king; gate tu= has gone; tridivam= to heaven; shokaat= due to misery; nR^ipaaNga naasu= the king’s wives; mahiitalasthaasucha= were lying on the ground; raviH =the sun; sahasaa= quickly; gataH= went away; nivR^iHachaayaaH= retreating its movement. rajanii= The night; upaasthitaa hii- =approaches; pravR^iHachaaraa= darkness having proceeded to spread.

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.

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R^ite tu putraaddahanam mahiipate |
rnarocayante suhR^idaH samaagataaH |
itiiva tasmin shayane nyaveshaya |
nvicintya raajaanamacintya darshanam || 2-66-27

27. suR^idaH= the friends and relatives; samaagataaH= who came there; na rochayante= did not like; mahiipateH= the king’s; dahanam= cremation; putraatR^ite= in the absence of his sons; itivaa= Thus; vichintya= thinking; nyaveshayan= kept; raajaanam= the king; achintya darshanam= of inconceivable sight; tasmin shayane= in that resting place.

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)

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gataprabhaa dyauriva bhaaskaram vinaa |
vyapetanakshatragaNeva sharvarii |
purii babhaase rahitaa maha aatmanaa |
na ca asra kaNTha aakula maarga catvaraa || 2-66-28

28. rahitaa= deserted by; mahaatmanaa= the high-soled Dasaratha; asrakaNThaakula maargachatvaara= with its roads and cross-roads filled with people choked with tears in their throats; purii= the city of Ayodhya; dyouriva= looking like sky; bhaaskaram vinaa= without sun; sharvariiva= and like night; vyapeta nakshhaatragaNaa= with its multitude of stars disappeared ; nababhaase= did not shine; gata prabhaa= with its light having gone away.

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.

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naraaH ca naaryaH ca sametya samghasho |
vigarhamaaNaa bharatasya maataram |
tadaa nagaryaam nara deva samkSaye |
babhuuvur aartaa na ca sharma lebhire || 2-66-29

29. tadaa= then; naradeva samkshhaye= while the king was dead; naraashcha= men; naaryashcha= and women; nagaryaam= in the city; samatya= converged; samghashah= in groups; vigarhamaaNaaH= abusing; bharatasya= Bharata’s;maataram= mother; babhuuvaH= become; aartaaH= disturbed; nachalebhiva= and did not obtain; sharma= happiness.

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.

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe STSSTitama sargaH

Thus completes 66th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.