Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2

Meaning

Addressing the whole assembly and resounding the air like a thundering cloud with his deep, sonorous and loud voice resembling the sound of a kettledrum, Daśaratha, the suzerain lord of the entire globe, then uttered the following wholesome, exhilarating and unambiguous words. In a pleasing, melodious and incomparable voice endowed with the characteristics of a king’s voice, the Emperor spoke to the kings in particular as follows : (1—3)

Meaning

“It is well known to you all how this foremost kingdom of mine was protected in every way, as one’s own son, by Emperors that have preceded me. (4)

Meaning

“As such I wish to endow the whole world, ruled over in the past by the various Ikṣwāku kings and, therefore, deserving happiness even in the days to come, with unique good luck in the form of Śrī Rāma’s rule. (5)

Meaning

“The people have always been protected on all sides to the best of my ability even by me regardless of personal comforts, traversing as I did the path trodden by my forbears. (6)

Meaning

“This body has been worn out in the shade of a white umbrella by me while working for the good of the whole world. (7)

Meaning

“I desire to give rest to this worn-out body, which has now run many rounds of a human span of life (measuring a hundred years on an average), having attained an age of thousands of (sixty thousand) years. (8)

Meaning

“Carrying on my shoulders as I have done all these long years the great burden of governing the people with righteousness, a burden which can be borne only by virtue of kingly power and is hard to bear for those of uncontrolled mind—I now feel exhausted. (9)

Meaning

“Placing my eldest son, Śrī Rāma, in charge of the welfare of the people and securing the concurrence of all these jewels among the Brāhmaṇas sitting close to me (and belonging to my inner circle and therefore deeply interested in my welfare), I as such long for rest. (10)

Meaning

For, my eldest son, Śrī Rāma, has taken after me in all qualities, is a compeer of Indra in valour and a conqueror of the enemy’s stronghold. (11)

Meaning

“Next morning (when the asterism Puṣya will be in the ascendant) I am going to install as Prince Regent that jewel among men, the foremost of those upholding the cause of righteousness, who resembles in splendour and propitiousness the moon in conjunction with the constellation, Puṣya.(12)

Meaning

“The aforesaid Rāma, the eldest brother of Lakṣmaṇa, endowed as he is with unique splendour, is your worthy protector. With him as its protector the very universe (consisting of heaven, earth and the intermediate region) will be better ruled than it is today. (13)

Meaning

“I shall endow this earth with this good fortune immediately and, placing the burden of administration on the aforesaid son of mine, shall indeed become care-free. (14)

Meaning

“If this step of mine has a worthy end in view and is perfectly well-thought of, give you your consent to me or tell me how I should proceed otherwise? (15)

Meaning

“Although such is my pleasure, let any other salutary course be contemplated if this does not find favour with you. The view-point of the dispassionate is, however, unique and is of much greater value, being an outcome of contention of two conflicting views.” (16)

Meaning

Full of delight the kings assembled in the council applauded the Emperor while he was speaking as aforesaid, even as peacocks cheer a big rainy cloud, spreading their wings in joy. (17)

Meaning

Thereupon burst forth a fond acclamation, prompted with joy and raised by the concourse of men present in the assembly, resounding and shaking the earth as it were. (18)

Meaning

Fully perceiving the intention of Daśaratha, who knew the principles of righteousness as well as the secular interests of his people, nay, sitting together in conclave with the citizens of Ayodhyā and the people of other territories for deliberation, and arriving at a decision with their mind, all the Brāhmaṇas as well as the army generals spoke as follows to the aged King Daśaratha when their mind had reached an agreement : (19-20)

Meaning

“You have ruled for many thousands of years and have grown old, O ruler of the earth! Such that you are, pray! install as Prince Regent Śrī Rāma, who is fit to rule the earth. (21)

Meaning

“Indeed we long to see the mighty-armed Śrī Rāma, a hero among the Raghus, who is possessed of great strength, riding on a huge elephant with his head canopied with the royal umbrella.” (22)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid statement of the councillors, the Emperor made the following reply with the intention of ascertaining what would please their mind as though not knowing it : (23)

Meaning

“Since on hearing this proposal of mine you desire Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, to be your ruler, O kings, here is my doubt (on this point); therefore, please answer my following question correctly. (24)

Meaning

“How is it, I ask you, that even while I am ruling the earth with righteousness, you wish to see Śrī Rāma (who is possessed of extraordinary strength) as Prince Regent?” (25)

Meaning

Those high-minded men in agreement with the citizens of Ayodhyā as well as with the people of other territories replied to the Emperor as follows : “Many benignant qualities inhere in your eldest son, Śrī Rāma, O protector of men! (26)

Meaning

“We shall just recount, O lord, all the beloved and pleasing virtues known to us of the talented and godlike Śrī Rāma, who is a repository of excellences; pray, hear about them. (27)

Meaning

“Śrī Rāma of unfailing prowess is a compeer of Indra in superhuman virtues and has unquestionably surpassed all the scions of Ikṣwāku, O ruler of men ! (28)

Meaning

“Śrī Rāma is the only righteous man in the world : he is not only truthful but also solely devoted to truth. Virtue alongwith the resultant prosperity too has directly proceeded from Śrī Rāma. (29)

Meaning

“He is a compeer of the moon in affording delight to all created beings, vies with the earth in his forbearance and other allied virtues, is a replica of the sage Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of gods, in wisdom and is a direct image of Indra (the spouse of Śacī) in valour. (30)

Meaning

“He knows what is right, is true to his vow, is full of amiability and free from censoriousness, is tranquil, comforting, polite of speech and grateful and has fully mastered his senses. (31)

Meaning

“Nay, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, is gentle and stable of mind, ever gracious and uncarping, speaks kindly to all living beings and is veracious too. (32)

Meaning

“He is a votary of the learned, his elders and the Brāhmaṇas. By virtue of such service rendered to the learned and others, his incomparable renown,celebrity and glory stand enhanced in this world. (33)

Meaning

“He is skilled in the use of all missiles used by gods, demons and human beings and has duly concluded his vow of studying the various sciences and has duly learnt all the Vedas alongwith the six branches of knowledge auxiliary to a study of the Vedas (viz., 1. Śikṣā or Phonetics, 2. Vyākaraṇa or Grammar, 3. Chandas or Prosody, 4. Nirukta or Etymology, 5. Jyotiṣa or Astronomy and 6. Kalpa or the branch of knowledge prescribing the ritual and giving rules for ceremonial or sacrificial acts)*. Śrī Rāma, the elder brother of Bharata, has proved to be the foremost on earth in the science of music. He is of blessed descent, saintly, magnanimous and highly intelligent. (34-35)

Meaning

“Nay, he has been instructed all round by the noblest Brāhmaṇas skilled in the exposition of Dharma (the principles of righteousness) and the discussion of fiscal matters. Whenever, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa, he sets out on an expedition in the interests of a village or a city, he never returns without scoring a victory once he is out. Returning from an encounter on the back of an elephant or in a chariot, he always lovingly inquires of the citizens of Ayodhyā in their totality according to their order of seniority about their welfare concerning sons, sacrificial fires, wife, servants and groups of pupils as of his own kindred or as a father would inquire of sons sprung from his own loins. Nay, Śrī Rāma, a tiger among men, every now and then says to us, Brāhmaṇas, “Do your pupils serve you?” and to the Kṣatriyas, “Do your bodyguards, protected with an armour, wait upon you?” “He feels sore distressed when he finds men in straits and rejoices like a father in all their jubilations. He always utters the truth, wields a mighty bow, serves his elders and has his mind under control. (36—41)

Meaning

“He prefaces his speech with a smile and has embraced righteousness with all his being. He duly accomplishes beneficent deeds and never relishes arguments carried on in a controversial spirit. Nay, he is a debater of Bṛhaspati’s rank in the field of argument and counter-argument carried on in a friendly spirit for arriving at the truth. With shapely brows and large ruddy eyes he appears like Lord Viṣṇu Himself in human semblance. (42-43)

Meaning

“The aforesaid Śrī Rāma delights the world by his intrepidity, valour and might. Although he remains assiduously engaged in protecting the people, his mind is never blinded by passion. (44)

Meaning

“He is capable of ruling even the three worlds (viz., heaven, earth and the intermediate region), to say nothing of this earth. His frown and favour are never purposeless. (45)

Meaning

“He kills those deserving death according to the scriptural ordinance and is never angry with those who do not deserve to be killed. Nay, greatly rejoiced, he endows with riches the man with whom he gets pleased. (46)

Meaning

“Like the sun irradiated by its rays, Śrī Rāma shines brightly by virtue of his excellences characterized by self-control, loved by all created beings and affording delight to men. (47)

Meaning

“Earth seeks to have as its master, the aforesaid Śrī Rāma of unfailing might, and vying with the guardians of the spheres, endowed as he is with the above-noted virtues. (48)

Meaning

“Fortunately for us your aforesaid son has grown capable of doing good to the world at large and, like Kaśyapa, son of Marīci (one of the nine mind-born sons of Brahmā, the creator), Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, is, luckily enough, endowed with all filial* virtues. (49)

Meaning

“Everyone among gods, demons and men, including Gandharvas (celestial musicians) and Nāgas (a class of semi-divine beings, having the face of a human being and the tail of a serpent) as also in the state of Kosala as well as in the capital town of Ayodhyā, nay, everyone belonging to the gynaeceum and forming part of the urban and rural population outside the state prays for the strength, health and longevity of Śrī Rāma of well-known amiability. (50-51)

Meaning

“Both morning and evening as well as at midday, all women, old as well as young, devoutly bow to the gods in the interest of the lofty-minded Śrī Rāma. Let that entreaty of theirs be fulfilled by your grace, O lord ! (52)

Meaning

“We would see installed in the office of Prince Regent your eldest son, Śrī Rāma, cerulean as a blue lotus, the destroyer of all enemies, O jewel among kings ! (53)

Meaning

“In our interest, O bestower of boons, you ought delightfully to install as Prince Regent without delay your aforesaid son, Śrī Rāma, a compeer of Lord Viṣṇu, the adored of gods, intent as he is upon doing good to the entire universe and is resorted to by the great.” (54)