Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 23 of 119 · 41 verses
Lakshmana on Human Effort
Hearing Rama, Lakshmana stands with his head bowed, torn between dejection and delight; then, knitting his brows, he hisses like an angry snake in its hole, his face like an enraged lion’s, tossing his hand as an elephant tosses its trunk, and, looking sideways at his brother, says: “This great agitation of yours is misplaced, from fear of a fault in dharma and of people’s opinion. How can a bull among kshatriyas, a hero, praise this feeble, powerless fate? How can you not suspect those two sinners? There are people who hide behind dharma. If they had not planned this, the boon would have been given long ago. I cannot bear the consecration of anyone but you, which the world hates; forgive me. I hate this dharma that has split your mind and bewildered you. How can you, able as you are, do the unrighteous word of a father who is in Kaikeyi’s power?
“Only the weak and feeble follow fate; heroes who respect themselves do not worship it. A man who can check fate by his own effort does not sink when fate ruins his aims. Today people will see the strength of fate and of a man; today they will see fate struck down by my effort, as I turn back a rutting elephant that has broken its goad. Not all the guardians of the world could stop Rama’s consecration today, much less our father. Those who plotted your exile will live in the forest fourteen years themselves. I will burn the hope of father and of that woman who wants her son’s rule. Kings of old went to the forest after a thousand years, entrusting their people to their sons; that is when a king goes to the forest. If you fear unrest, I swear: let me not reach the heroes’ heaven if I do not guard your kingdom as the shore guards the ocean. Be consecrated; I alone am enough to hold back all the kings by force. These arms are not for ornament, nor my bow for decoration, nor my sword for wearing, nor my arrows to stand idle; all four are for crushing enemies. I will make the earth impassable with the heads and limbs of men, horses and elephants. Who could call himself a man while I stand with finger-guards on and bow in hand? Tell me which enemy of yours I should part today from life, fame and friends. Command me; I am your servant.” Rama wipes Lakshmana’s tears, soothes him again and again, and says: “Know that I abide by our parents’ word. This, gentle one, is the good path.”
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इति ब्रुवति रामे तु लक्ष्मणोऽवाक् शिरा इव । ध्यात्वा मध्यं जगामाशु सहसा दैन्यहर्षयोः ॥ १ ॥
As Rama spoke so, Lakshmana, as if with his head bowed, reflecting, quickly fell into a state between dejection and delight.
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Lakshmana on Human Effort 1 min read.
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तदा तु बद्ध्वा भ्रुकुटीं भ्रुवोर्मध्ये नरर्षभः । निशश्वास महासर्पो बिलस्थ इव रोषितः ॥ २ ॥
Then, knitting his brows between his eyes, the bull among men hissed like a great snake enraged in its hole.
तस्य दुष्प्रतिवीक्ष्यं तद् भ्रुकुटीसहितं तदा । बभौ क्रुद्धस्य सिंहस्य मुखस्य सदृशं मुखम् ॥ ३ ॥
His face then, with its frown, hard to look at, looked like the face of an angry lion.
अग्रहस्तं विधुन्वंस्तु हस्ती हस्तमिवात्मनः । तिर्यगूर्ध्वं शरीरे च पातयित्वा शिरोधराम् ॥ ४ ॥
अग्राक्ष्णा वीक्षमाणस्तु तिर्यग्भ्रातरमब्रवीत् । अस्थाने सम्भ्रमो यस्य जातो वै सुमहानयम् ॥ ५ ॥
Tossing the tip of his hand as an elephant tosses its own trunk, bending his neck sideways and up over his body, looking sidelong with the corner of his eye, he said to his brother: “This very great agitation of yours has arisen out of place,
धर्मदोषप्रसङ्गेन लोकस्यानतिशङ्कया । कथं ह्येतदसम्भ्रान्तस्त्वद्विधो वक्तुमर्हति ॥ ६ ॥
“from the possibility of a fault in dharma and from fear of the people. How can one like you, unagitated, say this?
यथा ह्येवमशौण्डीरं शौण्डीरः क्षत्रियर्षभः । किं नाम कृपणं दैवमशक्तमभिशंससि ॥ ७ ॥
“How can you, a hero, a bull among kshatriyas, praise this unheroic thing, wretched, powerless fate?
पापयोस्ते कथं नाम तयोः शङ्का न विद्यते । सन्ति धर्मोपधासक्ता धर्मात्मन् किं न बुध्यसे ॥ ८ ॥
“How can you have no suspicion of those two sinners? There are people attached to a pretence of dharma, righteous one; do you not see it?
तयोः सुचरितं स्वार्थं शाठ्यात् परिजिहीर्षतोः । यदि नैवं व्यवसितं स्याद्धि प्रागेव राघव । तयोः प्रागेव दत्तश्च स्याद् वरः प्रकृतश्च सः ॥ ९ ॥
“They are trying through deceit to take away your good conduct for their own gain. If this had not been planned before, Raghava, the boon would have been given earlier, and the matter dealt with then.
लोकविद्विष्टमारब्धं त्वदन्यस्याभिषेचनम् । नोत्सहे सहितुं वीर तत्र मे क्षन्तुमर्हसि ॥ १० ॥
“I cannot bear the consecration of anyone other than you, which the world hates, hero; you should forgive me for this.
येनैवमागता द्वैधं तव बुद्धिर्महामते । सोऽपि धर्मो मम द्वेष्यो यत्प्रसङ्गाद् विमुह्यसि ॥ ११ ॥
“That dharma by which your mind has become divided, great-minded one, by whose influence you are bewildered, is hateful to me.
कथं त्वं कर्मणा शक्तः कैकेयीवशवर्तिनः । करिष्यसि पितुर्वाक्यमधर्मिष्ठं विगर्हितम् ॥ १२ ॥
“How can you, who are able, by your action carry out the most unrighteous, condemned word of a father who is in Kaikeyi’s power?
यदयं किल्बिषाद् भेदः कृतोऽप्येवं न गृह्यते । जायते तत्र मे दुःखं धर्मसङ्गश्च गर्हितः ॥ १३ ॥
“That this breach caused by wickedness is not taken as such: that is what grieves me, and such attachment to dharma is blameworthy.
तवायं धर्मसंयोगो लोकस्यास्य विगर्हितः । मनसापि कथं कामं कुर्यात् त्वां कामवृत्तयोः । तयोस्त्वहितयोर्नित्यं शत्र्वोः पित्रभिधानयोः ॥ १४ ॥
“This union of yours with dharma is condemned by this world. How could you, even in thought, do the wish of those two who live by desire, always hostile, enemies named father and mother?
यद्यपि प्रतिपत्तिस्ते दैवी चापि तयोर्मतम् । तथाप्युपेक्षणीयं ते न मे तदपि रोचते ॥ १५ ॥
“Even if this course of yours is fated, and their plan too, still you should disregard it; I do not like it either.
विक्लवो वीर्यहीनो यः स दैवमनुवर्तते । वीराः सम्भावितात्मानो न दैवं पर्युपासते ॥ १६ ॥
“The one who follows fate is feeble and without valour. Heroes who respect themselves do not worship fate.
दैवं पुरुषकारेण यः समर्थः प्रबाधितुम् । न दैवेन विपन्नार्थः पुरुषः सोऽवसीदति ॥ १७ ॥
“The man who is able to check fate by human effort does not sink down, though his aims are thwarted by fate.
द्रक्ष्यन्ति त्वद्य दैवस्य पौरुषं पुरुषस्य च । दैवमानुषयोरद्य व्यक्ता व्यक्तिर्भविष्यति ॥ १८ ॥
“Today they will see the power of fate and of a man; today the difference between fate and man will be made clear.
अद्य मे पौरुषहतं दैवं द्रक्ष्यन्ति वै जनाः । यैर्दैवादाहतं तेऽद्य दृष्टं राज्याभिषेचनम् ॥ १९ ॥
“Today the people will see fate struck down by my effort, those by whom your royal consecration was seen struck down by fate.
अत्यङ्कुशमिवोद्दामं गजं मदजलोद्धतम् । प्रधावितमहं दैवं पौरुषेण निवर्तये ॥ २० ॥
“Like an unbridled elephant beyond the goad, maddened with rut, rushing forward, I will turn back fate by my effort.
लोकपालाः समस्तास्ते नाद्य रामाभिषेचनम् । न च कृत्स्नास्त्रयो लोका विहन्युः किं पुनः पिता ॥ २१ ॥
“Not all the guardians of the worlds could prevent Rama’s consecration today, nor the whole three worlds; how much less our father.
यैर्विवासस्तवारण्ये मिथो राजन् समर्थितः । अरण्ये ते विवत्स्यन्ति चतुर्दश समास्तथा ॥ २२ ॥
“Those who agreed together on your exile to the forest, king, will themselves live in the forest for fourteen years.
अहं तदाशां धक्ष्यामि पितुस्तस्याश्च या तव । अभिषेकविघातेन पुत्रराज्याय वर्तते ॥ २३ ॥
“I will burn up that hope of our father and of hers, who is set on her son’s rule by blocking your consecration.
मद्बलेन विरुद्धाय न स्याद् दैवबलं तथा । प्रभविष्यति दुःखाय यथोग्रं पौरुषं मम ॥ २४ ॥
“The power of fate will not prove such, against one opposed by my strength, as my fierce effort will prove for their sorrow.
ऊर्ध्वं वर्षसहस्रान्ते प्रजापाल्यमनन्तरम् । आर्यपुत्राः करिष्यन्ति वनवासं गते त्वयि ॥ २५ ॥
“After a thousand years, and after protecting the people, the sons of noble men will go to live in the forest once you have gone.
पूर्वराजर्षिवृत्त्या हि वनवासोऽभिधीयते । प्रजा निक्षिप्य पुत्रेषु पुत्रवत् परिपालने ॥ २६ ॥
“For living in the forest is prescribed by the conduct of the royal sages of old, after entrusting their people to their sons, to be cared for as children.
स चेद् राजन्यनेकाग्रे राज्यविभ्रमशङ्कया । नैवमिच्छसि धर्मात्मन् राज्यं राम त्वमात्मनि ॥ २७ ॥
“If, righteous one, with the king not single-minded, you do not want the kingdom in yourself, Rama, out of fear of unrest in the kingdom,
प्रतिजाने च ते वीर मा भूवं वीरलोकभाक् । राज्यं च तव रक्षेयमहं वेलेव सागरम् ॥ २८ ॥
“I promise you, hero, may I never share the world of heroes if I do not guard your kingdom as the shore guards the ocean.
मङ्गलैरभिषिञ्चस्व तत्र त्वं व्यापृतो भव । अहमेको महीपालानलं वारयितुं बलात् ॥ २९ ॥
“Have yourself consecrated with the auspicious rites; be busy with that. I alone am enough to hold back the kings by force.
न शोभार्थाविमौ बाहू न धनुर्भूषणाय मे । नासिराबन्धनार्थाय न शराः स्तम्भहेतवः ॥ ३० ॥
“These two arms are not for beauty, nor is my bow for ornament; my sword is not for wearing, nor are my arrows for standing idle:
अमित्रमथनार्थाय सर्वमेतच्चतुष्टयम् । न चाहं कामयेऽत्यर्थं यः स्याच्छत्रुर्मतो मम ॥ ३१ ॥
“all these four are for crushing enemies. And I do not much care for anyone who is reckoned my enemy.
असिना तीक्ष्णधारेण विद्युच्चलितवर्चसा । प्रगृहीतेन वै शत्रुं वज्रिणं वा न कल्पये ॥ ३२ ॥
“With my sharp-edged sword, flashing like lightning, held in my hand, I take no account of any enemy, even the thunderbolt-bearer.
खड्गनिष्पेषनिष्पिष्टैर्गहना दुश्चरा च मे । हस्त्यश्वरथिहस्तोरुशिरोभिर्भविता मही ॥ ३३ ॥
“The earth will become dense and impassable for me with the trunks, thighs and heads of elephants, horses and charioteers, crushed by the grinding of my sword.
खड्गधाराहता मेऽद्य दीप्यमाना इवाग्नयः । पतिष्यन्ति द्विषो भूमौ मेघा इव सविद्युतः ॥ ३४ ॥
“Struck by the edge of my sword today, my enemies will fall to the ground like blazing fires, like clouds with lightning.
बद्धगोधाङ्गुलित्राणे प्रगृहीतशरासने । कथं पुरुषमानी स्यात् पुरुषाणां मयि स्थिते ॥ ३५ ॥
“With my lizard-skin finger-guard bound on and my bow taken up, how could any man think himself a man while I stand among men?
बहुभिश्चैकमत्यस्यन्नेकेन च बहूञ्जनान् । विनियोक्ष्याम्यहं बाणान्नृवाजिगजमर्मसु ॥ ३६ ॥
“Shooting one man with many arrows and many men with one, I will set my arrows into the vitals of men, horses and elephants.
अद्य मेऽस्त्रप्रभावस्य प्रभावः प्रभविष्यति । राज्ञश्चाप्रभुतां कर्तुं प्रभुत्वं च तव प्रभो ॥ ३७ ॥
“Today the power of my mastery of weapons will prevail, to make the king powerless and to make you lord, lord.
अद्य चन्दनसारस्य केयूरामोक्षणस्य च । वसूनां च विमोक्षस्य सुहृदां पालनस्य च ॥ ३८ ॥
अनुरूपाविमौ बाहू राम कर्म करिष्यतः । अभिषेचनविघ्नस्य कर्तॄणां ते निवारणे ॥ ३९ ॥
“Today, Rama, these two arms, fit for sandal paste, for wearing armlets, for giving away wealth and for protecting friends, will do work fitting for them, in holding back those who obstruct your consecration.
ब्रवीहि कोऽद्यैव मया वियुज्यतां तवासुहृत् प्राणयशःसुहृज्जनैः । यथा तवेयं वसुधा वशा भवेत् तथैव मां शाधि तवास्मि किंकरः ॥ ४० ॥
“Tell me: which enemy of yours shall be parted from me today from life, fame and friends? Command me so that this earth may come under your power; I am your servant.”
विमृज्य बाष्पं परिसान्त्व्य चासकृत् स लक्ष्मणं राघववंशवर्धनः । उवाच पित्रोर्वचने व्यवस्थितं निबोध मामेष हि सौम्य सत्पथः ॥ ४१ ॥
Wiping away his tears and comforting Lakshmana again and again, the increaser of the Raghu line said: “Know that I stand firm in our parents’ word. This, gentle one, is the good path.”