Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 21 of 119 · 64 verses
Lakshmana’s Fury, Rama’s Dharma
Lakshmana speaks up: “I don’t accept this either, that Raghava should give up royal fortune and go to the forest at a woman’s word. The king is perverse, old and overcome by his senses; what would a lustful man not say when urged? I see no fault in Rama for which he should be banished; no one in the world, not even an enemy, would name one. What son would honour this order of a king who has gone back to childhood? Before anyone learns of this, take power yourself, with me beside you with my bow; who could stand against you? If anyone resists, I will empty Ayodhya with my arrows. I will kill all of Bharata’s party; gentleness is despised. If our father, urged by Kaikeyi, acts as an enemy, let him be killed without hesitation. Even a guru who is arrogant and does not know right from wrong must be restrained. Mother, I swear by truth and my bow: if Rama enters fire or forest, know that I have entered it first. I will kill our old father, attached to Kaikeyi, wretched, in his second childhood.”
Kausalya, weeping, tells Rama: “You have heard your brother. Do what you think right. Don’t leave me grieving because of my co-wife’s unrighteous words. You want to practise dharma: serve me here. Kashyapa reached heaven by serving his mother at home. I am your guru as much as the king; I do not permit you to go. If you go, I will fast to death, and you will reach hell.”
Rama answers with dharma: “I have no power to transgress my father’s word. I bow my head to you; I wish to go. The sage Kandu killed a cow at his father’s word; Sagara’s sons dug the earth and died at their father’s order; Parashurama cut down his own mother with an axe at his father’s command. I am not starting a new dharma; I follow the path of my forebears.” To Lakshmana: “I know your love, valour and power. But dharma is highest in the world, and truth rests on dharma. Having promised a father, mother or brahmana, one must not make it false. Give up this ignoble thought; take refuge in dharma, not harshness; follow my judgement.” To his mother: “Give me leave; I adjure you by my life. Bless my journey; I will come back like Yayati returning to heaven. You, I, Sita, Lakshmana and Sumitra must all abide by father’s command; that is the eternal dharma. Dharma, wealth and pleasure: where they conflict, choose dharma. While the king, our dharma-king, lives and walks his path, how could you leave him and come with me, like a widow? I will not put fame behind me for a kingdom; life is short, and I will not take the earth through adharma.” He walks around his mother in reverence.
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तथा तु विलपन्तीं तां कौसल्यां राममातरम् । उवाच लक्ष्मणो दीनस्तत्कालसदृशं वचः ॥ १ ॥
To Kausalya, Rama’s mother, lamenting so, Lakshmana, downcast, spoke words fitting the moment:
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Lakshmana’s Fury, Rama’s Dharma 1 min read.
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न रोचते ममाप्येतदार्ये यद् राघवो वनम् । त्यक्त्वा राज्यश्रियं गच्छेत् स्त्रिया वाक्यवशंगतः ॥ २ ॥
“I do not like it either, noble lady, that Raghava should abandon the fortune of the kingdom and go to the forest, controlled by a woman’s words.
विपरीतश्च वृद्धश्च विषयैश्च प्रधर्षितः । नृपः किमिव न ब्रूयाच्चोद्यमानः समन्मथः ॥ ३ ॥
“Perverse, old and overpowered by the objects of sense, what would the king not say when urged, full of desire?
नास्यापराधं पश्यामि नापि दोषं तथाविधम् । येन निर्वास्यते राष्ट्राद् वनवासाय राघवः ॥ ४ ॥
“I see no offence in him, and no such fault, for which Raghava should be banished from the kingdom to live in the forest.
न तं पश्याम्यहं लोके परोक्षमपि यो नरः । स्वमित्रोऽपि निरस्तोऽपि योऽस्य दोषमुदाहरेत् ॥ ५ ॥
“I see no man in the world, even out of sight, even an enemy cast out, who could mention a fault in him.
देवकल्पमृजुं दान्तं रिपूणामपि वत्सलम् । अवेक्षमाणः को धर्मं त्यजेत् पुत्रमकारणात् ॥ ६ ॥
“Who, having regard for dharma, would abandon without cause a son who is godlike, straightforward, self-controlled and kind even to enemies?
तदिदं वचनं राज्ञः पुनर्बाल्यमुपेयुषः । पुत्रः को हृदये कुर्याद् राजवृत्तमनुस्मरन् ॥ ७ ॥
“What son, remembering the conduct of kings, would take to heart these words of a king who has gone back to childhood?
यावदेव न जानाति कश्चिदर्थमिमं नरः । तावदेव मया सार्धमात्मस्थं कुरु शासनम् ॥ ८ ॥
“Before any man learns of this matter, take the rule into your own hands, with me.
मया पार्श्वे सधनुषा तव गुप्तस्य राघव । कः समर्थोऽधिकं कर्तुं कृतान्तस्येव तिष्ठतः ॥ ९ ॥
“With me at your side with my bow, Raghava, protecting you as you stand like Death, who would be able to do more?
निर्मनुष्यामिमां सर्वामयोध्यां मनुजर्षभ । करिष्यामि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्यदि स्थास्यति विप्रिये ॥ १० ॥
“I will empty this whole Ayodhya of men with sharp arrows, bull among men, if it stands against us.
भरतस्याथ पक्ष्यो वा यो वास्य हितमिच्छति । सर्वांस्तांश्च वधिष्यामि मृदुर्हि परिभूयते ॥ ११ ॥
“Whoever is of Bharata’s party, or wishes him well, I will kill them all; the gentle are despised.
प्रोत्साहितोऽयं कैकेय्या संतुष्टो यदि नः पिता । अमित्रभूतो निःसङ्गं वध्यतां वध्यतामपि ॥ १२ ॥
“If our father, urged by Kaikeyi and pleased with her, has become an enemy, let him be killed without hesitation, yes, killed.
गुरोरप्यवलिप्तस्य कार्याकार्यमजानतः । उत्पथं प्रतिपन्नस्य कार्यं भवति शासनम् ॥ १३ ॥
“Even a guru, if he is arrogant, does not know what should and should not be done, and has taken the wrong path, must be restrained.
बलमेष किमाश्रित्य हेतुं वा पुरुषोत्तम । दातुमिच्छति कैकेय्यै उपस्थितमिदं तव ॥ १४ ॥
“On what strength or reason does he rely, best of men, in wishing to give Kaikeyi what has come to you?
त्वया चैव मया चैव कृत्वा वैरमनुत्तमम् । कास्य शक्तिः श्रियं दातुं भरतायारिशासन ॥ १५ ॥
“Having made the bitterest enmity with you and me, what power has he to give the royal fortune to Bharata, subduer of enemies?
अनुरक्तोऽस्मि भावेन भ्रातरं देवि तत्त्वतः । सत्येन धनुषा चैव दत्तेनेष्टेन ते शपे ॥ १६ ॥
“I am devoted to my brother in my heart, queen, truly. I swear to you by truth, by my bow, by gifts and by sacrifice:
दीप्तमग्निमरण्यं वा यदि रामः प्रवेक्ष्यति । प्रविष्टं तत्र मां देवि त्वं पूर्वमवधारय ॥ १७ ॥
“if Rama enters blazing fire or the forest, queen, know that I have entered it before him.
हरामि वीर्याद् दुःखं ते तमः सूर्य इवोदितः । देवी पश्यतु मे वीर्यं राघवश्चैव पश्यतु ॥ १८ ॥
“I will drive away your sorrow by my valour, as the risen sun the darkness. Let the queen see my valour, and let Raghava see it.
हनिष्ये पितरं वृद्धं कैकेय्यासक्तमानसम् । कृपणं च स्थितं बाल्ये वृद्धभावेन गर्हितम् ॥ १९ ॥
“I will kill our old father, whose mind is attached to Kaikeyi, wretched, gone back to childhood, despised for his old age.”
एतत् तु वचनं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणस्य महात्मनः । उवाच रामं कौसल्या रुदती शोकलालसा ॥ २० ॥
Hearing these words of great-souled Lakshmana, Kausalya, weeping, consumed by grief, said to Rama:
भ्रातुस्ते वदतः पुत्र लक्ष्मणस्य श्रुतं त्वया । यदत्रानन्तरं तत्त्वं कुरुष्व यदि रोचते ॥ २१ ॥
“You have heard what your brother Lakshmana says, my son. Do what follows from it, if it pleases you.
न चाधर्म्यं वचः श्रुत्वा सपत्न्या मम भाषितम् । विहाय शोकसंतप्तां गन्तुमर्हसि मामितः ॥ २२ ॥
“Having heard the unrighteous words spoken by my co-wife, you should not leave me, burning with grief, and go from here.
धर्मज्ञ इति धर्मिष्ठ धर्मं चरितुमिच्छसि । शुश्रूष मामिहस्थस्त्वं चर धर्ममनुत्तमम् ॥ २३ ॥
“You know dharma, most righteous one, and wish to practise dharma: stay here and serve me; practise the highest dharma.
शुश्रूषुर्जननीं पुत्र स्वगृहे नियतो वसन् । परेण तपसा युक्तः काश्यपस्त्रिदिवं गतः ॥ २४ ॥
“Serving his mother, living disciplined in his own home, Kashyapa, joined with supreme austerity, went to heaven, my son.
यथैव राजा पूज्यस्ते गौरवेण तथा ह्यहम् । त्वां साहं नानुजानामि न गन्तव्यमितो वनम् ॥ २५ ॥
“As the king is to be honoured by you with respect, so am I. I do not permit you; you must not go from here to the forest.
त्वद्वियोगान्न मे कार्यं जीवितेन सुखेन च । त्वया सह मम श्रेयस्तृणानामपि भक्षणम् ॥ २६ ॥
“Parted from you, I have no use for life or happiness; with you, even eating grass is good for me.
यदि त्वं यास्यसि वनं त्यक्त्वा मां शोकलालसाम् । अहं प्रायमिहासिष्ये न च शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम् ॥ २७ ॥
“If you go to the forest, leaving me consumed by grief, I will sit here fasting to death; I will not be able to live.
ततस्त्वं प्राप्स्यसे पुत्र निरयं लोकविश्रुतम् । ब्रह्महत्यामिवाधर्मात् समुद्रः सरितां पतिः ॥ २८ ॥
“Then you will reach a hell famous in the world, my son, through adharma, like the ocean, lord of rivers, through the killing of a brahmana.”
विलपन्तीं तथा दीनां कौसल्यां जननीं ततः । उवाच रामो धर्मात्मा वचनं धर्मसंहितम् ॥ २९ ॥
To his mother Kausalya, lamenting so wretchedly, righteous Rama then spoke words full of dharma:
नास्ति शक्तिः पितुर्वाक्यं समतिक्रमितुं मम । प्रसादये त्वां शिरसा गन्तुमिच्छाम्यहं वनम् ॥ ३० ॥
“I have no power to transgress my father’s word. I propitiate you with my head bowed; I wish to go to the forest.
ऋषिणा च पितुर्वाक्यं कुर्वता वनचारिणा । गौर्हता जानताधर्मं कण्डुना च विपश्चिता ॥ ३१ ॥
“The wise sage Kandu, a forest-dweller, doing his father’s word, killed a cow, knowing it to be adharma.
अस्माकं तु कुले पूर्वं सगरस्याज्ञया पितुः । खनद्भिः सागरैर्भूमिमवाप्तः सुमहान् वधः ॥ ३२ ॥
“And in our own family long ago, the sons of Sagara, digging the earth at their father’s command, met a very great death.
जामदग्न्येन रामेण रेणुका जननी स्वयम् । कृत्ता परशुनारण्ये पितुर्वचनकारणात् ॥ ३३ ॥
“Rama, son of Jamadagni, himself cut down his mother Renuka with an axe in the forest because of his father’s word.
एतैरन्यैश्च बहुभिर्देवि देवसमैः कृतम् । पितुर्वचनमक्लीबं करिष्यामि पितुर्हितम् ॥ ३४ ॥
“These and many others, godlike, have done this, queen. I will do my father’s word resolutely, for my father’s good.
न खल्वेतन्मयैकेन क्रियते पितृशासनम् । एतैरपि कृतं देवि ये मया परिकीर्तिताः ॥ ३५ ॥
“This obedience to a father’s command is not done by me alone, queen; those I have named have done it too.
नाहं धर्ममपूर्वं ते प्रतिकूलं प्रवर्तये । पूर्वैरयमभिप्रेतो गतो मार्गोऽनुगम्यते ॥ ३६ ॥
“I am not starting a new dharma contrary to you; I follow the path desired and walked by those before.
तदेतत् तु मया कार्यं क्रियते भुवि नान्यथा । पितुर्हि वचनं कुर्वन् न कश्चिन्नाम हीयते ॥ ३७ ॥
“So I must do this; on earth it is not done otherwise. One who does his father’s word is not diminished at all.”
तामेवमुक्त्वा जननीं लक्ष्मणं पुनरब्रवीत् । वाक्यं वाक्यविदां श्रेष्ठः श्रेष्ठः सर्वधनुष्मताम् ॥ ३८ ॥
Having said this to his mother, the best of speakers, best of all archers, spoke again to Lakshmana:
तव लक्ष्मण जानामि मयि स्नेहमनुत्तमम् । विक्रमं चैव सत्त्वं च तेजश्च सुदुरासदम् ॥ ३९ ॥
“Lakshmana, I know your supreme love for me, your valour, your strength and your unassailable energy.
मम मातुर्महद् दुःखमतुलं शुभलक्षण । अभिप्रायं न विज्ञाय सत्यस्य च शमस्य च ॥ ४० ॥
“My mother’s grief is great and beyond compare, auspicious one, because she does not understand my intention about truth and calm.
धर्मो हि परमो लोके धर्मे सत्यं प्रतिष्ठितम् । धर्मसंश्रितमप्येतत् पितुर्वचनमुत्तमम् ॥ ४१ ॥
“Dharma is supreme in the world; truth rests on dharma. This excellent word of my father is founded on dharma.
संश्रुत्य च पितुर्वाक्यं मातुर्वा ब्राह्मणस्य वा । न कर्तव्यं वृथा वीर धर्ममाश्रित्य तिष्ठता ॥ ४२ ॥
“Having promised the word of a father, a mother or a brahmana, one who stands on dharma must not make it vain, hero.
सोऽहं न शक्ष्यामि पुनर्नियोगमतिवर्तितुम् । पितुर्हि वचनाद् वीर कैकेय्याहं प्रचोदितः ॥ ४३ ॥
“So I cannot transgress the command. For by my father’s word, hero, I have been urged by Kaikeyi.
तदेतां विसृजानार्यां क्षत्रधर्माश्रितां मतिम् । धर्ममाश्रय मा तैक्ष्ण्यं मद्बुद्धिरनुगम्यताम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“So give up this ignoble thought founded on the kshatriya’s harshness. Take refuge in dharma, not sharpness; follow my judgement.”
तमेवमुक्त्वा सौहार्दाद् भ्रातरं लक्ष्मणाग्रजः । उवाच भूयः कौसल्यां प्राञ्जलिः शिरसा नतः ॥ ४५ ॥
Having said this to his brother out of affection, Lakshmana’s elder brother, with joined palms and head bowed, spoke again to Kausalya:
अनुमन्यस्व मां देवि गमिष्यन्तमितो वनम् । शापितासि मम प्राणैः कुरु स्वस्त्ययनानि मे ॥ ४६ ॥
“Give me your consent, queen, as I go from here to the forest. I adjure you by my life: perform the rites for my safe journey.
तीर्णप्रतिज्ञश्च वनात् पुनरेष्याम्यहं पुरीम् । ययातिरिव राजर्षिः पुरा हित्वा पुनर्दिवम् ॥ ४७ ॥
“Having fulfilled the promise, I will return from the forest to the city, as the royal sage Yayati once left and returned to heaven.
शोकः संधार्यतां मातर्हृदये साधु मा शुचः । वनवासादिहैष्यामि पुनः कृत्वा पितुर्वचः ॥ ४८ ॥
“Hold your grief in your heart, mother; do not grieve. Having done my father’s word, I will come back here from living in the forest.
त्वया मया च वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन सुमित्रया । पितुर्नियोगे स्थातव्यमेष धर्मः सनातनः ॥ ४९ ॥
“You, I, Vaidehi, Lakshmana and Sumitra must abide by father’s command; this is the eternal dharma.
अम्ब सम्भृत्य सम्भारान् दुःखं हृदि निगृह्य च । वनवासकृता बुद्धिर्मम धर्म्यानुवर्त्यताम् ॥ ५० ॥
“Mother, gather what is needed and hold your sorrow in your heart; let my righteous decision to live in the forest be followed.”
एतद् वचस्तस्य निशम्य माता सुधर्म्यमव्यग्रमविक्लवं च । मृतेव संज्ञां प्रतिलभ्य देवी समीक्ष्य रामं पुनरित्युवाच ॥ ५१ ॥
Hearing these words of his, righteous, calm and unshaken, his mother, regaining consciousness like one dead, looked at Rama and said again:
यथैव ते पुत्र पिता तथाहं गुरुः स्वधर्मेण सुहृत्तया च । न त्वानुजानामि न मां विहाय सुदुःखितामर्हसि पुत्र गन्तुम् ॥ ५२ ॥
“As your father is, my son, so am I your guru, by my own dharma and by my love. I do not permit you; you should not leave me, so very grieved, and go, my son.
किं जीवितेनेह विना त्वया मे लोकेन वा किं स्वधयामृतेन । श्रेयो मुहूर्तं तव संनिधानं ममैव कृत्स्नादपि जीवलोकात् ॥ ५३ ॥
“What is life here to me without you, or the world, or the ancestral offerings, or nectar? A moment of your presence is better for me than the whole world of the living.”
नरैरिवोल्काभिरपोह्यमानो महागजो ध्वान्तमभिप्रविष्टः । भूयः प्रजज्वाल विलापमेवं निशम्य रामः करुणं जनन्याः ॥ ५४ ॥
Like a great elephant that has entered darkness, being driven off by men with torches, Rama blazed up again on hearing his mother’s pitiful lament.
स मातरं चैव विसंज्ञकल्पा- मार्तं च सौमित्रिमभिप्रतप्तम् । धर्मे स्थितो धर्म्यमुवाच वाक्यं यथा स एवार्हति तत्र वक्तुम् ॥ ५५ ॥
To his mother, nearly unconscious, and to Saumitri, afflicted and burning, he, steadfast in dharma, spoke righteous words, as he alone could speak there:
अहं हि ते लक्ष्मण नित्यमेव जानामि भक्तिं च पराक्रमं च । मम त्वभिप्रायमसंनिरीक्ष्य मात्रा सहाभ्यर्दसि मा सुदुःखम् ॥ ५६ ॥
“Lakshmana, I always know your devotion and your valour. But without looking at my intention, you, with my mother, cause me great sorrow.
धर्मार्थकामाः खलु जीवलोके समीक्षिता धर्मफलोदयेषु । ये तत्र सर्वे स्युरसंशयं मे भार्येव वश्याभिमता सपुत्रा ॥ ५७ ॥
“Dharma, wealth and pleasure are seen in the world of the living where dharma bears fruit. Where all three are present, it is without doubt for me like a devoted, beloved wife with a son.
यस्मिंस्तु सर्वे स्युरसंनिविष्टा धर्मो यतः स्यात् तदुपक्रमेत । द्वेष्यो भवत्यर्थपरो हि लोके कामात्मता खल्वपि न प्रशस्ता ॥ ५८ ॥
“But in a matter where they are not all present together, one should undertake that from which dharma comes. One devoted only to wealth is hated in the world, and a nature given over to pleasure is not praised either.
गुरुश्च राजा च पिता च वृद्धः क्रोधात् प्रहर्षादथवापि कामात् । यद् व्यादिशेत् कार्यमवेक्ष्य धर्मं कस्तं न कुर्यादनृशंसवृत्तिः ॥ ५९ ॥
“Guru, king, father and elder: whatever task he commands, from anger, joy or desire, who of uncruel conduct, regarding dharma, would not do it?
न तेन शक्नोमि पितुः प्रतिज्ञा- मिमां न कर्तुं सकलां यथावत् । स ह्यावयोस्तात गुरुर्नियोगे देव्याश्च भर्ता स गतिश्च धर्मः ॥ ६० ॥
“So I cannot fail to fulfil this whole promise of my father as it stands. For he is the guru of us both in command, and the queen’s husband, her way and her dharma.
तस्मिन् पुनर्जीवति धर्मराजे विशेषतः स्वे पथि वर्तमाने । देवी मया सार्धमितोऽभिगच्छेत् कथंस्विदन्या विधवेव नारी ॥ ६१ ॥
“While he, the king of dharma, lives, and especially while he walks in his own path, how could the queen go from here with me, like some other woman, a widow?
सा मानुमन्यस्व वनं व्रजन्तं कुरुष्व नः स्वस्त्ययनानि देवि । यथा समाप्ते पुनराव्रजेयं यथा हि सत्येन पुनर्ययातिः ॥ ६२ ॥
“So, queen, consent to my going to the forest; perform the rites for our safe journey, so that I may return when it is over, as Yayati returned by truth.
यशो ह्यहं केवलराज्यकारणा- न्न पृष्ठतः कर्तुमलं महोदयम् । अदीर्घकालेन तु देवि जीविते वृणेऽवरामद्य महीमधर्मतः ॥ ६३ ॥
“I cannot put behind me great fame for the sake of a mere kingdom. Life is short, queen; I would not choose today a lesser earth by adharma.”
प्रसादयन्नरवृषभः स मातरं पराक्रमाज्जिगमिषुरेव दण्डकान् । अथानुजं भृशमनुशास्य दर्शनं चकार तां हृदि जननीं प्रदक्षिणम् ॥ ६४ ॥
So, propitiating his mother, the bull among men, wishing to go to Dandaka by his own valour, having firmly instructed his younger brother, walked around his mother in reverence, holding her in his heart.