Sloka & Translation

[On the departure of Rama to the forest, citizens of Ayodhya and women from the inner apartment lament]

tasminstu puruṣavyāghrē viniryāti kṛtāñjalau.

ārtaśabdō.hi sañjajñē strīṇāmanta:purē mahān৷৷2.41.1৷৷


puruṣavyāghrē tiger (foremost) among men, tasmin that Rama, kṛtāñjalau with folded palms, viniryāti having departed, antaḥpurē in the inner apartment (of the palace), strīṇām of women, ārtaśabdaḥ cries of distress, saṅjajñē arose.

When Rama, the foremost men, was departing with folded palms there arose a huge cry of distress from the inner apartment of ladies.
anāthasya janasyāsya durbalasya tapasvinaḥ.

yō gatiśśaraṇaṅ cāsītsa nāthaḥ kva nu gacchati৷৷2.41.2৷৷


anāthasya of the orphan, durbalasya of the weak, tapasvinaḥ of the miserable, asya janasya of these people, yaḥ who, gatiḥ refuge, śaraṇaṅ ca also the protector, āsīt was, saḥ nāthaḥ such protector, kva nu gacchati where is he now going?

Rama was a refuge and a protector to all the people who were defenceless, weak and miserable. Where is such a protector going now? (said the people).
na krudhyatyabhiśaptō.pi krōdhanīyāni varjayan.

kruddhānprasādayansarvān samaduḥkhaḥ kva gajchati৷৷2.41.3৷৷


abhiśaptō.pi even when denounced, na krudhyati will not be angry, krōdhanīyāni acts provoking wrath, varjayan while abandoning, kruddhān those who were enraged, sarvān all of them, prasādayan pacifies, samaduḥkhaḥ sharing their sorrow, kva where, gacchati is going?

Where is he who, even if reviled, never gets angry, never does acts that provoke anger, pacifies those who are enraged and shares the sorrows of others going now?
kauśalyāyāṅ mahātējā yathā mātari vartatē.

tathā yō vartatē.smāsu mahātmā kva nu gacchati৷৷2.41.4৷৷


mahātējāḥ effulgent, yaḥ Rama, mātari with regard to his mother, kauśalyāyām Kausalya, yathā as, vartatē treats, tathā in that way, asmāsu in us, vartatē treats, mahātmā a magnanimous one, kva nu where, gacchati is he going?

Where is he, that effulgent, magnanimous one who treated us (with the same respect) as he treated his mother Kausalya, going now?
kaikēyyā kliśyamānēna rājñā sañcōditō vanam.

paritrātā janasyāsya jagataḥ kva nu gacchati৷৷2.41.5৷৷


kaikēyyā by Kaikeyi, kliśyamānēna by being tormented, rājñā by the king, vanam to the forest, sañcōditaḥ one ordered, asya janasya of these people, jagataḥ of the whole world, paritrātā protector, Rama, kva nu where, gacchati is he going?

Tormented by Kaikeyi, the king ordered him to go to the forest. Where is he, who happened to be the protector of the people of this world, going now?
ahō! niścētanō rājā jīvalōkasya sampriyam.

dharmyaṅ satyavrataṅ rāmaṅ vanavāsē pravatsyati৷৷2.41.6৷৷


rājā king, niścētanaḥ non-sense, ahō alas, jīvalōkasya of the world of living beings, sampriyam is dear, dharmyam is righteous, satyavratam faithful to truth, rāmam Rama, vanavāsē to dwell in the forest, pravatsyati is sending away.

Alas, the king must be devoid of any sense as he is sending away Rama, who is dear to the world, is righteous and truthful, to dwell in the forest.
iti sarvā mahiṣyastā vivatsā iva dhēnavaḥ.

ruruduścaiva duḥkhārtāḥ sasvaraṅ ca vicukruśuḥ৷৷2.41.7৷৷


iti thus, sarvāḥ all, tāḥ mahiṣyaḥ all the wives, vivatsāḥ deprived of their calfs, dhēnavaḥ iva like cows, duḥkhārtāḥ tormented with sorrow, ruruduścaiva wept, sasvaram loudly, vicukruśuḥ cried.

So wept aloud the anguished wives of the king like cows separated from their calves.
sa tamantaḥ purē ghōramārtaśabdaṅ mahīpatiḥ.

putraśōkābhisantaptaḥ śrutvā cāsītsuduḥkhitaḥ৷৷2.41.8৷৷


putraśōkābhisantaptaḥ oppressed with sorrow caused by the departure of his son, saḥ mahīpatiḥ that king, antaḥpurē in the inner apartment (of the palace), ghōram horible, tam that, ārta śabdam wailings, śrutvā having heard, suduḥkhitaḥ āsīt became increasingly distressed.

Upon hearing the dreadful wailing from the inner apartments of the palace, the king already devasted at the separation from his son, grew even more distressed.
nāgnihōtrāṇyahūyanta nāpacan gṛhamēdhinaḥ

akurvanna prajāḥ kāryaṅ sūryaścāntaradhīyata৷৷2.41.9৷৷


agnihōtrāṇi (Fire) in agnihotra sacrifice, nāhūyanta was not invoked, gṛhamēdhinaḥ householders, nāpacan did not cook, prajāḥ people, kāryam daily chores, na akurvan did not do, sūryaśca even the Sun, antaradhīyata also obscured.

The sacred fire in agnihotra sacrifices was not invoked; householders did not cook their food; the people did not attend to their daily chores. And the Sun set.
vyasṛjan kabalānnāgā gāvō vatsānna pāyayan.

putraṅ prathamajaṅ labdhvā jananī nābhyanandata৷৷2.41.10৷৷


nāgāḥ elephants, kabalān mouthful of food, vyasṛjan shed, gāvaḥ cows, vatsān calves, na pāyayan did not suckle, jananī mothers, prathamajam to the first-born, putram son, labdhavā having begotten, nābhyanandata were not pleased.

Elephants dropped their morsel of food. Cows did not suckle their calves. Even the mothers were not pleased with their first-born sons.
triśaṅkurlōhitāṅgaśca bṛhaspatibudhāvapi.

dāruṇā ssōmamabhyētya grahāssarvē vyavasthitāḥ৷৷2.41.11৷৷


triśaṅku: Trishanku, lōhitāṅgaśca Mars, bṛhaspatibudhāvapi Jupiter as also Mercury, dāruṇāḥ fierce aspect, sarvē all, grahāḥ planets, sōmam Moon, abhyētya approaching, vyavasthitāḥ remained.

The constellation Trishanku, the planets Mars, Jupiter, Mercury and other fierce planets took their position near the Moon.
nakṣatrāṇi gatārcīṅṣi grahāśca gatatējasaḥ.

viśākhāstu sadhūmāśca nabhasi pracakāśirē৷৷2.41.12৷৷


nakṣatrāṇi the constellation of stars, gatārcīṅṣi shorn of their radiance, grahāśca planets also, gatatējasaḥ diminished their brilliance, viśākhāstu as for Visakha stars, sadhūmāḥ with smoke, nabhasi in the sky, pracakāśirē were shining.

The stars were shorn of their radiance. The brilliance of the planets diminished. Shrouded in smoke the Visakha constellation appeared in the sky.
kālikānilavēgēna mahōdadhirivōtthitaḥ.

rāmē vanaṅ pravrajitē nagaraṅ pracacāla tat৷৷2.41.13৷৷


mahōdadhiḥ great ocean, kālikānilavēgēna iva like wind-blown dark clouds, utthitaḥ aroused, rāmē Rama, vanam to the forest, pravrajitē having been exiled, tat nagaram that city (of Ayodhya), pracacāla was shaken.

After Rama left for the forest, dark clouds appeared (in the sky) like the (waves of) the great ocean uplifted by the speed of the wind which shook the city.
diśaḥ paryākulāssarvā stimirēṇēva saṅvṛtāḥ.

na grahō nāpi nakṣatraṅ pracakāśē nakiñcana৷৷2.41.14৷৷


sarvāḥ all, diśaḥ cardinal points, paryākulāḥ agitated, timirēṇa with darkness, saṅvṛtāḥ iva covered, grahaḥ planet, na pracakāśē did not shine, nakṣatramapi even stars, kiñcana anything, na not shining.

As if covered with darkness, all the cardinal points became agitated. No planet, no star nor was anything (any heavenly body) shining (in the sky).
akasmānnāgarassarvō janō dainyamupāgamat.

āhārē vā vihārē vā na kaścidakarōnmanaḥ৷৷2.41.15৷৷


sarvaḥ all, nāgaraḥ relating to the city, janaḥ people, akasmāt suddenly, dainyam helplessness, upāgamat obtained, āhārē vā either in nourishment, vihārē vā or in recreation, kaścit none, manaḥ their mind, na akarāt not done.

All of a sudden the people of the city became miserable. No one was interested in eating and enjoying (life).
śōkaparyāyasantapta ssatataṅ dīrghamucchavasan.

ayōdhyāyāṅ janassarva śśuśōca jagatīpatim৷৷2.41.16৷৷


ayōdhyāyām in Ayodhya, sarvaḥ all, janaḥ people, śōkaparyāyasantaptaḥ afflicted with a series of grief, satatam always, dīrgham deeply, ucchavasan heaving, jagatīpatim the lord of the world, śuśōca
bewailed.

All the citizens of Ayodhya, afflicted with a series of grief and heaving deep sighs ceaselessly bewailed at the sight of the lord of the world (Dasaratha).
bāṣpaparyākulamukhō rājamārgagatō janaḥ.

na hṛṣṭō lakṣyatē kaścitsarva śśōkaparāyaṇaḥ৷৷2.41.17৷৷


rājamārgagataḥ in the royal highway, janaḥ people, bāṣpaparyākulamukhaḥ faces full of tears, kaścit any body, hṛṣṭaḥ happy, na lakṣyayatē could not be seen, sarvaḥ all, śōkaparāyaṇaḥ was plunged in sorrow.

The faces of the people on the highway were turbid with tears. None looked happy. All were plunged in sorrow.
na vāti pavana śśītō na śaśī saumyadarśanaḥ.

na sūryastapatē lōkaṅ sarvaṅ paryākulaṅ jagat৷৷2.41.18৷৷


pavanaḥ wind, śītaḥ cool, na vāti does not blow, śaśī Moon, saumyadarśanaḥ with pleasant appearance, na not, sūryaḥ Sun, lōkam the world, na tapatē did not warm, sarvam entire, jagat world, paryākulam was agitated.

The breeze did not blow cool. No more did the Moon look pleasant. The Sun did not give warmth to the world. All the world was agitated.
anarthinassutāḥ strīṇāṅ bhartārō bhrātarastathā.

sarvē sarvaṅ parityajya rāmamēvānvacintayan৷৷2.41.19৷৷


sutāḥ sons, bhartāraḥ husbands, strīṇām towards women, anarthinaḥ had no concern, tathā similarly, bhrātaraḥ brothers, anarthinaḥ had no mutual interest, sarvē all, sarvam everything, parityajya having deserted, rāmamēva about Rama only, anvacintayan they thought.

Mothers stopped thinking of their sons and husbands of their wives. Brothers were no longer interested in each other. Every one deserted every one and thought only of Rama.
yē tu rāmasya suhṛda ssarvē tē mūḍhacētasaḥ.

śōkabhārēṇa cākrāntā śśayanaṅ na jahustadā৷৷2.41.20৷৷


tadā then, rāmasya Rama's, yē suhṛdaḥ those friends, tē sarvē all of them, mūḍhacētasaḥ bewildered, śōkabhārēṇa with burden of sorrow, ākrāntāḥ afflicted, śayanam couches, na jahuḥ did not leave.

All the friends of Rama were stupefied. Afflicted with the burden of sorrow they did not leave their bed.
tatastvayōdhyā rahitā mahātmanā

purandarēṇēva mahī saparvatā.

cacāla ghōraṅ bhayaśōkapīḍitā

sanāgayōdhāśvagaṇā nanāda ca৷৷2.41.21৷৷


tataḥ thereafter, purandarēṇa by Indra, rahitā without, saparvatā with mountains, mahīva like earth, mahātmanā magnanimous Rama, rahitā without, ayōdhyā Ayodhya, bhayaśōkapīḍitā agitated by fear and sorrow, ghōram dreadfully, cacāla had shaken, sanāgayōdhāśvagaṇā filled with hosts of warriors, elephants and horses, nanāda ca made sounds.

Without magnanimous Rama, Ayodhya thereafter looked like the earth along with its mountains bereft of Indra. Afflicted with fear and sorrow it started shaking dreadfully with the sounds of horses, elephants and warriors.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ēkacatvāriṅśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the fortyfirst sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.