Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 19

Meaning

Śrī Rāma, the destroyer of his enemies, did not feel distressed to hear that message, which was so unpleasant to hear and was like death itself, and spoke to Kaikeyī as follows : (1)

Meaning

“Amen ! Honouring the promise made by the king and wearing matted locks and the bark of trees, I will undoubtedly proceed from Ayodhyā to the forest to take up my abode there. (2)

Meaning

“I, however, desire to know wherefore His Majesty, who is capable of chastising his enemies and is himself hard to assail, does not welcome me as before. (3)

Meaning

“Nor should displeasure be shown by you to me, O queen, because I am putting this question to you. Wearing the bark of trees and matted locks, I will certainly proceed to the forest. Be fully pleased with me. (4)

Meaning

“Enjoined by the Emperor, who is my friend, preceptor and father, all in one, and appreciates a service done to himself, what kindly act shall I not do unhesitatingly to him? (5)

Meaning

“One mental anguish, however, galls my heart, viz., that His Majesty should not personally speak to me about Bharata’s installation. (6)

Meaning

“For, commanded by you, I would myself joyfully part with, in favour of Bharata, not only the kingdom of Ayodhyā and my personal property but even Sītā, my wedded wife, nay, my beloved life itself. (7)

Meaning

“How much more gladly shall I part with all these when enjoined by my father, the Emperor himself, and that too with intent to please you and in order to honour the pledge given by him to you? (8)

Meaning

“Therefore, reassure to that effect the bashful monarch. But why should it be that the Emperor gently sheds tears with his eyes riveted on the ground? (9)

Meaning

“Nay, let messengers proceed this very day on horses possessing a swift speed under orders of the king in order to bring Bharata from his maternal uncle’s home.(10)

Meaning

“Here do I actually proceed with quick steps without fail to the Daṇḍaka forest in order to live there for fourteen years, without calling in question the command of my father.” (11)

Meaning

The wicked Kaikeyī felt rejoiced to hear that reply of Śrī Rāma. Confident of his departure to the forest, she urged in the following words Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, to look sharp : (12)

Meaning

“Let it be so ! Messengers and other men shall depart on horses possessing a swift speed to bring back Bharata here from his maternal uncle’s abode. (13)

Meaning

“I do not in any case deem it advisable for you to tarry any longer, keen as you are to depart for the woods, O Rāma ! Therefore you ought to proceed quickly to the forest from this place. (14)

Meaning

“That the king does not speak to you himself, shy as he is in asking you, his pet son, to relinquish the throne and leave Ayodhyā, matters little, O jewel among men ! So, let this compunction be banished from your mind. (15)

Meaning

“So long as you do not depart posthaste from this city, your father, O Rāma, would neither bathe nor have his meals.” (16)

Meaning

Drawing a deep audible breath with the words “What a shame ! How painful !” on his lips, the king, overwhelmed with grief, dropped down unconscious on that couch inlaid with gold. (17)

Meaning

Raising up the king, Śrī Rāma too, when urged on face to face by Kaikeyī, made haste to proceed to the forest even as a horse lashed with a whip. (18)

Meaning

Hearing that unpalatable and poignant remark of the impolite lady, Śrī Rāma, who was unknown to anguish, spoke to Kaikeyī as follows : (19)

Meaning

“I do not desire to live in the world as a slave to material gains. Know me to be devoted to immaculate righteousness like the Ṛṣis. (20)

Meaning

“Whatever is agreeable to my adorable father and capable of being accomplished by me even at the cost of my life has veritably been accomplished in everyway. (21)

Meaning

“Indeed there is no greater piety than or even as good as service to one’s father or doing his bidding. (22)

Meaning

“At your command, though not directly enjoined by my revered father, I shall live in a lonely forest on this globe for fourteen years. (23)

Meaning

“Surely you do not cognize any good point in me since you had to speak to my father about such a trivial thing, though you have greater authority over me even than my father, O princess of Kekaya ! (24)

Meaning

“Pray, bear with me till I take leave of my mother, Kausalyā, and win Sītā to consent. Then I shall proceed to the great forest of Daṇḍaka this very day. (25)

Meaning

“An attempt should be made by you to see that Bharata protects the kingdom from internal disorder and foreign aggression and serves his aged father; for such is the eternal code of morality.” (26)

Meaning

Sore distressed to hear Śrī Rāma’s utterance, and unable to speak because of grief, his father for his part wept bitterly at the pitch of his voice. (27)

Meaning

Bowing at the feet of his royal father, who was lying unconscious even then, as well as of the ignoble Kaikeyī, Śrī Rāma, who was possessed of immense glory, departed. (28)

Meaning

Going clockwise round his father as well as Kaikeyī and coming out of the said gynaeceum, the celebrated Śrī Rāma saw his friends standing at the gate. (29)

Meaning

Highly enraged, Lakṣmaṇa, who enhanced the joy of his mother Sumitrā, followed at his heels, so the tradition goes, his eyes brimful with tears. (30)

Meaning

Going clockwise round the vessel containing the requisites for the projected consecration, Śrī Rāma moved slowly along without casting his eyes on it, keen as he was to leave the place. (31)

Meaning

Loss of sovereignty, however, did not detract in the least from his extraordinary splendour because of his being naturally pleasing of aspect, any more than the waning of the orb of the moon, distinguished by its cool rays, which is delightful to the world, detracts from the latter’s charm. (32)

Meaning

No change of mood was perceived in him—any more than in a master-Yogī, who surpasses all common men because of his having risen above all pairs of opposites—even though he was ready to retire to the woods and was renouncing the sovereignty of the entire globe. (33)

Meaning

Forbidding the use of the beautiful umbrella as well as of a pair of richly adorned chowries and sending away his own people, the chariot and the citizens, nay, inhibiting his agony caused by the agony of his own people with his mind and controlling his senses, Śrī Rāma, who had full mastery over his self, entered his mother’s apartments in order to break the unpalatable news to her. (34-35)

Meaning

Everyone around him, who looked smart, did not notice any change in the looks of the glorious and truthful Śrī Rāma. (36)

Meaning

The mighty-armed Śrī Rāma, who was noted for his self-control, did not shed his characteristic and native joy any more than the autumnal moon with its intensely bright rays loses its natural splendour. (37)

Meaning

Duly honouring all men with his suave speech, the highly illustrious Śrī Rāma, whose mind was given to piety, entered the presence of his mother. (38)

Meaning

Controlling the agony caused in his mind by the interruption of Śrī Rāma’s installation and the news of his impending exile, his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa son of Sumitrā, who had attained equality with Śrī Rāma by virtue of his excellences and was possessed of great prowess, followed him. (39)

Meaning

Entering the palace of Kausalyā, which was full of immense joy at the projected installation of Śrī Rāma, Śrī Rāma did not undergo any change of mood at all even on perceiving that loss of worldly fortune, that had come upon him at this moment, for fear of bringing about the loss of life of his near and dear ones. (40)