Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 114

Meaning

Journeying forth in a chariot which produced an agreeable deep sound, the powerful and highly illustrious Bharata duly entered Ayodhyā in no time. (1)

Meaning

Haunted by cats and owls, obscured by darkness and devoid of light, with the house doors of its men closed, the city presented the appearance of a dark night. (2)

Meaning

It looked desolate like Rohiṇī, the beloved consort of the moon-god (treated as an enemy by the demon Rāhu*), tormented in the form of her spouse whose better half she is by the planet Rāhu in the ascendant, though ordinarily invested with an exceedingly bright splendour by virtue of her glory. (3)

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It further looked attenuated like a mountain-stream whose scanty waters had become hot and agitated due to the rays of the sun, birds living in which were scorched by the sun and whose fish, small and big, and alligators had disappeared into the mire. (4)

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It resembled a fully developed tongue of fire, devoid of smoke and bright as gold, later reduced to extinction when sprinkled all over with milk. (5)

Meaning

It looked like an army which had met with reverses in a major conflict—whose armours had been shattered, whose ensigns borne on elephants, horses and chariots had been torn and whose foremost heroes had been killed. (6)

Meaning

It presented the appearance of an oceanic wave which, though tossed very high by a strong gale with foam and a roar, is rendered noiseless when stirred by a quiet wind. (7)

Meaning

It resembled an altar which, when the period of offering oblations into the sacred fire has completely expired, has been cleared * The demon presiding over a planet of the same name figuring in Indian astronomy and identified of all sacrificial implements and deserted by the learned priests, and where all sound has consequently ceased. (8)

Meaning

It looked like a cow fit to be coveted by bulls and longing for copulation but bereft of an excellent bull and standing disconsolate in a cow-pen, refusing to feed on fresh grass. (9)

Meaning

It further resembled a new necklace of pearls stripped of its highly polished, dazzling, excellent rubies and other gems of superior quality. (10)

Meaning

Again, it presented the appearance of a meteor suddenly shifted from its position and fallen from the heavens, and consequently shorn of its expanse of light when descended on earth through exhaustion of its merit. (11)

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It further looked blighted in appearance like a forest creeper laden with blossom at the close of spring and appearing lovely with drunken bees surrounding it but later on scorched by a raging wild fire. (12)

Meaning

The entire city with its trafficless streets and markets carrying on a dull business resembled a cloudy sky with the moon and other stars obscured. (13)

Meaning

With its streets and lanes unswept and full of rubbish, Ayodhyā presented the appearance of a deserted and uncleaned tavern strewn with broken vessels devoid of any excellent liquor, the wine-drinkers having been killed. (14)

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Again it looked like a shed erected for storage and distribution of water, but now broken and collapsed with its platform razed and sunk, and covered with broken vessels, its water having been used up. (15)

Meaning

It further resembled a bow-string, broad and long (extended over the entire length of a bow) with a noose at both ends in order to fasten it to the bow, severed from the bow by the arrows of heroes and fallen to the ground. (16)

Meaning

It further resembled a mare spurred on precipitately by a horseman, skilled in warfare, and fallen down when killed by the opposite army. (17)

Meaning

Seated in his chariot, the glorious Bharata, son of Daśaratha, for his part, spoke as follows to the charioteer, Sumantra, who was driving the foremost of the king’s chariot : (18)

Meaning

“How is it, I wonder, that the deep and resonant sound of vocal and instrumental music is not heard as before in Ayodhyā today? (19)

Meaning

“The intoxicating fragrance of spirituous liquor, the scent of flowers and the odour of sandalwood and aloewood, which once used to be spread on all sides, is not being wafted. (20)

Meaning

“Śrī Rāma having been sent into exile, neither the noise of the foremost of chariots nor the most delightful neighing of horses, neither the trumpeting of highly excited elephants nor the great noise of chariots is heard in this city now. Sore distressed on Śrī Rāma having departed from Ayodhyā, indeed, young men here no longer use the paste of aloewood and sandalwood nor costly garlands of sylvan flowers to cool their body with; nor do men go out for excursion wearing wreaths of various flowers. (21—23)

Meaning

“Festivities no longer duly proceed in the capital, stricken, as it is, with grief caused by separation from Śrī Rāma; the former splendour of this city has, truly speaking, undoubtedly departed with my elder brother, Śrī Rāma. (24)

Meaning

“This Ayodhyā, with tears flowing from the eyes of its citizens, does not look charming any more than the night of a bright fortnight, with a continuous shower. Oh, when will my elder brother, returned to Ayodhyā like a great festival, bring forth joy in Ayodhyā like a rainy cloud in summer? The highways no longer shine forth with youngmen, clad in an attractive garb and walking with a proud gait, pouring into Ayodhyā from outside.” Immediately on penetrating into the heart of Ayodhyā, Bharata, who was talking in the above strain with his charioteer, Sumantra, at that time, stricken as he was with agony, entered his father’s palace, which looked desolate like a cave without a lion, bereft as it was of that ruler of men. (25—28)

Meaning

Sore distressed to gaze at that moment on the well-known gynaeceum—which, having shed its splendour, resembled a day without the sun, bewailed by gods*, and was untidy everywhere, Bharata, who though self-possessed, shed tears. (29) * The commentators refer here to a story in the Purāṇas, according to which, in the course of the