Chapter [Sarga] 97

Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya

Chapter [Sarga] 97

Introduction

Rama pacifies Lakshmana, saying that Bharata, due to his affection towards his brothers and due to the distress that troubles his mind after hearing of the news of their exile, he came to the forest and not with any other motive. Ashamed of himself to hear the opinion of Rama about Bharata, and descending the tree, Lakshmana hides his abashment by changing the topic. Commanded by Bharata that no disturbance should be caused to the hermitage occupied by Rama, the army encamps around the edge of the mountain, chitrakuta.

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susamrabdham tu saumitrim lakShmaNam krodha muurchitam |
raamaH tu parisaantvya atha vacanam ca idam abraviit || 2-97-1

1. atha= then; raamstu= Rama on the other hand; parisaantvya= pacifying; lakSmaNam= Lakshmana; saumitrim= son of sumitra; susuamrabdham= who was very much agitated; krodhamuurchhitam= and infatuated with anger; abraviit= and spoke; idam= these; vachanam cha= words.

Rama on the other hand, pacifying Lakshmana (son of Sumitra), who was very much agitated and infatuated with anger, spoke the following words:

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kim atra dhanuShaa kaaryam asinaa vaa sacarmaNaa |
mahaa iShvaase mahaa praajne bharate svayam aagate || 2-97-2

2. mahesvaase= wielding a great bow; mahaapraaj^Ne= and highly wise man; svayam= himself; aagate= is coming; atra= here; kim kaaryam= what is the use; dhanuSara= or a sword; sacharmaNaa= with a shield?

"While Bharata, wieldin a bow and highly wise-man himself is coming here, what is the use of a bow or sword with a shield?"

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pitussatyaM pratishrutya hatvaa bharatamaagatam |
kim kariSyaami raajyena saapavaadena lakSmaNa || 2-97-3

3. kim kariSyaami= what shall I do; raajyena= with the kingdom; saapavaadena= by acquiring ill-fame; hatvaa= killing; bharatum= Bharata; aagatam= who came (to see me); pratishrutya= having promised to make; pituH= our father's word; satyam= a reality; lakSmaNa= O, !;

"O, Lakshmana! Having promised to make our father's wish a reality. What shall I do with the kingdom by acquiring an ill-fame in killing Bharata who came here to see me?"

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yaddravyaM baandavaanaaM vaa mitraaNaaM vaakSaye bhavat |
naahaM taptpratigR^ihNiiyaaM bhakSaanviSakR^itaaniva 2-97-4

4. yat dravyam= which wealth; bhavat= will come into existence; kSaye= in destroying; baandhavaanaam vaa= the relatives; mitraaNaam vaa= or companions; aham= I; na pratigR^ihNiiyaam= will not partake; tat= it; viSakR^itaan iva= like poisoned; bhakSaan= food.

"I should not enjoy the spoils obtained by slaying a relative or friend, like the partaking of a poisoned food."

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dharmamarthaM cha kaamaM cha pR^ithiviiM chaapi lakSaNa |
ichchhaami bhavataamarthe etat pratishR^iNomi te || 2-97-5

5. lakSmaNa= O, Lakshmana!; bhavataam= arthe= It is for your sake; ichchhaami= I desire; dharmam= virue; artham cha= (legitimately acquired) wealth; kaamam cha= and pleasure; pR^ithiviimchaapi= or even earth itself; pratishR^iNomi= I promise; etat= this; te= to you.

"O, Lakshmana! It is for your sake I desire virtue, legitimately acquired wealth and pleasure or even the earth itself. I promise this to you."

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bhraatR^iiNaaM saMgrahaarthaM cha sukhaarthaM chaapi lakSmaNa |
raajyamapyahamichchhaami satyenaayudhamaalabhe || 2-97-6

6. lakSmaNa= O, Lashmana; aham= I; ichchhami= desire; raajyamapi= the throne only; samgrahaartham= for the protection; sukhaartham chaapi= and happiness; bhraatR^iiNaam= of my brothers; aalabhe= I touch; satyma= in vow; aayudham= my weapon.

"O, Lakshmana! I desire the throne only for the protection and happiness of my brothers. I touch my weapon and swear this fact."

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neyaM mama mahii saumya durlabhaa saagaraambaraa |
na hiichchheyamadharmeNa shakratvamapi lakSmaNa || 2-97-7

7. iyam= this earth; saagaraambaraa= bounded by the sea; na= is not; mama= to me; durlabhaa= hard to obtain; lakSmaNa= O, Lakshmana; saumya= the excellent man!; na ichchheyam hi= I do not indeed desire; shakratvamapi= even the position of Indra; adharmeNa= by unrighteousness.

"This earth, bounded by the sea is not hard to obtain for me, O the excellent man! I do not indeed wish even the position of Indra by unrighteousness."

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yadvinaa bharataM tvaaM cha shatrughnaM chaapi maanada |
bhavenmama sukhaM kiMchidbhasma tatkurutaaM shikhii || 2-97-8

8. yat tat= If there be; kimchit sukham= and happiness; mama bhavet= that I could obtain; vinaa bharatam= without Bharata; tvaam cha= or you; shatrughnam chaapi= or without Shatrughna; tat kurutaam= may it be made; bhasma= to ashes; shikhii= by fire; maanada= O, Lakshamana the honour-giver!

"If there be happiness that I could enjoy without Bharata or you or without Shatrughna, may it be without Shatrughna, may it be burnt to ashes by fire, O the honour-giver!"

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manye.ahamaagato.ayedhyaaM bharato bhraatR^ivatsalaH |
mama praaNaatrpiyataraH kuladharmamanusmaran || 2-97-9
shrutvaa pravraajitaM maaM hi jaTaavalkaladhaariNam |
jaanakyaasahitaM viira tvayaa cha puruSarSabha || 2-97-10
snehenaakraantahR^idayaH shikenaakulitendriyaH |
draSTumabhyaagato hyeSa bharato naanyatha.a.agataH || 2-97-11

9,10,11. aham= I;manye= think; bharataH= Bharata; aagataH= returned; ayodhyaam= to Ayodhya; bhratR^ivatsalaH= full of affection for his brothers; priyataraH= he is dearer; mama= to me; praaNaat= than my life; anusmaram= he who is mindful; kuladharmam= of the duties of his race; shrutvaa= hearing; pravraajitam= of my exile; jaTaavalkala dhaariNam= and that I was weraing matted locks and the antelope skin; sahitam= accompanied; jaanakyaa= by Janaki; tvayaacha= and you; viira= O, valiant; puruSarSabha= the most excellent among men!, snehena= in his companionship towards me; shokena= and by the distress; aakraanta hR^idayaH= that troubles his mind; akulitendriyaH= and with perplexed senses; eSaH= his; bharataH = Bharata; abhyaagataH= has come; draSTum= to see; (me); na aagataH= he has not come; anyathaa= for any other purpose.

"I think Bharata was back to Ayodhya, with full of affection for his brothers. He is dearer to me than my life- he who is mindful of the duties of his race. Hearing of my exile and that I was wearing matted locks and the antelope skin, accompanied by Seetha and you, O most valiant of warriors, in his devotion towards me and due to the distress that troubles his mind, Bharata has come to see me. He has not come with any other motive."

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ambaaaM cha kaikayiiM ruSya paruSaM chaapriyaM vadan |
prasaadya pitaraM sriimaan raajyaM me daatumaagataH || 2-97-12

12. shriimaan= the glorious Bharata; ruSya= enraged; ambaam= with his mother; kaikeyaam= Kaikeyi; vadan= speaking paruSam= harshly; apriyamcha= and unkindly; prasaadya= got cleared; pitaram= by our father; aagataH= and came; daatum= to bestow; raajyam= kingdom; me= to me.

"Getting angry with Kaikeyi his mother and speaking unkind and harsh words to her, the glorious Bharata after getting permission from our further, came here to bestow kingdom to me."

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praapta kaalam yad eSho asmaan bharato draShTum igcCati |
asmaasu manasaa apy eSha na ahitam kimcid aacaret || 2-97-13

13. praapta kaalam= this is the proper time; eSaH bharataH= for this Bharata; yat draSTum= ichchhati= to wish to see; asmaan= us; naacharet= he does not behave; manasena api= or even think; kimchit= even a little; apriyam= unkindly; asmaasu= towards us.

"This is the proper time for Bharata to come here and see us. He does not behave or even think unkindly towards us."

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vipriyam kR^ita puurvam te bharatena kadaa na kim |
iidR^isham vaa bhayam te adya bharatam yo atra shankase || 2-97-14

14. kim= whether; vipriyam= (any) harm or; iidR^isham= such; bhayam vaa= a frightful thing; kR^ita puurvam- was done previously; bharatena= by Bharata; kadaa= at any time; te yaH= that you; shaNkase= are apprehending; bhaatam= about Bharata; adya= now; atra= here.

"Has Bharata at any time done any harm to you previously? What so the reason for you to be so apprehensive of Bharata now?"

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na hi te niShThuram vaacyo bharato na apriyam vacaH |
aham hy apriyam uktaH syaam bharatasya apriye kR^ite || 2-97-15

15. te= for you; bharataH= Bharata; na vaachya= is not to be spoken of; niSThuram= harshly; na= nor; apriyam= a disagreeble; vachaH= word; kR^ite apriyam= If an affront is offered; bharatasya= to bharata; aham= I (myself); syaam hi= will become; uktaH= spoken; apriyum= of unpleasantness.

"Indeed, Bharata must not hear harsh or disagreeable word from your lips. If an affront is offered to him, it is offered to me!"

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katham nu putraaH pitaram hanyuH kasyaamcid aapadi |
bhraataa vaa bhraataram hanyaat saumitre praaNam aatmanaH || 2-97-16

16. saumitra= O, Lakshma!; katham nu= How should; putraaH= sons; hamyuH= strike; pitaram= their father; kasyaam chit aapadi= (even) in anydistress; bhraataaraa= or a brother; hanyaat= strike; bhraataram= a brother; aatmanaH praaNam= who is as dear to him as his life?

"O, Lakshmana! How should a son strike his father, even in a distress or a brother strike a brother who is as dear to him as his life?"

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yadi raajyasya hetoH tvam imaam vaacam prabhaaShase |
vakShyaami bharatam dR^iShTvaa raajyam asmai pradiiyataam || 2-97-17

17. tvam prabhaase yadi= If you are speaking; imaam vaacham= these words; raajyasya heto= for the sake of the kingdom; dR^iSTvaa= after seeing; bharatam= Bharata; vakSyaami= I shall tell; asai= him; pradiiyataam= to give; raajyam= the kingdom.

"If you are uttering these words for the sake of the kingdom, I shall tell Bharata to give the kingdom to you, when I see him."

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ucyamaano hi bharato mayaa lakShmaNa tattvataH |
raajyam asmai prayagcCa iti baaDham ity eva vakShyati || 2-97-18

18. lakSmaNa= O, Lakshmana!; uchyamaanaH= after being told; iti= that; prayachchha= to give; raajyam= the kingdom; asmai= to him; tattvataH= really; vakSyati= he will say; baaDham ityeva= "So be it".

"O, Lakshmana! When Bharata receives this command from me, "Cede the empire to him", he will answer, So, be it."

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tathaa ukto dharma shiilena bhraatraa tasya hite rataH |
lakShmaNaH pravivesha iva svaani gaatraaNi lajjayaa || 2-97-19

19. tathaa= thus; uktaH= spoken; dharma shiilena= by his honourable; bhraatraa= brother; tsya= to whom; hite rataaH= he was devoted; lakSmaNa= ; lajjayaa= abashed; pravivesheva= as though sinking; svaam= into his; gaatraaNi= limbs.

At these words spoken by his honourable brother, to whom he was devoted, abashed, shrank into himself.

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tadvaakyaM lakSmaNaH shrutvaa vriishitaH pratyuvaacha ha |
tva manye draSTumaayaataH pitaa dasharathaH svayam || 2-97-20

20. shrutvaa= listening; tadvaakyam= to these words; lakSmaNaH= Lakshman; vriiLitaH= ashamed; pratyuvaacha ha= answered; manye= i think; pitaa= that our father; dasharathaH= Dasaratha; aayataH= came; draSTum= to see; tvaa= you; svayam= himself.

Listening to these words ashamed, answered: "I think that our father Dasaratha came here to see you himself."

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vriiDitam lakShmaNam dR^iShTvaa raaghavaH pratyuvaaca ha |
eSha manye mahaa baahur iha asmaan draShTum aagataH || 2-97-21

21. dR^iSTvaa= observing; vriiDitam= the emberassed; lakSmaNam= lakshman; raaghavaH= Rama; pratyuvaacha ha= replied; manye= I think; mahaabaahuH= the mighty armed; eSaH= Dasaratha; aagataH= came; iham= here; draSTum= to see; asmaan= us.

Observing the emberassed , Rama said, "I think the mighty armed Dasaratha came here to see us."

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athavaa nau dhruvaM manye manyamaanaH sukhochitau |
vana vaasam anudhyaaya gR^ihaaya pratineShyati || 2-97-22

22. athavaa= or rather; manye dhruam= i think surely; manyamaanaH= as he knows; nau= that we; sukhochitau= have been accustomed to comfort; anudhyaaya= reflecting; vanavaasam= that we are dwelling in the forest; pratineSyati= he wishes to bring us; gR^ihaaya= home.

"Or rather, to my mind, as he knows that we have been accustomed to comfort, reflecting that we are dwelling in the forest, he wishes to take us home."

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imaam vaa apy esha vaidehiim atyanta sukha seviniim |
etau tau samprakaashete gotravantau mano ramau || 2-97-23

23. shriimaan= the glorious; eSaH raaghavaH= Dasaratha; me pitaa= my father; yaasyati= will go; aadaaya= taking back; imaam= this; vaidehiim vaa= Seetha possibly; vanaat= from the forest; atyanta sukha seviniim= she who has ever lived in the heart of prosperity.

"The glorious Dasaratha, my father possibly will take back Seetha from the forest, she who has ever lived in the heart of prosperity."

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etau tau saMprakaashete gotravantau manoramau |
vaayu vega samau viira javanau turaga uttamau || 2-97-24

24. viira= O, warrior!; tau= those two; etau= this; turagothamau= excellent horses; gotravantau= of noble breed; manoramau= attractively; vaayuvega samsu= vying with the wind; jananau= in swiftness.

"O, warrior! See those two excellent horses of noble breed, shining attractively and vying with the wind in swiftness."

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sa eSha sumahaa kaayaH kampate vaahinii mukhe |
naagaH shatrumjayo naama vR^iddhaH taatasya dhiimataH || 2-97-25

25. eSaH= here is; saH= that; mahaakaayaH= colossal; naagaH= elephant; kampate= who is moving; vaahiniimukhe= at the head of the army; shatruNjayo naama= called Shatrumjaya; vR^iddhaH= the aged; (companion); dhiimataH= of our sagacious; taatasya= father.

"Here is that colossal elephant who is moving at the head of the army called Shatrunjaya, the aged companion of our sagacious father."

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na tu pashyaami tachchhatraM paaNDaraM lokasatkR^iam |
piturdivyaM mahaabaaho saMshayo bhavatiiha me 2-97-26

26. mahaa baaho= O, the mighty armed !; na pashyaami= I do not see; tat chhatramtu= paaNDaram= that white canopy; divyam= the heavenly one; loka satkR^itam= well-known in the world; me= to me; samshayaH= an apprehension; iha= on this point; bhavati= is created.

"O, the mighty armed! But I do not see that white heavenly canopy of our father, well known insignia in the world. An apprehension on this point is created in my mind."

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vR^ikSaagraadavaroha tvaM kuru lakSmmaNa madvachaH |
itiiva raamo dharmaatmaa saumitriM tamuvaacha ha || 2-97-27

27. lakSmaNa= O, Lakshmana !; tvam= you; avaroha= get down; vR^ikSaagraat= from the top of the tree; kuru= act; madvachaH= on my word; itiiva= thus; uvaacha ha= spoke; dharmaatmaa= the virtuous; raamaH= Rama; tam saumitraim= to that .

"O, Lakshmana! You get down from the top of the tree. Act on my word." Thus spoke the virtuous Rama to that Lakshmana.

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avatiirya tu saala agraat tasmaat sa samitim jayaH |
lakShmaNaH praanjalir bhuutvaa tasthau raamasya paarshvataH || 2-97-28

28. avatiirya desending; tasmaat= fromt hat; saalaagraat= top of Sala tree; saH lakSmanaH= that ; samitinjayaH= the victorious in battle; bhuutvaa= becoming; praaNjaliH= one with joined palms; tasthau= stood; paarshvataH= by the side; raamasya= of Rama.

Descending from the top of that Sala tree, Lakshmana the victorious in battle, with joined palms, stood by the side of Rama.

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bharatena atha samdiShTaa sammardo na bhaved iti |
samantaat tasya shailasya senaa vaasam akalpayat || 2-97-29

29. samdiSTaa= commanded; bharatenaapi= by Bharata; iti= that; na sammardaH= no trampling; bhavet= should be made; (in the hermitage of Rama); senaa= by the army; akalpayat aavaasam= which encamped; samantaat= round; tasya shailasya= that mountain.

Commanded by Bharata that no trampling of army should be made in the hermitage of Rama, the army was encamped round the mountain.

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adhyardham iShkvaaku camuur yojanam parvatasya saa |
paarshve nyavishad aavR^itya gaja vaaji ratha aakulaa || 2-97-30

30. saa= that; ikSvaakuchamuuH= royal army of Ikshvaku race; gaja vaaji rathaakulaa= crowded iwth elephants, horses and chariots; nyavishat= was encamped; aavR^itya= around; paarshve= the edge; parvatasya= of the mountain; adhyardham youjanam= occupying; an area of one Yojana and a half.

That royal army of Ikshvaku race, crowded with elephants horses and chariots was encamped around the edge of the mountain occupying an area of one Yojana and a half.

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saa citra kuuTe bharatena senaa |
dharmam puraH kR^itya vidhuuya darpam |
prasaadana artham raghu nandanasya |
virocate niitimataa praNiitaa || 2-97-31

31. saa senaa= that army; praNiitaa= brought; bharatena= by Bharata; niitimatena= the virtuous; vidhuuya= having laid aside; darpam= his arrogance; puraskR^itya= placing in forefront; dharmam= the righteousness; prasanaartham= in order to propitiate; raghunandanasya= Rama; viraajite= showed itself to be disciplined; chitrakuuTe= in the vicinity of Chitrakuta.

Brought by the virtuous Bharata, who laid aside his arrogance, placing the righteousness in forefront in order to propitiate Rama, that army showed itself to be disciplined in the vicinity of Chitrakuta.

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayane aadikaave ayodhyaakaaNDe saptanavatitamaH sargaH

Thus completes 97th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.