Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 34

Meaning

Then the lotus-eyed Śrī Rāma, who was dark-brown of complexion and great beyond compare, spoke as follows to the said charioteer-minister: “Please announce me to father.” (1)

Meaning

Promptly going inside, when despatched by Śrī Rāma, the charioteer found the king heaving sighs, his mind distracted with agony: so the tradition goes. (2)

Meaning

He regarded the Emperor as one would view the sun obscured by intervention of the earth between it and the eye (i.e., during solar eclipse) or a fire covered with ashes or a pond without water. (3)

Meaning

Accosting the king, whose mind was extremely agitated and who was grieving for Śrī Rāma alone, the highly enlightened charioteer, spoke with joined palms to him.(4)

Meaning

Encouraging Daśaratha first with benedictions wishing him triumph, the charioteer addressed him in a low, soft and sweet tone faltering with fear: (5)

Meaning

“Having given away all his wealth to the Brāhmaṇas as well as to his dependants, Śrī Rāma illustrious son of yours, a veritable tiger among men, stands at the door. (6)

Meaning

“Let that Rāma of unfailing prowess see you: may good betide you; for, having taken leave of all his near and dear ones, he now desires to see Your Majesty. (7)

Meaning

“He is about to proceed to the extensive forest. Pray, behold the prince, who is encompassed by kingly virtues even as the sun is encircled by rays.” (8)

Meaning

That pious monarch, who was truthful of speech and vied with the ocean in profundity, nay, who was stainless as the sky, replied to him as follows : (9)

Meaning

“Sumantra, bring all my consorts who are here in the gynaeceum. I wish to see Rāma, a scion of Raghu, when I am accompanied by my wives.” (10)

Meaning

Directly on entering the apartments of the other queens, Sumantra addressed those ladies as follows : “His Majesty the king summons you all; pray, let yourselves proceed there without delay.” (11)

Meaning

Coming to know the command of their husband, when addressed as above by Sumantra under orders of His Majesty, all the royal ladies proceeded to Kaikeyī’s apartments. (12)

Meaning

Encircling Kausalyā, the seniormost queen, three hundred and fifty young ladies, steadfast in their vow of devotion to their husband, forthwith repaired to the king’s presence, their eyes reddened through grief over their impending separation from Śrī Rāma. (13)

Meaning

Observing his consorts when they had come, the King-Emperor said to the celebrated charioteer, “Sumantra, now bring my son before me.” (14)

Meaning

Taking Śrī Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā, princess of Mithilā, the said charioteer speedily returned to the Emperor’s presence with his face turned towards the latter. (15)

Meaning

Beholding his son, Śrī Rāma, coming with folded hands from a distance, the illustrious king immediately rose from his seat alongwith the ladies, afflicted as he was. (16)

Meaning

Seeing Śrī Rāma, the said king ran with impetuosity towards the latter. Before reaching him, however, he dropped senseless to the ground, stricken as he was with sorrow. (17)

Meaning

Śrī Rāma as well as Lakṣmaṇa, an eminent chariot-warrior, rushed at once to the king, who lay quite unconscious as aforesaid, full of grief as he was through agony. (18)

Meaning

Nay, there burst forth all of a sudden in the palace a loud wail, mixed with the tinkling of ornaments, of thousands of women crying “Alas ! Alas !! O Rāma !!!” (19)

Meaning

Supporting him in their arms and crying, both the princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa alongwith Sītā laid him on the couch. (20)

Meaning

With folded hands Śrī Rāma then spoke as follows to the Emperor, who had soon regained his consciousness and was plunged in an ocean of grief, shedding tears : (21)

Meaning

“I take leave of you, O Emperor, since you are the master of us all. Pray, regard me, who am about to leave for the Daṇḍaka forest, with favour. (22)

Meaning

“Grant leave to Lakṣmaṇa and let Sītā too accompany me to the forest. Though being forbidden by me on numerous valid grounds, they do not wish to stay behind. (23)

Meaning

“Giving up grief, O bestower of honour on all, grant leave to us all, viz., Lakṣmaṇa, Sītā and myself, even as Brahmā, the lord of created beings, did to his sons, Sanaka and his three brothers, who were intent on practising austerities in the forest.” (24)

Meaning

Fixing his gaze on Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who was coolly awaiting His Majesty’s permission to dwell in the forest, the king said : (25)

Meaning

“I have been deprived of my senses by Kaikeyī through a boon granted by me in her favour, O scion of Raghu ! Taking me captive, therefore, be you the king of Ayodhyā.” (26)

Meaning

Joining his palms when told thus by the king, Śrī Rāma, the foremost of the champions of righteousness, who was a master of expression, replied as follows to his father : (27)

Meaning

“Be you the ruler of the globe for another thousand years, O king ! I for my part shall live in the forest, since there is no ambition for sovereignty in me. (28)

Meaning

“Having diverted myself in the course of my sojourn in the forest for nine years and five, I shall clasp your feet once more after redeeming my pledge, O ruler of men !” (29)

Meaning

Being urged in secret by Kaikeyī, the afflicted monarch, who was held fast in the fetters of truth, then said weeping to his aforesaid beloved son : (30)

Meaning

“Proceed, my darling, with an undisturbed mind on a happy and safe journey, which may bring you happiness hereafter and prosperity in this world and bring you back to Ayodhyā. (31)

Meaning

“Your decision to dwell in the forest, O the delight of the Raghus, truthful as you are by nature and your mind being given to piety, O darling, cannot be reversed. (32)

Meaning

“Pray, do not leave in any case today and stay at least for this night with me, so that I may live happily by your sight at least for a day. (33)

Meaning

“Looking at your mother and myself, stay on the coming night today. Having been gratified by me with all desired objects you may leave the very next morning. (34)

Meaning

“Something which is in every respect hard to accomplish for others is being done by you, my beloved son, since it is for my sake that the forest is thus being resorted to by you, O scion of Raghu ! (35)

Meaning

“But I swear by my faith, my son : your exile is not agreeable to me, O Rāma ! On the other hand, I have been deflected from my course by Kaikeyī, who concealed her intentions and thus resembled a fire covered with ashes. (36)

Meaning

“How noble of you that egged on by Kaikeyī, who has cast to the winds the time-honoured family custom of a kingdom being inherited by the eldest son, you seek to redeem a pledge which was fraudulently extracted from me ! (37)

Meaning

“It is no great wonder, my child, that you, my seniormost son, both in point of age and virtue, should seek to make your father free from mendacity.” (38)

Meaning

Distressed to hear on that occasion the request of his afflicted father, Śrī Rāma, alongwith his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa, submitted as follows : (39)

Meaning

“Tomorrow who will offer me the delicacies which I hope to get today? I should therefore only prefer to get away in lieu of all the enjoyments you can offer. (40)

Meaning

“Relinquished by me, this earth including the state of Kosala and its people and full of riches and foodgrains, may be made over to Bharata. (41)

Meaning

“My resolution to dwell in the forest shall in no case be shaken. The boon which was granted by you on the battlefield in favour of Kaikeyī, O bestower of boons, may, therefore, be implemented in toto at all events, and thus vindicate you your truthfulness, O ruler of the earth ! Carrying out your aforesaid command I shall dwell in the forest with ascetics for fourteen years. Let there be no demur on your part. The earth may be made over to Bharata. (42—44)

Meaning

“Indeed, neither sovereignty nor joy nor what is pleasing to the mind is coveted by me. On the other hand, to do as enjoined by you is solely desired by me, O the delight of the Raghus ! (45)

Meaning

“Let your sorrow disappear and let you not be bathed in tears. The ocean, the lord of the rivers, which it is so difficult to assail, does not overstep its bounds. (46)

Meaning

“I do not at all hanker for sovereignty or joy, nor again for the earth, nor in any case for all these delights of sense, nor for heaven nor even for life. (47)

Meaning

“I swear by my veracity and virtue earned by me in my past lives as well as by you in your presence : I only wish you to prove true to your word and never to be false, O jewel among men ! (48)

Meaning

“Nor is it possible for me, dear father, to stay on at home even for an instant longer. Therefore, restrain this grief, my lord; for there is no going back upon my word now. (49)

Meaning

“Since I have been commanded by mother Kaikeyī in the words ‘Proceed to the forest, O scion of Raghu’ and the reply given by me was ‘I am going’, I must redeem that pledge of mine. (50)

Meaning

“Nor should you feel anxious on our score, my lord ! We shall sport in the forest crowded with highly peaceful deer and rendered noisy by birds of various kinds. (51)

Meaning

“Indeed, a father has been declared to be a veritable deity even among gods. Hence I shall do the bidding of my father (yourself) as that of a god. (52)

Meaning

“When fourteen years have elapsed, you will find me come back, O jewel among kings ! Hence let this agony be given up. (53)

Meaning

“Wherefore, O tiger among men, have you fallen a victim to grief—you, by whom all these other people, bathed in tears, ought to be consoled? (54)

Meaning

“Renounced by me, the city of Ayodhyā and the state of Kosala and the rest of the globe too may be given to Bharata. Obeying your command, I for myself shall proceed to the forest in order to dwell in it for long. (55)

Meaning

“Let Bharata rule over this globe, including the mountain ranges and cities with their gardens, relinquished by me. He should neither enjoy the sovereignty nor feel proud of it but keep within the bounds of righteousness salutary for a king. Let the pledge which has been given by you to Kaikeyī come to be true, O protector of men ! (56)

Meaning

“My heart is not given so much to the great delights of sense coveted by all, nor to that which is pleasing to the mind, as to the carrying out of your command, which is approved by the wise. Let your agony on my score, O sinless king, altogether disappear. (57)

Meaning

“Disfiguring you, who are full of anxiety on my score, with the stigma of mendacity, I do not on any account court eternal sovereignty nor all the delights of sense coveted by the world, nor the entire earth, nor even Sītā, princess of Mithilā, today, O sinless one ! Therefore, let your pledge given to Kaikeyī prove true. (58)

Meaning

“Living in the forest on fruits and roots and viewing the mountains, rivers and lakes, I shall be happy the moment I enter the forest consisting of various trees. Let peace come to you on this account.” (59)

Meaning

Embracing his son, Śrī Rāma, who had spoken as above, King Daśaratha, who had fallen on evil days and was being tormented with a burning sensation and agony, fell utterly unconscious to the ground and did not show any sign of life at all. (60)

Meaning

Barring that favourite consort of Daśaratha, Kaikeyī, all the queens assembled there began to cry. Weeping aloud Sumantra too fell into a swoon and everyone there began to lament loudly. (61)