Sloka & Translation

[Kausalya condemns Dasaratha's action -- Dasaratha loses his senses out of intense grief.]

वनं गते धर्मपरे रामे रमयतां वरे।

कौसल्या रुदती स्वार्ता भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.61.1।।


धर्मपरे dutiful, रमयताम् pleasing others, वरे greatest, रामे Rama, वनम् forest, गते had gone, कौशल्या Kausalya, स्वार्ता in bitter anguish, रुदती sobbing, भर्तारम् to her husband, इदम् these words, अब्रवीत् said.

When Rama, the greatest among those who please the people, he who was conscious of his duty left for the forest. Kausalya, sobbing in bitter anguish, said to her husband:
यद्यपि त्रिषु लोकेषु प्रथितं ते महद्यशः।

सानुक्रोशो वदान्यश्च प्रियवादी च राघवः।।2.61.2।।


राघवः Dasaratha, scion of the Raghu dynasty, सानुक्रोशः compassionate, वदान्यश्च generous, प्रियवादी च sweettongued, ते your, महत् great, यशः fame, त्रिषु three, लोकेषु in worlds, प्रथितं यद्यपि even though very popular.

Your great fame has spread all over the three worlds. People know you as compassionate, generous and sweetspeaking scion of the Raghus.
कथं नरवरश्रेष्ठ पुत्रौ तौ सह सीतया।

दुःखितौ सुखसंवृद्धौ वने दुःखं सहिष्यतः।।2.61.3।।


नरवरश्रेष्ठ best among kings (Dasaratha), सुखसंवृद्धौ brought up with comfort, तौ पुत्रौ your two sons, सीतया सह with Sita, दुःखितौ stricken with grief, वने in the forest, दुःखम् suffering, कथम् how?, सहिष्यतः endure?

O Dasaratha, the best among kings, how will your two sons and Sita brought up in great comfort now tolerate the hardships of forest life?
सा नूनं तरुणी श्यामा सुकुमारी सुखोचिता।

कथमुष्णं च शीतं च मैथिली प्रसहिष्यते।।2.61.4।।


तरुणी young, श्यामा in the prime of life, सुकुमारी delicate, सुखोचिता accustomed to comfort, सा मैथिली that Sita, उष्णं च heat, शीतं च cold, नूनम् surely, कथम् how?, प्रसहिष्यते will bear.

How can the daughter of Mithila (Sita) who in the prime of her life, accustomed to comforts, endure heat and cold indeed?
भुक्त्वाऽशनं विशालाक्षी सूपदं शान्वितं शुभम्।

वन्यं नैवारमाहारं कथं सीतोपभोक्ष्यते।।2.61.5।।


विशालाक्षी largeeyed, सीता Sita, सूपदं शान्वितम् with condiments and soup, शुभम् wellprepared, अशनम् food, भुक्त्वा having partaken, वन्यम् in the forest, नैवारम् made with wild rice, आहारम् food, कथं उपभोक्ष्यते how will she eat?

How can the largeeyed Sita having enjoyed delicious food mixed with condiments and soup now partake the food prepared with wild grains?
गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा शुभमनिन्दिता।

कथं क्रव्यादसिंहानां शब्दं श्रोष्यत्यशोभनम्।।2.61.6।।


अनिन्दिता blameless, शुभम् auspicious, गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषम् sounds of songs and musical instruments, श्रुत्वा having heard, अशोभनम् inauspicious, क्रव्यादसिंहानाम् carnivorous animals' and lions', शब्दम् sound, कथम् how?, श्रोष्यति can hear.

How can the blameless Sita, used to the soft sound of songs and musical
instruments hear the frightful roars of lions and other carnivorous animals?
महेन्द्रध्वजसङ्काशः क्व नु शेते महाभुजः।

भुजं परिघसङ्काशमुपधाय महाबलः।।2.61.7।।


महेन्द्रध्वजसङ्काशः resembling mighty Indra's banner, महाभुजः longarmed one, महाबलः mighty, परिघसङ्काशम् like a sword, भुजम् arm, उपधाय using as a pillow, क्व where, शेते नु
is he sleeping?

Where will that mightyarmed and powerful Rama, as lofty as Indra's banner, sleep using his ironbarlike arm as pillow?.
पद्मवर्णं सुकेशान्तं पद्मनिश्श्वासमुत्तमम्।

कदा द्रक्ष्यामि रामस्य वदनं पुष्करेक्षणम्।।2.61.8।।


पद्मवर्णम् lotuslike complexion, सुकेशान्तम् having beautiful hairends, पद्मनिश्श्वासम् breath of lotus fragrance, पुष्करेक्षणम् eyes like blue lotus, उत्तमम् excellent, रामस्य वदनम् Rama's countenance, कदा when, द्रक्ष्यामि shall I behold?.

When shall I see Rama with his lotushued face, his beautiful locks of hair, breath of lotus fragrance and eyes like blue lotus?
वज्रसारमयं नूनं हृदयं मे न संशयः।

अपश्यन्त्या न तं यद्वै फलतीदं सहस्रधा।।2.61.9।।


मे हृदयम् my heart, वज्रसारमयम् is made of thunderbolt, नूनम् surely, संशयः doubt, न not, यत् since, तम् Rama, अपश्यन्त्याः without seeing, इदम् this heart, सहस्रधा thousand pieces, न फलति वै does not shatter.

No doubt my heart must be made of thunderbolt, since unable to see Rama it does not split into a thousand pieces.
यत्त्वयाऽकरुणं कर्म व्यपोह्य मम बान्धवाः।

निरस्ताः परिधावन्ति सुखार्हाः कृपणा वने।।2.61.10।।


त्वया by you, करुणम् heartless, कर्म act, व्यपोह्य cast away, सुखार्हाः deserve pleasures, मम बान्धवाः my relations, निरस्ताः are banished, कृपणाः the miserable ones, वने in the forest, यत् since, परिधावन्ति are running around.

(O king) It is because of your heartless action, my Rama and my relatives who deserve to enjoy pleasures at this age have been banished and are miserably wandering in wilderness.
यदि पञ्चदशे वर्षे राघवः पुनरेष्यति।

जह्याद्राज्यं च कोषं च भरतो नोपलक्षयते।।2.61.11।।


राघवः Rama, पञ्चदशे वर्षे in the fifteenth year, पुनः एष्यति यदि if returns, भरतः Bharata, राज्यं च kingdom, कोषं च treasury too, जह्यात् will give up, नोपलक्ष्यते it does not appear.

Even if Rama returns in the fifteenth year, it is unlikely that Bharata will give up the kingdom and royal treasury (in favour of Rama).
भोजयन्ति किल श्राद्धे केचित्स्वानेव बान्धवान्।

ततः पश्चात्समीक्षन्ते कृतकार्या द्विजर्षभान्।।2.61.12।।


केचित् some people, श्राद्धे in the shraddha ceremony, स्वान् own, बान्धवानेव relatives only, भोजयन्ति किल feed them, कृतकार्याः having completed this ceremony, ततः पश्चात् thereafter, द्विजर्षभान् bulls (best) among brahmins, समीक्षन्ते will look for.

Some first feed their own relatives in shraddha ceremony and thereafter look for the best of brahmins to feed.
तत्र ये गुणवन्तश्च विद्वांसश्च द्विजातयः।

न पश्चात्तेऽभिमन्यन्ते सुधामपि सुरोपमाः।।2.61.13।।


तत्र there, ये those, गुणवन्तश्च virtuous, विद्वांसश्च learned, सुरोपमाः similar to devatas, द्विजातयः ते those brahmins, पश्चात् after others, सुधामपि even ambrosia, न अभिमन्यन्ते will not accept.

The godlike brahmins who are virtuous and learned will not accept the food after others have partaken even if it is ambrosia.
ब्राह्मणेष्वपि तृप्तेषु पश्चाद्भोक्तुं द्विजर्षभाः।

नाभ्युपैतुमलं प्राज्ञा श्शृङ्गच्छेदमिवर्षभाः।।2.61.14।।


तृप्तेषु contented, ब्राह्मणेष्वपि even if they are brahmins, प्राज्ञाः the wise, द्विजर्षभाः bulls (best) among brahmins, ऋषभाः like bulls, श्रुङ्गच्छेदमिव shorn of their horns, पश्चात् afterwards, भोक्तुम् to partake, अभ्युपैतुम् to accept, नालम् should not.

The bulls (best) among the wise brahmins would not like to accept the food after it is tasted by other brahmins, just as bulls dislike their horns being shorn.
एवं कनीयसा भ्रात्रा भुक्तं राज्यं विशाम्पते।

भ्राता ज्येष्ठो वरिष्ठश्च किमर्थं नावमंस्यते।।2.61.15।।


विशाम्पते O Lord of the world (Dasaratha), एवम् likewise, ज्येष्ठः eldest, वरिष्ठश्च most distinguished one, भ्राता brother, कनीयसा by the younger, भ्रात्रा brother, भुक्तम् enjoyed, राज्यम् kingdom, किमर्थम् why, नावमंस्यते will not disdain.

O Lord of the world why not the eldest and the most distinguished among the brothers likewise disdain the kingdom enjoyed by the younger brother?
न परेणाऽहृतं भक्ष्यं व्याघ्रः खादितुमिच्छति।

एवमेतन्नरव्याघ्रः परलीढं न मन्यते।।2.61.16।।


व्याघ्रः tiger, परेण by some other animal, आहृतम् procured, भक्ष्यम् food, खादितुम् to eat, न इच्छति does not like, एवं in the same way, नरव्याघ्रः the (best) among men (Rama), एतत् परलीढम् enjoyed by others, न मन्यते will not accept.

Just as a tiger will not eat the food acquired by another beast, Rama, the tiger (best) among men will not accept the kingdom enjoyed by others.
हविराज्यं पुरोडाशाः कुशा यूपाश्च खादिराः।

नैतानि यातयामानि कुर्वन्ति पुनरध्वरे।।2.61.17।।


हविः offering to the Firegod, आज्यम् ghee, पुरोडाशाः sacrificial cakes, कुशाः kusha grass, खादिराः khadira wood, यूपाश्च sacrificial posts, यातयामानि after the lapse of one Yama (three hours), एतानि all these, अध्वरे in the sacrifice, पुनः again, न कुर्वन्ति will not be used.

Havis, sacrificial offerings like ghee, cakes, kusha grass, and sacrificial posts made from khadira wood, once used in the sacrifice cannot be used again.
तथा ह्यात्तमिदं राज्यं हृतसारां सुरामिव।

नाभिमन्तुमलं रामो नष्टसोममिवाध्वरम्।।2.61.18।।


तथा in the same way, रामः Rama, आत्तम् enjoyed by others, इदं राज्यम् this kingdom, हृतसाराम् its essence taken away, सुरामिव like liquour, नष्टसोमम् like the run out soma juice, अध्वरमिव like a sacrifice, अभिमन्तुम् to accept, नालम् should not.

In the same way Rama will not accept this kingdom enjoyed by others like liquour or soma juice drained of its essence.
न चेमां धर्षणां राम सङ्गच्छेदत्यमर्षणः।

दारयेन्मन्दरमपि स हि क्रुद्धश्शितैश्शरैः।।2.61.19।।


अत्यमर्षण: highly determined, रामः Rama, इमाम् this, धर्षणाम् indignity, न सङ्गच्छेत् will not
suffer, क्रुद्ध: if angered, सः he, शितैः with sharp, सरैः with arrows, मन्दरमपि even mount Mandara, दारयेत् हि will split open.

Rama, highly determined will not suffer this indignity. If enraged, he can split open even mount Mandara with his sharp arrows.
त्वां तु नोत्सहते हन्तुं महात्मा पितृगौरवात्।

ससोमार्कग्रहगणं नभस्ताराविचित्रितम्।।2.61.20।।

पातयेद्योदिवं क्रुद्धस्सत्वां न व्यतिवर्तते।

प्रक्षोभयेद्वारये द्वा महीं शैलशताचिताम्।।2.61.21।।


तु but, महात्मा great, पितृगौरवात् out of respect for a father, त्वाम् you, हन्तुम् to kill, नोत्सहते is not showing interest, क्रुद्ध: inflamed, यः who, ससोमार्कग्रहगणम् with Sun, Moon and planets, ताराविचित्रितम् looking wonderful with stars, नभः sky, दिवम् heaven, पातयेत् may pull down, नः he, त्वाम् you, न व्यतिवर्तते is not disobeying, शैलशत चिताम् surrounded by hundreds of mountains, महीम् earth, प्रक्षोभयेद्वा will shake, दारयेद्वा or may break.

Out of respect for his father magnanimous Rama is not inclined to kill you. He has not defied the anger, the Sun, the Moon and the sky looking wonderful with stars can be pulled down. He will not even shake or break the earth surrounded by hundreds of mountains.
नैवं विधमसत्कारं राघवो मर्षयिष्यति।

बलवानिव शार्दूलो वालधेरभिमर्शनम्।।2.61.22।।


बलवान् strong, शार्दूलः tiger, वालधेः of its tail, अभिमर्शनम् इव like twisting, राघवः Rama, एवं विधम् such, असत्कारम् insult, न मर्षयिष्यति will not tolerate.

A powerful tiger will not allow its tail to be twisted. In the same way Rama also will not tolerate an insult of this sort.
नैतस्य सहिता लोका भयं कुर्युर्महामृथे।

अधर्मंत्विह धर्मात्मा लोकं धर्मेण योजयेत्।।2.61.23।।


महामृथे in the great war, लोकाः worlds, सहिताः united, एतस्य for him, भयम् fear, न कुर्युः will not create, धर्मात्मा virtuous, अधर्मम् unrighteous, लोकम् world, धर्मेण with righteousness, योजयेत् will confer.

Even if all the worlds were to unite and fight against him, he will not fear. This
righteous Rama will reestablish justice in this unrighteous world.
नन्वसौ काञ्चनैर्बाणैर्महावीर्यो महाभुजः।

युगान्त इव भूतानि सागरानपि निर्दहेत्।।2.61.24।।


महावीर्यः mighty, महाभुजः longarmed, असौ this Rama, काञ्चनैः golden, बाणैः with shafts, युगान्तः इव like at the time of deluge, भूतानि all beings, सागरानपि all the oceans, निर्दहेत् will be consumed in fire.

Valiant and mightyarmed Rama, with his golden shafts can annihilate all living beings and oceans like at the time of deluge everything is consumed in fire.
स तादृशस्सिंहबलो वृषभाक्षो नरर्षभः।

स्वयमेव हतः पित्रा जलजेनात्मजो यथा।।2.61.25।।


तादृशः such, सिंहबलः powerful as lion, वृषभाक्षः his eyes resembling a bull's, सः नरर्षभः that one, a bull among men, जलजेन by fish, आत्मजो यथा its own offspring, पित्रैव by his father himself, स्वयम् by himself, हतः killed.

Such Rama, the best among men, powerful like a lion, with eyes fierce like that of a bull has been destroyed by his own father just as the big fish destroys its own offsprings.
द्विजातिचरितो धर्मश्शास्त्रदृष्टस्सनातनः।

यदि ते धर्मनिरते त्वया पुत्रे विवासिते।।2.61.26।।


धर्मनिरते devoted to righteousness, पुत्रे son, त्वया by you, विवासिते has been banished, ते to you, शास्त्रदृष्टः seen in the scriptures, सनातनः eternal, द्विजातिचरितः followed by the twiceborn, धर्मः यदि is it righteous act?

You have banished your son who is devoted to righteousness. Is it in accordance with the scriptures and the eternal tradition followed by the twiceborn?
गतिरेका पतिर्नार्या द्वितीया गतिरात्मजः।

तृतीया ज्ञातयो राजंश्चतुर्थी नेह विद्यते।।2.61.27।।


राजन् O king, नार्याः for a woman,पतिः husband, एका one, गतिः refuge, आत्मजः son, द्वितीया गतिः second refuge, ज्ञातयः relatives, तृतीया third, चतुर्थी fourth, इह in this world, न विद्यते does not exist.

O king for a woman the first refuge is the husband, the second her son, the third her relatives and there is no fourth alternative in this world.
तत्र त्वं चैव मे नास्ति रामश्च वनमाश्रितः।

न वनं गन्तुमिच्छामि सर्वथा निहता त्वया।।2.61.28।।


तत्र in these three states, त्वम् you, नैवासि is not, रामस्तु as for Rama, वनम् forest, अश्रितः has taken refuge, वनम् forest, गन्तुम् to go, न इच्छामि I do not desire, सर्वथा in all possible ways, त्वया by you, निहता I am destroyed.

You are nonexistent for my purpose. Rama has taken refuge in the forest and I do not like to go there. You have destroyed me in all possible ways.
हतं त्वया राज्यमिदं सराष्ट्रं हतस्तथाऽत्मा सह मन्त्रिभिश्च।

हता सपुत्राऽस्मि हताश्च पौरास्सुत श्च भार्या च तव प्रहृष्टौ।।2.61.29।।


त्वया by you, सराष्ट्रम् with kingdom, इदम् राज्यम् this kingship, हतम् is destroyed, तथा also, मन्त्रिभिः सह along with ministers, आत्मा yourself, हतः are destroyed, सपुत्राः me along with my son, हता: are ruined, पौराश्च inhabitants of the city of Ayodhya, हताः destroyed, तव your, सुतश्च son Bharata, भार्या wife Kaikeyi, प्रहृष्टौ happy.

You have destroyed this kingdom, and the state along with its inhabitants. You have ruined yourself along with your ministers. You have brought disaster to me and to my son. Your son (Bharata) and your wife (Kaikeyi) are the only persons who are happy.
इमां गिरं दारुणशब्द संश्रितां निशम्य राजाऽपि मुमोह दुःखितः।

तत स्स शोकं प्रविवेश पार्थिवस्स्वदुष्कृतं चापि पुनस्तदा स्मरन्।।2.61.30।।


राजापि the king too, दारुणशब्दसंश्रिताम् uttered with cruel words, इमाम् this, गिरम् utterances, निशम्य having heard, दुःखितः was distressed, मुमोह became senseless, ततः thereafter, सः पार्थिवः that king, तदा then, स्वदुष्कृतम् his own folly, पुनः again, स्मरन् recollecting, शोकम् in sad state, प्रविवेश entered.

Hearing the words uttered in harrowing accents, the king overcome with deep distress became senseless. Recollecting his folly thereafter he fell into a sad state.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे एकषष्टितमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the sixtyfirst sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.