Sloka & Translation

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

vanaṅ gatē dharmaparē rāmē ramayatāṅ varē.

kausalyā rudatī svārtā bhartāramidamabravīt৷৷2.61.1৷৷


dharmaparē dutiful, ramayatām pleasing others, varē greatest, rāmē Rama, vanam forest, gatē had gone, kauśalyā Kausalya, svārtā in bitter anguish, rudatī sobbing, bhartāram to her husband, idam these words, abravīt 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:
yadyapi triṣu lōkēṣu prathitaṅ tē mahadyaśaḥ.

sānukrōśō vadānyaśca priyavādī ca rāghavaḥ৷৷2.61.2৷৷


rāghavaḥ Dasaratha, scion of the Raghu dynasty, sānukrōśaḥ compassionate, vadānyaśca generous, priyavādī ca sweet-tongued, tē your, mahat great, yaśaḥ fame, triṣu three, lōkēṣu in worlds, prathitaṅ yadyapi even though very popular.

Your great fame has spread all over the three worlds. People know you as compassionate, generous and sweet-speaking scion of the Raghus.
kathaṅ naravaraśrēṣṭha! putrau tau saha sītayā.

duḥkhitau sukhasaṅvṛddhau vanē duḥkhaṅ sahiṣyataḥ৷৷2.61.3৷৷


naravaraśrēṣṭha! best among kings (Dasaratha), sukhasaṅvṛddhau brought up with comfort, tau putrau your two sons, sītayā saha with Sita, duḥkhitau stricken with grief, vanē in the forest, duḥkham suffering, katham how?, sahiṣyataḥ 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?
sā nūnaṅ taruṇī śyāmā sukumārī sukhōcitā.

kathamuṣṇaṅ ca śītaṅ ca maithilī prasahiṣyatē৷৷2.61.4৷৷


taruṇī young, śyāmā in the prime of life, sukumārī delicate, sukhōcitā accustomed to comfort, sā maithilī that Sita, uṣṇaṅ ca heat, śītaṅ ca cold, nūnam surely, katham how?, prasahiṣyatē will bear.

How can the daughter of Mithila (Sita) who in the prime of her life, accustomed to comforts, endure heat and cold indeed?
bhuktvā.śanaṅ viśālākṣī sūpadaṅ śānvitaṅ śubham.

vanyaṅ naivāramāhāraṅ kathaṅ sītōpabhōkṣyatē৷৷2.61.5৷৷


viśālākṣī large-eyed, sītā Sita, sūpadaṅ śānvitam with condiments and soup, śubham well-prepared, aśanam food, bhuktvā having partaken, vanyam in the forest, naivāram made with wild rice, āhāram food, kathaṅ upabhōkṣyatē how will she eat?

How can the large-eyed Sita having enjoyed delicious food mixed with condiments and soup now partake the food prepared with wild grains?
gītavāditranirghōṣaṅ śrutvā śubhamaninditā.

kathaṅ kravyādasiṅhānāṅ śabdaṅ śrōṣyatyaśōbhanam৷৷2.61.6৷৷


aninditā blameless, śubham auspicious, gītavāditranirghōṣam sounds of songs and musical instruments, śrutvā having heard, aśōbhanam inauspicious, kravyādasiṅhānām carnivorous animals' and lions', śabdam sound, katham how?, śrōṣyati 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?
mahēndradhvajasaṅkāśaḥ kva nu śētē mahābhujaḥ.

bhujaṅ parighasaṅkāśamupadhāya mahābalaḥ৷৷2.61.7৷৷


mahēndradhvajasaṅkāśaḥ resembling mighty Indra's banner, mahābhujaḥ long-armed one, mahābalaḥ mighty, parighasaṅkāśam like a sword, bhujam arm, upadhāya using as a pillow, kva where, śētē nu
is he sleeping?

Where will that mighty-armed and powerful Rama, as lofty as Indra's banner, sleep using his iron-bar-like arm as pillow?.
padmavarṇaṅ sukēśāntaṅ padmaniśśvāsamuttamam.

kadā drakṣyāmi rāmasya vadanaṅ puṣkarēkṣaṇam৷৷2.61.8৷৷


padmavarṇam lotus-like complexion, sukēśāntam having beautiful hair-ends, padmaniśśvāsam breath of lotus fragrance, puṣkarēkṣaṇam eyes like blue lotus, uttamam excellent, rāmasya vadanam Rama's countenance, kadā when, drakṣyāmi shall I behold?.

When shall I see Rama with his lotus-hued face, his beautiful locks of hair, breath of lotus fragrance and eyes like blue lotus?
vajrasāramayaṅ nūnaṅ hṛdayaṅ mē na saṅśayaḥ.

apaśyantyā na taṅ yadvai phalatīdaṅ sahasradhā৷৷2.61.9৷৷


mē hṛdayam my heart, vajrasāramayam is made of thunderbolt, nūnam surely, saṅśayaḥ doubt, na not, yat since, tam Rama, apaśyantyāḥ without seeing, idam this heart, sahasradhā thousand pieces, na phalati vai 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.
yattvayā.karuṇaṅ karma vyapōhya mama bāndhavāḥ.

nirastāḥ paridhāvanti sukhārhāḥ kṛpaṇā vanē৷৷2.61.10৷৷


tvayā by you, karuṇam heartless, karma act, vyapōhya cast away, sukhārhāḥ deserve pleasures, mama bāndhavāḥ my relations, nirastāḥ are banished, kṛpaṇāḥ the miserable ones, vanē in the forest, yat since, paridhāvanti 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.
yadi pañcadaśē varṣē rāghavaḥ punarēṣyati.

jahyādrājyaṅ ca kōṣaṅ ca bharatō nōpalakṣayatē৷৷2.61.11৷৷


rāghavaḥ Rama, pañcadaśē varṣē in the fifteenth year, punaḥ ēṣyati yadi if returns, bharataḥ Bharata, rājyaṅ ca kingdom, kōṣaṅ ca treasury too, jahyāt will give up, nōpalakṣyatē 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).
bhōjayanti kila śrāddhē kēcitsvānēva bāndhavān.

tataḥ paścātsamīkṣantē kṛtakāryā dvijarṣabhān৷৷2.61.12৷৷


kēcit some people, śrāddhē in the shraddha ceremony, svān own, bāndhavānēva relatives only, bhōjayanti kila feed them, kṛtakāryāḥ having completed this ceremony, tataḥ paścāt thereafter, dvijarṣabhān bulls (best) among brahmins, samīkṣantē will look for.

Some first feed their own relatives in shraddha ceremony and thereafter look for the best of brahmins to feed.
tatra yē guṇavantaśca vidvāṅsaśca dvijātayaḥ.

na paścāttē.bhimanyantē sudhāmapi surōpamāḥ৷৷2.61.13৷৷


tatra there, yē those, guṇavantaśca virtuous, vidvāṅsaśca learned, surōpamāḥ similar to devatas, dvijātayaḥ tē those brahmins, paścāt after others, sudhāmapi even ambrosia, na abhimanyantē will not accept.

The god-like brahmins who are virtuous and learned will not accept the food after others have partaken even if it is ambrosia.
brāhmaṇēṣvapi tṛptēṣu paścādbhōktuṅ dvijarṣabhāḥ.

nābhyupaitumalaṅ prājñā śśṛṅgacchēdamivarṣabhāḥ৷৷2.61.14৷৷


tṛptēṣu contented, brāhmaṇēṣvapi even if they are brahmins, prājñāḥ the wise, dvijarṣabhāḥ bulls (best) among brahmins, ṛṣabhāḥ like bulls, śruṅgacchēdamiva shorn of their horns, paścāt afterwards, bhōktum to partake, abhyupaitum to accept, nālam 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.
ēvaṅ kanīyasā bhrātrā bhuktaṅ rājyaṅ viśāmpatē.

bhrātā jyēṣṭhō variṣṭhaśca kimarthaṅ nāvamaṅsyatē৷৷2.61.15৷৷


viśāmpatē O Lord of the world (Dasaratha), ēvam likewise, jyēṣṭhaḥ eldest, variṣṭhaśca most distinguished one, bhrātā brother, kanīyasā by the younger, bhrātrā brother, bhuktam enjoyed, rājyam kingdom, kimartham why, nāvamaṅsyatē 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?
na parēṇā.hṛtaṅ bhakṣyaṅ vyāghraḥ khāditumicchati.

ēvamētannaravyāghraḥ paralīḍhaṅ na manyatē৷৷2.61.16৷৷


vyāghraḥ tiger, parēṇa by some other animal, āhṛtam procured, bhakṣyam food, khāditum to eat, na icchati does not like, ēvaṅ in the same way, naravyāghraḥ the (best) among men (Rama), ētat paralīḍham enjoyed by others, na manyatē 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.
havirājyaṅ purōḍāśāḥ kuśā yūpāśca khādirāḥ.

naitāni yātayāmāni kurvanti punaradhvarē৷৷2.61.17৷৷


haviḥ offering to the Fire-god, ājyam ghee, purōḍāśāḥ sacrificial cakes, kuśāḥ kusha grass, khādirāḥ khadira wood, yūpāśca sacrificial posts, yātayāmāni after the lapse of one Yama (three hours), ētāni all these, adhvarē in the sacrifice, punaḥ again, na kurvanti 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.
tathā hyāttamidaṅ rājyaṅ hṛtasārāṅ surāmiva.

nābhimantumalaṅ rāmō naṣṭasōmamivādhvaram৷৷2.61.18৷৷


tathā in the same way, rāmaḥ Rama, āttam enjoyed by others, idaṅ rājyam this kingdom, hṛtasārām its essence taken away, surāmiva like liquour, naṣṭasōmam like the run out soma juice, adhvaramiva like a sacrifice, abhimantum to accept, nālam should not.

In the same way Rama will not accept this kingdom enjoyed by others like liquour or soma juice drained of its essence.
na cēmāṅ dharṣaṇāṅ rāma saṅgacchēdatyamarṣaṇaḥ.

dārayēnmandaramapi sa hi kruddhaśśitaiśśaraiḥ৷৷2.61.19৷৷


atyamarṣaṇa: highly determined, rāmaḥ Rama, imām this, dharṣaṇām indignity, na saṅgacchēt will not
suffer, kruddha: if angered, saḥ he, śitaiḥ with sharp, saraiḥ with arrows, mandaramapi even mount Mandara, dārayēt hi will split open.

Rama, highly determined will not suffer this indignity. If enraged, he can split open even mount Mandara with his sharp arrows.
tvāṅ tu nōtsahatē hantuṅ mahātmā pitṛgauravāt.

sasōmārkagrahagaṇaṅ nabhastārāvicitritam৷৷2.61.20৷৷

pātayēdyōdivaṅ kruddhassatvāṅ na vyativartatē.

prakṣōbhayēdvārayē dvā mahīṅ śailaśatācitām৷৷2.61.21৷৷


tu but, mahātmā great, pitṛgauravāt out of respect for a father, tvām you, hantum to kill, nōtsahatē is not showing interest, kruddha: inflamed, yaḥ who, sasōmārkagrahagaṇam with Sun, Moon and planets, tārāvicitritam looking wonderful with stars, nabhaḥ sky, divam heaven, pātayēt may pull down, naḥ he, tvām you, na vyativartatē is not disobeying, śailaśata citām surrounded by hundreds of mountains, mahīm earth, prakṣōbhayēdvā will shake, dārayēdvā 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.
naivaṅ vidhamasatkāraṅ rāghavō marṣayiṣyati.

balavāniva śārdūlō vāladhērabhimarśanam৷৷2.61.22৷৷


balavān strong, śārdūlaḥ tiger, vāladhēḥ of its tail, abhimarśanam iva like twisting, rāghavaḥ Rama, ēvaṅ vidham such, asatkāram insult, na marṣayiṣyati 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.
naitasya sahitā lōkā bhayaṅ kuryurmahāmṛthē.

adharmaṅtviha dharmātmā lōkaṅ dharmēṇa yōjayēt৷৷2.61.23৷৷


mahāmṛthē in the great war, lōkāḥ worlds, sahitāḥ united, ētasya for him, bhayam fear, na kuryuḥ will not create, dharmātmā virtuous, adharmam unrighteous, lōkam world, dharmēṇa with righteousness, yōjayēt will confer.

Even if all the worlds were to unite and fight against him, he will not fear. This
righteous Rama will re-establish justice in this unrighteous world.
nanvasau kāñcanairbāṇairmahāvīryō mahābhujaḥ.

yugānta iva bhūtāni sāgarānapi nirdahēt৷৷2.61.24৷৷


mahāvīryaḥ mighty, mahābhujaḥ long-armed, asau this Rama, kāñcanaiḥ golden, bāṇaiḥ with shafts, yugāntaḥ iva like at the time of deluge, bhūtāni all beings, sāgarānapi all the oceans, nirdahēt will be consumed in fire.

Valiant and mighty-armed Rama, with his golden shafts can annihilate all living beings and oceans like at the time of deluge everything is consumed in fire.
sa tādṛśassiṅhabalō vṛṣabhākṣō nararṣabhaḥ.

svayamēva hataḥ pitrā jalajēnātmajō yathā৷৷2.61.25৷৷


tādṛśaḥ such, siṅhabalaḥ powerful as lion, vṛṣabhākṣaḥ his eyes resembling a bull's, saḥ nararṣabhaḥ that one, a bull among men, jalajēna by fish, ātmajō yathā its own offspring, pitraiva by his father himself, svayam by himself, hataḥ 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.
dvijāticaritō dharmaśśāstradṛṣṭassanātanaḥ.

yadi tē dharmaniratē tvayā putrē vivāsitē৷৷2.61.26৷৷


dharmaniratē devoted to righteousness, putrē son, tvayā by you, vivāsitē has been banished, tē to you, śāstradṛṣṭaḥ seen in the scriptures, sanātanaḥ eternal, dvijāticaritaḥ followed by the twice-born, dharmaḥ yadi 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 twice-born?
gatirēkā patirnāryā dvitīyā gatirātmajaḥ.

tṛtīyā jñātayō rājaṅścaturthī nēha vidyatē৷৷2.61.27৷৷


rājan O king, nāryāḥ for a woman,patiḥ husband, ēkā one, gatiḥ refuge, ātmajaḥ son, dvitīyā gatiḥ second refuge, jñātayaḥ relatives, tṛtīyā third, caturthī fourth, iha in this world, na vidyatē 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.
tatra tvaṅ caiva mē nāsti rāmaśca vanamāśritaḥ.

na vanaṅ gantumicchāmi sarvathā nihatā tvayā৷৷2.61.28৷৷


tatra in these three states, tvam you, naivāsi is not, rāmastu as for Rama, vanam forest, aśritaḥ has taken refuge, vanam forest, gantum to go, na icchāmi I do not desire, sarvathā in all possible ways, tvayā by you, nihatā I am destroyed.

You are non-existent 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.
hataṅ tvayā rājyamidaṅ sarāṣṭraṅ hatastathā.tmā saha mantribhiśca.

hatā saputrā.smi hatāśca paurāssuta śca bhāryā ca tava prahṛṣṭau৷৷2.61.29৷৷


tvayā by you, sarāṣṭram with kingdom, idam rājyam this kingship, hatam is destroyed, tathā also, mantribhiḥ saha along with ministers, ātmā yourself, hataḥ are destroyed, saputrāḥ me along with my son, hatā: are ruined, paurāśca inhabitants of the city of Ayodhya, hatāḥ destroyed, tava your, sutaśca son Bharata, bhāryā wife Kaikeyi, prahṛṣṭau 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.
imāṅ giraṅ dāruṇaśabda saṅśritāṅ niśamya rājā.pi mumōha duḥkhitaḥ.

tata ssa śōkaṅ pravivēśa pārthivassvaduṣkṛtaṅ cāpi punastadā smaran৷৷2.61.30৷৷


rājāpi the king too, dāruṇaśabdasaṅśritām uttered with cruel words, imām this, giram utterances, niśamya having heard, duḥkhitaḥ was distressed, mumōha became senseless, tataḥ thereafter, saḥ pārthivaḥ that king, tadā then, svaduṣkṛtam his own folly, punaḥ again, smaran recollecting, śōkam in sad state, pravivēśa 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.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ēkaṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the sixtyfirst sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.