---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-43"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43

> ततः समीक्ष्य शयने सन्नं शोकेन पार्थिवम्।  
> कौसल्या पुत्रशोकार्ता तमुवाच महीपतिम्॥ १॥

Perceiving the king lying on the couch stricken with grief, Kausalyā, who was feeling distressed due to grief on account of separation from her son, Śrī Rāma, spoke to the said king as follows : (1)

> राघवे नरशार्दूले विषं मुक्त्वाहिजिह्मगा।  
> विचरिष्यति कैकेयी निर्मुक्तेव हि पन्नगी॥ २॥

“Having discharged her poison on Rāma (a scion of Raghu), a tiger among men, indeed, Kaikeyī of crooked ways will surely wander about freely like a female serpent that has cast off its slough. (2)

> विवास्य रामं सुभगा लब्धकामा समाहिता।  
> त्रासयिष्यति मां भूयो दुष्टाहिरिव वेश्मनि॥ ३॥

“Having exiled Rāma and thereby achieving her desired end, Kaikeyī, whose stars are propitious and whose mind is at rest now, will further cause fear to me, undisturbed like a wicked serpent dwelling in one’s own house. (3)

> अथास्मिन् नगरे रामश्चरन् भैक्षं गृहे वसेत्।  
> कामकारो वरं दातुमपि दासं ममात्मजम्॥ ४॥

“Even if Rāma were allowed to remain at his home in Ayodhyā living on alms, it would be preferable to me in comparison to his exile. Nay, it would be better even to consign my son to her as a slave. (4)

> पातयित्वा तु कैकेय्या रामं स्थानाद् यथेष्टतः।  
> प्रविद्धो रक्षसां भागः पर्वणीवाहिताग्निना॥ ५॥

“Having wantonly thrown Rāma out of his position, Kaikeyī has acted in the same way as an oblation intended for the gods may be consigned to ogres on a new or full moon by one who tends the sacred fire. (5)

> नागराजगतिर्वीरो महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरः।  
> वनमाविशते नूनं सभार्यः सहलक्ष्मणः॥ ६॥

“Accompanied by his wife and Lakṣmaṇa and walking like a king of elephants, bow in hand, the mighty-armed hero will have surely entered the forest by now. (6)

> वने त्वदृष्टदुःखानां कैकेय्यनुमते त्वया।  
> त्यक्तानां वनवासाय कान्यावस्था भविष्यति॥ ७॥

“In a forest what other fate than the hardships of forest life can befall the youths, who had never known suffering before and who have been consigned by you to a forest life following the wishes of Kaikeyī? (7)

> ते रत्नहीनास्तरुणाः फलकाले विवासिताः।  
> कथं वत्स्यन्ति कृपणाः फलमूलैः कृताशनाः॥ ८॥

“Exiled at a time when they should have in the ordinary circumstances enjoyed the fruits (amenities) of life, how shall the poor youths, who have been deprived of all precious things, drag their existence living on fruits and roots? (8)

> अपीदानीं स कालः स्यान्मम शोकक्षयः शिवः।  
> सहभार्यं सह भ्रात्रा पश्येयमिह राघवम्॥ ९॥

“Will that happy time, marked with the end of my grief, ever come, when I shall be able to see Rāma (a scion of Raghu) accompanied by his wife and younger brother back in Ayodhyā? (9)

> श्रुत्वैवोपस्थितौ वीरौ कदायोध्या भविष्यति।  
> यशस्विनी हृष्टजना सूच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनी॥ १०॥

“When will Ayodhyā regain her pristine glory, throb with joyous crowds and be adorned once more with rows of towering banners the moment it hears of the two heroic princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, being present? (10)

> कदा प्रेक्ष्य नरव्याघ्रावरण्यात् पुनरागतौ।  
> भविष्यति पुरी हृष्टा समुद्र इव पर्वणि॥ ११॥

“When will the city wax jubilant again like an ocean on a full moon night to perceive the two princes, who are really tigers among men, come back from the forest? (11)

> कदायोध्यां महाबाहुः पुरीं वीरः प्रवेक्ष्यति।  
> पुरस्कृत्य रथे सीतां वृषभो गोवधूमिव॥ १२॥

“When will the mighty-armed hero, Śrī Rāma, enter again the city of Ayodhyā placing Sītā at his head in the chariot, even as a bull would follow a cow? (12)

> कदा प्राणिसहस्राणि राजमार्गे ममात्मजौ।  
> लाजैरवकरिष्यन्ति प्रविशन्तावरिंदमौ॥ १३॥

“When will thousands of men cover with parched grains of paddy on the public road my two sons, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the subduers of their enemy, entering the city? (13)

> प्रविशन्तौ कदायोध्यां द्रक्ष्यामि शुभकुण्डलौ।  
> उदग्रायुधनिस्तिं्रशौ सशृङ्गाविव पर्वतौ॥ १४॥

“When shall I be able to see the two princes, adorned with splendid earrings and armed with excellent bows and swords, entering Ayodhyā like a pair of mountains crowned with peaks? (14)

> कदा सुमनसःकन्या द्विजातीनां फलानि च।  
> प्रदिशन्त्यः पुरीं हृष्टाः करिष्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणम्॥ १५॥

“When will the three darlings merrily go round the city clockwise, receiving on the way flowers from the hands of virgins and fruits from those of Brāhmaṇas? (15)

> कदा परिणतो बुद्ध्या वयसा चामरप्रभाः।  
> अभ्युपैष्यति धर्मात्मा सुवर्ष इव लालयन्॥ १६॥

“When will the pious Rāma, grown ripe in intellect and shining like a god in point of age (eternal youth), return, fostering the world like a good (timely) shower? (16)

> निःसंशयं मया मन्ये पुरा वीर कदर्यया।  
> पातुकामेषु वत्सेषु मातॄणां शातिताः स्तनाः॥ १७॥

“Undoubtedly in some past life, I believe, O valiant king, the teats of cows were cut off by me, mean-minded as I was, while their calves stood waiting to suck them. (17)

> साहं गौरिव सिंहेन विवत्सा वत्सला कृता।  
> कैकेय्या पुरुषव्याघ्र बालवत्सेव गौर्बलात्॥ १८॥

“Fond of my child like a cow, O tiger among men, I have for this very reason been forcibly deprived of my child by Kaikeyī in the same way as a cow, having a calf of tender age, may be deprived of her calf by a lion. (18)

> नहि तावद्गुणैर्जुष्टं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम्।  
> एकपुत्रा विना पुत्रमहं जीवितुमुत्सहे॥ १९॥

“Having only one son, I am surely unable to survive without that son, who is endowed with all virtues and is well-versed in all the scriptures. (19)

> न हि मे जीविते किंचित् सामर्थ्यमिह कल्प्यते।  
> अपश्यन्त्याः प्रियं पुत्रं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्॥ २०॥

“There is not the least capacity in me to sustain my life here so long as I fail to perceive my beloved son, Rāma, and the valorous Lakṣmaṇa. (20)

> अयं हि मां दीपयतेऽद्य वह्नि-  
> स्तनूजशोकप्रभवो महाहितः।  
> महीमिमां रश्मिभिरुत्तमप्रभो  
> यथा निदाघे भगवान् दिवाकरः॥ २१॥

“This fire, born of grief occasioned by separation from my son, which is exceedingly harmful to me sure enough, is torturing me today in the same way as the glorious sun, possessed of greatest splendour, scorches this earth with its rays in summer.” (21)

Book: https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana

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