Chapter [Sarga] 78

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 78

Introduction

Shatrughna asks Bharata why even Lakshmana could not prevent Dasaratha from sending Rama to the forest. Meanwhile, when Manthara arrives at the scen, Shatrughna seizes her with his powerful hand, threatens to punish her and abuses Kaikeyi too. When Kaikeyi pleads for mercy with her son, Bharata intervenses and Shatrughna releases Manthara.

Verse Locator

atra yaatraam samiihantam shatrughnaH lakSmaNa anujaH |
bharatam shoka samtaptam idam vacanam abraviit || 2-78-1

1. atha= thereafter; shatrughnaH= Shatrughna; lakshmaNanujaH= the youger brother of Lakshmana; abraviit= spoke; idam= these; vachanam= words; bharatam= to Bharata; shoka samtaptam= who was tormented with giref; samiihantam= and desired; yaatram= to undertake an expedition (to Rama)

Thereafter, Shatrughna the younger brother of Lakshmana spoke the following words to Bharata, who was tormented with grief and who desired to undertake an expedition to Rama.

Verse Locator

gatir yaH sarva bhuutaanaam duhkhe kim punar aatmanaH |
sa raamaH sattva sampannaH striyaa pravraajitaH vanam || 2-78-2

2. kim punaH= how much more to tell; aatmanaH= about our grief; saH= when that; raamaH= Rama; sattvasampannaH= the even-minded; yaH= who; gatiH= is a refuge; sarvabhuutaanaam= for all beings; striyaa= by a woman; pravraajitaH= he was sent away; vanam= to the forest.

"When that even-minded Rama is a refuge for all beings, how much more to tell about our seeking solace to him in our grief? He has been abandoned to the forest by a woman."

Verse Locator

balavaan viirya sampanno lakSmaNo naama yo api asau |
kim na mocayate raamam kR^itvaa api pitR^i nigraham || 2-78-3

3. yaH= which; lakSmanaama= so-called Lakshmana; balavaan= the strong-man; viirya sampannaH= possessed of power; kim= why; asau api= he even; na mochayatesma= could not rescue; raama= rama (from distress) kR^itvaa= by making pitR^inigraham= our father to restrain from doing it?

"Why the so-called Lakshmana, the strong and powerful man, even could not rescue Rama from distress by making our father to restrain from doing it?"

Verse Locator

puurvam eva tu nigraahyaH samavekSya naya anayau |
utpatham yaH samaaruuDho naaryaa raajaa vasham gataH || 2-78-4

4. samavekSya= by perceving; nayaanayou= prudence and imprudence; utpatham= in that wrong course; samaaruuDhaH= adopted raajaa= by the king; yaH= who; gataH= has fallen; vasham= to the control; naaryaaH= of a woman; (Lakshmana sould have); nigraahya= restrained (Dasaratha) puurvameva= even before itself.

"By perceiving the prudence and imprudence in that wrong course adopted by the king, who has fallen into the clutches of a woman, Lakshmana should have restrained Dasaratha even at the beginning itself."

Verse Locator

iti sambhaaSamaaNe tu shatrughne lakSmaNa anuje |
praag dvaare abhuut tadaa kubjaa sarva aabharaNa bhuuSitaa || 2-78-5

5. (while); shatrughna; rakSmaNaanuge= the younger brother of Lakshmana; sambhaaSamaaNe= was talking; iti= thus; tadaa= then; kubjaa= Manthara the hump-backed; sarvaabharaNa bhuushitaa= adorned with all types of ornaments; abhuut= appeared; praagdvaare= at the eastern gate.

While Shatrughna the younger brother of Lakshmana was talking thus, the hump-backed Manthara duly adorned with all types of ornaments, appeared at the eastern gate.

Verse Locator

liptaa candana saareNa raaja vastraaNi bibhratii |
vividham vividhaistaistairbhuuSaNaishca vibhuuSitaa || 2-78-6

6. liptaa= anointed; chandana saareNa= with a scent of sandal-word; bibhratii= wearing; raajavastraaNi= royal clothes; vibhuuSitaa= she was adorned; taistaiH= by several; vividhaiH= kinds; bhuuSaNaishcha= of ornaments; vividham= in various ways.

Anointed with a scent of sandal-wood and wearing royal clothes, she was bedecked with several kinds of ornaments of every description in various ways.

Verse Locator

mekhalaa daamabhiH citrai rajju baddhaa iva vaanarii |
babhaase bahubhirbaddhaa rajjubaddeva vaanarii || 2-78-7

7. baddhaa= Studded with; chitraiH= bright coloured; mekhalaadaamabhiH= girdle-bands; bahubhiH= and many; anyaiH= other; shubha bhuuSaNaishcha= excellent ornaments; (she); babhaase= appeared; vaanariiva= like a female monkey; rajjubaddhaa= tied with ropes!

Studded with bright-coloured girdle-bands and many other excellent ornaments, Manthara appeared like a female-monkey tied with ropes!

Verse Locator

taam samiikSya tadaa dvaahstho bhR^isham paapasya kaariNiim |
gR^ihiitvaa akaruNam kubjaam shatrughnaaya nyavedayat || 2-78-8

8. tadaa= then; samiikSya= beholding; taam kubjaam= that hump-backed Manthara; subhR^isham= the very much; paapakaariNiim= sinful; akaruNaam= and insenstive one; dvaaHsthaaH= the door-keepers; gR^ihiitvaa= caught her; nyavedayan= and delivered her; shatrughnaaya= to Shatrughna; (as follows)

Beholding that hump-backed Manthara, the very much sinful and insensitive woman, the door-keepers caught her and delivered her to Shatrughna (with the following words:)

Verse Locator

yasyaaH kR^ite vane raamaH nyasta dehaH ca vaH pitaa |
saa iyam paapaa nR^ishamsaa ca tasyaaH kuru yathaa mati || 2-78-9

9. iyam= here; saa= is that; paapaa= sinful; nR^ishamsaa= and cruel woman; yasyaaH kR^ite= by whose act; raamaH= Rama; vane= is in the forest; vaH pitaaH= and your father; nyasta dehashcha= has laid donw his body; kuru= take action; yathaamati= as fit you please; tasyaaH= with her.

"Here is that sinful and cruel woman, by whose act Rama is in the forest and your father has laid down his body. Do with her, as you consider fitting."

Verse Locator

shatrughnaH ca tat aaj~naaya vacanam bhR^isha duhkhitaH |
antaH pura caraan sarvaan iti uvaaca dhR^ita vrataH || 2-78-10

10. aajJNaaya= hearing; tat= those; vachanam= words; shatrughnaH= Shatrughna; bhR^isha duHkhitaH= who was very much in gief; dhR^ita vrtaH= and firmly resolute; uvaacha= spoke; iti= thus; sarvaan= to all those; antaHpuracharaan= who move in that gynaecium.

Hearing those words, Shatrughna who was very much in grief and was firmly resolute, spoke to all those inmates of that gynaecium, as follows:

Verse Locator

tiivram utpaaditam duhkham bhraatR^iR^iNaam me tathaa pituH |
yayaa saa iyam nR^ishamsasya karmaNaH phalam ashnutaam || 2-78-11

11. saa iyam= let this woman; yayaa= who; utpaaditam= has created; tiivaram= a serious; duHkham= misfortune; bhraatR^iiNaam= to my brothers; me= amd my; pituH= father; ashnutaam= receive; phalam= the fruit; nR^ishamsasya= of her cruel; karmaNaH= act.

"Let this woman, who created serious misfortune to my brothers and my father, receive the fruit of her cruel act."

Verse Locator

evam uktaa ca tena aashu sakhii jana samaavR^itaa |
gR^ihiitaa balavat kubjaa saa tat gR^iham anaadayat || 2-78-12

12. uktvaa= speaking; evam= thsu; sakhiijana samvR^itaa= in the mist of her companions; saa kubjaa= that hunch-backed woman; gR^ihiitaa= was seized; balavat= powerfully; aashu= soon; tena= by him; (and she); tat gR^iham= made that mansion; anaadayat= resound (with her shrieks).

Speaking thus in the midst of her companions, he seized that hunch-backed woman with his powerful hand soon and she in turn made that mansion resound with her shrieks.

Verse Locator

tataH subhR^isha samtaptaH tasyaaH sarvaH sakhii janaH |
kruddham aaj~naaya shatrughnam vyapalaayata sarvashaH || 2-78-13

13. tataH= then; sarvaH= all; tasyaaH= her; sakhiijanaH= companions; aajJNaaya= understood; shatrughnam= Shatrughna; kruddham= to have been angry; subhR^isha samtaptaH= and greatly agonised; have been angry; vipalaayata= (they) ran away; sarvashaH= in all directions.

Then, her companion, having conceived Shatrughna's anger and extremely agonised as they were, ran away helter-shelter in all directions.

Verse Locator

amantrayata kR^itsnaH ca tasyaaH sarva sakhii janaH |
yathaa ayam samupakraantaH nihsheSam naH kariSyati || 2-78-14

14. sarvaH= all; aasyaaH= her; sakhiijanaH= companions; amantrayata= surnised (as follows); yathaa= the way how; ayam= he; samupakraantaH= is coming up; kariSyati= he will make; naH= us; niHsheSam= finised.

All the company of women there surmised as follows : "The way how he is coming up, he will surely slay us all"

Verse Locator

saanukroshaam vadaanyaam ca dharmaj~naam ca yashasviniim |
kausalyaam sharaNam yaamaH saa hi no astu dhruvaa gatiH || 2-78-15

15. sharaNam yaama= we shall take refuge; kausalyaam= with Kausalya; saanukroshaam= the compassionate; vadaanyaam ca= and the magnanimous; dharmajJNaam= the virtuous; yashasviniim= and the illustrious woman; astu= let; saa= her; dhruvaa= be the sure; gatiH= asylum; naH= for us.

"We shall take reguge with the compassionate, magnanimous, virtuous and illustrious Kausalya. Let her be the sure asylum for us."

Verse Locator

sa ca roSeNa taamra akSaH shatrughnaH shatru taapanaH |
vicakarSa tadaa kubjaam kroshantiim pR^ithivii tale || 2-78-16

16. saH= shatrughnaH= the Shatrughna; shatrutaapanaH= the tormentor of enemies; taamraakSaH= red eyes; tadaa= then; vichakarSa= violently dragged; kroshantiim= the crying; kubjaam= hum-back; dharaNiitale= along the floor.

That Shatrughna, the tormentor of enemies, with his raging red eyes then violently dragged the crying hump-back along the floor.

Verse Locator

tasyaa hi aakR^iSyamaaNaayaa mantharaayaaH tataH tataH |
citram bahu vidham bhaaNDam pR^ithivyaam tat vyashiiryata || 2-78-17

17. (While); tasyaaH= that; mantharaayaaH= Manthara; aakR^iSyamaaNaayaaH= was violently dragged; bahuvidham= the various kinds; tat= of those; chitram= colourful; bhaaN^Dam= ornaments; vyashiiryata= were scattered; tatastataH= here and there; pR^ithivyaam= on the floor.

While that Manthara was violently dragged, here various colourful ornaments were scattered asunder here and there on the floor.

Verse Locator

tena bhaaNDena samkiirNam shriimad raaja niveshanam |
ashobhata tadaa bhuuyaH shaaradam gaganam yathaa || 2-78-18

18. tadaa= then; shriimat= the splendid; raajaniveshanam= royal mansion; vistiirNam= scattered; tena= by those; bhaN^Dena= ornaments; ashobhata= appeared; bhuuyaH= very much; gaganam yathaa= as a sky; shaaradam= in antumn (studded with innumerable stars).

Thus, that splendid royal mansion scattered by those ornaments, appeared very much like an autumnal sky studded with innumerable stars.

Verse Locator

sa balii balavat krodhaat gR^ihiitvaa puruSa R^iSabhaH |
kaikeyiim abhinirbhartsya babhaaSe paruSam vacaH || 2-78-19

19. balii= the strong; saH puruSarSabhaH= and that eminent man; gR^ihiitvaa= seizing; balavat= violently; krodhaat= with rage; abhinirbhartsya= and spoke; paruSam= harsha; vachaH= words.

Shatrughna, the strong and the eminent man, thus violently seizing her with rage, sharply rebuked Kaikeyi and spoke harsh words to her.

Verse Locator

taiH vaakyaiH paruSaiH duhkhaiH kaikeyii bhR^isha duhhitaa |
shatrughna bhaya samtrastaa putram sharaNam aagataa || 2-78-20

20. bhR^isha duHkhitaaH= agoinsed very much; taiH= by those; paruSaiH= harsha; duHkhaiH= and painful; vaakyaiH= words; kaikeyii= Kaikeyi; strughna bhaya samtaptaa= afflicted by the fear for Shatrughna; aagataa= come to; sharaNam= the refuge; putam= of her son.

Agonised very much by those harsh and painful words, Kiakeyi overwhelmed as she was with the fear of Shatrughna, took refuge with Bharata.

Verse Locator

taam prekSya bharataH kruddham shatrughnam idam abraviit |
avadhyaaH sarva bhuutaanaam pramadaaH kSamyataam iti || 2-78-21

21. bharataH= Bharata; abraviit= idam= these words; pekSya= after seeing; tam= that; shatrughnam= Shatrughna; kruddhan= who was enraged; iti= thus; sarvabhuutaanaam= among all beings; pramadaaH= women; avadhyaaH= are not to be killed; kSamyataam= (She is) to be pardoned.

Seeing that enraged Shatrughna, Bharata said: "Among all beings women are not to be killed. Hence she is to be pardoned."

Verse Locator

hanyaam aham imaam paapaam kaikeyiim duSTa caariNiim |
yadi maam dhaarmiko raamaH na asuuyen maatR^i ghaatakam || 2-78-22

22. dhaarmikaH= (If) the pious; raamaH= Rama; na asuuyedyadi= were not to express displeasure; maam= with me; maatR^ighaatukam= for killing the mother; aham= I; hanyaam= would have killed; imam kaikeyiim= this Kaikeyi; duSTachaariNiim= the evil-doing; paapaam= sinful woman.

"If the pious Rama were not to express his displeasure with me for killing the mother, I would have killed this Kaikeyi, the ill-mannered and sinful woman."

Verse Locator

imaam api hataam kubjaam yadi jaanaati raaghavaH |
tvaam ca maam caiva dharma aatmaa na abhibhaaSiSyate dhruvam || 2-78-23

23. yadi= If; raaghavaH= Rama; dharmaatmaa= the virtuous man; jaanaati= gets to know; imaam= this; kubjaam api= hunch-backed woman; hataam= has been killed; dhruvam= it is sure; naabhibhaaSiSyate= (that he will) not speak; tvaam ca= to you; maamcaiva= or even to me.

"If the virtuous Rama hears that the hunch-backed woman has been killed, it is sure that he will cease to talk to you or even to me."

Verse Locator

bharatasya vacaH shrutvaa shatrughnaH lakSmaNa anujaH |
nyavartata tataH roSaat taam mumoca ca mantharaam || 2-78-24

24. shrutvaa= hearing; vacaH= the words; bharatasya= of Bharata; shatrughnaH= Shatrughna; lakSmaNaanujaH= the younger brother of Lakshman; tataH= then; nyavartaH= renouncing; roshaat= his guilty design; mumcaca= released; taam= that; mantharaam= Manthara.

Hearing the words of Bharata, Shatrughna the younger brother of Lakshmana renouncing his guilty design forthwith released that Manthara.

Verse Locator

saa paada muule kaikeyyaa mantharaa nipapaata ha |
nihshvasantii suduhkha aartaa kR^ipaNam vilalaapa ca || 2-78-25

saa mantharaa= that Manthara; nipapaataha= fell; paadamuule= at the feet; kaikeyaaH= of Kaikeyi; suduHkhaartaa= being very much afflicted with grief; niHsvasantii= and with a sigh; vilalaapaca= weeping kR^ipaNam= piteously.

Manthara fell at the feet of Kaikeyi, breathless, weeping piteously.

Verse Locator

shatrughna vikSepa vimuuDha samj~naam |
samiikSya kubjaam bharatasya maataa |
shanaiH samaashvaasayad aarta ruupaam |
kraunciim vilagnaam iva viikSamaaNaam || 2-78-26

26. samiikSya= seeing; kubjaam= the hunch-backed woman; shatrughna vikSapa vimunDha samjNaam= who was distraught on account of Shatrughna's vioulence; aartaruupaam= and wearing a disturbed appearance; viikSamaaNaam= looked; krounchamiva= likea a krauncha bird; vilagnaam= that has been caught in a noose; bharatasya= Bharata's; maataa= mother; shanaiH= slowly; samaashvaasayat= consoled (her).

Seeing the hunch-backed woman, who was distraught on account of shatrughna's violence, wearing a disturbed appearance and looking like a crane that has been caught in a noose, Bharata's mother slowly consoled her.

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe aSTasaptatitamaH sargaH

Thus completes 78th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.