Sloka & Translation

[Bharata beseeches Rama repeatedly -- Rama justifies his obedience to his father's command.]

तं तु राम स्समाश्वास्य भ्रातरं गुरवत्सलम्।

लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे।।2.104.1।।


भ्रात्रा brother, लक्ष्मणेन सह along with Lakshmana, रामः Rama, गुरुवत्सलम् to one devoted to elders, भ्रातरम् to brother, तम् that Bharata, समाश्वास्य having consoled, प्रष्टुम् to question, समुपचक्रमे commenced.

Rama with his brother Lakshmana having consoled Bharata who is ever devoted to elders began to question:
किमेतदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं प्रव्याहृतं त्वया।

यस्मात्त्वमागतो देशमिमं चीरजटाजिनः।।2.104.2।।


त्वम् you, चीरजटाजिन: wearing barkrobes, matted locks and antelope skin, यस्मात् for what reason, इमं देशम् to this region, आगतः have come, एतत् किम् what is it, त्वया by you, प्रव्याहृतम् being related, अहम् I, श्रोतुम् to hear, इच्छेयम् I desire.

I want to hear what brought you to this region with your barkrobes, matted locks and antelope skin.
यन्निमित्तमिमं देशं कृष्णाजिनजटाधरः।

हित्वा राज्यं प्रविष्टस्त्वं तत्सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि।।2.104.3।।
 

त्वम् you, राज्यम् kingdom, हित्वा leaving, कृष्णाजिनजटाधरः wearing deer skin and matted hair, किन्निमित्तम् for what reason, इमं देशम् this region, प्रविष्टः have entered, तत् that, सर्वम् everything, वक्तुम् to tell, अर्हसि behoves you.

What made you come to this region, leaving the kingdom and wearing deer skin and matted hair? You should tell me everything.
इत्युक्तः कैकयीपुत्रः काकुत्स्थेन महात्मना।

प्रगृह्य बलवद्भूयः प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।2.104.4।।


महात्मना by the magnanimous, काकुत्स्थेन by Rama, इति thus, उक्तः uttered, कैकयीपुत्रः son of Kaikeyi, Bharata, प्राञ्जलिः joining the palms in reverence, भूयः again, बलवत् strongly, प्रगृह्य holding, वाक्यम् this statement, अब्रवीत् said.

Thus enquired by the magnanimous Rama, Bharata, joining his palms tightly, replied:
आर्यं तातः परित्यज्य कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्।

गत: स्वर्ग महाबाहुः पुत्रशोकाभिपीडितः।।2.104.5।।
 

महाबाहुः mightyarmed, तातः father, आर्यं my esteemed brother, परित्यज्य having abandoned, सुदुष्करम् impossible to perform, कर्म task, कृत्वा having done, पुत्रशोकाभिपीडितः tortured by the grief due to separation from his son, स्वर्गम् heaven, गतः went.

O my revered sire our mighty father, having performed an impossible task of banishing you to the forest, and tortured by grief due to separation from his son, went to heaven.
स्त्रिया नियुक्तः कैकेय्या मम मात्रा परन्तप।

चकार सा महत्पापमिदमात्मयशोहरम्।।2.104.6।।
 

परन्तप O tormentor of enemies, Rama, मम my, मात्रा mother, स्त्रिया woman, कैकेय्या by
Kaikeyi, नियुक्तः instigated, आत्मयशोहरम् destroying his reputation, सुमहत् great, इदं पापम् this sin, चकार commited.

O Rama, tormentor of enemies having been instigated by a woman, my mother
Kaikeyi, committed this great sin of destroying his (Dasaratha's) reputation.
सा राज्यफलमप्राप्य विधवा शोककर्शिता।

पतिष्यति महाघोरे निरये जननी मम।।2.104.7।।


मम my, जननी mother, सा that lady, राज्यफलम् fruit of kingodm, अप्राप्य without acquiring, विधवा widow, शोककर्शिता formented with grief, महाघोरे dreadful, निरये hell, पतिष्यति will fall.

My mother, formented with grief and with the fruit of the kingdom forfeited, and cursed with widowhood, will fall into the dreadful hell.
तस्य मे दासभूतस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।

अभिषिञ्चस्व चाद्येव राज्येन मघवानिव।।2.104.8।।


तस्य such, दासभूतस्य servant I am, मे to me, प्रसादम् favour, कर्तुम् to do, अर्हसि behoves you, अद्येव now itself, मघवानिव like Indra, राज्येन in the kingdom, अभिषिञ्चस्व be coronated.

It behoves you to grant me a favour. I am like your servant. Now get yourself coronated in the kingdom like Indra.
इमाः प्रकृतय स्सर्वा विधवा मातरश्च याः।

त्वत्सकाशमनुप्राप्ता प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।।2.104.9।।


इमाः these, सर्वाः all, प्रकृतयः subjects, विधवाः widows, मातरश्च those mothers, त्वत्सकाशम्
to your proximity, अनुप्राप्ताः have reached, प्रसादम् favour, कर्तुम् to do, अर्हसि behoves you.

All these subjects and your widowed mothers have come to you. It behoves you to grant them this favour.
तदानुपूर्व्या युक्तं च युक्तं चात्मनि मानद।

राज्यं प्राप्नुहि धर्मेण सकामान्सुहृदः कुरु।।2.104.10।।


मानद O bestower of honour, तत् for that reason, आनुपूर्व्या by succession, युक्तम् appropriate, आत्मनि in you, युक्तं च is appropriate, राज्यम् kingdom, धर्मेण righteously, प्राप्नुहि you may obtain, सुहृदः friends, सकामान् having fulfilled their desire, कुरु make them.

O bestower of honour by the law of primogeniture and as a worthy successor it is appropriate that you should accept the kingdom righteously and fulfil the desire of your friends.
भवत्वविधवा भूमि स्समग्रा पतिना त्वया।

शशिना विमलेनेव शारदी रजनी यथा।।2.104.11।।


समग्रा this entire, भूमिः earth, शारदी relating to autumn, रजनी यथा like night, पतिना as lord, त्वया by you, विमलेन by the immaculate, शशिना इव like the Moon, अविधवा भवतु let it be a widow no more.

Like an autumnal night with the immaculate Moon, let this entire earth cease to be a widow by securing you as her lord.
एभिश्च सचिवैस्सार्धं शिरसा याचितो मया।

भ्रातु  शिष्यस्य दासस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।।2.104.12।।
 

एभिः by these, सचिवैः सार्धम् with ministers, मया by me, शिरसा with head bowed down, याचितः has been besought, भ्रातुः of a brother, शिष्यस्य of a disciple, दासस्य of a slave, प्रसादम् favour, कर्तुम् to do, अर्हसि it behoves you.

With my head bowed down, I beseech you along with all these ministers to show favour to me who is your brother, disciple and slave.
तदिदं शाश्वतं पित्र्यं सर्वं प्रकृतिमण्डलम्।

पूजितं पुरुषव्याघ्र नातिक्रमितुमर्हसि।।2.104.13।।


पुरुषव्याघ्रः O best among men, तत् for that reason, शाश्वतम् eternal, पित्र्यम् hereditary, पूजितम् venerable, सर्वम् entire, इदम् this order, प्रकृतिमण्डलम् the whole order of subjects, अतिक्रमितुम् to transgress, न अर्हति it does not behove you.

O best among men, it does not behove you to transgress the prayers of the whole order of subjects and ministers to assume this hereditary and perpetual order.
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहु स्सबाष्पः कैकयीसुतः।

रामस्य शिरसा पादौ जग्राह भरत: पुन:।।2.104.14।।
 

महाबाहुः mightyarmed, कैकयीसुतः Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, एवम् in this way, उक्त्वा having said, सबाष्पः with tearful eyes, रामस्य Rama's, पादौ feet, पुनः again, विधिवत् in accordance with tradition, शिरसा with his head, जग्राह grasped.

Having said thus, the mightyarmed Bharata, in accordance with tradition, grasped with tearful eyes the feet of Rama again with his head.
तं मत्तमिव मातङ्गं निःश्वसन्तं पुन पुनः।

भ्रातरं भरतं रामः परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत्।।2.104.15।।


रामः Rama, पुनः पुनः repeatedly, निःश्वसन्तम् heaving sighs, मत्तम् in rut, मातङ्गम् इव resembling an elephant, भ्रातरम् brother, तं भरतम् that Bharata, परिष्वज्य embracing, इदम् this word, अब्रवीत् said.

Rama embraced his brother Bharata who repeatedly heaved sighs and resembled an
elephant in rut, and said:
कुलीन:सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्तेजस्वी चरितव्रतः।

राज्यहेतोः कथं पापमाचरेत्त्वद्विधो जनः।।2.104.16।।
 

कुलीनः a man of noble birth, सत्वसम्पन्नः endowed with energy, तेजस्वी powerful, चरितव्रतः
adherent to one's vows, त्वद्विधः like you, जनः a man, राज्यहेतोः for the sake of kingdom, पापम् sin, कथम् how, आचरेत् will commit?

How can a man like you, born of a noble race, endowed with energy, powerful and adherent to vows, commit a sin for the sake of a kingdom?
न दोषं त्वयि पश्यामि सूक्ष्ममप्यरिसूदन।

न चापि जननीं बाल्यात्त्वं विगर्हितुमर्हसि।।2.104.17।।


अरिसूदन O destroyer of enemies, त्वयि in you, सूक्ष्ममपि slightest, दोषम् fault, न पश्यामि I do not find, त्वम् you, बाल्यात् out of childishness, जननीं your mother, विगर्हितुम् to reproach, नार्हसि चापि does not behove you.

O destroyer of enemies, I do not find even slightest fault with you. Like a child, it does not behove you to reproach your mother.
कामकारो महाप्राज्ञ गुरूणां सर्वदाऽनघ।

उपपन्नेषु दारेषु पुत्रेषु च विधीयते।।2.104.18।।


महाप्राज्ञ sagacious, अनघ sinless, गुरूणाम् of elders, उपपन्नेषु when married, दारेषु in relation to their wives, पुत्रेषु च also sons, सर्वदा always, कामकारः acting at will, विधीयते is laid down.

O sagacious and sinless one, it is laid down (in sastras) that elders when married can always act at their free will towards their wives and sons.
वयमस्य यथा लोके सङ्ख्याता: सौम्य साधुभिः।

भार्याः पुत्राश्च शिष्याश्च त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि।।2.104.19।।
 

सौम्य O handsome one, लोके in this world, भार्याः wives, पुत्राश्च sons, शिष्याश्च disciples, साधुभिः by virtuous men, यथा as, संख्याताः have been treated, वयम् we, अस्य for this (king Dasaratha, etc), त्वं you, अनुज्ञातुं to permit, अर्हसि it behoves you.

O handsome one, you should treat us the way the virtuous treat their wives, sons and disciples in this world.
वने वा चीरवसनं सौम्य कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्।

राज्ये वाऽपि महाराजो मां वासयितुमीश्वरः।।2.104.20।।


सौम्य O handsome one, चीरवसनम् dressed in bark robes, कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम् with antelope skin as garment, माम् me, महाराजः the maharaja (Dasaratha), वने वा either in the forest, राज्ये वापि or in the kingdom, वासयितुम् to accommodate me, ईश्वरः is competent.

O handsome one, king Dasaratha is alone competent to accommodate me in the forest wearing bark robes and antelope skin as garment or install me in the kingdom.
यावत पितरि धर्मज्ञे गौरवं लोकसत्कृतम्।

तावद्धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ जनन्यामपि गौरवम्।।2.104.21।।
 

धर्मभृताम् among the protectors of righteousness, श्रेष्ठ best, धर्मज्ञे conversant with the ways of righteousness, पितरि in father, लोकसत्कृतम् revered by the world, यावत् how much, गौरवम् honour, जनन्यामपि even for mother, तावत् that much, गौरवम् honour, should be shown.

O best among the protectors of righteousness the honour shown to our father who is conversant with the ways of righteousness and much revered by the world ought to be shown towards our mother also.
एताभ्यां धर्मशीलाभ्यां वनं गच्छेति राघव।

मातापितृभ्यामुक्तोऽहं कथमन्यत्समाचरे।।2.104.22।।
 

राघव O Bharata, धर्मशीलाभ्याम् of righteous conduct, एताभ्याम् by these two, मातापितृभ्याम् by the father and mother, वनम् to forest, गच्छ go, इति thus, उक्तः having been told, अहम् I, अन्यत् other than this, कथम् how, समाचरेत् can act?

O Bharata, I have been commanded by our righteous father and mother to go to the forest. How can any one act otherwise?
त्वया राज्यमयोध्यायां प्राप्तव्यं लोकसत्कृतम्।

वस्तव्यं दण्डकारण्ये मया वल्कलवाससा।।2.104.23।।


त्वया by you, अयोध्यायाम् in Ayodhya, लोकसत्कृतम् honoured by the the world, राज्यम् kingdom, प्राप्तव्यम् is to be obtained, मया by me, वल्कलवाससा with barkrobes as garments, दण्डकारण्ये in Dandaka forest, वस्तव्यम् I must live.

You shall rule the kingdom wellhonoured by the people in Ayodhya and I shall live in Dandaka forest wearing bark as garments.
एवं कृत्वा महाराजो विभागं लोकसन्निधौ।

व्यादिश्य च महातेजा दिवं दशरथो गतः।।2.104.24।।


महाराजः great king, महातेजाः of great splendour, दशरथः Dasaratha, लोकसन्निधौ in the presence of people, एवम् in this way, विभागम् apportionment, कृत्वा having made, व्यादिश्य च having commanded, दिवम् to heaven, गतः went.

The maharja of great radiance made this division in the presence of people and after commanding thus, ascended heaven.
स च प्रमाणं धर्मात्मा राजा लोकगुरुस्तव।

पित्रा दत्तं यथाभागमुपभोक्तुं त्वमर्हसि।।2.104.25।।


धर्मात्मा righteous, लोकगुरुः revered by the world, सः राजा that king, तव your, प्रमाणम्
proclamation, त्वम् you, पित्रा by father, दत्तम् bestowed, यथाभागम् that portion, उपभोक्तुम् to enjoy, अर्हसि behoves you.

The proclamation of that righteous king revered by the world shall be your guide. You
should enjoy that portion bestowed by father.
चतुर्दश समास्सौम्य दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः।

उपभोक्ष्ये त्वहं दत्तं भागं पित्रा महात्मना।।2.104.26।।


सौम्य O handsome one, अहं तु as for myself, चतुर्दश fourteen, समाः years, दण्डकारण्यम् Dandaka forest, आश्रितः taking refuge, महात्मना magnanimous, पित्रा by father, दत्तम् bestowed, भागम् portion, उपभोक्ष्ये I will enjoy.

O handsome one, as for myself, I shall enjoy the portion bestowed on me by my magnanimous father and shall take refuge in the Dandaka forest for fourteen years.
यदब्रवीन्मां नरलोकसत्कृतः पिता महात्मा विबुधाधिपोपमः।

तदेव मन्ये परमात्मनो हितं न सर्वलोकेश्वर भावमप्ययम्।।2.104.27।।


नरलोकसत्कृतः honoured by the men of the world, पिता father, महात्मा highsouled, विबुधाधिपोपमः equal to the king of the gods, यत् whatever, अब्रवीत् said, माम् to me, तदेव that only, परमात्मन: the ulitimate, हितं good, मन्ये I regard it, सर्वलोकेश्वर: the will of the lord of all the worlds, भावमप्ययम् न should not be allowed to vanish.

I think what my great father, who is honoured by all men, and an equal to Indra, ordered is for my highest welfare. The will of the overlord of the world should not be done away with.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे चतुरुत्तरशततमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the one hundredfourth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.