Sloka & Translation

[Bharata reproaches his mother -- decides to restore the glory of Ayodhya -- vows to get back Rama]

तां तथा गर्हयित्वा तु मातरं भरतस्तदा।

रोषेण महताऽविष्टः पुनरेवाब्रवीद्वचः।।2.74.1।।


तदा then, भरतः Bharata, मातरम् mother, ताम् her, तथा in that manner, गर्हयित्वा having reproached, महता with great, रोषेण wrath, आविष्टः was overtaken, पुनरेव once again, वचः words, अब्रवीत् said.

Overtaken by great wrath, Bharata reproached his mother and then said to her again:
राज्याद्भ्रंशस्व कैकेयि नृशंसे दुष्टचारिणि।

परित्यक्ता च धर्मेण मा मृतं रुदती भव।।2.74.2।।


नृशंसे O cruel one, दुष्टचारिणि of wicked conduct, कैकेयि O Kaikeyi, राज्यात् from the kingdom, भ्रंशस्व may be deprived, धर्मेण by righteousness, परित्यक्ता abandoned, मृतम् having died, मा about me, रुदती भव keep weepng.

O cruel Kaikeyi of wicked conduct, you may be deprived of the kingdom. Abandoned by righteousness, you shall be weeping for me after my death.
किन्नु तेऽदूषयद्राजा रामो वा भृशधार्मिकः।

ययोर्मृत्युर्विवासश्च त्वत्कृते तुल्यमागतौ।।2.74.3।।


ययोः to both of whom, त्वत्कृते on your account, तुल्यम् similar, मृत्युः death, विवासश्च exile, आगतौ have come, राजा the king, भृशधार्मिकः highly virtuous, रामो वा or Rama, ते to you, किन्नु what possible, अदूषयत् reviled?

Death for the king and exile for Rama, similar fate for both, have befallen on your account. What possible harm, either the king or the highly virtuous Rama has done to you?
भ्रूणहत्यामसि प्राप्ता कुलस्यास्य विनाशनात्।

कैकेयि नरकं गच्छ मा च भर्तु स्सलोकताम्।।2.74.4।।


अस्य कुलस्य of this race, विनाशनात् by destruction, भ्रूणहत्याम् the sin of killing an unborn, प्राप्ता असि you have earned, कैकेयि Kaikeyi, नरकम् to hell, गच्छ go, भर्तुः to husband, सलोकताम् similar world, मा च not attain.

O Kaikeyi by destroying this race you have earned the demerit of killing an embryo and shall enter hell. You shall never attain the same state of living, in the afterworld of your husband.
यत्त्वया हीदृशं पापं कृतं घोरेण कर्मणा।

सर्वलोकप्रियं हित्वा ममाप्यापादितं भयम्।।2.74.5।।


त्वया by you, घोरेण by a horrible, कर्मणा deed, यत् what ever reason, ईदृशम् such, पापम् sin, कृतम् has been committed, (for that reason), सर्वलोकप्रियम् beloved of all worlds, हित्वा renouncing, ममापि for me too, भयम् fear, आपादितम् has overtaken me.

That by doing this horrible deed you have committed a great sin of renouncing Rama, the beloved of all worlds. Therefore I am overtaken by fear.
त्वत्कृते मे पिता वृत्तो रामश्चारण्यमाश्रितः।

अयशो जीवलोके च त्वयाऽहं प्रतिपादितः।।2.74.6।।


त्वत्कृते for your sake, मे पिता my father, वृत्तः died, रामश्च Rama also, अरण्यम् to the forest, आश्रितः taken refuge, त्वया by you, अहम् I, जीवलोके in this world of living beings, अयशः च ignominy, प्रतिपादितः obtained.

You have caused my father's death and Rama's exile. As for me, I have obtained ignominy in this world.
मातृरूपे ममामित्रे नृशंसे राज्यकामुके।

न तेऽह मभिभाष्योऽस्मि दुर्वृत्ते पतिघातिनि।।2.74.7।।


मम my, मातृरूपे mother in appearance, अमित्रे enemy, नृशंसे O cruel woman, राज्यकामुके O woman having lust for kingdom, दुर्वृत्ते of vicious character, पतिघातिनि murderess (of husband), अहम् I, ते to you, अभिभाष्यः नास्मि I shall not be speaking to you.

O cruel woman, O woman of vicious character you are an enemy assuming a mother's form, lustful for kingdom. You are a murderess (of your husband) and I shall never speak to you.
कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च याश्चान्या मम मातरः।

दुःखेन महताऽविष्टास्त्वां प्राप्य कुलदूषिणीम्।।2.74.8।।


कुलदूषिणीम् one who vitiated the race, त्वाम् you, प्राप्य having obtained, कौशल्या Kausalya, सुमित्रा च Sumitra also, मम my, याः अन्याः all the other, मातरः mothers, महता great, दुःखेन sorrow, आविष्टाः are overwhelmed.

As you have vitiated the race, my mothers Kausalya and Sumitra are overwhelmed with great sorrow.
न त्वमश्वपतेः कन्या धर्मराजस्य धीमतः।

राक्षसी तत्र जाताऽसि कुलप्रध्वंसिनी पितुः।।2.74.9।।

यत्त्वया धार्मिको रामो नित्यं सत्यपरायणः।

वनं प्रस्थापितो दुःखात्पिता च त्रिदिवं गतः।।2.74.10।।
 

यत् since, त्वया by you, धार्मिकः the virtuous, नित्यम् constantly, सत्यपरायणः ever devoted to truth, रामः Rama, वनम् to the forest, प्रस्थापितः has been sent away, पिता च father, दुःखात् due to grief, त्रिदिवम् to heaven, गतः had gone, त्वम् you, धर्मराजस्य of the righteous king, धीमतः of the sagacious one, अश्वपतेः king Aswapati's, कन्या daughter, न not, तत्र in that race, जाता born, पितुः father's, कुलप्रध्वंसिनी destroying the race, राक्षसी असि you are a demoness.

As you sent virtuous Rama, ever devoted to truth, into the forest, my father died out of grief (due to separation from his son). Therefore, you are not the true daughter of the righteous and sagacious king Aswapati but a demoness born there to destroy your father's race.
यत्प्रधानाऽसि तत्पापं मयि पित्रा विनाकृते।

भ्रातृभ्यां च परित्यक्ते सर्वलोकस्य चाप्रिये।।2.74.11।।


यत्प्रधाना असि committing the sin with a sole objective, तत् that, पापम् sin, पित्रा विना separated from father, कृते made, भ्रातृभ्याम् by the brothers, परित्यक्ते abandoned, सर्वलोकस्य for the whole world, अप्रिये च not a dear one, मयि fallen on me.

The sin you have committed with a particular objective has affected me and (as a result) I am left without my father. I am abandoned by my brothers. I am hated by every one in this entire world.
कौसल्यां धर्मसंयुक्तां वियुक्तां पापनिश्चये।

कृत्वा कं प्राप्स्यसे त्वद्य लोकं निरयगामिनि।।2.74.12।।


पापनिश्चये O woman of sinful convictions, निरयगामिनि O one who would attain hell, धर्मसंयुक्ताम् endowed with righteous conduct, कौशल्याम् Kausalya, वियुक्ताम् separated from her son, कृत्वा having committed, अद्य now, कं लोसकम् what afterworld, प्राप्स्यसे will attain.

O woman of sinful convictions you will go to hell. You have separated righteous Kausalya from her son. For having committed such a sin, what afterworld awaits you (is not known)?
किं नावबुध्यसे क्रूरे नियतं बन्धुसंश्रयम्।

ज्येष्ठं पितृसमं रामं कौसल्यायाऽत्मसम्भवम्।।2.74.13।।


क्रूरे O cruel one, कौशल्यायाः Kausalya's, आत्मसम्भवम् born of her very self, रामम् Rama, नियतम् selfrestrained, बन्धुसंश्रयम् refuge for relations, ज्येष्ठम् eldest, पितृसमम् the equal of his father, किं नावबुध्यसे why do you not realise?

O cruel one why do you not realise that Rama, born of Kausalya, is the eldest son and equal to my father? He is selfrestrained and a refuge to his kith and kin.
अङगप्रत्यङगजः पुत्रो हृदयाच्चापि जायते।

तस्मात्प्रियतमो मातुः प्रिया एव तु बान्धवाः।।2.74.14।।


पुत्र: son, अङ्गप्रत्यङ्गजः born from every limb big or small, हृदयाच्चापि from the heart too, जायते is born, तस्मात् therefore, मातुः for a mother, प्रियतमः most beloved one, बान्धवाः relatives, प्रिया एव तु are loving ones only.

A son born from every limb, big or small, and from the heart is the most beloved of all for his mother while the other relatives are only loving ones.
अन्यदा किल धर्मज्ञा सुरभि स्सुरसम्मता।

वहमानौ ददर्शोर्व्यां पुत्रौ विगतचेतसौ।।2.74.15।।


अन्यदा at some other time, धर्मज्ञा conversant with righteous ways, सुरसम्मता highly respected by the gods, सुरभिः Surabhi (the divine cow), उर्व्याम् on the earth, वहमानौ carrying the burden (drawing the plough), विगतचेतसौ senses lost, पुत्रौ sons, ददर्श किल beheld, as they say.

It is said that once upon a time Surabhi, the divine cow, highly respected by the gods and conversant with righteous ways, beheld her two sons who fainted due to fatigue while carrying the burden of the ploughs.
तावर्धदिवसे श्रान्तौ दृष्ट्वा पुत्रौ महीतले।

रुरोद पुत्रशोकेन बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा।।2.74.16।।


महीतले on the earth, अर्धदिवसे at midday, श्रान्तौ tired, पुत्रौ sons, दृष्ट्वा having seen, पुत्रशोकेन by the grief for her son, बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा eyes filled with tears, रुरोद wailed.

On seeing her two sons lying on earth exhausted, she wailed in distress for them with her eyes filled with tears.
अधस्ताद्व्रजतस्तस्याः सुरराज्ञो महात्मनः।

बिन्दवः पतिता गात्रे सूक्ष्मा स्सुरभिगन्धिनः।।2.74.17।।


तस्याः her (Kamadhenu's), सूक्ष्माः fine, सुरभिगन्धिनः fragrant, बिन्दवः tear drops, अधस्तात् down below, व्रजतः proceeding, महात्मनः great, सुरराज्ञः of the king of the gods, गात्रे on the body, पतिताः fell.

The fine drops of her fragnant tears trickled down the body of the great king of the gods (Indra).
इन्द्रोऽप्यश्रुनिपातं तं स्वगात्रे पुण्यगन्धिनम्।

सुरभिं मन्यते दृष्ट्वा भूयसीं तां सुरेश्वरः।।2.74.18।।
 

सुरेश्वरः lord of the gods, इन्द्रोऽपि Indra, स्वगात्रे on his body, पुण्यगन्धिनम् of holy fragrance, तम् that, अश्रुपातम् flow of tears, दृष्ट्वा on seeing, ताम् her, भूयसीम् venerated, सुरभिम् as Kamadhenu, मन्यते thought

When Indra, lord of the gods, saw those tears of holy fragrance fallen on his body he understood that the tears were shed by the venerated Kamadhenu.
निरीक्षमाण श्शक्रस्तां ददर्श सुरभिं स्थिताम्।

आकाशे विष्ठितां दीनां रुदन्तीं भृशदुःखिताम्।।2.74.19।।


शक्रः Indra, आकाशे in the sky, निरीक्षमाणः looking up, स्थिताम् stationed, विष्ठिताम् distressed, दीनाम् miserable, रुदन्तीम् wailing, भृशदुःखिताम् in intense pain, तां सुरभिम् to that Surabhi, ददर्श beheld.

While looking around Indra beheld Kamadhenu in intense pain stationed in the sky, looking distressed and miserable, and wailing.
तां दृष्ट्वा शोकसन्तप्तां वज्रपाणिर्यशस्विनीम्।

इन्द्रः प्राञ्जलिरुद्विग्न स्सुरराजोऽब्रवीद्वचः।।2.74.20।।


वज्रपाणिः wielder of thunderbolt, सुरराजः king of the gods, इन्द्रः Indra, शोकसन्तप्ताम् consumed with grief, यशस्विनीम् renowned, ताम् that kamadhenu, दृष्ट्वा having seen, उद्विग्नः alarmed, प्राञ्जलिः with palms joined in reverence, वाक्यम् these words, अब्रवीत् said.

The king of the gods, Indra, wielder of thunderbolt, saw the renowned Kamadhenu consumed with grief. Alarmed, he said to her with palms joined in reverence:
भयं कच्छिन्न चास्मासु कुतश्चिद्विद्यते महत्।

कुतोनिमत्तश्शोकस्ते ब्रूहि सर्वहितैषिणि।।2.74.21।।


सर्वहितैषिणि O wellwisher of all, अस्मासु for us, कुतश्चित् from any quarter, महत् great, भयम् fear, न विद्यते कच्छित् does not exist, ते your, शोकः sorrow, कुतोनिमित्तः for what reason, ब्रूहि speak.

'O holy cow fear not. You wish the welfare of all, Has any great calamity befallen us from any quarter? I hope not. What is the reason for your sorrow? Tell me'.
एवमुक्ता तु सुरभि स्सुरराजेन धीमता।

प्रत्युवाच ततो धीरा वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदा।।2.74.22।।
 

धीमता by the sagacious, सुरराजेन by Indra, king of the gods, एवम् this way, उक्ता having been uttered, धीरा calm, सुरभिः Surabhi, ततः then, वाक्य विशारदा proficient in speech, वाक्यम् these words, प्रत्युवाच replied.

On hearing the sagacious Indra, king of the gods, Kamadhenu, proficient in speech, calmly replied:
शान्तं पापं न वः किञ्चित्कुतश्चिदमराधिपः।

अहं मग्नौ तु शोचामि स्वपुत्रौ विषमे स्थितौ।।2.74.23।।

एतौ दृष्ट्वा कृशौ दीनौ सूर्यरश्मिप्रतापितौ।

बाध्यमानौ बलीवर्धौ कर्षकेण सुराधिप।।2.74.24।।


अमराधिपः O lord of the immortals (Indra), पापम् शान्तम् god forbid, वः for you, कुतश्चित् from any quarter, किञ्चित् any calamity, न not, सुराधिप O lord of the gods, अहम् I, विषमे in trouble, स्थितौ entangled, सूर्यरश्मिप्रतापितौ scorched by the rays of the Sun, कृशौ emaciated, कर्षकेण by a ploughman, बाध्यमानौ beaten, मग्नौ immersed in grief, स्वपुत्रौ my own sons, एतौ these, बलीवर्धौ pair of bulls, दृष्ट्वा having seen, दीनौ miserable, शोचामि weeping.

'God forbid, O Indra, lord of the Immortals no calamity has befallen you from any quarter. Only I am in trouble. I am weeping for these pair of bulls, my own sons who are in difficulty. When I see them scorched by the rays of the Sun, miserable, emaciated and weeping, beaten by a ploughman, I am immersed in grief'.
ममकायात्प्रसूतौ हि दुःखितौ भारपीडितौ।

यौ दृष्ट्वा परितप्येऽहं नास्ति पुत्रसमः प्रियः।।2.74.25।।


अहम् I, भारपीडितौ oppressed by the burden, दुःखितौ anguished, यौ them both, दृष्ट्वा having seen, परितप्ये excessively grieving, मम my, कायात् from the body, प्रसूतौ हि were born, पुत्रसमः equal to a son, प्रियः a beloved, नास्ति no one is there.

'These bulls were born from my body and they are oppressed by the burden. Having seen their anguish, I am extremely grieved. There is none so dear as a son'.
यस्याः पुत्रसहस्रैस्तु कृत्स्नं व्याप्तमिदं जगत्।

तां दृष्ट्वा रुदतीं शक्रो न सुतान्मन्यते परम्।।2.74.26।।


यस्याः whose, पुत्रसहस्रैः by a thousand sons, इदं जगत् this world, व्याप्तम् are spread over, ताम् to her (Kamadhenu), रुदतीम् weeping, दृष्ट्वा having seen, शक्रः Indra, सुतात् more than a son, परम् great one, न not, मन्यते considers.

The wishfulfilling cow (Kamadhenu) had innumerable sons spread all over the world. When Indra saw that Kamadhenu too was weeping for her sons, he concluded 'there is no one greater than a son'.
सदाऽप्रतिमवृत्तायाः लोकधारणकाम्यया।

श्रीमत्या गुणनित्याया स्स्वभावपरिचेष्टया।।2.74.27।।

यस्याः पुत्रसहस्राणि साऽपि शोचति कामधुक्।

किं पुनर्या विना रामं कौसल्या वर्तयिष्यति।।2.74.28।।
 

लोकधारणकाम्यया with a desire to nourish the worlds, सदा always, अप्रतिमवृत्तायाः of unequalled conduct, श्रीमत्याः endowed with prosperity, स्वभावपरिचेष्टया in accordance with her nature, गुणनित्यायाः by her virtues, यस्याः such ones, पुत्रसहस्राणि a thousand sons, सा that, कामधुक् अपि Kamadhenu also, शोचति is weeping, या कौशल्या that Kausalya, रामं विना bereft of Rama, वर्तयिष्यति will she be her normal self again?, किं पुनः why again.

Wishing always to nourish the worlds Kamadhenu conducts herself with an unequalled character. In accordance with her nature, she has imbibed in herself eminent virtues. She is endowed with all prosperity. In spite of her thousand sons, she is weeping thus for her two bulls, what can one say of Kausalya separated from her only son Will she be her normal self again?'
एकपुत्रा च साध्वी च विवत्सेयं त्वया कृता।

तस्मात्त्वं सततं दुःखं प्रेत्य चेह च लप्स्यसे।।2.74.29।।


एकपुत्रा च blessed with an only son, साध्वी च pious woman, इयम् this lady, त्वया by you, विवत्सा childless, कृता has been rendered, तस्मात् therefore, त्वम् you, प्रेत्य च even after death, इह च in this world also, सततम् always, दुःखम् grief, लप्स्यसे you shall experience.

This pious lady is blessed with only one son and (now) has been rendered childless by you. Therefore, you shall experience grief in this world and hereafter.
अहं ह्यपचितिं भ्रातुः पितुश्च सकलामिमाम्।

वर्धनं यशसश्चापि करिष्यामि न संशयः।।2.74.30।।


अहम् I, भ्रातुः for my brother, पितुश्च for father, इमाम् this, सकलाम् complete, अपचितिम् atonement for improper conduct, यशसः of fame, वर्धनम् enhancement, करिष्यामि will do, संशयः doubt, न not.

As for me, I shall do whatever is necessary for the atonement of the improper conduct shown towards my father and brother and for enhancement of my fame. There is no doubt about it.
अनाययित्वा तनयं कौसल्याया महाबलम्।

स्वयमेव प्रवेक्ष्यामि वनं मुनिनिषेवितम्।।2.74.31।।
 

महाबलम् highly powerful, कौशल्यायाः तनयम् Kausalya's son, अनाययित्वा if I do not bring back, स्वयमेव myself, मुनिनिषेवितम् frequented by the ascetics, वनम् lonely forest, प्रवेक्ष्यामि I shall enter.

If I fail to bring back the mighty son of Kausalya, I shall enter the forest frequented by ascetics.
न ह्यहं पापसङ्कल्पे पापे पापं त्वया कृतम्।

शक्तो धारयितुं पौरैरश्रुकण्ठै र्निरीक्षितः।।2.74.32।।


पापे O vicious one, पापसङ्कल्पे O evilintentioned one, अहम् I, अश्रुकण्ठैः by those whose throats are choked with tears, पौरैः by the citizens (of Ayodhya), निरीक्षितः am watched, त्वया by you, कृतम् has been committed, पापम् sin, धारयितुम् to endure, न शक्तः हि I am not capable.

O vicious one, O evilintentioned one being watched by the citizens with their throats choked with tears of grief, I cannot endure the burden of the sin committed by you.
सा त्वमग्निं प्रविश वा स्वयं वा दण्डकान्विश।

रज्जुं बधान वा कण्ठे न हि तेऽन्यत्परायणम्।।2.74.33।।


सा त्वम् such a person like you, अग्निं वा either the fire, प्रविश enter, दण्डकान्वा or Dandaka forest, स्वयम् yourself, विश enter वा or, कण्ठे round the throat, रज्जुम् rope, बधान fasten, ते to you, अन्यत् any other, परायणम् recourse, न हि is not there.

Jump into the fire or go to Dandaka forest or hang yourself. There is no other recourse for you.
अहमप्यवनीं प्राप्ते रामे सत्यपराक्रमे।

कृतकृत्यो भविष्यामि विप्रवासितकल्मषः।।2.74.34।।


सत्यपराक्रमे having truth as his prowess, रामे Rama, अवनीम् this earth (kingdom), प्राप्ते will obtain, अहमपि I also, विप्रवासितकल्मषः free from all blemishes, कृतकृत्यः shall have my desire accomplished, भविष्यामि shall become.

When Rama who has truth as his prowess accepts the kingdom, I shall have accomplished my purpose at last and I shall be free from all blemishes.
इति नाग इवारण्ये तोमराङ्कुशचोदितः।

पपात भुवि सङ्कृद्धो निश्श्वसन्निव पन्नगः।।2.74.35।।


इति in this way, अरण्ये in the forest, तोमराङ्कुशचोदितः driven by prods and goads (sharp instruments), नागः इव like an elephant, सङ्कृद्धः enraged, पन्नगः इव like a serpent, निःश्वसन् hissing, भुवि on the ground, पपात fell down.

In this way like an elephant driven by prods and goads in the forest, highly enraged Bharata hissing like a serpent dropped down on the ground.
संरक्तनेत्र श्शिथिलाम्भरस्तदा विधूतसर्वाभरणः परन्तपः।

बभूव भूमौ पतितो नृपात्मजश्शचीपतेः केतुरिवोत्सवक्षये।।2.74.36।।


तदा then, संरक्तनेत्रः with bloodshot eyes, शिथिलाम्भरः with his raiment in disarray, विधूतसर्वाभरणः with his ornaments tossed about, भूमौ on the ground, पतितः fallen, परन्तपः scorcher of enemies, नृपात्मजः king's son, उत्सवक्षये at the close of the festival, शचीपतेः of the husband of Sachi (Indra's), केतुरिव बभूव like a banner remained.

Prince Bharata, the scorcher of enemies, with bloodshot eyes, raiment in disarray, ornaments tossed about lay fallen on the ground like the banner of Indra (husband of Sachi) at the close of the festival of flaghoisting.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे चतुस्सप्ततितमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the seventyfourth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.