Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 58 of 119 · 37 verses
Rama’s Message to His Father
When the king recovers, he calls the charioteer to hear of Rama. Sumantra stands before him with joined palms, the old king burning with grief, sighing, brooding, restless like a newly captured elephant. Seeing the charioteer covered in dust, his face full of tears, the king says: “Where will my righteous son live, at the foot of a tree? What will Raghava, who was so happy, eat? How does the son of a king, unused to sorrow and used to soft beds, lie on the ground like one with no protector? How will Rama, whom foot soldiers, chariots and elephants followed, live in the lonely forest, haunted by beasts of prey and black serpents? How did the two princes and delicate Sita get down from the chariot and go on foot? You are fortunate, charioteer, to have seen my sons entering the forest, like the Ashvins entering Mandara. What did Rama say, what did Lakshmana say, what did Maithili say when you reached the forest? Tell me how Rama sat, slept and ate. By this I will live, like Yayati among the good.”
With choking voice Sumantra answers: “Raghava, keeping to dharma, joined his palms and bowed his head and said: ‘Charioteer, on my behalf, salute the feet of my father, who knows himself and is to be honoured with bowed head. Tell the whole inner palace of my health and greet each as is fitting. Tell my mother Kausalya I am well, salute her, and say: be devoted to dharma, attend to the fire-house in due time, and serve the king’s feet like a god’s. Give up pride and status and be kind to the other mothers; make Kaikeyi, the noble one, follow the king. Behave toward Prince Bharata as toward a king; kings are to be honoured for their position; remember the king’s dharma. Tell Bharata I am well, and tell him from me: behave rightly toward all the mothers. Tell the mighty delight of the Ikshvakus: as crown prince, protect our father, who is king. The king is past his prime; do not oppose him; live as crown prince doing his command.’ And weeping hard, he said again: ‘Look on my mother, who longs for her son, as your own mother.’ Saying this, lotus-eyed Rama shed many tears.
“But Lakshmana, very angry, sighing, said: ‘For what offence has this prince been banished? The king, relying lightly on Kaikeyi’s command, has done what is right or wrong, and we are crushed by it. Whether Rama was banished out of greed or because of the boon, a wrong has been done in every way. This may have been done at the lord’s whim, but I see no reason for abandoning Rama. Begun without thought, against reason, from lightness of mind, Raghava’s banishment will cause an outcry. I do not see fatherhood in the great king. My brother, my master, my kinsman and my father is Raghava. Having abandoned the one dear to all and devoted to all, how will the whole world love you after this deed? How will you be king, having banished righteous Rama, delight of all the people, and turned the whole world against you?’ And Janaki, great king, sighing, as if possessed, stood silent, the glorious princess who had never seen calamity; weeping with that grief, she said nothing to me. Gazing at her husband, her mouth drying, she burst into tears as she watched me leave. So Rama stood, his face wet with tears, his palms joined, guarded by Lakshmana’s arm; and so Sita, weeping, watched the royal chariot and me.”
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प्रत्याश्वस्तो यदा राजा मोहात्प्रत्यागतः पुनः । थाजुहाव तं सूतं रामवृत्तान्तकारणात् ॥ १ ॥
When the king had revived and returned again from his swoon, he called the charioteer to learn the news of Rama.
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Rama’s Message to His Father 1 min read.
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तदा सूतो महाराज कृताञ्जलिरुपस्थितः । राममेवानुशोचन्तं दुःखशोकसमन्वितम् ॥ २ ॥
वृद्धं परमसंतप्तं नवग्रहमिव द्विपम् । विनिःश्वसन्तं ध्यायन्तमस्वस्थमिव कुञ्जरम् ॥ ३ ॥
Then the charioteer came before the great king with joined palms, the king grieving for Rama alone, filled with sorrow and grief, old, deeply burning, like a newly captured elephant, sighing, brooding, restless like a tusker.
राजा तु रजसा सूतं ध्वस्ताङ्गं समुपस्थितम् । अश्रुपूर्णमुखं दीनमुवाच परमार्तवत् ॥ ४ ॥
The king said, deeply distressed, to the charioteer who stood there, his body covered with dust, his face full of tears, wretched:
क्व नु वत्स्यति धर्मात्मा वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः । सोऽत्यन्तसुखितः सूत किमशिष्यति राघवः ॥ ५ ॥
“Where will the righteous one live, sheltering at the foot of a tree? What will Raghava eat, charioteer, he who was so very happy?
दुःखस्यानुचितो दुःखं सुमन्त्र शयनोचितः । भूमिपालात्मजो भूमौ शेते कथमनाथवत् ॥ ६ ॥
“Unused to sorrow, Sumantra, used to beds, the son of a lord of the earth: how does he lie in sorrow on the ground, like one without protection?
यं यान्तमनुयान्ति स्म पदातिरथकुञ्जराः । स वत्स्यति कथं रामो विजनं वनमाश्रितः ॥ ७ ॥
“He whom foot soldiers, chariots and elephants followed as he went: how will that Rama live, having gone to the lonely forest?
व्यालैर्मृगैराचरितं कृष्णसर्पनिषेवितम् । कथं कुमारौ वैदेह्या सार्धं वनमुपस्थितौ ॥ ८ ॥
“Haunted by beasts of prey and wild animals, frequented by black serpents: how did the two princes come to the forest with Vaidehi?
सुकुमार्या तपस्विन्या सुमन्त्र सह सीतया । राजपुत्रौ कथं पादैरवरुह्य रथाद्गतौ ॥ ९ ॥
“With delicate, devoted Sita, Sumantra, how did the two princes get down from the chariot and go on foot?
सिद्धार्थः खलु सूत त्वं येन दृष्टौ ममात्मजौ । वनान्तं प्रविशन्तौ तावश्विनाविव मन्दरम् ॥ १० ॥
“You have achieved your purpose, charioteer, since you saw my two sons entering the forest’s edge, like the Ashvins entering Mandara.
किमुवाच वचो रामः किमुवाच च लक्ष्मणः । सुमन्त्र वनमासाद्य किमुवाच च मैथिली ॥ ११ ॥
“What did Rama say, what did Lakshmana say, Sumantra, and what did Maithili say on reaching the forest?
आसितं शयितं भुक्तं सूत रामस्य कीर्तय । जीविष्याम्यहमेतेन ययातिरिव साधुषु ॥ १२ ॥
“Tell me, charioteer, how Rama sat, slept and ate. By this I will live, like Yayati among the good.”
इति सूतो नरेन्द्रेण चोदितः सज्जमानया । उवाच वाचा राजानं स बाष्पपरिर्बद्धया ॥ १३ ॥
Urged so by the lord of men, the charioteer spoke to the king in a faltering voice choked with tears:
अब्रवीन्मां महाराज धर्ममेवानुपालयन् । अञ्जलिं राघवः कृत्वा शिरसाभिप्रणम्य च ॥ १४ ॥
“Keeping to dharma, great king, Raghava joined his palms, bowed his head and said to me:
सूत मद्वचनात्तस्य तातस्य विदितात्मनः । शिरसा वन्दनीयस्य वन्द्यौ पादौ महात्मनः ॥ १५ ॥
“’Charioteer, on my behalf, salute the feet of that great-souled father of mine, who knows himself and is to be saluted with the head.
सर्वमन्तः पुरं वाच्यं सूत मद्वचनात्त्वया । आरोग्यमविशेषेण यथार्हम्चाभिवादनम् ॥ १६ ॥
“’Tell the whole inner palace, charioteer, on my behalf, that I am well, without distinction, and give fitting salutations.
माता च मम कौसल्या कुशलं चाभिवादनम् । अप्रमादं च वक्तव्या ब्रूयाश्चैनामिदं वचः ॥ १७ ॥
“’And tell my mother Kausalya I am well, salute her, and tell her to be vigilant, and say these words:
धर्मनित्या यथाकालमग्न्यगारपरा भव । देवि देवस्य पादौ च देववत्परिपालय ॥ १८ ॥
“’”Be always devoted to dharma and attend to the fire-house at the proper times; and serve the feet of the king like a god, queen.
अभिमानं च मानं च त्यक्त्वा वर्तस्व मातृषु । अनु राजानमार्यां च कैकेयीमम्ब कारय ॥ १९ ॥
“’”Giving up pride and status, behave well toward the mothers; and make the noble Kaikeyi follow the king, mother.
कुमारे भरते वृत्तिर्वर्तितव्याच राजवत् । अर्थज्येष्ठा हि राजानो राजधर्ममनुस्मर ॥ २० ॥
“’”Behave toward Prince Bharata as toward a king; for kings are senior by their office; remember the dharma of kings.”
भरतः कुशलं वाच्यो वाच्यो मद्वचनेन च । सर्वास्वेव यथान्यायं वृत्तिं वर्तस्व मातृषु ॥ २१ ॥
“’Tell Bharata I am well, and tell him on my behalf: behave rightly toward all the mothers alike.
वक्तव्यश्च महाबाहुरिक्ष्वाकुकुलनन्दनः । पितरं यौवराज्यस्थो राज्यस्थमनुपालय ॥ २२ ॥
“’And tell the mighty-armed delight of the Ikshvaku line: as crown prince, protect our father, who is king.
अतिक्रान्तवया राजा मा स्मैनं व्यवरोरुधः । कुमारराज्ये जीव त्वं तस्यैवाज्ञाप्रवर्तनात् ॥ २३ ॥
“’The king is past his years; do not oppose him. Live as crown prince, carrying out his command.’
अब्रवीच्चापि मां भूयो भृशमश्रूणि वर्तयन् । मातेव मम माता ते द्रष्टव्या पुत्रगर्धिनी ॥ २४ ॥
“And again he said to me, shedding many tears: ‘Look on my mother, who longs for her son, as your own mother.’
इत्येवं मां महाराज बृवन्नेव महायशाः । रामो राजीवताम्राक्षो भृशमश्रूण्यवर्तयत् ॥ २५ ॥
“Saying this to me, great king, the glorious Rama, his lotus eyes reddened, shed many tears.
लक्ष्मणस्तु सुसंक्रुद्धो निःश्वसन्वाक्यमब्रवीत् । केनायमपराधेन राजपुत्रो विवासितः ॥ २६ ॥
“But Lakshmana, very angry, sighing, said: ‘For what offence has this prince been banished?
राज्ञा तु खलु कैकेय्या लघु त्वाश्रित्य शासनम् । कृतं कार्यमकार्यं वा वयं येनाभिपीडिताः ॥ २७ ॥
“’The king, relying lightly on Kaikeyi’s command, has done what was right or wrong, by which we are crushed.
यदि प्रव्राजितो रामो लोभकारणकारितम् । वरदाननिमित्तं वा सर्वथा दुष्कृतं कृतम् ॥ २८ ॥
“’Whether Rama was exiled out of greed, or on account of the boon, in every way a wrong has been done.
इदं तावद्यथाकाममीश्वरस्य कृते कृतम् । रामस्य तु परित्यागे न हेतुमुपलक्षये ॥ २९ ॥
“’This may have been done as the lord pleased; but I see no reason for the abandoning of Rama.
असमीक्ष्य समारब्धं विरुद्धं बुद्धिलाघवात् । जनयिष्यति संक्रोशं राघवस्य विवासनम् ॥ ३० ॥
“’Begun without consideration, contrary to reason, from lightness of mind, Raghava’s banishment will cause an outcry.
अहं तावन्महाराजे पितृत्वं नोपलक्षये । भ्राता भर्ता च बन्धुश्च पिता च मम राघवः ॥ ३१ ॥
“’I, for my part, do not see fatherhood in the great king. My brother, my master, my kinsman and my father is Raghava.
सर्वलोकप्रियं त्यक्त्वा सर्वलोकहिते रतम् । सर्वलोकोऽनुरज्येत कथं त्वानेन कर्मणा ॥ ३२ ॥
“’Having abandoned one dear to the whole world, devoted to the good of the whole world, how will the whole world love you after this deed?
सर्वप्रजाभिरामं हि रामं प्रव्राज्य धार्मिकम् । सर्वलोकं विरुध्येमंकथं राजा भविष्यसि ॥ ३३ ॥
“’Having banished righteous Rama, delight of all the people, and turned the whole world against you, how will you be king?’
जानकी तु महाराज निःश्वसन्ती तपस्विनी । भूतोपहतचित्तेव विष्ठिता विस्मिता स्थिता ॥ ३४ ॥
“And Janaki, great king, sighing, devoted, stood as if her mind were struck by a spirit, motionless, as if forgetting.
अदृष्टपूर्वव्यसना राजपुत्री यशस्विनी । तेन दुःखेन रुदती नैव मां किंचिदब्रवीत् ॥ ३५ ॥
“The glorious princess, who had never seen calamity before, weeping with that grief, said nothing at all to me.
उद्वीक्षमाणा भर्तारं मुखेन परिशुष्यता । मुमोच सहसा बाष्पं मां प्रयान्तमुदीक्ष्य सा ॥ ३६ ॥
“Gazing up at her husband with a drying mouth, she suddenly burst into tears, seeing me depart.
तथैव रामोऽश्रुमुखः कृताञ्जलिः स्थितोऽभवल्लक्ष्मणबाहुपालितः स्थितः । तथैव सीता रुदती तपस्विनी निरीक्षते राजरथं तथैव माम् ॥ ३७ ॥
“So Rama stood, his face in tears, his palms joined, guarded by Lakshmana’s arm; and so devoted Sita, weeping, watched the royal chariot and me.”