Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 4
गतेष्वथ नृपो भूयः पौरेषु सह मन्त्रिभिः। मन्त्रयित्वा ततश्चक्रे निश्चयज्ञः स निश्चयम्॥ १॥ श्व एव पुष्यो भविता श्वोऽभिषेच्यस्तु मे सुतः। रामो राजीवपत्राक्षो युवराज इति प्रभुः॥ २॥
Meaning
Conferring with his counsellors once more, the citizens having dispersed, the celebrated and powerful monarch Daśaratha, who knew the rules regarding the time and place of a ceremony, thereupon at once arrived at the decision that since the constellation Puṣya was going to be in the ascendant the day immediately following, his eldest son, Śrī Rāma, whose eyes resembled the petals of a lotus, needs must be installed as Prince Regent the very next day. (1-2)
अथान्तर्गृहमाविश्य राजा दशरथस्तदा। सूतमामन्त्रयामास रामं पुनरिहानय॥ ३॥
Meaning
Entering the inner apartments immediately afterwards, King Daśaratha then said to Sumantra, “Get Rāma here once more.” (3)
प्रतिगृह्य तु तद्वाक्यं सूतः पुनरुपाययौ। रामस्य भवनं शीघ्रं राममानयितुं पुनः॥ ४॥
Meaning
Bowing to his command, Sumantra, the charioteer-minister, for his part hastened to Śrī Rāma’s palace once more in order to bring him again to the Emperor’s presence. (4)
द्वाःस्थैरावेदितं तस्य रामायागमनं पुनः। श्रुत्वैव चापि रामस्तं प्राप्तं शङ्कान्वितोऽभवत्॥ ५॥
Meaning
His renewed call was reported to Śrī Rāma by the porters and Śrī Rāma too was filled with apprehension the moment he heard that Sumantra had arrived for the second time. (5)
प्रवेश्य चैनं त्वरितो रामो वचनमब्रवीत्। यदागमनकृत्यं ते भूयस्तद्ब्रूह्यशेषतः॥ ६॥
Meaning
Hastily calling him in, Śrī Rāma spoke to him as follows : “Please state unreservedly that which is sought to be achieved through your second visit?” (6)
तमुवाच ततः सूतो राजा त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छति। श्रुत्वा प्रमाणं तत्र त्वं गमनायेतराय वा॥ ७॥
Meaning
Sumantra, the charioteer-minister, then submitted to him, “The Emperor desires to see you. Hearing my submission it is for you to decide whether you should proceed to your father or do otherwise.” (7)
इति सूतवचः श्रुत्वा रामोऽपि त्वरयान्वितः। प्रययौ राजभवनं पुनर्द्रष्टुं नरेश्वरम्॥ ८॥
Meaning
Hearing the aforesaid message delivered by Sumantra (the charioteer-minister) Śrī Rāma for his part hastily called at the royal palace in order to see the Emperor once more. (8)
तं श्रुत्वा समनुप्राप्तं रामं दशरथो नृपः। प्रवेशयामास गृहं विवक्षुः प्रियमुत्तमम्॥ ९॥
Meaning
Hearing that Śrī Rāma had duly arrived, Emperor Daśaratha bade him enter his chamber, keen as he was to announce something most valuable and agreeable.(9)
प्रविशन्नेव च श्रीमान् राघवो भवनं पितुः। ददर्श पितरं दूरात् प्रणिपत्य कृताञ्जलिः॥ १०॥
Meaning
Falling prostrate with his palms joined together (as a token of submission), the moment he entered his father’s chamber, the glorious Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, saw his father from a distance. (10)
प्रणमन्तं तमुत्थाप्य सम्परिष्वज्य भूमिपः। प्रदिश्य चासनं चास्मै रामं च पुनरब्रवीत्॥ ११॥
Meaning
Lifting him up, even while he was lying prostrate, nay, pressing him closely to his bosom and offering him a seat, the Emperor spoke to Śrī Rāma again as follows : (11)
राम वृद्धोऽस्मि दीर्घायुर्भुक्ता भोगा यथेप्सिताः। अङ्गवद्भिः क्रतुशतैर्यथेष्टं भूरिदक्षिणैः॥ १२॥
Meaning
“Having lived a long life I have now grown old; nay, luxuries have been enjoyed by me as desired and God has been propitiated by me with due ceremony through hundreds of sacrificial performances ranging from Jyotiṣṭoma to Aśwamedha, accompanied by large gifts of foodgrains and liberal fees (paid to the officiating priests). (12)
जातमिष्टमपत्यं मे त्वमद्यानुपमं भुवि। दत्तमिष्टमधीतं च मया पुरुषसत्तम॥ १३॥
Meaning
“A son (of the type) desired by me and having no compeer on earth today has been born to me in your person. Gifts of the desired type have been given and the Vedas etc., studied by me, O jewel among men ! (13)
अनुभूतानि चेष्टानि मया वीर सुखान्यपि। देवर्षिपितृविप्राणामनृणोऽस्मि तथाऽऽत्मनः॥ १४॥
Meaning
“Sense-delights sought by me have also been enjoyed by me, O gallant one ! In this way I have repaid my debt to gods through sacrificial performances, to Ṛṣis through a study of the Vedas, to manes through procreation and to the Brāhmaṇas by bestowing gifts on them as well as to myself through enjoyment of sense-delights. (14)
न किंचिन्मम कर्तव्यं तवान्यत्राभिषेचनात्। अतो यत्त्वामहं ब्रूयां तन्मे त्वं कर्तुमर्हसि॥ १५॥
Meaning
“Nothing else than installing you as Prince Regent remains to be accomplished by me. Hence you ought to do for my sake what I ask you to do. (15)
अद्य प्रकृतयः सर्वास्त्वामिच्छन्ति नराधिपम्। अतस्त्वां युवराजानमभिषेक्ष्यामि पुत्रक॥ १६॥
Meaning
“All the people would have you as their sovereign now; hence I shall install you as Prince Regent, my dear son ! (16)
अपि चाद्याशुभान् राम स्वप्नान् पश्यामि राघव। सनिर्घाता दिवोल्काश्च पतन्ति हि महास्वनाः॥ १७॥
Meaning
“Further, I see these days ominous dreams, O Rāma ! Nay, meteors accompanied by thunderbolts bereft of clouds and attended with great noise fall by day, O scion of Raghu ! (17)
अवष्टब्धं च मे राम नक्षत्रं दारुणग्रहैः। आवेदयन्ति दैवज्ञाः सूर्याङ्गारकराहुभिः॥ १८॥
Meaning
“Astrologers declare that the asterism under which I was born is under the influence of unpropitious planets, viz., the Sun, Mars and Rāhu. (18)
प्रायेण च निमित्तानामीदृशानां समुद्भवे। राजा हि मृत्युमाप्नोति घोरां चापदमृच्छति॥ १९॥
Meaning
“On the appearance of such evil portents a monarch surely suffers a terrible calamity and ultimately meets his end. (19)
तद् यावदेव मे चेतो न विमुह्यति राघव। तावदेवाभिषिञ्चस्व चला हि प्राणिनां मतिः॥ २०॥
Meaning
“Therefore, so long as my mind does not get perverted as a result of pleading to the contrary from any other quarter, be installed; for fickle is the judgment of human beings. (20)
अद्य चन्द्रोऽभ्युपगमत् पुष्यात् पूर्वं पुनर्वसुम्। श्वः पुष्ययोगं नियतं वक्ष्यन्ते दैवचिन्तकाः॥ २१॥
Meaning
“The moon has reached today the sphere of influence of Punarvasu, the asterism preceding Puṣya. Tomorrow, the astrologers declare, will take place the positive conjunction of the moon with Puṣya. (21)
तत्र पुष्येऽभिषिञ्चस्व मनस्त्वरयतीव माम्। श्वस्त्वाहमभिषेक्ष्यामि यौवराज्ये परंतप॥ २२॥
Meaning
“Be installed when the said Puṣya is in the ascendant; my mind is urging me as it were to expedite things. I shall positively install you in the office of Prince Regent tomorrow, O chastiser of enemies ! (22)
तस्मात् त्वयाद्यप्रभृति निशेयं नियतात्मना। सह वध्वोपवस्तव्या दर्भप्रस्तरशायिना॥ २३॥
Meaning
“Therefore, from this moment on, a fast should be observed by you with your spouse for the night, keeping your mind and body fully controlled and sleeping on a mat of Darbha grass with a slab of stone under your head for a pillow. (23)
सुहृदश्चाप्रमत्तास्त्वां रक्षन्त्वद्य समन्ततः। भवन्ति बहुविघ्नानि कार्याण्येवंविधानि हि॥ २४॥
Meaning
“Let your friends vigilantly guard you on all sides tonight; for ceremonials of this kind, as your installation in the office of Prince Regent, are hampered by many obstacles. (24)
विप्रोषितश्च भरतो यावदेव पुरादितः। तावदेवाभिषेकस्ते प्राप्तकालो मतो मम॥ २५॥
Meaning
“Your installation as Prince Regent in my opinion must take place during the very interval when Bharata is away from this city of Ayodhyā.* (25)
कामं खलु सतां वृत्ते भ्राता ते भरतः स्थितः। ज्येष्ठानुवर्ती धर्मात्मा सानुक्रोशो जितेन्द्रियः॥ २६॥ किं नु चित्तं मनुष्याणामनित्यमिति मे मतम्। सतां च धर्मनित्यानां कृतशोभि च राघव॥ २७॥
Meaning
“Although your brother, Bharata, scrupulously abides by the conduct of the righteous, is obedient to you (his elder brother), pious of mind and full of compassion and has brought his senses under control, the mind of men nonetheless is inconstant; such is my belief. And the mind of the righteous, who are wedded to piety, rejoices only in action (rather than in speculation), O scion of Raghu !” (26-27)
इत्युक्तः सोऽभ्यनुज्ञातः श्वोभाविन्यभिषेचने। व्रजेति रामः पितरमभिवाद्याभ्ययाद् गृहम्॥ २८॥
Meaning
Instructed thus in connection with his installation, which was going to take place the very next day, and permitted to leave in the words “Depart now”, and greeting his father, Śrī Rāma withdrew to his palace. (28)
प्रविश्य चात्मनो वेश्म राज्ञाऽऽदिष्टेऽभिषेचने। तत्क्षणादेव निष्क्रम्य मातुरन्तःपुरं ययौ॥ २९॥
Meaning
Entering his own palace in order to break the news of the installation announced by the Emperor (to Sītā), but coming out instantly on not finding her in her apartments, he moved to his mother’s apartments in the gynaeceum. (29)
तत्र तां प्रवणामेव मातरं क्षौमवासिनीम्। वाग्यतां देवतागारे ददर्शायाचतीं श्रियम्॥ ३०॥
Meaning
There he saw in the temple his aforesaid mother clad in silken robes, exclusively devoted to the worship of her chosen deity and silently praying for royal fortune in favour of Śrī Rāma. (30)
प्रागेव चागता तत्र सुमित्रा लक्ष्मणस्तथा। सीता चानयिता श्रुत्वा प्रियं रामाभिषेचनम्॥ ३१॥
Meaning
Hearing of Śrī Rāma’s welcome installation, Sumitrā too had already arrived there as well as her son, Lakṣmaṇa; and Sītā too had been sent for there. (31)
तस्मिन् कालेऽपि कौसल्या तस्थावामीलितेक्षणा। सुमित्रयान्वास्यमाना सीतया लक्ष्मणेन च॥ ३२॥ श्रुत्वा पुष्ये च पुत्रस्य यौवराज्येऽभिषेचनम्। प्राणायामेन पुरुषं ध्यायमाना जनार्दनम्॥ ३३॥
Meaning
At that moment too when Śrī Rāma called on her, Kausalyā remained sitting with her eyes half closed and waited upon by Sumitrā and Lakṣmaṇa, and contemplating with suspended breath on the Supreme Person, Lord Nārāyaṇa (who is solicited by all men), having heard that her son was going to be installed in the office of Prince Regent when the asterism Puṣya was in the ascendant. (32-33)
तथा सनियमामेव सोऽभिगम्याभिवाद्य च। उवाच वचनं रामो हर्षयंस्तामिदं वरम्॥ ३४॥
Meaning
Approaching her even while she was observing her daily routine as aforesaid, and greeting her, Śrī Rāma addressed to her the following excellent submission, bringing joy to her thereby : (34)
अम्ब पित्रा नियुक्तोऽस्मि प्रजापालनकर्मणि। भविता श्वोऽभिषेको मे यथा मे शासनं पितुः॥ ३५॥ सीतयाप्युपवस्तव्या रजनीयं मया सह। एवमुक्तमुपाध्यायैः स हि मामुक्तवान् पिता॥ ३६॥
Meaning
“Mother, I have been entrusted by father with the duty of ruling over the people. My installation will, therefore, take place tomorrow as enjoined by father. A fast is to be kept tonight by Sītā too alongwith me. Such is the injunction of my teachers, Vasiṣṭha and others, and father too has instructed me accordingly. (35-36)
यानि यान्यत्र योग्यानि श्वोभाविन्यभिषेचने। तानि मे मङ्गलान्यद्य वैदेह्याश्चैव कारय॥ ३७॥
Meaning
“Please, therefore, have all such propitious rites gone through this very day as are desirable on this occasion for me as well as for Sītā (a princess of the Videha country) in connection with the installation that is going to take place on the morrow.”(37)
एतच्छ्रुत्वा तु कौसल्या चिरकालाभिकांक्षितम्। हर्षबाष्पाकुलं वाक्यमिदं राममभाषत॥ ३८॥
Meaning
Hearing of this consummation, which had been coveted for a long time, Kausalyā for her part addressed to Rāma the following reply, which was rendered indistinct by tears of joy : (38)
वत्स राम चिरं जीव हतास्ते परिपन्थिनः। ज्ञातीन् मे त्वं श्रिया युक्तः सुमित्रायाश्च नन्दय॥ ३९॥
Meaning
“Child Rāma, may you live long ! Let those inimically disposed to you be wiped off. Invested with royal glory may you bring joy to my relations as well as to those of Sumitrā. (39)
कल्याणे बत नक्षत्रे मया जातोऽसि पुत्रक। येन त्वया दशरथो गुणैराराधितः पिता॥ ४०॥
Meaning
“I am glad to think, O darling, that you were given birth to by me under a propitious star, thanks to which your father, Emperor Daśaratha, has been propitiated by you by means of your excellences. (40)
अमोघं बत मे क्षान्तं पुरुषे पुष्करेक्षणे। येयमिक्ष्वाकुराजश्रीः पुत्र त्वां संश्रयिष्यति॥ ४१॥
Meaning
“I am gratified to note that the hardship borne by me in the shape of austerities and fasting etc., for the sake of pleasing the lotus-eyed Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Person, has not gone in vain. It is by virtue of it that the royal fortune enjoyed by the race of Ikṣwāku is going to embrace you.” (41)
इत्येवमुक्तो मात्रा तु रामो भ्रातरमब्रवीत्। प्राञ्जलिं प्रह्वमासीनमभिवीक्ष्य स्मयन्निव॥ ४२॥
Meaning
Addressed thus by his mother, Śrī Rāma for his part looked at his brother, Lakṣmaṇa, who sat bent low with humility with joined palms, and spoke to him (as follows) as though smiling : (42)
लक्ष्मणेमां मया सार्धं प्रशाधि त्वं वसुंधराम्। द्वितीयं मेऽन्तरात्मानं त्वामियं श्रीरुपस्थिता॥ ४३॥
Meaning
“Rule you beneficently over this earth with me, O Lakṣmaṇa! This royal fortune has come to you, who are my second life. (43)
सौमित्रे भुङ्क्ष्व भोगांस्त्वमिष्टान् राज्यफलानि च। जीवितं चापि राज्यं च त्वदर्थमभिकामये॥ ४४॥
Meaning
Enjoy you, O Lakṣmaṇa, the pleasures coveted by you as well as the rewards of sovereignty (religious merit and fame etc.). I desire to live and even to rule but for you.” (44)
इत्युक्त्वा लक्ष्मणं रामो मातरावभिवाद्य च। अभ्यनुज्ञाप्य सीतां च ययौ स्वं च निवेशनम्॥ ४५॥
Meaning
Having spoken to Lakṣmaṇa as aforesaid and greeting both his mothers, Kausalyā and Sumitrā, and having secured leave to depart on behalf of Sītā too, Śrī Rāma retired to his own palace. (45)
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