Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 34 of 119 · 61 verses
Rama Takes Leave of His Father
Sumantra goes in and finds the king sighing, his senses clouded with grief, like the eclipsed sun, a fire under ash, a pond without water. He tells him Rama waits at the door, having given his wealth away, to see him before going to the forest. The king, deep as the ocean and clear as the sky, says: “Bring all my wives; I want to see Raghava surrounded by them.” Three hundred and fifty queens with copper-coloured eyes come, surrounding Kausalya. Then Rama, Lakshmana and Sita are brought in. Seeing his son coming with joined palms, the king leaps up and runs toward him, but falls senseless before he reaches him. Rama and Lakshmana rush to him; a thousand women cry “Ha Rama!” with the jangling of their ornaments; weeping, the brothers and Sita lift him onto his couch.
When the king recovers, Rama says with joined palms: “Great king, I take leave of you; you are lord of us all. See me off safely to Dandaka. Give leave to Lakshmana and to Sita to follow me; for many good reasons I tried to stop them, but they will not stay. Put aside grief and let all of us go, as Prajapati sends forth his children.” The king says: “Raghava, I have been deluded by the boon I gave Kaikeyi. Seize me and be king in Ayodhya yourself today.” Rama answers: “You are lord of the earth for a thousand years. I will live in the forest; I do not want the kingdom. After fourteen years I will clasp your feet again.” Weeping, bound by the noose of truth and urged secretly by Kaikeyi, the king says: “Go safely, for your good, your growth and your return, on a path free of fear. Your mind cannot be turned back from truth and dharma. But do not go tonight; stay one night, let me see you a day longer, and your mother; tomorrow at dawn go, satisfied in every wish. You do a hard thing for my sake. This is not what I want, I swear; I have been moved by a woman like fire hidden under ash. You want to rescue me from the deceit she has worked. It is no wonder that you, my eldest, want to keep your father from falsehood.”
Rama, with Lakshmana, says: “Who will give me tomorrow the comforts I would have today? I choose departure above every pleasure. Give this earth, with its kingdom, people, wealth and grain, which I let go, to Bharata. My resolve will not waver. Give Kaikeyi in full the boon you gave in battle and be true, king. I will live fourteen years in the forest with its creatures. I do not want kingdom, pleasure, the earth, heaven or even life; I want you to be true, not false. I cannot stay a moment. Kaikeyi asked me to go, and I said ‘I go’; I will keep that truth. Do not pine for us; we will enjoy the forest, full of calm deer and the songs of many birds. A father is a god even among gods; so I will do my father’s word as a god’s. In fourteen years you will see me again. Why are you, who should steady all these weeping people, so shaken? I will be happy in the forest, eating fruit and roots, seeing mountains, rivers and lakes; may you be at peace.” Hearing this, the king, struck by grief, embraces his son and falls to the ground unconscious and motionless. All the queens weep, except Kaikeyi; Sumantra too faints weeping, and the whole place is filled with cries of woe.
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ततः कमलपत्राक्षः श्यामो निरुपमो महान् । उवाच रामस्तं सूतं पितुराख्याहि मामिति ॥ १ ॥
Then lotus-eyed, dark, matchless, great Rama said to that charioteer: “Announce me to my father.”
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स रामप्रेषितः क्षिप्रं संतापकलुषेन्द्रियम् । प्रविश्य नृपतिं सूतो निःश्वसन्तं ददर्श ह ॥ २ ॥
Sent by Rama, the charioteer quickly entered and saw the king, sighing, his senses clouded with grief,
उपरक्तमिवादित्यं भस्मच्छन्नमिवानलम् । तटाकमिव निस्तोयमपश्यज्जगतीपतिम् ॥ ३ ॥
like the eclipsed sun, like fire covered with ash, like a pond without water: so he saw the lord of the earth.
आबोध्य च महाप्राज्ञः परमाकुलचेतनम् । राममेवानुशोचन्तं सूतः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत् ॥ ४ ॥
The wise charioteer, rousing the king, whose mind was utterly confused and who grieved only for Rama, spoke with joined palms.
तं वर्धयित्वा राजानं पूर्वं सूतो जयाशिषा । भयविक्लवया वाचा मन्दया श्लक्ष्णयाब्रवीत् ॥ ५ ॥
First wishing the king victory with a blessing, the charioteer spoke in a soft, gentle voice shaking with fear:
अयं स पुरुषव्याघ्रो द्वारि तिष्ठति ते सुतः । ब्राह्मणेभ्यो धनं दत्त्वा सर्वं चैवोपजीविनाम् ॥ ६ ॥
“Here is your son, the tiger among men, standing at the door, having given his wealth to brahmanas and to all his dependants.
स त्वां पश्यतु भद्रं ते रामः सत्यपराक्रमः । सर्वान् सुहृद आपृच्छ्य त्वां हीदानीं दिदृक्षते ॥ ७ ॥
“Let Rama, of true valour, see you, bless you. Having taken leave of all his friends, he wishes to see you now.
गमिष्यति महारण्यं तं पश्य जगतीपते । वृतं राजगुणैः सर्वैरादित्यमिव रश्मिभिः ॥ ८ ॥
“He is going to the great forest; see him, lord of the earth, surrounded by every kingly virtue as the sun by its rays.”
स सत्यवाक्यो धर्मात्मा गाम्भीर्यात् सागरोपमः । आकाश इव निष्पङ्को नरेन्द्रः प्रत्युवाच तम् ॥ ९ ॥
The truthful, righteous king, deep as the ocean, clear as the sky, replied to him:
सुमन्त्रानय मे दारान् ये केचिदिह मामकाः । दारैः परिवृतः सर्वैर्द्रष्टुमिच्छामि राघवम् ॥ १० ॥
“Sumantra, bring my wives, all who are mine here. I want to see Raghava surrounded by all my wives.”
सोऽन्तःपुरमतीत्यैव स्त्रियस्ता वाक्यमब्रवीत् । आर्यो ह्वयति वो राजा गम्यतां तत्र मा चिरम् ॥ ११ ॥
Passing quickly into the inner apartments, he said to the women: “The noble king calls you; go there without delay.”
एवमुक्ताः स्त्रियः सर्वाः सुमन्त्रेण नृपाज्ञया । प्रचक्रमुस्तद् भवनं भर्तुराज्ञाय शासनम् ॥ १२ ॥
So addressed by Sumantra at the king’s command, all the women, learning their husband’s order, went to that hall.
अर्धसप्तशतास्तत्र प्रमदास्ताम्रलोचनाः । कौसल्यां परिवार्याथ शनैर्जग्मुर्धृतव्रताः ॥ १३ ॥
Three hundred and fifty women with copper-coloured eyes, firm in their vows, surrounding Kausalya, went there slowly.
आगतेषु च दारेषु समवेक्ष्य महीपतिः । उवाच राजा तं सूतं सुमन्त्रानय मे सुतम् ॥ १४ ॥
When his wives had come, the lord of the earth, looking at them, said to the charioteer: “Sumantra, bring my son.”
स सूतो राममादाय लक्ष्मणं मैथिलीं तथा । जगामाभिमुखस्तूर्णं सकाशं जगतीपतेः ॥ १५ ॥
The charioteer, taking Rama, Lakshmana and Maithili, went quickly into the presence of the lord of the world.
स राजा पुत्रमायान्तं दृष्ट्वा चारात् कृताञ्जलिम् । उत्पपातासनात् तूर्णमार्तः स्त्रीजनसंवृतः ॥ १६ ॥
Seeing his son coming from afar with joined palms, the king, surrounded by women, sprang up quickly from his seat in anguish.
सोऽभिदुद्राव वेगेन रामं दृष्ट्वा विशाम्पतिः । तमसम्प्राप्य दुःखार्तः पपात भुवि मूर्च्छितः ॥ १७ ॥
The lord of the people ran swiftly toward Rama when he saw him, and, stricken with grief, fell fainting to the ground before reaching him.
तं रामोऽभ्यपतत् क्षिप्रं लक्ष्मणश्च महारथः । विसंज्ञमिव दुःखेन सशोकं नृपतिं तथा ॥ १८ ॥
Rama rushed to him quickly, and Lakshmana, the great chariot-warrior, to the king, almost senseless with grief and sorrow.
स्त्रीसहस्रनिनादश्च संजज्ञे राजवेश्मनि । हा हा रामेति सहसा भूषणध्वनिमिश्रितः ॥ १९ ॥
A cry of a thousand women arose in the royal palace, “Ha, ha, Rama!”, suddenly, mingled with the sound of ornaments.
तं परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यां तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ । पर्यङ्के सीतया सार्धं रुदन्तः समवेशयन् ॥ २० ॥
Embracing him with their arms, the two, Rama and Lakshmana, weeping, with Sita, laid him on the couch.
अथ रामो मुहूर्तस्य लब्धसंज्ञं महीपतिम् । उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्बाष्पशोकार्णवपरिप्लुतम् ॥ २१ ॥
Then, when the lord of the earth had regained consciousness after a moment, Rama, with joined palms, said to him, drowned in an ocean of tears and grief:
आपृच्छे त्वां महाराज सर्वेषामीश्वरोऽसि नः । प्रस्थितं दण्डकारण्यं पश्य त्वं कुशलेन माम् ॥ २२ ॥
“I take leave of you, great king; you are the lord of all of us. See me safely off, setting out for the Dandaka forest.
लक्ष्मणं चानुजानीहि सीता चान्वेतु मां वनम् । कारणैर्बहुभिस्तथ्यैर्वार्यमाणौ न चेच्छतः ॥ २३ ॥
“And give leave to Lakshmana, and let Sita follow me to the forest. Though held back for many good reasons, they will not stay.
अनुजानीहि सर्वान् नः शोकमुत्सृज्य मानद । लक्ष्मणं मां च सीतां च प्रजापतिरिवात्मजान् ॥ २४ ॥
“Give leave to all of us, giver of honour, casting off your grief: to Lakshmana, to me and to Sita, as Prajapati to his children.”
प्रतीक्षमाणमव्यग्रमनुज्ञां जगतीपतेः । उवाच राजा सम्प्रेक्ष्य वनवासाय राघवम् ॥ २५ ॥
Looking at Raghava, who waited calmly for the lord of the world’s permission to live in the forest, the king said:
अहं राघव कैकेय्या वरदानेन मोहितः । अयोध्यायां त्वमेवाद्य भव राजा निगृह्य माम् ॥ २६ ॥
“Raghava, I have been deluded by the boon I gave Kaikeyi. Restrain me, and you yourself be king in Ayodhya today.”
एवमुक्तो नृपतिना रामो धर्मभृतां वरः । प्रत्युवाचाञ्जलिं कृत्वा पितरं वाक्यकोविदः ॥ २७ ॥
So addressed by the king, Rama, best of upholders of dharma, skilled in speech, joined his palms and replied to his father:
भवान् वर्षसहस्राय पृथिव्या नृपते पतिः । अहं त्वरण्ये वत्स्यामि न मे राज्यस्य कांक्षिता ॥ २८ ॥
“You, king, are lord of the earth for a thousand years. I will live in the forest; I have no desire for the kingdom.
नव पञ्च च वर्षाणि वनवासे विहृत्य ते । पुनः पादौ ग्रहीष्यामि प्रतिज्ञान्ते नराधिप ॥ २९ ॥
“Having spent nine years and five in the forest, I will clasp your feet again at the end of the promise, lord of men.”
रुदन्नार्तः प्रियं पुत्रं सत्यपाशेन संयुतः । कैकेय्या चोद्यमानस्तु मिथो राजा तमब्रवीत् ॥ ३० ॥
Weeping, afflicted, bound by the noose of truth and urged secretly by Kaikeyi, the king said to his beloved son:
श्रेयसे वृद्धये तात पुनरागमनाय च । गच्छस्वारिष्टमव्यग्रः पन्थानमकुतोभयम् ॥ ३१ ॥
“For your good, your growth and your return, my son, go unharmed and calm on a path where there is no fear.
न हि सत्यात्मनस्तात धर्माभिमनसस्तव । संनिवर्तयितुं बुद्धिः शक्यते रघुनन्दन ॥ ३२ ॥
“For your mind, my son, whose self is truth and whose heart is set on dharma, cannot be turned back, delight of the Raghus.
अद्य त्विदानीं रजनीं पुत्र मा गच्छ सर्वथा । एकाहं दर्शनेनापि साधु तावच्चराम्यहम् ॥ ३३ ॥
“But today, this night, my son, by no means go. Let me at least enjoy the sight of you for one day.
मातरं मां च सम्पश्यन् वसेमामद्य शर्वरीम् । तर्पितः सर्वकामैस्त्वं श्वः काल्ये साधयिष्यसि ॥ ३४ ॥
“Seeing your mother and me, stay this night; satisfied with every wish, you will set out tomorrow at dawn.
दुष्करं क्रियते पुत्र सर्वथा राघव प्रिय । त्वया हि मत्प्रियार्थं तु वनमेवमुपाश्रितम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“You are doing an altogether hard thing, my son, beloved Raghava, since for my sake you have taken to the forest like this.
न चैतन्मे प्रियं पुत्र शपे सत्येन राघव । छन्नया चलितस्त्वस्मि स्त्रिया भस्माग्निकल्पया ॥ ३६ ॥
“And this is not what I want, my son; I swear it to you by truth, Raghava. I have been moved by a woman hidden like fire under ash.
वञ्चना या तु लब्धा मे तां त्वं निस्तर्तुमिच्छसि । अनया वृत्तसादिन्या कैकेय्याभिप्रचोदितः ॥ ३७ ॥
“The deception I have received, you wish to rescue me from, urged on by this Kaikeyi who ruins good conduct.
न चैतदाश्चर्यतमं यत् त्वं ज्येष्ठः सुतो मम । अपानृतकथं पुत्र पितरं कर्तुमिच्छसि ॥ ३८ ॥
“And it is no great wonder that you, my eldest son, wish to make your father one who has not spoken falsely, my son.”
अथ रामस्तदा श्रुत्वा पितुरार्तस्य भाषितम् । लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा दीनो वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ३९ ॥
Then Rama, hearing these words of his afflicted father, with his brother Lakshmana, sadly said:
प्राप्स्यामि यानद्य गुणान् को मे श्वस्तान् प्रदास्यति । अपक्रमणमेवातः सर्वकामैरहं वृणे ॥ ४० ॥
“The good things I would gain today, who will give them to me tomorrow? So I choose departure above all desires.
इयं सराष्ट्रा सजना धनधान्यसमाकुला । मया विसृष्टा वसुधा भरताय प्रदीयताम् ॥ ४१ ॥
“This earth, with its kingdom and people, full of wealth and grain, which I have let go, let it be given to Bharata.
वनवासकृता बुद्धिर्न च मेऽद्य चलिष्यति । यस्तु युद्धे वरो दत्तः कैकेय्यै वरद त्वया ॥ ४२ ॥
दीयतां निखिलेनैव सत्यस्त्वं भव पार्थिव । अहं निदेशं भवतो यथोक्तमनुपालयन् ॥ ४३ ॥
“My resolve to live in the forest will not waver today. The boon you gave Kaikeyi in battle, giver of boons, let it be given in full; be true, king. I, keeping your command as it was spoken,
चतुर्दश समा वत्स्ये वने वनचरैः सह । मा विमर्शो वसुमती भरताय प्रदीयताम् ॥ ४४ ॥
“will live fourteen years in the forest with the forest creatures. Have no hesitation; let the earth be given to Bharata.
नहि मे कांक्षितं राज्यं सुखमात्मनि वा प्रियम् । यथानिदेशं कर्तुं वै तवैव रघुनन्दन ॥ ४५ ॥
“For I do not desire the kingdom, nor happiness for myself, nor anything dear, except to do your command, delight of the Raghus.
अपगच्छतु ते दुःखं मा भूर्बाष्पपरिप्लुतः । नहि क्षुभ्यति दुर्धर्षः समुद्रः सरितां पतिः ॥ ४६ ॥
“Let your sorrow go; do not be flooded with tears. The unassailable ocean, lord of rivers, is not shaken.
नैवाहं राज्यमिच्छामि न सुखं न च मेदिनीम् । नैव सर्वानिमान् कामान् न स्वर्गं न च जीवितुम् ॥ ४७ ॥
“I do not want the kingdom, nor happiness, nor the earth, nor all these pleasures, nor heaven, nor even life.
त्वामहं सत्यमिच्छामि नानृतं पुरुषर्षभ । प्रत्यक्षं तव सत्येन सुकृतेन च ते शपे ॥ ४८ ॥
“I want you to be true, not false, bull among men. I swear it to you before your eyes by truth and by good deeds.
न च शक्यं मया तात स्थातुं क्षणमपि प्रभो । स शोकं धारयस्वेमं नहि मेऽस्ति विपर्ययः ॥ ४९ ॥
“I cannot stay even a moment, father, lord. So hold back this grief; there is no going back for me.
अर्थितो ह्यस्मि कैकेय्या वनं गच्छेति राघव । मया चोक्तं व्रजामीति तत्सत्यमनुपालये ॥ ५० ॥
“I was asked by Kaikeyi, ‘Go to the forest, Raghava,’ and I said, ‘I go.’ I will keep that truth.
मा चोत्कण्ठां कृथा देव वने रंस्यामहे वयम् । प्रशान्तहरिणाकीर्णे नानाशकुनिनादिते ॥ ५१ ॥
“Do not pine, lord; we will enjoy the forest, crowded with tranquil deer and echoing with many birds.
पिता हि दैवतं तात देवतानामपि स्मृतम् । तस्माद् दैवतमित्येव करिष्यामि पितुर्वचः ॥ ५२ ॥
“A father is known to be a god even among the gods, father. So I will do my father’s word as a god’s.
चतुर्दशसु वर्षेषु गतेषु नृपसत्तम । पुनर्द्रक्ष्यसि मां प्राप्तं संतापोऽयं विमुच्यताम् ॥ ५३ ॥
“When fourteen years have passed, best of kings, you will see me come back again. Let this pain go.
येन संस्तम्भनीयोऽयं सर्वो बाष्पकलो जनः । स त्वं पुरुषशार्दूल किमर्थं विक्रियां गतः ॥ ५४ ॥
“You, who should steady all these people choked with tears, tiger among men, why have you been so overcome?
पुरं च राष्ट्रं च मही च केवला मया विसृष्टा भरताय दीयताम् । अहं निदेशं भवतोऽनुपालयन् वनं गमिष्यामि चिराय सेवितुम् ॥ ५५ ॥
“Let the city, the kingdom and the whole earth, which I let go, be given to Bharata. Keeping your command, I will go to the forest to live in it a long while.
मया विसृष्टां भरतो महीमिमां सशैलखण्डां सपुरोपकाननाम् । शिवासु सीमास्वनुशास्तु केवलं त्वया यदुक्तं नृपते तथास्तु तत् ॥ ५६ ॥
“Let Bharata rule this earth that I let go, with its mountain ranges, cities and groves, within its auspicious borders, alone. Let what you said, king, be so.
न मे तथा पार्थिव धीयते मनो महत्सु कामेषु न चात्मनः प्रिये । यथा निदेशे तव शिष्टसम्मते व्यपैतु दुःखं तव मत्कृतेऽनघ ॥ ५७ ॥
“My mind is not so fixed on great pleasures, king, nor on what is dear to myself, as on your command, approved by the good. Let your sorrow on my account depart, sinless one.
तदद्य नैवानघ राज्यमव्ययं न सर्वकामान् वसुधां न मैथिलीम् । न चिन्तितं त्वामनृतेन योजयन् वृणीय सत्यं व्रतमस्तु ते तथा ॥ ५८ ॥
“So today, sinless one, I would not choose an imperishable kingdom, nor all pleasures, nor the earth, nor Maithili, at the cost of joining you to falsehood. Let your vow be true.
फलानि मूलानि च भक्षयन् वने गिरींश्च पश्यन् सरितः सरांसि च । वनं प्रविश्यैव विचित्रपादपं सुखी भविष्यामि तवास्तु निर्वृतिः ॥ ५९ ॥
“Eating fruit and roots in the forest, seeing mountains, rivers and lakes, entering the forest with its many kinds of trees, I will be happy. May you be at peace.”
एवं स राजा व्यसनाभिपन्न- स्तापेन दुःखेन च पीड्यमानः । आलिङ्ग्य पुत्रं सुविनष्टसंज्ञो भूमिं गतो नैव चिचेष्ट किंचित् ॥ ६० ॥
So the king, overwhelmed by calamity, tormented by pain and grief, embraced his son and, utterly losing consciousness, fell to the ground and did not move at all.
देव्यः समस्ता रुरुदुः समेता- स्तां वर्जयित्वा नरदेवपत्नीम् । रुदन् सुमन्त्रोऽपि जगाम मूर्च्छां हाहाकृतं तत्र बभूव सर्वम् ॥ ६१ ॥
All the queens gathered there wept, except that one wife of the king; Sumantra too, weeping, fainted, and there everything was a cry of woe.