Ayodhya Kanda · Sarga 64 of 119 · 79 verses
The Curse and the King’s Death
Lamenting the unworthy killing of the great sage’s son, the righteous Raghava goes on: “Having done that great sin in ignorance, my senses confused, alone, I thought how I might set it right. I filled the jar with good water and went by the path he had told me to the hermitage. There I saw his parents, weak, blind, old, with no one to guide them, like birds with clipped wings, sitting and talking of him, unable to move, waiting in hope, now hopeless because of me. My mind struck by grief, terrified, I came to the hermitage and grieved still more. Hearing my footsteps, the sage said: ‘Why are you so late, son? Bring water quickly. You have been playing in the water, child, and your mother has been anxious; come into the hermitage. If your mother or I have hurt you, son, do not keep it in your mind; you are an ascetic. You are the refuge of us who have none, the eyes of us who are blind; our lives hang on you. Why don’t you speak?’ Seeing the sage, I spoke fearfully, in a faltering, broken voice; steadying my speech, I told him the terrible news about his son: ‘I am not your son, great one; I am Dasharatha, a kshatriya. This sorrow, despised by the good, comes from my own deed. Bow in hand, I came to the Sarayu’s bank to kill some wild beast or an elephant come to drink. I heard the sound of a jar being filled in the water and, thinking it an elephant, struck it with an arrow. Going to the bank I saw an ascetic, his heart pierced, lifeless, lying on the ground. At his own word I drew out the arrow, and with it drawn he went to heaven, grieving for you two, blind and honoured, and lamenting. In ignorance I killed your son. Let the sage be gracious about what remains to be done.’
“Hearing this cruel news, the sage, sighing, wasted with grief, could not hold back his anguish; his face full of tears, he said to me as I stood with joined palms: ‘Had you not told me this evil deed yourself, your head would have burst at once into a hundred thousand pieces. The killing of a forest-hermit by a kshatriya, knowingly done, would throw even the wielder of the thunderbolt from his place. Because it was done in ignorance, you live; otherwise the whole Raghava line would be gone, let alone you. Take us to that place, king; we want to see our son, for the last time.’ I alone led them, deeply grieving, to the place, and let the sage and his wife touch their son, lying on the ground, smeared with blood, his deerskin scattered, gone into the power of the king of dharma. They fell on his body, and the father said: ‘Am I not dear to you, son? Look at your mother, righteous one. Why do you not embrace us? Speak gently to us. Whose sweet recitation of scripture will I hear in the last part of the night? Who, having bathed, done the twilight worship and fed the fire, will comfort me, tormented by grief? Who will bring roots and fruit and feed me like a dear guest, me who can do nothing and have no guide? How shall I support your blind, old, devoted mother, longing for her son? Stay, do not go to Yama’s house, son; tomorrow go with me and your mother. We, grieving and helpless in the forest, will soon go to Yama’s abode without you. There I will say to Vaivasvata: forgive me, king of dharma; let him support his parents. You are sinless, son, killed by a sinful deed; by that truth, go quickly to the worlds of those who fight with weapons, to the highest place of heroes killed facing the foe, where Sagara, Shaibya, Dilipa, Janamejaya, Nahusha and Dhundhumara went; the way of all the good, of those devoted to study and austerity, of givers of land, keepers of the fire and faithful husbands, givers of a thousand cows, those who served their teachers, those who gave up their bodies well. None born in this family goes the unhappy way; but he will, who killed my kinsman.’ So he lamented again and again, and with his wife began to offer him water. Then the sage’s son, by his own deeds, in a divine form, rose quickly to heaven with Shakra. He spoke to the two old people and, comforting them a moment, said: ‘I have won a great place by serving you; you too will soon come to me.’ Saying this, the sage’s son, master of his senses, rose to heaven in a shining celestial chariot.
“Having offered the water with his wife, the glorious ascetic said to me as I stood with joined palms: ‘Kill me now, king; I have no fear of death, since with one arrow you have made me, who had one son, sonless. Because you killed my pure son in ignorance, I curse you with a terrible, painful fate: the pain I feel now from the loss of my son, so you too, king, will die of grief for a son. Because the sage was killed by you, a kshatriya, in ignorance, the sin of killing a brahmana does not enter you; but such a state, ending your life, will come to you quickly, as the reward comes to the giver.’ Laying this curse on me and lamenting long and pitifully, the couple put the body on the pyre and went to heaven.
“Thinking now, I have remembered that sin I committed in youth, devoted to shooting by sound. The ripening of that deed has arrived, as disease follows food eaten with unwholesome things. The words of that noble man have come true for me: I shall give up my life today from grief for my son. I cannot see you with my eyes, Kausalya; touch me well.” Weeping, frightened, the king says: “What I did to Raghava was worthy of me; what he did to me was worthy of him. What wise man would cast out even a wicked son? And what son, being banished, would not resent his father? If Rama touched me now, or came to me, I would live; men who have gone to Yama’s abode do not see. I cannot see you; my memory fails; these messengers of Vaivasvata are hurrying me, Kausalya. What could be sadder than that at the end of my life I do not see righteous, truly brave Rama? Grief at not seeing my son, who never failed me, dries up my life as the sun dries a little water. They are not men but gods who will see Rama’s lovely face with its fine earrings again in the fifteenth year: lotus-eyed, fine-browed, with fine teeth and nose, like the lord of stars, like an autumn moon and a full-blown lotus, fragrant. Happy are those who will see him back in Ayodhya like Venus returning on its path. My heart sinks, Kausalya, my mind deluded; I do not perceive sound, touch or taste. As my mind fails, all my senses fail, like the rays of a lamp whose oil is spent. This grief born of myself sweeps me away, helpless and senseless, as a river’s current sweeps away its bank. Ha Raghava, mighty-armed, destroyer of my troubles! Ha, my lord, dear to your father! Where have you gone today, my son? Ha Kausalya, I shall perish! Ha, devoted Sumitra! Ha, cruel Kaikeyi, my enemy, disgrace of the family!” So, in the presence of Rama’s mother and Sumitra, grieving, King Dasharatha comes to the end of his life. Speaking so wretchedly, tormented by the exile of his dear son, past midnight, in great pain, the noble king gives up his life.
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वधमप्रतिरूपं तु महर्षेस्तस्य राघवः । विलपन्नेव धर्मात्मा कौसल्यां पुनरब्रवीत् ॥ १ ॥
Lamenting the unworthy killing of that great sage, the righteous Raghava spoke again to Kausalya:
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तदज्ञानान्महत्पापं कृत्वा संकुलितेन्द्रियः । एकस्त्वचिन्तयं बुद्ध्या कथं नु सुकृतं भवेत् ॥ २ ॥
“Having done that great sin in ignorance, my senses confused, I alone thought with my mind how good might come of it.
ततस्तं घटमादाय पूर्णं परमवारिणा । आश्रमं तमहं प्राप्य यथाख्यातपथं गतः ॥ ३ ॥
“Then, taking that jar filled with excellent water, I reached the hermitage, having gone by the path described.
तत्राहं दुर्बलावन्धौ वृद्धावपरिणायकौ । अपश्यं तस्य पितरौ लूनपक्षाविव द्विजौ ॥ ४ ॥
“There I saw his parents, weak, blind, old, without anyone to lead them, like two birds with clipped wings,
तन्निमित्ताभिरासीनौ कथाभिरपरिक्रमौ । तामाशां मत्कृते हीनावुदासीनावनाथवत् ॥ ५ ॥
“sitting with talk of him, unable to move, waiting in that hope, deprived of it because of me, cheerless, like those without a protector.
शोकोपहतचित्तश्च भयसंत्रस्तचेतनः । तच्चाश्रमपदं गत्वा भूयः शोकमहं गतः ॥ ६ ॥
“My mind struck by grief and my consciousness shaken by fear, reaching that hermitage I fell into still greater grief.
पदशब्दं तु मे श्रुत्वा मुनिर्वाक्यमभाषत । किं चिरायसि मे पुत्र पानीयं क्षिप्रमानय ॥ ७ ॥
“Hearing the sound of my footsteps, the sage said: ‘Why are you so long, my son? Bring the water quickly.
यन्निमित्तमिदं तात सलिले क्रीडितं त्वया । उत्कण्ठिता ते मातेयं प्रविश क्षिप्रमाश्रमम् ॥ ८ ॥
“’Because you have been playing in the water, dear child, your mother here is anxious; come quickly into the hermitage.
यद् व्यलीकं कृतं पुत्र मात्रा ते यदि वा मया । न तन्मनसि कर्तव्यं त्वया तात तपस्विना ॥ ९ ॥
“’If any wrong was done to you, son, by your mother or by me, you should not keep it in mind, dear child, you who are an ascetic.
त्वं गतिस्त्वगतीनां च चक्षुस्त्वं हीनचक्षुषाम् । समासक्तास्त्वयि प्राणाः किं त्वं नो नाभिभाषसे ॥ १० ॥
“’You are the refuge of those without refuge, the eye of those without eyes; our life-breaths are fastened on you. Why do you not say something to us?’
मुनिमव्यक्तया वाचा तमहं सज्जमानया । हीनव्यञ्जनया प्रेक्ष्य भीतोऽभीत इवाब्रुवम् ॥ ११ ॥
“Seeing the sage, I, frightened, spoke as one frightened, in an indistinct, faltering voice that lacked its consonants.
मनसः कर्म चेष्टाभिरभिसंस्तभ्य वाग्बलम् । आचचक्षे त्वहं तस्मै पुत्रव्यसनजं भयम् ॥ १२ ॥
“Steadying the strength of my voice with effort of mind and body, I told him the terror that had come from his son’s calamity:
क्षत्रियोऽहं दशरथो नाहं पुत्रो महात्मनः । सज्जनावमतं दुःखमिदं प्राप्तं स्वकर्मजम् ॥ १३ ॥
“’I am Dasharatha, a kshatriya; I am not the son of the great soul. This sorrow, despised by good men, has come from my own deed.
भगवमश्चापहस्तोऽहं सरयूतीरमागतः । जिघांसुः श्वापदं किंचिन्निपाने वागतं गजम् ॥ १४ ॥
“’Lord, bow in hand, I came to the bank of the Sarayu, wanting to kill some wild beast, or an elephant come to the watering place.
ततः श्रुतो मया शब्दो जले कुम्भस्य पूर्यतः । द्विपोऽयमिति मत्वाहि बाणेनाभिहतो मया ॥ १५ ॥
“’Then I heard the sound of a jar being filled in the water. Thinking “this is an elephant”, I struck it with an arrow.
गत्वा नद्यास्ततस्तीरमपश्यमिषुणा हृदि । विनिर्भिन्नं गतप्राणं शयानं भुवि तापसम् ॥ १६ ॥
“’Then, going to the river’s bank, I saw an ascetic lying on the ground, his heart pierced by the arrow, his life gone.
भगवञ्शब्दमालक्ष्य मया गजजिघांसुना । विसृष्टोऽम्भसि नाराचस्तेन ते निहतः सुतः ॥ १७ ॥
“’Lord, marking the sound, I, wishing to kill an elephant, let loose an iron arrow at the water; by it your son was killed.
ततस्तस्यैव वचनादुपेत्य परितप्यतः । स मया सहसा बाण उद्धृतो मर्मतस्तदा ॥ १८ ॥
“’Then, at his own word, coming to him in his torment, I quickly drew the arrow out of his vital part.
स चोद्धृतेन बाणेन तत्रैव स्वर्गमास्थितः । भगवन्तावुभौ शोचन्नन्धाविति विलप्य च ॥ १९ ॥
“’And when the arrow was drawn out, he went to heaven right there, having grieved and lamented for you two honoured ones, the blind.
अज्ञानाद्भवतः पुत्रः सहसाभिहतो मया । शेषमेवं गते यत् स्यात्तत् प्रसीदतु मे मुनिः ॥ २० ॥
“’In ignorance your son was suddenly struck by me. As for what remains, things having come to this, let the sage be gracious to me.’
स तच्छ्रुत्वा वचः क्रूरं मयोक्तमघशंसिना । नाशकत्तीव्रमायासमकर्तुं भगवानृषिः ॥ २१ ॥
“Hearing those cruel words spoken by me, the bearer of evil news, the honoured seer could not hold back his intense distress.
सबाष्पपूर्णवदनो निःश्वसञ्शोककर्शितः । मामुवाच महातेजाः कृताञ्जलिमुपस्थितम् ॥ २२ ॥
“His face full of tears, sighing, wasted with grief, the very powerful one said to me as I stood before him with joined palms:
यद्येतदशुभं कर्म न स्म मे कथयेः स्वयम् । फलेन्मूर्धा स्म ते राजन्सद्यः शतसहस्रधा ॥ २३ ॥
“’If you had not told me this evil deed yourself, king, your head would at once have burst into a hundred thousand pieces.
क्षत्रियेण वधो राजन्वानप्रस्थे विशेषतः । ज्ञानपूर्वं कृतः स्थानाच्च्यावयेदपि वज्रिणम् ॥ २४ ॥
“’The killing by a kshatriya, king, especially of a forest-hermit, if done knowingly, would hurl even the wielder of the thunderbolt from his place.
सप्तधा तु फलेन्मूर्धा मुनौ तपसि तिष्ठति । ज्ञानाद्विसृजतः शस्त्रं तादृशे ब्रह्मवादिनि ॥ २५ ॥
“’The head of one who knowingly loosed a weapon at a sage practising austerity, at such a knower of Brahman, would burst into seven pieces.
अज्ञानाद्धि कृतं यस्मादिदं तेनैव जीवसि । अपि ह्यद्य कुलं न स्याद्राघवाणां कुतो भवान् ॥ २६ ॥
“’Because this was done in ignorance, for that reason alone you live. Otherwise the very line of the Raghavas would be gone today, let alone you.
नय नौ नृप तं देशमिति मां चाभ्यभाषत । अद्य तं द्रष्टुमिच्छावः पुत्रं पश्चिमदर्शनम् ॥ २७ ॥
“’Take us, king, to that place,’ he said to me. ‘We wish to see our son today, the last sight of him,
रुधिरेणावसिक्ताङ्गं प्रकीर्णाजिनवाससम् । शयानं भुवि निःसंज्ञं धर्मराजवशं गतम् ॥ २८ ॥
“’his limbs covered with blood, his deerskin garment scattered, lying senseless on the ground, gone into the power of the king of dharma.’
अथाहमेकस्तं देशं नीत्वा तौ भृशदुःखितौ । अस्पर्शयमहं पुत्रं तं मुनिं सहभार्यया ॥ २९ ॥
“Then I alone led the deeply grieving pair to that place and let the sage and his wife touch their son.
तौ पुत्रमात्मनः स्पृष्ट्वा तमासाद्य तपस्विनौ । निपेततुः शरीरेऽस्य पिता चास्येदमब्रवीत् ॥ ३० ॥
“The two ascetics, touching their son and coming close to him, fell on his body, and his father said this:
नाभिवादयसे माद्य न च मामभिभाषसे । किं च शेषे तु भूमौ त्वं वत्स किं कुपितो ह्यसि ॥ ३१ ॥
“’You do not greet me today, nor speak to me. Why do you lie on the ground, child? Are you angry with us?
न त्वहं ते प्रियः पुत्र मातरं पश्य धार्मिक । किं नु नालिङ्गसे पुत्र सुकुमार वचो वद ॥ ३२ ॥
“’Am I not dear to you, son? Look at your mother, righteous one. Why do you not embrace us, son? Speak tender words.
कस्य वापररात्रेऽहं श्रोष्यामि हृदयंगमम् । अधीयानस्य मधुरं शास्त्रं वान्यद्विशेषतः ॥ ३३ ॥
“’From whom shall I hear, in the last part of the night, sweet recitation of scripture, or anything else, that goes to the heart?
को मां संध्यामुपास्यैव स्नात्वा हुतहुताशनः । श्लाघयिष्यत्युपासीनः पुत्रशोकभयार्दितम् ॥ ३४ ॥
“’Who, having bathed, done the twilight worship and made offerings into the fire, will sit beside me and comfort me, tormented by grief and fear for my son?
कन्दमूलफलं हृत्वा को मां प्रियमिवातिथिम् । भोजयिष्यत्यकर्मण्यमप्रग्रहमनायकम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“’Who, bringing bulbs, roots and fruit, will feed me like a dear guest, me who can do nothing, who have no support and no guide?
इमामन्धां च वृद्धां च मातरं ते तपस्विनीम् । कथं पुत्र भरिष्यामि कृपणां पुत्रगर्धिनीम् ॥ ३६ ॥
“’How, son, shall I support your mother, blind, old, devoted, wretched, longing for her son?
तिष्ठ मा मा गमः पुत्र यमस्य सदनं प्रति । श्वो मया सह गन्तासि जनन्या च समेधितः ॥ ३७ ॥
“’Stay; do not, do not go to Yama’s dwelling, son. Tomorrow you will go with me, and with your mother, who raised you.
उभावपि च शोकार्तावनाथौ कृपणौ वने । क्षिप्रमेव गमिष्यावस्त्वया हीनौ यमक्षयम् ॥ ३८ ॥
“’Both of us, afflicted with grief, helpless and wretched in the forest, will soon go to Yama’s abode, bereft of you.
ततो वैवस्वतं दृष्ट्वा तं प्रवक्ष्यामि भारतीम् । क्षमतां धर्मराजो मे बिभृयात्पितरावयम् ॥ ३९ ॥
“’Then, seeing Vaivasvata, I will speak this word to him: “Let the king of dharma forgive me; let this one support his parents.”
दातुमर्हति धर्मात्मा लोकपालो महायशाः । ईदृषस्य ममाक्षय्यामेकामभयदक्षिणाम् ॥ ४० ॥
“’The righteous world-guardian, greatly renowned, should give to such a one as me an imperishable gift of safety.
अपापोऽसि यथा पुत्र निहतः पापकर्मणा । तेन सत्येन गच्छाशु ये लोकाः शस्त्रयोधिनाम् ॥ ४१ ॥
“’As you are sinless, son, killed by one who did a sinful deed, by that truth go quickly to the worlds of those who fight with weapons.
यान्ति शूरा गतिं यां च संग्रामेष्वनिवर्तिनः । हतास्त्वभिमुखाः पुत्र गतिं तां परमां व्रज ॥ ४२ ॥
“’The way that heroes go who never turn back in battle, killed facing the enemy, son: go to that highest way.
यां गतिं सगरः शैब्यो दिलीपो जनमेजयः । नहुषो धुन्धुमारश्च प्राप्तास्तां गच्छ पुत्रक ॥ ४३ ॥
“’The way that Sagara, Shaibya, Dilipa, Janamejaya, Nahusha and Dhundhumara reached: go to that, dear son.
या गतिः सर्वसाधूनां स्वाध्यायात्तपसश्च या । भूमिदस्याहिताग्नेश्च एकपत्नीव्रतस्य च ॥ ४४ ॥
“’The way of all the good, of those devoted to study and austerity, of the giver of land, of the keeper of the sacred fire, of one vowed to a single wife,
गोसहस्रप्रदातृऋणां या या गुरुभृतामपि । देहन्यासकृतां या च तां गतिं गच्छ पुत्रक ॥ ४५ ॥
“’of the givers of a thousand cows, of those who supported their teachers, of those who gave up their bodies: go to that way, dear son.
न हि त्वस्मिन्कुले जातो गच्छत्यकुशलां गतिम् । स तु यास्यति येन त्वं निहतो मम बान्धवः ॥ ४६ ॥
“’For no one born in this family goes an unhappy way; but he will go so, by whom you, my kinsman, were killed.’
एवं स कृपणं तत्र पर्यदेवयतासकृत् । ततोऽस्मै कर्तुमुदकं प्रवृत्तः सह भार्यया ॥ ४७ ॥
“So he lamented pitifully there again and again. Then he set about offering him water, with his wife.
स तु दिव्येन रूपेण मुनिपुत्रः स्वकर्मभिः । स्वर्गमध्यारुहत्क्षिप्रं शक्रेण सह धर्मवित् ॥ ४८ ॥
“But the sage’s son, by his own deeds, in a divine form, quickly rose to heaven with Shakra, knowing dharma.
आबभाषे च तौ वृद्धौ सह शक्रेण तापसः । आश्वास्य च मुहूर्तं तु पितरौ वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ४९ ॥
“And the ascetic, with Shakra, spoke to those two old people; comforting his parents for a moment, he said:
स्थानमस्मि महत् प्राप्तो भवतोः परिचारणात् । भवन्तावपि च क्षिप्रं मम मूलमुपैष्यतः ॥ ५० ॥
“’I have reached a great place through serving you; you two also will soon come to me.’
एवमुक्त्वा तु दिव्येन विमानेन वपुष्मता । आरुरोह दिवं क्षिप्रं मुनिपुत्रो जितेन्द्रियः ॥ ५१ ॥
“Saying this, the sage’s son, master of his senses, quickly rose to heaven in a shining celestial chariot.
स कृत्वातूदकं तूर्णं तापसः सह भार्यया । मामुवाच महातेजाः कृताञ्जलिमुपस्थितम् ॥ ५२ ॥
“Having quickly offered the water with his wife, the very powerful ascetic said to me as I stood with joined palms:
अद्यैव जहि मां राजन्मरणे नास्ति मे व्यथा । यच्छरेणैकपुत्रं मां त्वमकार्षीरपुत्रकम् ॥ ५३ ॥
“’Kill me this very day, king; I have no fear of death, since with an arrow you have made me, who had one son, sonless.
त्वया तु यदविज्ञानान्निहतो मे सुतः शुचिः । तेन त्वामभिशप्स्यामि सुदुःखमतिदारुणम् ॥ ५४ ॥
“’Because my pure son was killed by you in ignorance, for that I will curse you with a terrible fate of great sorrow:
पुत्रव्यसनजं दुःखं यदेतन्मम साम्प्रतम् । एवं त्वं पुत्रशोकेन राजन् कालं करिष्यसि ॥ ५५ ॥
“’the sorrow born of the loss of a son that is mine now: so you too, king, will meet your time through grief for a son.
अज्ञानात्तु हतो यस्मात् क्षत्रियेण त्वया मुनिः । तस्मात्त्वां नाविशत्याशु ब्रह्महत्या नराधिप ॥ ५६ ॥
“’Because the sage was killed by you, a kshatriya, in ignorance, the sin of killing a brahmana does not enter you quickly, lord of men.
त्वामप्येतादृशो भावः क्षिप्रमेव गमिष्यति । जीवितान्तकरो घोरो दातारमिव दक्षिणा ॥ ५७ ॥
“’But a state like this will come to you too, very soon, dreadful, ending your life, as the reward comes to the giver.’
एवं शापं मयि न्यस्य विलप्य करुणं बहु । चितामारोप्य देहं तन्मिथुनं स्वर्गमभ्ययात् ॥ ५८ ॥
“Having laid this curse on me and lamented long and pitifully, the couple placed their bodies on the pyre and went to heaven.
तदेतच्चिन्तयानेन स्मृतं पापं मया स्वयम् । तदा बाल्यात्कृतं देवि शब्दवेध्यनुकर्षिणा ॥ ५९ ॥
“So, as I think of it, I have remembered that sin I myself committed then in boyishness, queen, carried away by shooting at sound.
तस्यायं कर्मणो देवि विपाकः समुपस्थितः । अपथ्यैः सह सम्भुक्ते व्याधिरन्नरसे यथा ॥ ६० ॥
“The ripening of that deed has come to me, queen, as illness comes in the juice of food eaten with unwholesome things.
तस्मान्मामागतं भद्रे तस्योदारस्य तद्वचः । यदहं पुत्रशोकेन संत्यक्ष्याम्यद्य जीवितम् ॥ ६१ ॥
“So those words of that noble one have come to me, good lady: that today I shall give up my life through grief for my son.”
चक्षुर्भ्यां त्वां न पश्यामि कौसल्ये साधु मां स्पृश । इत्युक्त्वा स रुदंस्त्रस्तो भार्यामाह च भूमिपः ॥ ६२ ॥
“I cannot see you with my eyes, Kausalya; touch me well.” Saying this, weeping, frightened, the lord of the earth said to his wife:
एतन्मे सदृशं देवि यन्मया राघवे कृतम् । सदृशं तत्तु तस्यैव यदनेन कृतं मयि ॥ ६३ ॥
“This that I did to Raghava was worthy of me, queen; but what he did to me was worthy of him alone.
दुर्वृत्तमपि कः पुत्रं त्यजेद्भुवि विचक्षणः । कश्च प्रव्राज्यमानो वा नासूयेत्पितरं सुतः ॥ ६४ ॥
“What wise man on earth would cast off even an ill-behaved son? And what son, being banished, would not resent his father?
यदि मां संस्पृशेद्रामः सकृदद्य लभेत वा । यमक्षयमनुप्राप्ता द्रक्ष्यन्ति न हि मानवाः ॥ ६५ ॥
“If Rama would touch me, or come to me once today... men who have reached Yama’s abode do not see.
चक्षुषा त्वां न पश्यामि स्मृतिर्मम विलुप्यते । दूता वैवस्वतस्यैते कौसल्ये त्वरयन्ति माम् ॥ ६६ ॥
“I cannot see you with my eyes; my memory is fading. These messengers of Vaivasvata are hurrying me, Kausalya.
अतस्तु किं दुःखतरं यदहं जीवितक्षये । न हि पश्यामि धर्मज्ञं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ॥ ६७ ॥
“What could be more painful than this, that at the end of my life I do not see Rama, who knows dharma, whose courage is truth?
तस्यादर्शनजः शोकः सुतस्याप्रतिकर्मणः । उच्छोषयति मे प्राणान्वारि स्तोकमिवातपः ॥ ६८ ॥
“Grief at not seeing that son, who never acted against me, dries up my life-breaths as the sun dries a little water.
न ते मनुष्या देवास्ते ये चारुशुभकुण्डलम् । मुखं द्रक्ष्यन्ति रामस्य वर्षे पञ्चदशे पुनः ॥ ६९ ॥
“They are not men, they are gods, who will see Rama’s face, with its lovely, auspicious earrings, again in the fifteenth year.
पद्मपत्रेक्षणं सुभ्रु सुदंष्ट्रं चारुनासिकम् । धन्या द्रक्ष्यन्ति रामस्य ताराधिपनिभं मुखम् ॥ ७० ॥
“Blessed are those who will see Rama’s face, with lotus-petal eyes, fine brows, fine teeth and a lovely nose, like the lord of stars.
सदृशं शारदस्येन्दोः फुल्लस्य कमलस्य च । सुगन्धि मम नाथस्य धन्या द्रक्ष्यन्ति तन्मुखम् ॥ ७१ ॥
“Blessed are those who will see that fragrant face of my lord, like the autumn moon and the full-blown lotus.
निवृत्तवनवासं तमयोध्यां पुनरागतम् । द्रक्ष्यन्ति सुखिनो रामं शुक्रं मार्गगतं यथा ॥ ७२ ॥
“The happy ones will see Rama come back to Ayodhya, his forest life finished, like Venus returned to its path.
कौसल्ये चित्तमोहेन हृदयं सीदतीव मे । वेदये न च संयुक्ताञ्शब्दस्पर्शरसानहम् ॥ ७३ ॥
“Kausalya, my heart seems to sink through the confusion of my mind, and I do not perceive sounds, touches or tastes joined to me.
चित्तनाशाद्विपद्यन्ते सर्वाण्येवेन्द्रियाणि मे । क्षिणस्नेहस्य दीपस्य संसक्ता रश्मयो यथा ॥ ७४ ॥
“Through the failing of my mind, all my senses are perishing, like the clinging rays of a lamp whose oil is spent.
अयमात्मभवः शोको मामनाथमचेतनम् । संसादयति वेगेन यथा कूलं नदीरयः ॥ ७५ ॥
“This grief, born of myself, sweeps me away, helpless and senseless, as a river’s current carries off its bank.
हा राघव महाबाहो हा ममायासनाशन । हा पितृप्रिय मे नाथ हाद्य क्वासि गतः सुत ॥ ७६ ॥
“Ha Raghava, mighty-armed! Ha, destroyer of my troubles! Ha, dear to your father, my lord! Ha, where have you gone today, my son?
हा कौसल्ये नशिष्यामि हा सुमित्रे तपस्विनि । हा नृशंसे ममामित्रे कैकेयि कुलपांसनि ॥ ७७ ॥
“Ha Kausalya, I shall perish! Ha, devoted Sumitra! Ha, cruel Kaikeyi, my enemy, disgrace of the family!”
इति रामस्य मातुश्च सुमित्रायाश्च सन्निधौ । राजा दशरथः शोचञ्जीवितान्तमुपागमत् ॥ ७८ ॥
So, in the presence of Rama’s mother and of Sumitra, King Dasharatha, grieving, came to the end of his life.
यथा तु दीनं कथयन् नराधिपः प्रियस्य पुत्रस्य विवासनातुरः । गतेऽर्धरात्रे भृशदुःखपीडितस्तदा जहौ प्राणमुदारदर्शनः ॥ ७९ ॥
And so, speaking wretchedly, the lord of men, afflicted by the exile of his dear son, tormented by great sorrow, gave up his life when half the night had passed, the noble-looking one.