--- title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42" canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-42" lang: "en" --- # Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 42 > यावत् तु निर्यतस्तस्य रजोरूपमदृश्यत। > नैवेक्ष्वाकुवरस्तावत् संजहारात्मचक्षुषी॥ १॥ So long, however, as the clouds of the dust that followed Śrī Rāma even as he was going out to the forest could be seen, Daśaratha, the foremost of the Ikṣwākus, did not turn his eyes away from them. (1) > यावद् राजा प्रियं पुत्रं पश्यत्यत्यन्तधार्मिकम्। > तावद् व्यवर्धतेवास्य धरण्यां पुत्रदर्शने॥ २॥ So long as the king saw his beloved and most virtuous son (in the form of the dust raised by his chariot) his body stood on the ground growing in size as it were to be able to catch a glimpse of his gradually receding son. (2) > न पश्यति रजोऽप्यस्य यदा रामस्य भूमिपः। > तदाऽऽतश्च निषण्णश्च पपात धरणीतले॥ ३॥ The moment, however, the king ceased to behold even the dust of the chariot of the said Śrī Rāma, he dropped to the ground afflicted and dejected. (3) > तस्य दक्षिणमन्वागात् कौसल्या बाहुमङ्गना। > परं चास्यान्वगात् पार्श्वं कैकेयी सा सुमध्यमा॥ ४॥ His seniormost wife, Kausalyā, approached his right arm in order to lift him up by that arm, while the notorious Kaikeyī of charming limbs went up to his other (left) side. (4) > तां नयेन च सम्पन्नो धर्मेण विनयेन च। > उवाच राजा कैकेयीं समीक्ष्य व्यथितेन्द्रियः॥ ५॥ Distressed in mind to behold Kaikeyī, the king, who was richly endowed with prudence, as well as with piety and culture, spoke to her as follows : (5) > कैकेयि मामकाङ्गानि मा स्प्राक्षीः पापनिश्चये। > नहि त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छामि न भार्या न च बान्धवी॥ ६॥ “O Kaikeyī of sinful resolve, pray, do not touch my limbs, really I do not wish to see you; you are neither my wedded wife nor my relation. (6) > ये च त्वामनुजीवन्ति नाहं तेषां न ते मम। > केवलार्थपरां हि त्वां त्यक्तधर्मां त्यजाम्यहम्॥ ७॥ “Nay, I am no longer the master of those who depend for their subsistence on you nor are they my servants any more. I disown you, who are solely devoted to your selfish ends and have forsaken virtue. (7) > अगृह्णां यच्च ते पाणिमग्निं पर्यणयं च यत्। > अनुजानामि तत् सर्वमस्मिंल्लोके परत्र च॥ ८॥ “I hereby disclaim all the benefits that will accrue to me hereafter in this world and the next from the fact that I clasped your hand in marriage and took you round the fire with me. (8) > भरतश्चेत् प्रतीतः स्याद् राज्यं प्राप्यैतदव्ययम्। > यन्मे स दद्यात् पित्रर्थं मा मां तद्दत्तमागमत्॥ ९॥ “If Bharata gets delighted to receive this sovereignty free from hindrance, let not that which he offers to me after my death by way of obsequial oblations intended for his departed ancestors reach me in the other world.” (9) > अथ रेणुसमुद्ध्वस्तं समुत्थाप्य नराधिपम्। > न्यवर्तत तदा देवी कौसल्या शोककर्शिता॥ १०॥ Forthwith lifting up the king, who was soiled with dust due to his having toppled down, Queen Kausalyā, who had been emaciated through grief, then returned to the palace with the king. (10) > हत्वेव ब्राह्मणं कामात् स्पृष्ट्वाग्निमिव पाणिना। > अन्वतप्यत धर्मात्मा पुत्रं संचिन्त्य राघवम्॥ ११॥ Thinking deeply of his son, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, Daśaratha (of pious mind) gave way to repentance for having sent him into exile under pressure from Kaikeyī, even as one is stung with remorse on having voluntarily killed a Brāhmaṇa or on touching a blazing fire with one’s own hand. (11) > निवृत्यैव निवृत्यैव सीदतो रथवर्त्मसु। > राज्ञो नातिबभौ रूपं ग्रस्तस्यांशुमतो यथा॥ १२॥ The appearance of the king, who, turning back again and again, exerted himself to gaze on the path which the chariot of Śrī Rāma had taken, did not look charming any more than the orb of the sun in eclipse. (12) > विललाप स दुःखार्तः प्रियं पुत्रमनुस्मरन्। > नगरान्तमनुप्राप्तं बुद्ध्वा पुत्रमथाब्रवीत्॥ १३॥ Thinking all the time of his beloved son, Śrī Rāma, he lamented, stricken with agony as he was. Coming to know of his son having reached the outskirts of the city, he then spoke as follows: (13) > वाहनानां च मुख्यानां वहतां तं ममात्मजम्। > पदानि पथि दृश्यन्ते स महात्मा न दृश्यते॥ १४॥ “The marks of the hoofs of the excellent horses drawing the chariot of my celebrated son are no doubt seen on the road, but that high-souled prince is no longer seen. (14) > यः सुखेनोपधानेषु शेते चन्दनरूषितः। > वीज्यमानो महार्हाभिः स्त्रीभिर्मम सुतोत्तमः॥ १५॥ > स नूनं क्वचिदेवाद्य वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः। > काष्ठं वा यदि वाश्मानमुपधाय शयिष्यते॥ १६॥ “That jewel among my sons, who, having been smeared all over with sandal-paste, used to repose comfortably on cushions and pillows, while being fanned by women possessed of great comeliness and adorned with costly jewels, will surely lie down today at some unknown place at the foot of a tree resting his head on a block of wood or stone ! (15-16) > उत्थास्यति च मेदिन्याः कृपणः पांसुगुण्ठितः। > विनिःश्वसन् प्रस्रवणात् करेणूनामिवर्षभः॥ १७॥ “Nay, at the close of night he will rise from the bare ground in a wretched condition, enveloped in dust and exhaling audibly like a leader of elephants rising from beside a spring. (17) > द्रक्ष्यन्ति नूनं पुरुषा दीर्घबाहुं वनेचराः। > राममुत्थाय गच्छन्तं लोकनाथमनाथवत्॥ १८॥ “Undoubtedly people living in the forest will behold Rāma, the protector of the world, who is possessed of long arms, rising from sleep in the forest and going forth like one forlorn. (18) > सा नूनं जनकस्येष्टा सुता सुखसदोचिता। > कण्टकाक्रमणक्लान्ता वनमद्य गमिष्यति॥ १९॥ “That beloved daughter of Janaka, who is ever worthy of all kinds of amenities, will surely walk today to the forest barefooted and, therefore, injured by treading on thorns. (19) > अनभिज्ञा वनानां सा नूनं भयमुपैष्यति। > श्वपदानर्दितं श्रुत्वा गम्भीरं रोमहर्षणम्॥ २०॥ “Unacquainted as she is with the woods, she will doubtless be struck with fear to hear the deep and thrilling roar of beasts of prey. (20) > सकामा भव कैकेयि विधवा राज्यमावस। > नहि तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं विना जीवितुमुत्सहे॥ २१॥ “Having your wishes fulfilled, O Kaikeyī, enjoy the kingdom as a widow. I am unable to live without that tiger among men.” (21) > इत्येवं विलपन् राजा जनौघेनाभिसंवृतः। > अपस्नात इवारिष्टं प्रविवेश गृहोत्तमम्॥ २२॥ Lamenting as aforesaid, and surrounded on all sides by a multitude of men, the king entered his excellent abode, which was full of sorrow, like one who has bathed on the death of a relation. (22) > शून्यचत्वरवेश्मान्तां संवृतापणवेदिकाम्। > क्लान्तदुर्बलदुःखार्तां नात्याकीर्णमहापथाम्॥ २३॥ > तामवेक्ष्य पुरीं सर्वां राममेवानुचिन्तयन्। > विलपन् प्राविशद् राजा गृहं सूर्य इवाम्बुदम्॥ २४॥ Perceiving the entire city of Ayodhyā with its cross roads and portals deserted and the sheds in front of shops, where merchandise was spread, closed, its people depressed in spirits, feeble and afflicted and its highways not very crowded, the king entered his palace wailing and thinking all the time of Śrī Rāma alone, even as the sun enters a cloud. (23-24) > महाह्रदमिवाक्षोभ्यं सुपर्णेन हृतोरगम्। > रामेण रहितं वेश्म वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च॥ २५॥ Bereft of Śrī Rāma, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, the palace looked like a big pool rendered imperturbable due to its snakes having been carried away by Garuḍa. (25) > अथ गद्गदशब्दस्तु विलपन् वसुधाधिपः। > उवाच मृदु मन्दार्थं वचनं दीनमस्वरम्॥ २६॥ The lamenting Emperor then spoke to the porters in faltering, soft, pitiful and indistinct words, which were also not clearly intelligible as follows : (26) > कौसल्याया गृहं शीघ्रं राममातुर्नयन्तु माम्। > नह्यन्यत्र ममाश्वासो हृदयस्य भविष्यति॥ २७॥ “Take me speedily to the apartments of Kausalyā, the mother of Rāma; for nowhere else will my heart find solace.” (27) > इति ब्रुवन्तं राजानमनयन् द्वारदर्शिनः। > कौसल्याया गृहं तत्र न्यवेश्यत विनीतवत्॥ २८॥ The porters took the king, who was speaking as aforesaid, to the apartments of Kausalyā and there he was gently laid by them on a couch. (28) > ततस्तत्र प्रविष्टस्य कौसल्याया निवेशनम्। > अधिरुह्यापि शयनं बभूव लुलितं मनः॥ २९॥ The mind of the king, even though he had entered Kausalyā’s apartments and had been laid on a couch, continued to be restless. (29) > पुत्रद्वयविहीनं च स्नुषया च विवर्जितम्। > अपश्यद् भवनं राजा नष्टचन्द्रमिवाम्बरम्॥ ३०॥ The king found the palace, which was bereft of his two sons and destitute of his daughter-in-law, devoid of charm as the sky without the moon and the stars. (30) > तच्च दृष्ट्वा महाराजो भुजमुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्। > उच्चैःस्वरेण प्राक्रोशद्धा राम विजहासि नौ॥ ३१॥ Looking at the palace and lifting up his arm, the powerful Emperor cried in a loud voice: “Oh Rāma, are you really deserting us both, your mother as well as myself? (31) > सुखिता बत तं कालं जीविष्यन्ति नरोत्तमाः। > परिष्वजन्तो ये रामं द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुनरागतम्॥ ३२॥ “Alas, those jewels among men alone who will survive the term of Rāma’s exile and are eventually able to see him come back, clasping him to their bosom, will be really happy !” (32) > अथ रात्र्यां प्रपन्नायां कालरात्र्यामिवात्मनः। > अर्धरात्रे दशरथः कौसल्यामिदमब्रवीत्॥ ३३॥ Now when the night arrived—the night which was, as it were, the night of Dissolution for him—King Daśaratha spoke at midnight to Kausalyā as follows: (33) > न त्वां पश्यामि कौसल्ये साधु मां पाणिना स्पृश। > रामं मेऽनुगता दृष्टिरद्यापि न निवर्तते॥ ३४॥ “Kausalyā, I am unable to see you. Please touch me with your hand well. Having followed Rāma, my sight has not yet returned.” (34) > तं राममेवानुविचिन्तयन्तं > समीक्ष्य देवी शयने नरेन्द्रम्। > उपोपविश्याधिकमार्तरूपा > विनिश्वसन्तं विललाप कृच्छ्रम्॥ ३५॥ Perceiving the aforesaid monarch on the couch—who was thinking deeply all the time of Śrī Rāma alone and breathing hard with difficulty—and sitting by his side, the queen (Kausalyā), who wore a distressed look about her, began to wail. (35) Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana --- Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition Ramayana.com, a free, ad-free project of Ved Vyas Foundation.