Sloka & Translation

[Preservation of the king's body awaiting funeral rites -- Ayodhya plunges into darkness with the demise of the king.]

तमग्निमिव संशान्तमम्बुहीनमिवार्णवम्।

हतप्रभमिवाऽऽदित्यं स्वर्गस्थं प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिवम्।।2.66.1।।

कौसल्या बाष्पपूर्णाक्षी विविधां शोककर्शिता।

उपगृह्य शिरो राज्ञः कैकेयीं प्रत्यभाषत।।2.66.2।।


संशान्तम् pacified, अग्निमिव like blazing fire, अम्बुहीनम् without water, अर्णवमिव like the ocean, हतप्रभम् bereft of brightness, आदित्यमिव like the Sun, स्वर्गस्थम् ascended heaven, तं पार्थिवम् that king, प्रेक्ष्य on seeing, कौशल्या Kausalya, बाष्पपूर्णाक्षी with her eyes filled with tears, विविधाम् in several ways, शोककर्शिता emaciated with sorrow, राज्ञः king's, शिरः head, उपगृह्य having grasped, कैकेयीं प्रति looking at Kaikeyi, अभाषत uttered.

On seeing the king who ascended the heaven just as a blazing fire suddenly extinguishes, or like the ocean emptied of water or the Sun bereft of splendour Kausalya raised the head of the king on to her lap, her eyes filled with tears and body shrunk in sorrow, looked at Kaikeyi and said:
तमग्निमिव संशान्तमम्बुहीनमिवार्णवम्।

हतप्रभमिवाऽऽदित्यं स्वर्गस्थं प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिवम्।।2.66.1।।

कौसल्या बाष्पपूर्णाक्षी विविधां शोककर्शिता।

उपगृह्य शिरो राज्ञः कैकेयीं प्रत्यभाषत।।2.66.2।।


संशान्तम् pacified, अग्निमिव like blazing fire, अम्बुहीनम् without water, अर्णवमिव like the ocean, हतप्रभम् bereft of brightness, आदित्यमिव like the Sun, स्वर्गस्थम् ascended heaven, तं पार्थिवम् that king, प्रेक्ष्य on seeing, कौशल्या Kausalya, बाष्पपूर्णाक्षी with her eyes filled with tears, विविधाम् in several ways, शोककर्शिता emaciated with sorrow, राज्ञः king's, शिरः head, उपगृह्य having grasped, कैकेयीं प्रति looking at Kaikeyi, अभाषत uttered.

On seeing the king who ascended the heaven just as a blazing fire suddenly extinguishes, or like the ocean emptied of water or the Sun bereft of splendour Kausalya raised the head of the king on to her lap, her eyes filled with tears and body shrunk in sorrow, looked at Kaikeyi and said:
सकामा भव कैकेयि भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यमकण्टकम्।

त्यक्त्वा राजानमेकाग्रा नृशंसे दुष्टचारिणि।।2.66.3।।


नृशंसे O cruel one, दुष्टचारिणि O perverse wretch, कैकेयि O Kaikeyi, सकामा भव remain with your wishes fulfilled, राजानम् king, त्यक्त्वा forsaking, एकाग्रा with one objective, अकण्टकम् without any obstacle, राज्यम् kingdom, भुङ्क्ष्व enjoy.

O cruel one O perverse wretch, O Kaikeyi, your wishes have been fulfilled. You have forsaken the king, that was your only objective. (Now) enjoy the kingdom alone without any obstacles on your way.
विहाय मां गतो रामः भर्ता च स्वर्गतो मम।

विपथे सार्थहीनेव नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे।।2.66.4।।


रामः Rama, माम् me, विहाय having left, गतः has gone, मम my, भर्ता च lord also, स्वर्गतः has ascended heaven, विपथे on a wrong path, सार्थहीनेव without wellwishers अहम् I, जीवितुम् to live, न उत्सहे do not desire.

Rama has gone away leaving me. My lord has ascended the heaven, traversing the wrong road. With my wellwishers gone, I do not want to live.
भर्तारं तं परित्यज्य का स्त्री दैवतमात्मनः।

इच्छेज्जीवितुमन्यत्र कैकेय्यास्त्यक्तधर्मणः।।2.66.5।।


त्यक्तधर्मणः one who has abandoned righteousness, कैकेय्याः अन्यत्र other than Kaikeyi, का स्त्री which woman, आत्मनः her own, दैवतम् god, तं भर्तारम् her husband, परित्यज्य having abandoned, जीवितुम् to live, इच्छेत् desires.

Which woman wishes to live, leaving her godlike husband, except Kaikeyi who has given up her sense of duty?
न लुब्धो बुध्यते दोषान् किम्पाकमिव भक्षयन्।

कुब्जानिमित्तं कैकेय्या राघवाणां कुलं हतम्।।2.66.6।।


लुब्ध: a greedy man, किम्पाकम् a poisonous fruit of bad taste, भक्षयन्निव as if one has eaten, दोषान् faults, न बुध्यते does not know, कुब्जानिमित्तम् on account of the hunchback, कैकेय्या by Kaikeyi, राघवाणाम् of Raghus, कुलम् race, हतम् is destroyed.

Like a greedy man who eats the (poisonous) kimpaka fruit without realising the defects of the fruit, Kaikeyi has destroyed the Raghu race on account of the hunchback (Manthara).
अनियोगे नियुक्तेन राज्ञा रामं विवासितम्।

सभार्यं जनकश्श्रुत्वा परितप्स्यत्यहं यथा।।2.66.7।।


सभार्यम् with wife, रामम् Rama, अनियोगे is an unworthy act, नियुक्तेन ordered, राज्ञा by the king, विवासितम् has been banished, श्रुत्वा having heard, जनकः Janaka, अहं यथा like me, परितप्स्यति will suffer.

Hearing the unrighteous action ordered by the king in banishing Rama and his wife king Janaka will suffer great agony like me.
स मामनाथां विधवां नाद्य जानाति धार्मिकः।

रामः कमलपत्राक्षः जीवन्नाशमितो गतः।।2.66.8।।


धार्मिकः virtuous, कमलपत्राक्षः who has lotuspetal like eyes, जीवन् even though alive, इतः from here, नाशम् destruction, गतः obtained, सः रामः that Rama, अद्य now, माम् me, अनाथाम् without protector, विधवाम् without husband, न जानाति does not know.

That virtuous Rama of lotuspetaleyes has left this place for good, and does not know that I am without a protector, being a widow now.
विदेहराजस्य सुता तथा सीता तपस्विनी।

दुःखस्यानुचिता दुःखं वने पर्युद्विजिष्यति।।2.66.9।।


तथा also, तपस्विनी a miserable woman, दुःखस्य of hardships, अनुचिता unworthy, विदेहराजस्य king Videha's, सुता daughter, सीता Sita, वने in the forest, दुःखम् great sorrow, पर्युद्विजिष्यति will be agitated in her mind.

In the same way Sita, daughter of the king of Videha, who does not deserve hardships will be in deep agony.
नदतां भीमघोषाणां निशासु मृगपक्षिणाम्।

निशम्य नूनं सन्त्रस्ता राघवं संश्रयिष्यति।।2.66.10।।


निशाम् at night, भीमघोषाणाम् ghastly sounds, मृगपक्षिणाम् of animals and birds, नदताम् by those making sounds, निशम्य having heard, सन्त्रस्ता frightened, नूनम् surely, राघवम् Rama, संश्रयिष्यति will take shelter.

Hearing the ghastly sounds of animals and birds, Sita will surely get frightened and take shelter in Rama.
वृद्धश्चैवाल्पपुत्रश्च वैदेहीमनुचिन्तयन्।

सोऽपि शोकसमाविष्टो ननु त्यक्ष्यति जीवितम्।।2.66.11।।


वृद्धश्चैव aged, अल्पपुत्रश्च not having sons, सोऽपि that Janaka too, शोकसमाविष्टः overpowered by grief, वैदेहीम् Sita, अनुचिन्तयन् constantly thinking, जीवितम् life, त्यक्ष्यति ननु will give up indeed.

Old and sonless Janaka, constantly thinking of Sita and overpowered with grief will surely give up his life.
साऽहमद्यैव दिष्टान्तं गमिष्यामि पतिव्रता।

इदं शरीर मालिङ्ग्य प्रवेक्ष्यामि हुताशनम्।।2.66.12।।


पतिव्रता of faithful wife, सा अहम् such as myself, अद्यैव now itself, दिष्टान्तम् death, गमिष्यामि will go to, इदम् this, शरीरम् body, आलिङ्ग्य clasping, हुताशनम् in the fire, प्रवेक्ष्यामि I shall enter.

As his faithful wife, I shall enter the fire by clasping this (Dasaratha's) body and go to death today itself
तां ततस्सम्परिष्वज्य विलपन्तीं तपस्विनीम्।

व्यपनीय सुदुःखार्तां कौसल्यां व्यावहारिकाः।।2.66.13।।


व्यावहारिकाः maidservants (those who customarily attend on the queens), सम्परिष्वज्य having embraced, विलपन्तीम् lamenting, तपस्विनीम् unfortunate, सुदुःखार्ताम् deeply distressed, तां कौशल्याम् to that Kausaya, ततः from there, व्यपनीय removed.

The servants led away that unfortunate Kausalya who was lamenting in great anguish embracing the body of Dasaratha.
तैलद्रोण्यामथामात्या सम्वेश्य जगतीपतिम्।

राज्ञस्सर्वाण्यथादिष्टाश्चक्रुः कर्माण्यनन्तरम्।।2.66.14।।


अथ thereafter, आदिष्टाः having been instructed, अमात्याः counsellors, जगतीपतिम् the (corpse) of the lord of the world (Dasartha), तैलद्रोण्याम् in an oil tub, संवेश्य keeping, अनन्तरम् thereafter, कर्माणि ceremonies, सर्वाणि all, चक्रुः performed.

The counsellors, instructed (by Vasistha and others), placed the king's body in an oil tub with the understanding that the funeral rites were to be performed hereafter.
न तु सङ्कलनं राज्ञो विना पुत्रेण मन्त्रिणः।

सर्वज्ञाः कर्तुमीषुस्ते ततो रक्षन्ति भूमिपम्।।2.66.15।।


सर्वज्ञाः conversant with all such matters (relating to the obsequies), मन्त्रिणः counsellors, विना पुत्रेण without sons, राज्ञः king's, सङ्कलनम् funeral obsequies, कर्तुम् to do, न ईषुः did not desire, ततः then, भूमिपम् king's body, रक्षन्ति they are protecting.

The counsellors who were acquainted with all such matters (relating to the king's funeral) were unwilling to perform the obsequies in the absence of any of the king's sons. Meanwhile, they kept watch over the deadbody of the king.
तैलद्रोण्यां तु सचिवैश्शायितं तं नराधिपम्।

हा मृतोऽयमिति ज्ञात्वा स्त्रियस्ताः पर्यदेवयन्।।2.66.16।।


सचिवैः by counsellors, तैलद्रोण्याम् in the oil vat, शायितम् made to lay down, तं नराधिपम् that king, ज्ञात्वा on knowing (having seen), हा alas, अयम् this, मृतः is dead, इति in this way, ताः those, स्त्रियः women, पर्यदेवयन् cried.

On seeing the king's body laid in the oil vat by the counsellors, the women cried Alas, the king is dead.
बाहूनुद्यम्य कृपणाः नेत्रप्रस्रवणैर्मुखैः।

रुदन्त्य श्शोकसन्तप्ताः कृपणं पर्यदेवयन्।।2.66.17।।


नेत्रप्रस्रवणैः tears flowing from their eyes, मुखैः with faces, कृपणाः piteously, बाहून् hands, उद्यम्य raising, रुदन्त्यः groaning, शोकसन्तप्ताः burning in grief, कृपणम् helplessly, पर्यदेवयन् lamented.

With tears flowing down their faces, piteously raising their arms, groaning in their burning grief, the women lamented helplessly.
हा महाराज रामेण सततं प्रियवादिना।

विहीनास्सत्यसन्धेन किमर्थं विजहासि नः।।2.66.18।।


हा महाराज Alas, the great king, सततम् always, प्रियवादिना by a man speaking pleasing words, सत्यसन्धेन by one firm in promise, रामेण by Rama, विहीनाः deprived of, नः us, किमर्थम् why, विजहासि are you leaving us?

When we were already deprived of Rama who was always pleasing and truthful, alas, o great king, why did you leave us?
कैकेय्या दुष्टभावायाः राघवेण वियोजिताः।

कथं पतिघ्नया वत्स्याम स्समीपे विधवा वयम्।।2.66.19।।


राघवेण by Rama, वियोजिताः separated, वयम् we, विधवाः widows, दुष्टभावायाः one of evil intentions, पतिघ्नयाः slayer of husband, कैकेय्याः Kaikeyi, समीपे near, कथम् how?,
वत्स्याघ्नयाम can we stay?

A woman of evil intentions, Kaikeyi, at first separated us from Rama. Now she deprived us of our husband. How can we live with one who is a slayer of her husband?
स हि नाथस्सदास्माकं तव च प्रभुरात्मवान्।

वनं रामो गतश्श्रीमान्विहाय नृपतिश्रियम्।।2.66.20।।


अस्माकम् for us, तव च to you also, सदा always, नाथः protector, प्रभुः master, आत्मवान् selfpossessed, श्रीमान् prosperous, सः that, रामः Rama, नृपतिश्रियम् royal wealth, विहाय
leaving, वनम् to the forest, गतः हि has gone indeed.

Rama, who was always our and your selfpossessed master and protector has gone to the forest, indeed, abandoning royal wealth.
त्वया तेन च वीरेण विना व्यसनमोहिताः।

कथं वयं निवत्स्यामः कैकेय्या च विदूषिताः।।2.66.21।।


त्वया विना without you, तेन वीरेण विना without that hero, व्यसनमोहिताः overwhelmed with grief, वयम् we, कैकेय्या by Kaikeyi, विदूषिताः च having being abused, कथम् how, निवत्स्यामः can we live?

Without you and without the heroic Rama, how can we live overwhelmed with grief and enduring the abuses of Kaikeyi?
यया तु राजा रामश्च लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः।

सीतया सह सन्त्यक्ता स्साकमन्यं न हास्यति।।2.66.22।।


यया by such a person (Kaikeyi), राजा the king, रामश्च Rama, महाबलः valiant, लक्ष्मणश्च also Lakshmana, सीतया सह along with Sita, सन्त्यक्ताः have been abandoned, सा that Kaikeyi, अन्यम् other, कम् whom, न हास्यति will not cast aside?

Why will not Kaikeyi who has abandoned the king, valiant Rama and Lakshmana along with Sita cast aside others?
ता बाष्पेण च संवीताश्शोकेन विपुलेन च।

व्यवेष्टन्त निरानन्दा राघवस्य वरस्त्रियः।।2.66.23।।


राघवस्य Dasaratha's, ताः वरस्त्रियः those excellent wives, बाष्पेण shedding tears, विपुलेन with profound, शोकेन च grief, संवीताः overwhelmed, निरानन्दाः cheerlessly, व्यवेष्टन्त are lying unconscious on the floor.

The excellent wives of Dasaratha, overwhelmed with profound grief and tears, are lying unconcious on the floor.
निशा चन्द्रविहीनेव स्त्रीव भर्तृविवर्जिता।

पुरी नाराजतायोध्या हीना राज्ञा महात्मना।।2.66.24।।


महात्मना by the great, राज्ञा king, हीना deprived, अयोध्यापुरी city of Ayodhya, चन्द्रविहीना devoid of moon, निशेव night, भर्तृविवर्जिता forsaken by husband, स्त्रीव like woman, नाराजत did not shine.

Like night without the Moon, like a woman forsaken by her husband, this city of Ayodhya without that magnanimous king has lost its earlier splendour.
बाष्पपर्याकुलजना हाहाभूतकुलाङ्गना।

शून्यचत्वरवेश्मान्ता न बभ्राज यथापुरम्।।2.66.25।।


बाष्पपर्याकुलजना filled with people shedding tears, हाहाभूतकुलाङ्गना with the cries of anguish of housewives, शून्यचत्वरवेश्मान्ता infront of their houses and the public squares in between the houses, यथा पुरम् city with its earlier brilliance, न बभ्राज does not shine.

With the people of Ayodhya shedding tears, the housewives crying, in anguish, 'alas alas' the courtyards houses and squares of the roads deserted, the city has lost its
earlier brilliance.
गते तु शोकात् त्रिदिवं नराधिपे महीतलस्थासु नृपाङ्गनासु च।

निवृत्तचारस्सहसा गतो रविः प्रवृत्तचारा रजनी ह्युपस्थिता।।2.66.26।।


नराधिपे when the king, शोकात् due to grief, त्रिदिवम् towards heaven, गते तु having gone, नृपाङ्गनासु wives of the king, महीतलस्थासु च lying on the ground, रविः the Sun, सहसा instantly, निवृत्तचारः ceased his journey, गतः gone, प्रवृत्तचाराः favourable to nightrangers, रजनी night, उपस्थिता set in.

When king Dasaratha ascended to heaven due to grief over his son and when his wives were lying on the ground, the Sun ceased his journey and the night favourable to creatures of darkness suddenly set in.
ऋते तु पुत्राद्धहनं महीपतेर्नरोचयन्ते सुहृदस्समागताः।

इतीव तस्मिन् शयने न्यवेशयन् वनिचिन्त्य राजानमचिन्त्य दर्शनम्।।2.66.27।।


समागताः people who assembled there, सुहृदः friends, पुत्रात् ऋते in the absence of a son, महीपतेः king's, दहनम् for igniting funeral pyre, न रोचयन्ते do not agree, इतीव thus, विचिन्त्य having thought, अचिन्त्य दर्शनम् in an unexpected form, राजानम् king, तस्मिन् शयने on that bed (in that oil trough), न्यवेशयन् laid.

The wellwishers who asembled, unwilling to ignite the funeral pyre of the king in the absence of any one of his sons laid the king's deadbody in that oil trough in an unexpected manner.
गतप्रभा द्यौरिव भास्करं विना व्यपेतनक्षत्रगणेव शर्वरी।

पुरी बभासे रहिता महात्मना न चास्रकण्ठाऽकुलमार्गचत्वरा।।2.66.28।।


महात्मना by the great Dasaratha, रहिता bereft of, अस्रकण्ठाकुलमार्गचत्वरा courtyards in front of their houses and the squares on the roads filled with people sobbing, पुरी Ayodhya, भास्करं विना without the Sun, द्यौरिव like the sky, व्यपेतनक्षत्रगणाः with crowds of stars, शर्वरीव
like night, गतप्रभा having lost the brightness, न बभासे did not shine.

The city, bereft of illustrious Dasaratha was filled with people sobbing in the courtyards in front of their houses and in the squares in between. That city of Ayodhya bereft of brightness, appeared like the day without the Sun and the night without constellations of stars.
नराश्च नार्यश्च समेत्य सङ्घशः विगर्हमाणा भरतस्य मातरम्।

तदा नगर्यां नरदेवसङ्क्षये बभूवुरार्ता न च शर्म लेभिरे।।2.66.29।।


तदा then, नरदेवसङ्क्षये after the demise of the king, नगर्याम् in the city, नराश्च men, नार्यश्च women, सङ्घशः in groups, समेत्य assembled, भरतस्य Bharata's, मातरम् mother, विगर्हमाणाः denounced, आर्ताः बभूवुः became extremely distressed, शर्म peace, न च लेभिरे did not have

After the demise of the king, men and women in the city assembled in groups and denounced the mother of Bharata. Extremely distressed, they had no peace of mind.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे षट्षष्टितमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the sixtysixth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.