Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 102 of 119 · 49 verses
Water for the Dead King
Hearing Bharata’s pitiful words about his father’s death, Raghava loses consciousness. Struck by that thunderbolt of words, as by the thunderbolt Indra hurls at the danavas in battle, Rama throws up his arms and falls to the ground like a flowering tree cut by an axe in the forest. His brothers, weeping, with Vaidehi, sprinkle the great archer with water as he lies there, like an elephant asleep after battering a riverbank. Coming to, shedding tears, Kakutstha begins to lament piteously. Hearing that his father has gone to heaven, the righteous one says to Bharata: “What shall I do in Ayodhya, now that father has gone his destined way? Who will protect Ayodhya, bereft of the best of kings? What use am I to that great soul, ill-born as I am, who died of grief for me and was not even cremated by me? Ah Bharata, you have achieved your purpose, sinless one, you and Shatrughna, by whom the king was honoured with all the funeral rites. Leaderless, distracted, deprived of its king, Ayodhya is a place I cannot bear to go to, even when my exile is over. When my forest life is finished, who will guide me in Ayodhya now that father has gone to the other world? Where shall I hear again those words, pleasant to the ear, that my father spoke to comfort me when he saw me behaving well?”
Saying this to Bharata, Raghava goes to his wife, her face like the full moon, and says, burning with grief: “Sita, your father-in-law is dead. Lakshmana, you are without a father. Bharata tells the sad news that the lord of the earth has gone to heaven.” As Kakutstha speaks, tears pour many times over from the eyes of the glorious princes. Then all the brothers comfort Raghava and say: “Let water be offered to our father, the lord of the world.” Sita, hearing that the king her father-in-law has gone to heaven, cannot look at her husband for the tears in her eyes. Comforting the weeping daughter of Janaka, Rama, grieving, says to the grieving Lakshmana: “Bring the ingudi paste, and bring a bark upper garment; I will go to offer water to my great-souled father. Let Sita go in front, you walk beside her, and I will go behind; this is the most dreadful of processions.” Sumantra, their constant follower, self-possessed, wise, gentle, disciplined and calm, firmly devoted to Rama, comforts Raghava with the princes and, holding him, helps him down to the auspicious river Mandakini. Reaching with difficulty the lovely Mandakini, with its good fords and its always flowering woods, at a swift-flowing, clear, auspicious ford, they offer water to the king: “May this be yours.” Taking water in his joined palms, the lord of the earth, facing south, the direction of Yama, says, weeping: “Tiger among kings, may this pure, imperishable water, given by me today, reach you in the world of the ancestors.” Then, coming up from the Mandakini, splendid Raghava with his brothers makes the funeral offering for his father. Placing ingudi paste mixed with jujube on darbha grass, Rama, deeply grieved, says weeping: “Eat this gladly, great king; this is what we eat. Whatever food a man eats, his gods eat too.” Then by the same path the tiger among men climbs back up the lovely mountain, and at the door of the leaf hut takes Bharata and Lakshmana in his arms. The sound of the brothers and Vaidehi weeping, like roaring lions, echoes from the mountain. Bharata’s soldiers, hearing the uproar of the mighty ones weeping as they offer water to their father, are alarmed, and say: “Surely Bharata has met Rama; this is the great sound of them grieving for their dead father.” Leaving their camps, all of one mind, they run toward the sound, some on horses, some on elephants, some in decorated chariots, the delicate ones on foot. Though Rama has not been away long, they all hurry to the hermitage as if he had been gone for years, eager to see the brothers’ meeting. The earth, struck by many vehicles’ hooves and wheels, sends up a tumult like the sky when clouds gather. Frightened by it, elephants with their mates leave for another forest, scenting the air; boars, wolves, buffaloes, snakes, monkeys, tigers, gokarnas, gavayas and spotted deer are terrified; chakravakas, datyuhas, swans, karandavas, plavas, male cuckoos and curlews fly off in all directions. The sky is filled with frightened birds and the earth with men. Then the people suddenly see glorious Rama, tamer of foes, sitting on the bare ground. Cursing Kaikeyi and Manthara, they come to Rama with faces full of tears. Seeing the men weeping and deeply grieved, the knower of dharma embraces them like a father and a mother. The prince embraces some, and some salute him; he treats all his companions and kin as each deserves. The sound of those great souls weeping fills earth and sky, the mountain caves and the directions, like the sound of mridangas.
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तां श्रुत्वा करुणां वाचं पितुर्मरणसंहिताम् । राघवो भरतेनोक्तां बभूव गतचेतनः ॥ १ ॥
Hearing those pitiful words spoken by Bharata about his father’s death, Raghava lost consciousness.
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तं तु वज्रमिवोत्सृष्टमाहवे दानवारिणा । वाग्वज्रं भरतेनोक्तममनोज्ञं परन्तपः ॥ २ ॥
प्रगृह्य बाहू रामो वै पुष्पिताग्रो यथा द्रुमः । वने परशुना कृत्तस्तथा भुवि पपात ह ॥ ३ ॥
That thunderbolt of words spoken by Bharata, unwelcome, like the thunderbolt hurled in battle by the enemy of the danavas: Rama, scorcher of foes, throwing up his arms, fell to the ground like a tree with flowering top cut by an axe in the forest.
तथा निपतितं रामं जगत्यां जगतीपतिम् । कूलघातपरिश्रान्तं प्रसुप्तमिव कुञ्जरम् ॥ ४ ॥
भ्रातरस्ते महेष्वासं सर्वतः शोककर्शितम् । रुदन्तः सह वैदेह्या सिषिचुः सलिलेन वै ॥ ५ ॥
Rama, lord of the world, fallen so on the ground, like an elephant asleep, exhausted from battering a riverbank, the great archer wasted by grief on every side: his brothers, weeping, with Vaidehi, sprinkled him with water.
स तु संज्ञां पुनर्लब्ध्वा नेत्राभ्यामास्रमुत्सृजन् । उपाक्रामत काकुत्स्थः कृपणं बहु भाषितुम् ॥ ६ ॥
Regaining consciousness, shedding tears from his eyes, Kakutstha began to speak much, piteously.
स रामः स्वर्गतं श्रुत्वा पितरं पृथिवीपतिम् । उवाच भरतं वाक्यं धर्मात्मा धर्मसंहितम् ॥ ७ ॥
Hearing that his father, the lord of the earth, had gone to heaven, the righteous Rama said to Bharata words joined with dharma:
किं करिष्याम्ययोध्यायां ताते दिष्टां गतिं गते । कस्तां राजवराद्धीनामयोध्यां पालयिष्यति ॥ ८ ॥
“What shall I do in Ayodhya, now that father has gone the destined way? Who will protect that Ayodhya, bereft of the best of kings?
किं नु तस्य मया कार्य्यं दुर्जातेन महात्मनः । यो मृतो मम शोकेन मया चापि न संस्कृतः ॥ ९ ॥
“What use am I, ill-born, to that great soul, who died of grief for me and was not even cremated by me?
अहो भरत सिद्धार्थो येन राजा त्वया ऽनघ । शत्रुघ्नेन च सर्वेषु प्रेतकृत्येषु सत्कृतः ॥ १० ॥
“Ah Bharata, you have achieved your purpose, sinless one, you by whom, with Shatrughna, the king was honoured in all the funeral rites.
निष्प्रधानामनेकाग्रां नरेन्द्रेण विना कृताम् । निवृत्तवनवासोपि नायोध्यां गन्तुमुत्सहे ॥ ११ ॥
“Leaderless, distracted, made bereft of its king: even when my forest life is over, I cannot bear to go to Ayodhya.
समाप्तवनवासं मामयोध्यायां परन्तप । को नु शासिष्यति पुनस्ताते लोकान्तरं गते ॥ १२ ॥
“When my forest life is finished, scorcher of foes, who will instruct me again in Ayodhya, now that father has gone to the other world?
पुरा प्रेक्ष्य सुवृत्तं मां पिता यान्याह सान्त्वयन् । वाक्यानि तानि श्रोष्यामि कुतः कर्णसुखान्यहम् ॥ १३ ॥
“The words my father used to say to comfort me when he saw me behaving well: where shall I hear those words, pleasant to the ear?”
एवमुक्त्वा स भरतं भार्यामभ्येत्य राघवः । उवाच शोकसन्तप्तः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् ॥ १४ ॥
Having said this to Bharata, Raghava went to his wife, her face like the full moon, and, burning with grief, said:
सीते मृतस्ते श्वशुरः पित्रा हीनो ऽसि लक्ष्मण । भरतो दुःखमाचष्टे स्वर्गतं पृथिवीपतिम् ॥ १५ ॥
“Sita, your father-in-law is dead. Lakshmana, you are bereft of a father. Bharata tells the sorrow that the lord of the earth has gone to heaven.”
ततो बहुगुणं तेषां बाष्पं नेत्रेष्वजायत । तथा ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे कुमाराणां यशस्विनाम् ॥ १६ ॥
Then, as Kakutstha spoke so, tears many times greater sprang in the eyes of those glorious princes.
ततस्ते भ्रातरः सर्वे भृशमाश्वास्य राघवम् । अब्रुवन् जगतीभर्त्तुः क्रियतामुदकं पितुः ॥ १७ ॥
Then all the brothers, comforting Raghava earnestly, said: “Let water be offered to our father, the lord of the world.”
सा सीता श्वशुरं श्रुत्वा स्वर्गलोकगतं नृपम् । नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यामशकन्नेक्षितुं पतिम् ॥ १८ ॥
That Sita, hearing that the king, her father-in-law, had gone to the world of heaven, could not look at her husband, her eyes full of tears.
सान्त्वयित्वा तु तां रामो रुदन्तीं जनकात्मजाम् । उवाच लक्ष्मणं तत्र दुःखितो दुःखितं वचः ॥ १९ ॥
Having comforted the weeping daughter of Janaka, Rama, grieving, said grieving words there to Lakshmana:
आनयेङ्गुदिपिण्याकं चीरमाहर चोत्तरम् । जलक्रियार्थं तातस्य गमिष्यामि महात्मनः ॥ २० ॥
“Bring the ingudi paste, and bring a bark upper garment. I will go for the water rite of my great-souled father.
सीता पुरस्ताद्व्रजतुत्वमेनामभितो व्रज । अहं पश्चाद्गमिष्यामि गतिर्ह्येषा सुदारुणा ॥ २१ ॥
“Let Sita go in front; you walk beside her; I will go behind. For this is a most dreadful procession.”
ततो नित्यानुगस्तेषां विदितात्मा महामतिः । मृदुर्दान्तश्च शान्तश्च रामे च दृढभक्तिमान् ॥ २२ ॥
सुमन्त्रस्तैर्नृपसुतैः सार्द्धमाश्वास्य राघवम् । अवातारयदालम्ब्य नदीं मन्दाकिनीं शिवाम् ॥ २३ ॥
Then Sumantra, their constant follower, self-possessed, very wise, gentle, disciplined and calm, firmly devoted to Rama, having comforted Raghava together with the princes, holding him, helped him down to the auspicious river Mandakini.
ते सुतीर्थां ततः कृच्छ्रादुपागम्य यशस्विनः । नदीं मन्दाकिनीं रम्यां सदा पुष्पितकाननाम् ॥ २४ ॥
Then those glorious ones, reaching with difficulty the lovely river Mandakini, with its good fords and its ever-flowering woods,
शीघ्रस्रोतसमासाद्य तीर्थं शिवमकर्द्दमम् । सिषिचुस्तूदकं राज्ञे तत्रैतत्ते भवत्विति ॥ २५ ॥
coming to a ford with a swift current, auspicious, without mud, sprinkled water for the king there: “May this be yours.”
प्रगृह्य च महीपालो जलपूरितमञ्जलिम् । दिशं याम्यामभिमुखो रुदन् वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ २६ ॥
And taking a palmful filled with water, the protector of the earth, facing the direction of Yama, weeping, said these words:
एतत्ते राजशार्दूल विमलं तोयमक्षयम् । पितृलोकगतस्याद्य मद्दत्तमुपतिष्ठतु ॥ २७ ॥
“Tiger among kings, may this pure, imperishable water, given by me today, reach you who have gone to the world of the ancestors.”
ततो मन्दाकिनीतीरात् प्रत्युत्तीर्य्य स राघवः । पितुश्चकार तेजस्वी निवापं भ्रातृभिः सह ॥ २८ ॥
Then, coming up from the bank of the Mandakini, the splendid Raghava made the funeral offering for his father with his brothers.
ऐङ्गुदं बदरीमिश्रं पिण्याकं दर्भसंस्तरे । न्यस्य रामः सुदुःखार्त्तो रुदन् वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ २९ ॥
Placing ingudi paste mixed with jujube on a spread of darbha grass, Rama, deeply grieved, weeping, said these words:
इदं भुङ्क्ष्व महाराज प्रीतो यदशना वयम् । यदन्नः पुरुषो भवति तदन्नास्तस्य देवताः ॥ ३० ॥
“Eat this gladly, great king, which is what we eat. Whatever food a man eats, that is the food of his gods.”
ततस्तेनैव मार्गेण प्रत्युत्तीर्य्य नदीतटात् । आरुरोह नरव्याघ्रो रम्यसानुं महीधरम् ॥ ३१ ॥
Then, coming up from the riverbank by that same path, the tiger among men climbed the mountain with its lovely slopes.
ततः पर्णकुटीद्वारमासाद्य जगतीपतिः । परिजग्राह बाहुभ्यामुभौ भरतलक्ष्मणौ ॥ ३२ ॥
Then, reaching the door of the leaf hut, the lord of the world took both Bharata and Lakshmana in his arms.
तेषां तु रुदतां शब्दात् प्रतिश्रुत्को ऽभवद्गिरौ । भ्रातऽणां सह वैदेह्याः सिंहानामिव नर्दताम् ॥ ३३ ॥
From the sound of the brothers weeping with Vaidehi, roaring like lions, an echo arose on the mountain.
महाबलानां रुदतां कुर्वतामुदकं पितुः । विज्ञाय तुमुलं शब्दं त्रस्ता भरतसैनिकाः ॥ ३४ ॥
Recognising the tumultuous sound of the mighty ones weeping as they offered water to their father, Bharata’s soldiers were alarmed,
अब्रुवंश्चापि रामेण भरतः सङ्गतो ध्रुवम् । तेषामेव महाञ्छब्दः शोचतां पितरं मृतम् ॥ ३५ ॥
and said: “Surely Bharata has met Rama. This great sound is theirs, grieving for their dead father.”
अथ वासान् परित्यज्य तं सर्वे ऽभिमुखाः स्वनम् । अप्येकमनसो जग्मुर्यथास्थानं प्रधाविताः ॥ ३६ ॥
Then, leaving their quarters, all of them, of one mind, went toward that sound, running as each was placed.
हयैरन्ये गजैरन्ये रथैरन्ये स्वलङ्कृतैः । सुकुमारास्तथैवान्ये पद्भिरेव नरा ययुः ॥ ३७ ॥
Some on horses, some on elephants, some in well-adorned chariots, and other delicate men went on foot.
अचिरप्रोषितं रामं चिरविप्रोषितं यथा । द्रष्टुकामो जनः सर्वो जगाम सहसाश्रमम् ॥ ३८ ॥
As if Rama, who had been away only a short time, had been away for long, all the people, wishing to see him, went quickly to the hermitage.
भ्रातऽणां त्वरितास्तत्र द्रष्टुकामाः समागमम् । ययुर्बहुविधैर्यानैः खुरनेमिस्वनाकुलैः ॥ ३९ ॥
Wishing to see the meeting of the brothers, they went there in haste, with many kinds of vehicles, loud with the sound of hooves and wheels.
सा भूमिर्बहुभिर्यानैः खुरनेमिसमाहता । मुमोच तुमुलं शब्दं द्यौरिवाभ्रसमागमे ॥ ४० ॥
That ground, struck by the hooves and wheels of many vehicles, gave out a tumultuous sound, like the sky when the clouds gather.
तेन वित्रासिता नागाः करेणुपरिवारिताः । आवासयन्तो गन्धेन जग्मुरन्यद्वनं ततः ॥ ४१ ॥
Frightened by it, the elephants surrounded by their mates went to another forest, filling it with their scent.
वराहवृकसङ्घाश्च महिषाः सर्प्पवानराः । व्याघ्रगोकर्णगवयाः वित्रेसुः पृषतैः सह ॥ ४२ ॥
Herds of boars and wolves, buffaloes, snakes and monkeys, tigers, gokarnas and gavayas were terrified, with the spotted deer.
रथाङ्गसाह्वा नत्यूहाः हंसाः कारण्डवाः प्लवाः । तथा पुंस्कोकिलाः क्रौञ्चा विसंज्ञा भेजिरे दिशः ॥ ४३ ॥
Chakravakas, datyuhas, swans, karandavas, plavas, male cuckoos and curlews, senseless with fright, fled in all directions.
तेन शब्देन वित्रस्तैराकाशं पक्षिभिर्वृतम् । मनुष्यैरावृता भूमिरुभयं प्रबभौ तदा ॥ ४४ ॥
With the birds frightened by that sound, the sky was covered, and the earth covered with men; both then shone.
ततस्तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं यशस्विनमरिन्दमम् । आसीनं स्थण्डिले रामं ददर्श सहसा जनः ॥ ४५ ॥
Then the people suddenly saw that tiger among men, glorious Rama, tamer of foes, sitting on the bare ground.
विगर्हमाणः कैकेयीं सहितो मन्थरामपि । अभिगम्य जनो रामं बाष्पपूर्णमुखो ऽभवत् ॥ ४६ ॥
Reviling Kaikeyi, and Manthara with her, the people approached Rama and became tear-faced.
तान्नरान् बाष्पपूर्णाक्षान् समीक्ष्याथ सुदुःखितान् । पर्य्यष्वजत धर्मज्ञः पितृवन्मातृवच्च सः ॥ ४७ ॥
Seeing those men, their eyes full of tears, deeply grieved, the knower of dharma embraced them like a father and like a mother.
स तत्र कांच्चित् परिषस्वजे नरान्नराश्च केचित्तु तमभ्यवादयन् । चकार सर्वान् सवयस्य बान्धवान् यथार्हमासाद्य तदा नृपात्मजः ॥ ४८ ॥
There the prince embraced some men, and some men saluted him; he then treated all his companions and kin as each deserved.
स तत्र तेषां रुदतां महात्मनां भुवं च खं चानुनिनादयन् स्वनः । गुहा गिरीणां च दिशश्च सन्ततं मृदङ्गघोषप्रतिमः प्रशुश्रुवे ॥ ४९ ॥
The sound of those great souls weeping there, making the earth and sky resound, was heard continually in the caves of the mountains and in the directions, like the sound of mridangas.