Sloka & Translation

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

taṅ tu rāma ssamāśvāsya bhrātaraṅ guravatsalam.

lakṣmaṇēna saha bhrātrā praṣṭuṅ samupacakramē৷৷2.104.1৷৷


bhrātrā brother, lakṣmaṇēna saha along with Lakshmana, rāmaḥ Rama, guruvatsalam to one devoted to elders, bhrātaram to brother, tam that Bharata, samāśvāsya having consoled, praṣṭum to question, samupacakramē commenced.

Rama with his brother Lakshmana having consoled Bharata who is ever devoted to elders began to question:
kimētadicchēyamahaṅ śrōtuṅ pravyāhṛtaṅ tvayā.

yasmāttvamāgatō dēśamimaṅ cīrajaṭājinaḥ৷৷2.104.2৷৷


tvam you, cīrajaṭājina: wearing bark-robes, matted locks and antelope skin, yasmāt for what reason, imaṅ dēśam to this region, āgataḥ have come, ētat kim what is it, tvayā by you, pravyāhṛtam being related, aham I, śrōtum to hear, icchēyam I desire.

I want to hear what brought you to this region with your bark-robes, matted locks and antelope skin.
kinnimittamimaṅ dēśaṅ kṛṣṇājinajaṭādharaḥ.

hitvā rājyaṅ praviṣṭastvaṅ tatsarvaṅ vaktumarhasi৷৷2.104.3৷৷


tvam you, rājyam kingdom, hitvā leaving, kṛṣṇājinajaṭādharaḥ wearing deer skin and matted hair, kinnimittam for what reason, imaṅ dēśam this region, praviṣṭaḥ have entered, tat that, sarvam everything, vaktum to tell, arhasi behoves you.

What made you come to this region, leaving the kingdom and wearing deer skin and matted hair? You should tell me everything.
ityuktaḥ kaikayīputraḥ kākutsthēna mahātmanā.

pragṛhya balavadbhūyaḥ prāñjalirvākyamabravīt৷৷2.104.4৷৷


mahātmanā by the magnanimous, kākutsthēna by Rama, iti thus, uktaḥ uttered, kaikayīputraḥ son of Kaikeyi, Bharata, prāñjaliḥ joining the palms in reverence, bhūyaḥ again, balavat strongly, pragṛhya holding, vākyam this statement, abravīt said.

Thus enquired by the magnanimous Rama, Bharata, joining his palms tightly, replied:
āryaṅ tātaḥ parityajya kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram.

gata ssvargaṅ mahābāhuḥ putraśōkābhipīḍitaḥ৷৷2.104.5৷৷


mahābāhuḥ mighty-armed, tātaḥ father, āryaṅ my esteemed brother, parityajya having abandoned, suduṣkaram impossible to perform, karma task, kṛtvā having done, putraśōkābhipīḍitaḥ tortured by the grief due to separation from his son, svargam heaven, gataḥ 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.
striyā niyuktaḥ kaikēyyā mama mātrā parantapa.

cakāra sumahatpāpamidamātmayaśōharam৷৷2.104.6৷৷


parantapa O tormentor of enemies, Rama, mama my, mātrā mother, striyā woman, kaikēyyā by
Kaikeyi, niyuktaḥ instigated, ātmayaśōharam destroying his reputation, sumahat great, idaṅ pāpam this sin, cakāra 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.
sā rājyaphalamaprāpya vidhavā śōkakarśitā.

patiṣyati mahāghōrē nirayē jananī mama৷৷2.104.7৷৷


mama my, jananī mother, sā that lady, rājyaphalam fruit of kingodm, aprāpya without acquiring, vidhavā widow, śōkakarśitā formented with grief, mahāghōrē dreadful, nirayē hell, patiṣyati 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.
tasya mē dāsabhūtasya prasādaṅ kartumarhasi.

abhiṣiñcasva cādyēva rājyēna maghavāniva৷৷2.104.8৷৷


tasya such, dāsabhūtasya servant I am, mē to me, prasādam favour, kartum to do, arhasi behoves you, adyēva now itself, maghavāniva like Indra, rājyēna in the kingdom, abhiṣiñcasva be coronated.

It behoves you to grant me a favour. I am like your servant. Now get yourself coronated in the kingdom like Indra.
imāḥ prakṛtaya ssarvā vidhavā mātaraśca yāḥ.

tvatsakāśamanuprāptā prasādaṅ kartumarhasi৷৷2.104.9৷৷


imāḥ these, sarvāḥ all, prakṛtayaḥ subjects, vidhavāḥ widows, mātaraśca those mothers, tvatsakāśam
to your proximity, anuprāptāḥ have reached, prasādam favour, kartum to do, arhasi behoves you.

All these subjects and your widowed mothers have come to you. It behoves you to grant them this favour.
tadānupūrvyā yuktaṅ ca yuktaṅ cātmani mānada!.

rājyaṅ prāpnuhi dharmēṇa sakāmānsuhṛdaḥ kuru৷৷2.104.10৷৷


mānada! O bestower of honour, tat for that reason, ānupūrvyā by succession, yuktam appropriate, ātmani in you, yuktaṅ ca is appropriate, rājyam kingdom, dharmēṇa righteously, prāpnuhi you may obtain, suhṛdaḥ friends, sakāmān having fulfilled their desire, kuru 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.
bhavatvavidhavā bhūmi ssamagrā patinā tvayā.

śaśinā vimalēnēva śāradī rajanī yathā৷৷2.104.11৷৷


samagrā this entire, bhūmiḥ earth, śāradī relating to autumn, rajanī yathā like night, patinā as lord, tvayā by you, vimalēna by the immaculate, śaśinā iva like the Moon, avidhavā bhavatu 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.
ēbhiśca sacivaissārdhaṅ śirasā yācitō mayā.

bhrātu śśiṣyasya dāsasya prasādaṅ kartumarhasi৷৷2.104.12৷৷


ēbhiḥ by these, sacivaiḥ sārdham with ministers, mayā by me, śirasā with head bowed down, yācitaḥ has been besought, bhrātuḥ of a brother, śiṣyasya of a disciple, dāsasya of a slave, prasādam favour, kartum to do, arhasi 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.
tadidaṅ śāśvataṅ pitryaṅ sarvaṅ prakṛtimaṇḍalam.

pūjitaṅ puruṣavyāghra nātikramitumarhasi৷৷2.104.13৷৷


puruṣavyāghraḥ O best among men, tat for that reason, śāśvatam eternal, pitryam hereditary, pūjitam venerable, sarvam entire, idam this order, prakṛtimaṇḍalam the whole order of subjects, atikramitum to transgress, na arhati 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.
ēvamuktvā mahābāhu ssabāṣpaḥ kaikayīsutaḥ.

rāmasya śirasā pādau jagrāha vidhivatpunaḥ৷৷2.104.14৷৷


mahābāhuḥ mighty-armed, kaikayīsutaḥ Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, ēvam in this way, uktvā having said, sabāṣpaḥ with tearful eyes, rāmasya Rama's, pādau feet, punaḥ again, vidhivat in accordance with tradition, śirasā with his head, jagrāha grasped.

Having said thus, the mighty-armed Bharata, in accordance with tradition, grasped with tearful eyes the feet of Rama again with his head.
taṅ mattamiva mātaṅgaṅ niḥśvasantaṅ puna punaḥ.

bhrātaraṅ bharataṅ rāmaḥ pariṣvajyēdamabravīt৷৷2.104.15৷৷


rāmaḥ Rama, punaḥ punaḥ repeatedly, niḥśvasantam heaving sighs, mattam in rut, mātaṅgam iva resembling an elephant, bhrātaram brother, taṅ bharatam that Bharata, pariṣvajya embracing, idam this word, abravīt said.

Rama embraced his brother Bharata who repeatedly heaved sighs and resembled an
elephant in rut, and said:
kulīnassattvasampannastējasvī caritavrataḥ.

rājyahētōḥ kathaṅ pāpamācarēttvadvidhō janaḥ৷৷2.104.16৷৷


kulīnaḥ a man of noble birth, satvasampannaḥ endowed with energy, tējasvī powerful, caritavrataḥ
adherent to one's vows, tvadvidhaḥ like you, janaḥ a man, rājyahētōḥ for the sake of kingdom, pāpam sin, katham how, ācarēt 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?
na dōṣaṅ tvayi paśyāmi sūkṣmamapyarisūdana.

na cāpi jananīṅ bālyāttvaṅ vigarhitumarhasi৷৷2.104.17৷৷


arisūdana O destroyer of enemies!, tvayi in you, sūkṣmamapi slightest, dōṣam fault, na paśyāmi I do not find, tvam you, bālyāt out of childishness, jananīṅ your mother, vigarhitum to reproach, nārhasi cāpi 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.
kāmakārō mahāprājña! gurūṇāṅ sarvadā.nagha.

upapannēṣu dārēṣu putrēṣu ca vidhīyatē৷৷2.104.18৷৷


mahāprājña! sagacious, anagha sinless, gurūṇām of elders, upapannēṣu when married, dārēṣu in relation to their wives, putrēṣu ca also sons, sarvadā always, kāmakāraḥ acting at will, vidhīyatē 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.
vayamasya yathā lōkē saṅkhyātā ssaumya sādhubhiḥ.

bhāryāḥ putrāśca śiṣyāśca tvamanujñātumarhasi৷৷2.104.19৷৷


saumya O handsome one, lōkē in this world, bhāryāḥ wives, putrāśca sons, śiṣyāśca disciples, sādhubhiḥ by virtuous men, yathā as, saṅkhyātāḥ have been treated, vayam we, asya for this (king Dasaratha, etc), tvaṅ you, anujñātuṅ to permit, arhasi it behoves you.

O handsome one, you should treat us the way the virtuous treat their wives, sons and disciples in this world.
vanē vā cīravasanaṅ saumya kṛṣṇājināmbaram.

rājyē vā.pi mahārājō māṅ vāsayitumīśvaraḥ৷৷2.104.20৷৷


saumya O handsome one, cīravasanam dressed in bark robes, kṛṣṇājināmbaram with antelope skin as garment, mām me, mahārājaḥ the maharaja (Dasaratha), vanē vā either in the forest, rājyē vāpi or in the kingdom, vāsayitum to accommodate me, īśvaraḥ 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.
yāvatpitari dharmajñē gauravaṅ lōkasatkṛtam.

tāvaddharmabhṛtāṅ śrēṣṭha jananyāmapi gauravam৷৷2.104.21৷৷


dharmabhṛtām among the protectors of righteousness, śrēṣṭha best, dharmajñē conversant with the ways of righteousness, pitari in father, lōkasatkṛtam revered by the world, yāvat how much, gauravam honour, jananyāmapi even for mother, tāvat that much, gauravam 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.
ētābhyāṅ dharmaśīlābhyāṅ vanaṅ gacchēti rāghava!.

mātāpitṛbhyāmuktō.haṅ kathamanyatsamācarēt৷৷2.104.22৷৷


rāghava! O Bharata, dharmaśīlābhyām of righteous conduct, ētābhyām by these two, mātāpitṛbhyām by the father and mother, vanam to forest, gaccha go, iti thus, uktaḥ having been told, aham I, anyat other than this, katham how, samācarēt 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?
tvayā rājyamayōdhyāyāṅ prāptavyaṅ lōkasatkṛtam.

vastavyaṅ daṇḍakāraṇyē mayā valkalavāsasā৷৷2.104.23৷৷


tvayā by you, ayōdhyāyām in Ayodhya, lōkasatkṛtam honoured by the the world, rājyam kingdom, prāptavyam is to be obtained, mayā by me, valkalavāsasā with bark-robes as garments, daṇḍakāraṇyē in Dandaka forest, vastavyam I must live.

You shall rule the kingdom well-honoured by the people in Ayodhya and I shall live in Dandaka forest wearing bark as garments.
ēvaṅ kṛtvā mahārājō vibhāgaṅ lōkasannidhau.

vyādiśya ca mahātējā divaṅ daśarathō gataḥ৷৷2.104.24৷৷


mahārājaḥ great king, mahātējāḥ of great splendour, daśarathaḥ Dasaratha, lōkasannidhau in the presence of people, ēvam in this way, vibhāgam apportionment, kṛtvā having made, vyādiśya ca having commanded, divam to heaven, gataḥ went.

The maharja of great radiance made this division in the presence of people and after commanding thus, ascended heaven.
sa ca pramāṇaṅ dharmātmā rājā lōkagurustava.

pitrā dattaṅ yathābhāgamupabhōktuṅ tvamarhasi৷৷2.104.25৷৷


dharmātmā righteous, lōkaguruḥ revered by the world, saḥ rājā that king, tava your, pramāṇam
proclamation, tvam you, pitrā by father, dattam bestowed, yathābhāgam that portion, upabhōktum to enjoy, arhasi behoves you.

The proclamation of that righteous king revered by the world shall be your guide. You
should enjoy that portion bestowed by father.
caturdaśa samāssaumya daṇḍakāraṇyamāśritaḥ.

upabhōkṣyē tvahaṅ dattaṅ bhāgaṅ pitrā mahātmanā৷৷2.104.26৷৷


saumya O handsome one, ahaṅ tu as for myself, caturdaśa fourteen, samāḥ years, daṇḍakāraṇyam Dandaka forest, āśritaḥ taking refuge, mahātmanā magnanimous, pitrā by father, dattam bestowed, bhāgam portion, upabhōkṣyē 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.
yadabravīnmāṅ naralōkasatkṛtaḥ pitā mahātmā vibudhādhipōpamaḥ.

tadēva manyē paramātmanō hitaṅ na sarvalōkēśvara bhāvamapyayam৷৷2.104.27৷৷


naralōkasatkṛtaḥ honoured by the men of the world, pitā father, mahātmā high-souled, vibudhādhipōpamaḥ equal to the king of the gods, yat whatever, abravīt said, mām to me, tadēva that only, paramātmana: the ulitimate, hitaṅ good, manyē I regard it, sarvalōkēśvara: the will of the lord of all the worlds, bhāvamapyayam na 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.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē caturuttaraśatatamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the one hundredfourth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.