Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 40 of 119 · 51 verses
The Departure from Ayodhya
Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, with joined palms, clasp the king’s feet and walk around him. Rama, dazed with grief, salutes his mother; Lakshmana salutes Kausalya and then clasps the feet of his own mother Sumitra. Weeping, she kisses his head: “You were born for life in the forest, devoted to your kin. Do not be careless about Rama, your brother, as he goes. In misfortune or prosperity he is your refuge; the dharma of the good is to obey the eldest. This is the ancient way of our family: giving, consecration in sacrifice, and laying down one’s body in battle. Know Rama as Dasharatha; know Janaka’s daughter as me; know the forest as Ayodhya. Go, my son, happily.” She says again and again, “Go, go.”
Sumantra, humble as Matali before Indra, says: “Mount the chariot, prince; I will take you quickly wherever you say. The fourteen years in the forest begin now.” Sita, adorned, joyfully mounts the sun-bright chariot; her father-in-law has given her clothes and jewels counted for the years. The brothers’ weapons, armour, leather and basket are placed in the chariot, and they mount. Sumantra drives off with horses swift as the wind. As Raghava leaves for the great forest for a long time, the city faints; the army faints. The city roars with confusion, elephants maddened, horses neighing. Young and old, the city runs after Rama, as the heat-struck run to water, pressing beside and behind the chariot, faces wet with tears: “Hold the reins, charioteer, go slowly; we want to see Rama’s face, which will be so hard to see. Rama’s mother’s heart must be iron, since it does not break as her godlike son goes to the forest. Vaidehi has done her duty, following her husband like his shadow, as the sun’s light does not leave Meru. Ah, Lakshmana, your purpose is achieved, serving your godlike, kind-spoken brother; this is your great good fortune, the path to heaven.”
The king, surrounded by weeping women, comes out of the palace saying, “I will see my beloved son.” The cry of the women ahead is like that of cow-elephants when a great tusker is bound; the king looks like the full moon eclipsed. Rama urges the charioteer, “Go quickly.” “Go!” says Rama; “Stop!” say the people; Sumantra can do neither. The dust of the road is laid by the citizens’ tears. Seeing the whole city with only one thought, the king falls like a tree cut at the root. Rama, looking back, sees his father and mother following on foot, they who deserve carriages, and, bound by the noose of dharma like a colt held from its mother, he cannot look at them openly; he tells the charioteer to go faster, unable to bear it, like an elephant goaded. Kausalya runs after the chariot like a cow to her tethered calf, crying “Rama, Rama! Ha Sita! Lakshmana!” as if dancing in grief. “Stop!” cries the king; “Go, go!” cries Raghava; Sumantra’s mind is like something caught between two wheels. Rama tells him: “When the king blames you, say, ‘I did not hear.’ Prolonging pain is the worst sin.” Sumantra drives on. The king’s people walk around Rama and turn back in body, but not in mind. The ministers tell the king: “One should not follow far someone one wishes to see return.” Sweating, wretched, the king stands with his wives, gazing after his son.
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अथ रामश्च सीता च लक्ष्मणश्च कृताञ्जलिः । उपसंगृह्य राजानं चक्रुर्दीनाः प्रदक्षिणम् ॥ १ ॥
Then Rama, Sita and Lakshmana, with joined palms, clasped the king’s feet and, sorrowful, walked around him in reverence.
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The Departure from Ayodhya 1 min read.
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तं चापि समनुज्ञाप्य धर्मज्ञः सह सीतया । राघवः शोकसम्मूढो जननीमभ्यवादयत् ॥ २ ॥
Having taken leave of him, righteous Raghava with Sita, bewildered by grief, saluted his mother.
अन्वक्षं लक्ष्मणो भ्रातुः कौसल्यामभ्यवादयत् । अपि मातुः सुमित्राया जग्राह चरणौ पुनः ॥ ३ ॥
Right after his brother, Lakshmana saluted Kausalya, and then clasped the feet of his own mother Sumitra.
तं वन्दमानं रुदती माता सौमित्रिमब्रवीत् । हितकामा महाबाहुं मूर्ध्न्युपाघ्राय लक्ष्मणम् ॥ ४ ॥
As he saluted her, his mother, weeping, wishing his good, kissed the head of mighty-armed Lakshmana and said to Saumitri:
सृष्टस्त्वं वनवासाय स्वनुरक्तः सुहृज्जने । रामे प्रमादं मा कार्षीः पुत्र भ्रातरि गच्छति ॥ ५ ॥
“You were created for life in the forest, deeply devoted to your kin. Do not be careless about Rama, my son, as your brother goes.
व्यसनी वा समृद्धो वा गतिरेष तवानघ । एष लोके सतां धर्मो यज्ज्येष्ठवशगो भवेत् ॥ ६ ॥
“In misfortune or in prosperity, he is your refuge, sinless one. This is the dharma of the good in the world: to be under the eldest’s direction.
इदं हि वृत्तमुचितं कुलस्यास्य सनातनम् । दानं दीक्षा च यज्ञेषु तनुत्यागो मृधेषु हि ॥ ७ ॥
“This is the fitting, ancient conduct of this family: giving, consecration in sacrifices, and giving up the body in battle.”
लक्ष्मणं त्वेवमुक्त्वासौ संसिद्धं प्रियराघवम् । सुमित्रा गच्छ गच्छेति पुनः पुनरुवाच तम् ॥ ८ ॥
Having said this to Lakshmana, ready and devoted to Raghava, Sumitra said to him again and again: “Go, go.
रामं दशरथं विद्धि मां विद्धि जनकात्मजाम् । अयोध्यामटवीं विद्धि गच्छ तात यथासुखम् ॥ ९ ॥
“Know Rama as Dasharatha, know Janaka’s daughter as me, know the forest as Ayodhya. Go, my son, as you please.”
ततः सुमन्त्रः काकुत्स्थं प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । विनीतो विनयज्ञश्च मातलिर्वासवं यथा ॥ १० ॥
Then Sumantra, with joined palms, humble and knowing humility, said to Kakutstha, as Matali to Vasava:
रथमारोह भद्रं ते राजपुत्र महायशः । क्षिप्रं त्वां प्रापयिष्यामि यत्र मां राम वक्ष्यसे ॥ ११ ॥
“Mount the chariot, bless you, glorious prince. I will take you quickly wherever you tell me, Rama.
चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि वस्तव्यानि वने त्वया । तान्युपक्रमितव्यानि यानि देव्या प्रचोदितः ॥ १२ ॥
“For the fourteen years you must live in the forest, which the queen has imposed, must be begun.”
तं रथं सूर्यसंकाशं सीता हृष्टेन चेतसा । आरुरोह वरारोहा कृत्वालंकारमात्मनः ॥ १३ ॥
Sita, fair-hipped, having adorned herself, mounted that chariot, bright as the sun, with a glad heart.
वनवासं हि संख्याय वासांस्याभरणानि च । भर्तारमनुगच्छन्त्यै सीतायै श्वशुरो ददौ ॥ १४ ॥
For her living in the forest, her father-in-law had counted the years and given clothes and ornaments to Sita, who was following her husband.
तथैवायुधजातानि भ्रातृभ्यां कवचानि च । रथोपस्थे प्रविन्यस्य सचर्म कठिनं च यत् ॥ १५ ॥
And so too, having placed in the body of the chariot the weapons, the brothers’ armour, and the leather and the basket,
अथो ज्वलनसंकाशं चामीकरविभूषितम् । तमारुरुहतुस्तूर्णं भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ १६ ॥
the two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, quickly mounted it, blazing like fire, adorned with gold.
सीतातृतीयानारूढान् दृष्ट्वा रथमचोदयत् । सुमन्त्रः सम्मतानश्वान् वायुवेगसमाञ्जवे ॥ १७ ॥
Seeing them mounted, Sita the third, Sumantra urged on the excellent horses, swift as the wind.
प्रयाते तु महारण्यं चिररात्राय राघवे । बभूव नगरे मूर्च्छा बलमूर्च्छा जनस्य च ॥ १८ ॥
When Raghava set out for the great forest for a long time, a swoon came over the city, and a swoon over the army and the people.
तत् समाकुलसम्भ्रान्तं मत्तसंकुपितद्विपम् । हयसिञ्जितनिर्घोषं पुरमासीन्महास्वनम् ॥ १९ ॥
The city was a great uproar, confused and alarmed, with elephants maddened and enraged, and the clatter of horses’ harness.
ततः सबालवृद्धा सा पुरी परमपीडिता । राममेवाभिदुद्राव घर्मार्तः सलिलं यथा ॥ २० ॥
Then the city, with its children and old people, deeply pained, ran after Rama, as one stricken by heat runs to water.
पार्श्वतः पृष्ठतश्चापि लम्बमानास्तदुन्मुखाः । बाष्पपूर्णमुखाः सर्वे तमूचुर्भृशनिःस्वनाः ॥ २१ ॥
Clinging to the sides and back of the chariot, looking up at him, their faces full of tears, all of them cried out loudly to him:
संयच्छ वाजिनां रश्मीन् सूत याहि शनैः शनैः । मुखं द्रक्ष्याम रामस्य दुर्दर्शं नो भविष्यति ॥ २२ ॥
“Hold the horses’ reins, charioteer; go slowly, slowly. We will see Rama’s face; it will be hard for us to see.
आयसं हृदयं नूनं राममातुरसंशयम् । यद् देवगर्भप्रतिमे वनं याति न भिद्यते ॥ २३ ॥
“Surely the heart of Rama’s mother is made of iron, without doubt, since it does not break as he, like a child of the gods, goes to the forest.
कृतकृत्या हि वैदेही छायेवानुगता पतिम् । न जहाति रता धर्मे मेरुमर्कप्रभा यथा ॥ २४ ॥
“Vaidehi has done her duty, following her husband like a shadow; devoted to dharma, she does not leave him, as the sun’s light does not leave Meru.
अहो लक्ष्मण सिद्धार्थः सततं प्रियवादिनम् । भ्रातरं देवसंकाशं यस्त्वं परिचरिष्यसि ॥ २५ ॥
“Ah, Lakshmana, your purpose is achieved, who will serve your always kind-spoken, godlike brother.
महत्येषा हि ते बुद्धिरेष चाभ्युदयो महान् । एष स्वर्गस्य मार्गश्च यदेनमनुगच्छसि ॥ २६ ॥
“Great is this resolve of yours, and great this good fortune; this is the path to heaven, that you follow him.”
एवं वदन्तस्ते सोढुं न शेकुर्बाष्पमागतम् । नरास्तमनुगच्छन्ति प्रियमिक्ष्वाकुनन्दनम् ॥ २७ ॥
Saying this, they could not hold back the tears that came; the men followed him, the beloved delight of the Ikshvakus.
अथ राजा वृतः स्त्रीभिर्दीनाभिर्दीनचेतनः । निर्जगाम प्रियं पुत्रं द्रक्ष्यामीति ब्रुवन् गृहात् ॥ २८ ॥
Then the king, surrounded by wretched women, wretched in mind, came out of his house, saying, “I will see my beloved son.”
शुश्रुवे चाग्रतः स्त्रीणां रुदतीनां महास्वनः । यथा नादः करेणूनां बद्धे महति कुञ्जरे ॥ २९ ॥
In front was heard the loud crying of the weeping women, like the cry of cow-elephants when a great tusker is bound.
पिता हि राजा काकुत्स्थः श्रीमान् सन्नस्तदा बभौ । परिपूर्णः शशी काले ग्रहेणोपप्लुतो यथा ॥ ३० ॥
The father, the glorious Kakutstha king, looked then sunk down, like the full moon eclipsed at its time.
स च श्रीमानचिन्त्यात्मा रामो दशरथात्मजः । सूतं संचोदयामास त्वरितं वाह्यतामिति ॥ ३१ ॥
And glorious Rama, son of Dasharatha, of inconceivable spirit, urged the charioteer: “Drive quickly.”
रामो याहीति तं सूतं तिष्ठेति च जनस्तथा । उभयं नाशकत् सूतः कर्तुमध्वनि चोदितः ॥ ३२ ॥
“Go!” said Rama to the charioteer, and “Stop!” said the people. Urged both ways on the road, the charioteer could do neither.
निर्गच्छति महाबाहौ रामे पौरजनाश्रुभिः । पतितैरभ्यवहितं प्रणनाश महीरजः ॥ ३३ ॥
As mighty-armed Rama went out, the dust of the earth, laid by the falling tears of the citizens, disappeared.
रुदिताश्रुपरिद्यूनं हाहाकृतमचेतनम् । प्रयाणे राघवस्यासीत् पुरं परमपीडितम् ॥ ३४ ॥
At Raghava’s departure the city was deeply pained, worn with weeping and tears, crying “Alas!”, senseless.
सुस्राव नयनैः स्त्रीणामस्रमायाससम्भवम् । मीनसंक्षोभचलितैः सलिलं पङ्कजैरिव ॥ ३५ ॥
Tears born of distress flowed from the women’s eyes, like water from lotuses stirred by the darting of fish.
दृष्ट्वा तु नृपतिः श्रीमानेकचित्तगतं पुरम् । निपपातैव दुःखेन कृत्तमूल इव द्रुमः ॥ ३६ ॥
Seeing the city of one mind, the glorious king fell down with grief like a tree cut at the root.
ततो हलहलाशब्दो जज्ञे रामस्य पृष्ठतः । नराणां प्रेक्ष्य राजानं सीदन्तं भृशदुःखितम् ॥ ३७ ॥
Then a tumult arose behind Rama from the men who saw the king sinking down in deep grief.
हा रामेति जनाः केचिद् राममातेति चापरे । अन्तःपुरसमृद्धं च क्रोशन्तं पर्यदेवयन् ॥ ३८ ॥
Some people cried “Ha Rama!”, others “Ha Rama’s mother!”, and they lamented the inner palace crying out.
अन्वीक्षमाणो रामस्तु विषण्णं भ्रान्तचेतसम् । राजानं मातरं चैव ददर्शानुगतौ पथि ॥ ३९ ॥
Looking back, Rama saw his father, downcast, his mind confused, and his mother, following on the road.
स बद्ध इव पाशेन किशोरो मातरं यथा । धर्मपाशेन संयुक्तः प्रकाशं नाभ्युदैक्षत ॥ ४० ॥
Like a colt bound by a rope from its mother, bound by the noose of dharma, he did not look at them openly.
पदातिनौ च यानार्हावदुःखार्हौ सुखोचितौ । दृष्ट्वा संचोदयामास शीघ्रं याहीति सारथिम् ॥ ४१ ॥
Seeing them on foot, who deserved carriages, who deserved no sorrow and were used to comfort, he urged the charioteer: “Go quickly!”
नहि तत् पुरुषव्याघ्रो दुःखजं दर्शनं पितुः । मातुश्च सहितुं शक्तस्तोत्त्रैर्नुन्न इव द्विपः ॥ ४२ ॥
For the tiger among men could not bear that sight of his father and mother, born of sorrow, like an elephant driven by goads.
प्रत्यगारमिवायान्ती सवत्सा वत्सकारणात् । बद्धवत्सा यथा धेनू राममाताभ्यधावत ॥ ४३ ॥
As a cow with a tethered calf runs toward the house for her calf’s sake, so Rama’s mother ran.
तथा रुदन्तीं कौसल्यां रथं तमनुधावतीम् । क्रोशन्तीं राम रामेति हा सीते लक्ष्मणेति च ॥ ४४ ॥
रामलक्ष्मणसीतार्थं स्रवन्तीं वारि नेत्रजम् । असकृत् प्रैक्षत स तां नृत्यन्तीमिव मातरम् ॥ ४५ ॥
Seeing Kausalya weeping like that, running after the chariot, crying “Rama, Rama! Ha Sita! Lakshmana!”, shedding tears for Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, he looked again and again at his mother, as if she were dancing.
तिष्ठेति राजा चुक्रोश याहि याहीति राघवः । सुमन्त्रस्य बभूवात्मा चक्रयोरिव चान्तरा ॥ ४६ ॥
“Stop!” cried the king; “Go, go!” said Raghava; Sumantra’s mind was like something caught between two wheels.
नाश्रौषमिति राजानमुपालब्धोऽपि वक्ष्यसि । चिरं दुःखस्य पापिष्ठमिति रामस्तमब्रवीत् ॥ ४७ ॥
“Even if reproached by the king, you will say, ‘I did not hear.’ Prolonging sorrow is the most sinful thing,” Rama told him.
स रामस्य वचः कुर्वन्ननुज्ञाप्य च तं जनम् । व्रजतोऽपि हयान् शीघ्रं चोदयामास सारथिः ॥ ४८ ॥
Doing Rama’s word, and taking leave of those people, the charioteer urged the already running horses on still faster.
न्यवर्तत जनो राज्ञो रामं कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् । मनसाप्याशुवेगेन न न्यवर्तत मानुषम् ॥ ४९ ॥
The king’s people turned back after walking around Rama in reverence; but in mind, swift as it is, they did not turn back from the man.
यमिच्छेत् पुनरायातं नैनं दूरमनुव्रजेत् । इत्यमात्या महाराजमूचुर्दशरथं वचः ॥ ५० ॥
“One should not follow far someone whom one wishes to see come back,” the ministers told the great king Dasharatha.
तेषां वचः सर्वगुणोपपन्नः प्रस्विन्नगात्रः प्रविषण्णरूपः । निशम्य राजा कृपणः सभार्यो व्यवस्थितस्तं सुतमीक्षमाणः ॥ ५१ ॥
Hearing their words, full of every merit, the wretched king, his body sweating, deeply dejected, stood with his wives, gazing after his son.