Sloka & Translation

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

tāṅ tathā garhayitvā tu mātaraṅ bharatastadā.

rōṣēṇa mahatā.viṣṭaḥ punarēvābravīdvacaḥ৷৷2.74.1৷৷


tadā then, bharataḥ Bharata, mātaram mother, tām her, tathā in that manner, garhayitvā having reproached, mahatā with great, rōṣēṇa wrath, āviṣṭaḥ was overtaken, punarēva once again, vacaḥ words, abravīt said.

Overtaken by great wrath, Bharata reproached his mother and then said to her again:
rājyādbhraṅśasva kaikēyi! nṛśaṅsē! duṣṭacāriṇi!.

parityaktā ca dharmēṇa mā mṛtaṅ rudatī bhava৷৷2.74.2৷৷


nṛśaṅsē! O cruel one, duṣṭacāriṇi of wicked conduct, kaikēyi! O Kaikeyi, rājyāt from the kingdom, bhraṅśasva may be deprived, dharmēṇa by righteousness, parityaktā abandoned, mṛtam having died, mā about me, rudatī bhava 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.
kinnu tē.dūṣayadrājā rāmō vā bhṛśadhārmikaḥ.

yayōrmṛtyurvivāsaśca tvatkṛtē tulyamāgatau৷৷2.74.3৷৷


yayōḥ to both of whom, tvatkṛtē on your account, tulyam similar, mṛtyuḥ death, vivāsaśca exile, āgatau have come, rājā the king, bhṛśadhārmikaḥ highly virtuous, rāmō vā or Rama, tē to you, kinnu what possible, adūṣayat 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?
bhrūṇahatyāmasi prāptā kulasyāsya vināśanāt.

kaikēyi! narakaṅ gaccha mā ca bhartu ssalōkatām৷৷2.74.4৷৷


asya kulasya of this race, vināśanāt by destruction, bhrūṇahatyām the sin of killing an unborn, prāptā asi you have earned, kaikēyi Kaikeyi, narakam to hell, gaccha go, bhartuḥ to husband, salōkatām similar world, mā ca 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.
yattvayā hīdṛśaṅ pāpaṅ kṛtaṅ ghōrēṇa karmaṇā.

sarvalōkapriyaṅ hitvā mamāpyāpāditaṅ bhayam৷৷2.74.5৷৷


tvayā by you, ghōrēṇa by a horrible, karmaṇā deed, yat what ever reason, īdṛśam such, pāpam sin, kṛtam has been committed, (for that reason), sarvalōkapriyam beloved of all worlds, hitvā renouncing, mamāpi for me too, bhayam fear, āpāditam 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.
tvatkṛtē mē pitā vṛttō rāmaścāraṇyamāśritaḥ.

ayaśō jīvalōkē ca tvayā.haṅ pratipāditaḥ৷৷2.74.6৷৷


tvatkṛtē for your sake, mē pitā my father, vṛttaḥ died, rāmaśca Rama also, araṇyam to the forest, āśritaḥ taken refuge, tvayā by you, aham I, jīvalōkē in this world of living beings, ayaśaḥ ca ignominy, pratipāditaḥ obtained.

You have caused my father's death and Rama's exile. As for me, I have obtained ignominy in this world.
mātṛrūpē! mamāmitrē! nṛśaṅsē! rājyakāmukē!.

na tē.ha mabhibhāṣyō.smi durvṛttē! patighātini!৷৷2.74.7৷৷


mama my, mātṛrūpē mother in appearance, amitrē enemy, nṛśaṅsē O cruel woman, rājyakāmukē O woman having lust for kingdom, durvṛttē of vicious character, patighātini murderess (of husband), aham I, tē to you, abhibhāṣyaḥ nāsmi 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.
kausalyā ca sumitrā ca yāścānyā mama mātaraḥ.

duḥkhēna mahatā.viṣṭāstvāṅ prāpya kuladūṣiṇīm৷৷2.74.8৷৷


kuladūṣiṇīm one who vitiated the race, tvām you, prāpya having obtained, kauśalyā Kausalya, sumitrā ca Sumitra also, mama my, yāḥ anyāḥ all the other, mātaraḥ mothers, mahatā great, duḥkhēna sorrow, āviṣṭāḥ are overwhelmed.

As you have vitiated the race, my mothers Kausalya and Sumitra are overwhelmed with great sorrow.
na tvamaśvapatēḥ kanyā dharmarājasya dhīmataḥ.

rākṣasī tatra jātā.si kulapradhvaṅsinī pituḥ৷৷2.74.9৷৷

yattvayā dhārmikō rāmō nityaṅ satyaparāyaṇaḥ.

vanaṅ prasthāpitō duḥkhātpitā ca tridivaṅ gataḥ৷৷2.74.10৷৷


yat since, tvayā by you, dhārmikaḥ the virtuous, nityam constantly, satyaparāyaṇaḥ ever devoted to
truth, rāmaḥ Rama, vanam to the forest, prasthāpitaḥ has been sent away, pitā ca father, duḥkhāt due to grief, tridivam to heaven, gataḥ had gone, tvam you, dharmarājasya of the righteous king, dhīmataḥ of the sagacious one, aśvapatēḥ king Aswapati's, kanyā daughter, na not, tatra in that race, jātā born, pituḥ father's, kulapradhvaṅsinī destroying the race, rākṣasī asi 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.
yatpradhānā.si tatpāpaṅ mayi pitrā vinākṛtē.

bhrātṛbhyāṅ ca parityaktē sarvalōkasya cāpriyē!৷৷2.74.11৷৷


yatpradhānā asi committing the sin with a sole objective, tat that, pāpam sin, pitrā vinā separated from father, kṛtē made, bhrātṛbhyām by the brothers, parityaktē abandoned, sarvalōkasya for the whole world, apriyē ca not a dear one, mayi 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.
kausalyāṅ dharmasaṅyuktāṅ viyuktāṅ pāpaniścayē!.

kṛtvā kaṅ prāpsyasē tvadya lōkaṅ nirayagāmini!৷৷2.74.12৷৷


pāpaniścayē! O! woman of sinful convictions, nirayagāmini! O one who would attain hell, dharmasaṅyuktām endowed with righteous conduct, kauśalyām Kausalya, viyuktām separated from her son, kṛtvā having committed, adya now, kaṅ lōsakam what afterworld, prāpsyasē 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)?
kiṅ nāvabudhyasē krūrē! niyataṅ bandhusaṅśrayam.

jyēṣṭhaṅ pitṛsamaṅ rāmaṅ kausalyāyā.tmasambhavam৷৷2.74.13৷৷


krūrē! O cruel one, kauśalyāyāḥ Kausalya's, ātmasambhavam born of her very self, rāmam Rama, niyatam self-restrained, bandhusaṅśrayam refuge for relations, jyēṣṭham eldest, pitṛsamam the equal of his father, kiṅ nāvabudhyasē 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 self-restrained and a refuge to his kith and kin.
aṅagapratyaṅagajaḥ putrō hṛdayāccāpi jāyatē.

tasmātpriyatamō mātuḥ priyā ēva tu bāndhavāḥ৷৷2.74.14৷৷


putra: son, aṅgapratyaṅgajaḥ born from every limb big or small, hṛdayāccāpi from the heart too, jāyatē is born, tasmāt therefore, mātuḥ for a mother, priyatamaḥ most beloved one, bāndhavāḥ relatives, priyā ēva tu 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.
anyadā kila dharmajñā surabhi ssurasammatā.

vahamānau dadarśōrvyāṅ putrau vigatacētasau৷৷2.74.15৷৷


anyadā at some other time, dharmajñā conversant with righteous ways, surasammatā highly respected by the gods, surabhiḥ Surabhi (the divine cow), urvyām on the earth, vahamānau carrying the burden (drawing the plough), vigatacētasau senses lost, putrau sons, dadarśa kila 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.
tāvardhadivasē śrāntau dṛṣṭvā putrau mahītalē.

rurōda putraśōkēna bāṣpaparyākulēkṣaṇā৷৷2.74.16৷৷


mahītalē on the earth, ardhadivasē at mid-day, śrāntau tired, putrau sons, dṛṣṭvā having seen, putraśōkēna by the grief for her son, bāṣpaparyākulēkṣaṇā eyes filled with tears, rurōda wailed.

On seeing her two sons lying on earth exhausted, she wailed in distress for them with her eyes filled with tears.
adhastādvrajatastasyāḥ surarājñō mahātmanaḥ.

bindavaḥ patitā gātrē sūkṣmā ssurabhigandhinaḥ৷৷2.74.17৷৷


tasyāḥ her (Kamadhenu's), sūkṣmāḥ fine, surabhigandhinaḥ fragrant, bindavaḥ tear drops, adhastāt down below, vrajataḥ proceeding, mahātmanaḥ great, surarājñaḥ of the king of the gods, gātrē on the body, patitāḥ fell.

The fine drops of her fragnant tears trickled down the body of the great king of the gods (Indra).
indrō.pyaśrunipātaṅ taṅ svagātrē puṇyagandhinam.

surabhiṅ manyatē dṛṣṭvā bhūyasīṅ tāṅ surēśvaraḥ৷৷2.74.18৷৷


surēśvaraḥ lord of the gods, indrō.pi Indra, svagātrē on his body, puṇyagandhinam of holy fragrance, tam that, aśrupātam flow of tears, dṛṣṭvā on seeing, tām her, bhūyasīm venerated, surabhim as Kamadhenu, manyatē 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.
nirīkṣamāṇa śśakrastāṅ dadarśa surabhiṅ sthitām.

ākāśē viṣṭhitāṅ dīnāṅ rudantīṅ bhṛśaduḥkhitām৷৷2.74.19৷৷


śakraḥ Indra, ākāśē in the sky, nirīkṣamāṇaḥ looking up, sthitām stationed, viṣṭhitām distressed, dīnām miserable, rudantīm wailing, bhṛśaduḥkhitām in intense pain, tāṅ surabhim to that Surabhi, dadarśa beheld.

While looking around Indra beheld Kamadhenu in intense pain stationed in the sky, looking distressed and miserable, and wailing.
tāṅ dṛṣṭvā śōkasantaptāṅ vajrapāṇiryaśasvinīm.

indraḥ prāñjalirudvigna ssurarājō.bravīdvacaḥ৷৷2.74.20৷৷


vajrapāṇiḥ wielder of thunderbolt, surarājaḥ king of the gods, indraḥ Indra, śōkasantaptām consumed with grief, yaśasvinīm renowned, tām that kamadhenu, dṛṣṭvā having seen, udvignaḥ alarmed, prāñjaliḥ with palms joined in reverence, vākyam these words, abravīt 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:
bhayaṅ kacchinna cāsmāsu kutaścidvidyatē mahat.

kutōnimattaśśōkastē brūhi sarvahitaiṣiṇi৷৷2.74.21৷৷


sarvahitaiṣiṇi O well-wisher of all, asmāsu for us, kutaścit from any quarter, mahat great, bhayam fear, na vidyatē kacchit does not exist, tē your, śōkaḥ sorrow, kutōnimittaḥ for what reason, brūhi 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'.
ēvamuktā tu surabhi ssurarājēna dhīmatā.

pratyuvāca tatō dhīrā vākyaṅ vākyaviśāradā৷৷2.74.22৷৷


dhīmatā by the sagacious, surarājēna by Indra, king of the gods, ēvam this way, uktā having been uttered, dhīrā calm, surabhiḥ Surabhi, tataḥ then, vākya viśāradā proficient in speech,
vākyam these words, pratyuvāca replied.

On hearing the sagacious Indra, king of the gods, Kamadhenu, proficient in speech, calmly replied:
śāntaṅ pāpaṅ na vaḥ kiñcitkutaścidamarādhipaḥ.

ahaṅ magnau tu śōcāmi svaputrau viṣamē sthitau৷৷2.74.23৷৷

ētau dṛṣṭvā kṛśau dīnau sūryaraśmipratāpitau.

bādhyamānau balīvardhau karṣakēṇa surādhipa৷৷2.74.24৷৷


amarādhipaḥ O lord of the immortals (Indra), pāpam śāntam god forbid, vaḥ for you, kutaścit from any quarter, kiñcit any calamity, na not, surādhipa O lord of the gods, aham I, viṣamē in trouble, sthitau entangled, sūryaraśmipratāpitau scorched by the rays of the Sun, kṛśau emaciated, karṣakēṇa by a ploughman, bādhyamānau beaten, magnau immersed in grief, svaputrau my own sons, ētau these, balīvardhau pair of bulls, dṛṣṭvā having seen, dīnau miserable, śōcāmi 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'.
mamakāyātprasūtau hi duḥkhitau bhārapīḍitau.

yau dṛṣṭvā paritapyē.haṅ nāsti putrasamaḥ priyaḥ৷৷2.74.25৷৷


aham I, bhārapīḍitau oppressed by the burden, duḥkhitau anguished, yau them both, dṛṣṭvā having seen, paritapyē excessively grieving, mama my, kāyāt from the body, prasūtau hi were born, putrasamaḥ equal to a son, priyaḥ a beloved, nāsti 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'.
yasyāḥ putrasahasraistu kṛtsnaṅ vyāptamidaṅ jagat.

tāṅ dṛṣṭvā rudatīṅ śakrō na sutānmanyatē param৷৷2.74.26৷৷


yasyāḥ whose, putrasahasraiḥ by a thousand sons, idaṅ jagat this world, vyāptam are spread over, tām to her (Kamadhenu), rudatīm weeping, dṛṣṭvā having seen, śakraḥ Indra, sutāt more than a son, param great one, na not, manyatē considers.

The wish-fulfilling 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'.
sadā.pratimavṛttāyāḥ lōkadhāraṇakāmyayā.

śrīmatyā guṇanityāyā ssvabhāvaparicēṣṭayā৷৷2.74.27৷৷

yasyāḥ putrasahasrāṇi sā.pi śōcati kāmadhuk.

kiṅ punaryā vinā rāmaṅ kausalyā vartayiṣyati৷৷2.74.28৷৷


lōkadhāraṇakāmyayā with a desire to nourish the worlds, sadā always, apratimavṛttāyāḥ of unequalled conduct, śrīmatyāḥ endowed with prosperity, svabhāvaparicēṣṭayā in accordance with her nature, guṇanityāyāḥ by her virtues, yasyāḥ such ones, putrasahasrāṇi a thousand sons, sā that, kāmadhuk api Kamadhenu also, śōcati is weeping, yā kauśalyā that Kausalya, rāmaṅ vinā bereft of Rama, vartayiṣyati will she be her normal self again?, kiṅ punaḥ 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?'
ēkaputrā ca sādhvī ca vivatsēyaṅ tvayā kṛtā.

tasmāttvaṅ satataṅ duḥkhaṅ prētya cēha ca lapsyasē৷৷2.74.29৷৷


ēkaputrā ca blessed with an only son, sādhvī ca pious woman, iyam this lady, tvayā by you, vivatsā childless, kṛtā has been rendered, tasmāt therefore, tvam you, prētya ca even after death, iha ca in this world also, satatam always, duḥkham grief, lapsyasē 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.
ahaṅ hyapacitiṅ bhrātuḥ pituśca sakalāmimām.

vardhanaṅ yaśasaścāpi kariṣyāmi na saṅśayaḥ৷৷2.74.30৷৷


aham I, bhrātuḥ for my brother, pituśca for father, imām this, sakalām complete, apacitim atonement for improper conduct, yaśasaḥ of fame, vardhanam enhancement, kariṣyāmi will do, saṅśayaḥ doubt, na 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.
anāyayitvā tanayaṅ kausalyāyā mahābalam.

svayamēva pravēkṣyāmi vanaṅ muniniṣēvitam৷৷2.74.31৷৷


mahābalam highly powerful, kauśalyāyāḥ tanayam Kausalya's son, anāyayitvā if I do not bring back, svayamēva myself, muniniṣēvitam frequented by the ascetics, vanam lonely forest, pravēkṣyāmi I shall enter.

If I fail to bring back the mighty son of Kausalya, I shall enter the forest frequented by
ascetics.
na hyahaṅ pāpasaṅkalpē pāpē! pāpaṅ tvayā kṛtam.

śaktō dhārayituṅ paurairaśrukaṇṭhai rnirīkṣitaḥ৷৷2.74.32৷৷


pāpē! O vicious one, pāpasaṅkalpē O evil-intentioned one, aham I, aśrukaṇṭhaiḥ by those whose throats are choked with tears, pauraiḥ by the citizens (of Ayodhya), nirīkṣitaḥ am watched, tvayā by you, kṛtam has been committed, pāpam sin, dhārayitum to endure, na śaktaḥ hi I am not capable.

O vicious one!, O evil-intentioned 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.
sā tvamagniṅ praviśa vā svayaṅ vā daṇḍakānviśa.

rajjuṅ badhāna vā kaṇṭhē na hi tē.nyatparāyaṇam৷৷2.74.33৷৷


sā tvam such a person like you, agniṅ vā either the fire, praviśa enter, daṇḍakānvā or Dandaka forest, svayam yourself, viśa enter vā or, kaṇṭhē round the throat, rajjum rope, badhāna fasten, tē to you, anyat any other, parāyaṇam recourse, na hi is not there.

Jump into the fire or go to Dandaka forest or hang yourself. There is no other recourse for you.
ahamapyavanīṅ prāptē rāmē satyaparākramē.

kṛtakṛtyō bhaviṣyāmi vipravāsitakalmaṣaḥ৷৷2.74.34৷৷


satyaparākramē having truth as his prowess, rāmē Rama, avanīm this earth (kingdom), prāptē will obtain, ahamapi I also, vipravāsitakalmaṣaḥ free from all blemishes, kṛtakṛtyaḥ shall have my desire accomplished, bhaviṣyāmi 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.
iti nāga ivāraṇyē tōmarāṅkuśacōditaḥ.

papāta bhuvi saṅkṛddhō niśśvasanniva pannagaḥ৷৷2.74.35৷৷


iti in this way, araṇyē in the forest, tōmarāṅkuśacōditaḥ driven by prods and goads (sharp instruments), nāgaḥ iva like an elephant, saṅkṛddhaḥ enraged, pannagaḥ iva like a serpent, niḥśvasan hissing, bhuvi on the ground, papāta 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.
saṅraktanētra śśithilāmbharastadā vidhūtasarvābharaṇaḥ parantapaḥ.

babhūva bhūmau patitō nṛpātmajaśśacīpatēḥ kēturivōtsavakṣayē৷৷2.74.36৷৷


tadā then, saṅraktanētraḥ with bloodshot eyes, śithilāmbharaḥ with his raiment in disarray, vidhūtasarvābharaṇaḥ with his ornaments tossed about, bhūmau on the ground, patitaḥ fallen, parantapaḥ scorcher of enemies, nṛpātmajaḥ king's son, utsavakṣayē at the close of the festival, śacīpatēḥ of the husband of Sachi (Indra's), kēturiva babhūva like a banner remained.

Prince Bharata, the scorcher of enemies, with blood-shot 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 flag-hoisting.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē catussaptatitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the seventyfourth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.