---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 47"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-47"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 47

> प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पौरास्ते राघवं विना।  
> शोकोपहतनिश्चेष्टा बभूवुर्हतचेतसः॥ १॥

The night having ended in dawn, the aforesaid citizens, who were stunned with grief, became unconscious, as it were. (1)

> शोकजाश्रुपरिद्यूना वीक्षमाणास्ततस्ततः।  
> आलोकमपि रामस्य न पश्यन्ति स्म दुःखिताः॥ २॥

Made miserable by tears born of grief and full of agony, they could not catch even a glimpse of Śrī Rāma, though casting their eyes all round. (2)

> ते विषादार्तवदना रहितास्तेन धीमता।  
> कृपणाः करुणा वाचो वदन्ति स्म मनीषिणः॥ ३॥

Their faces withered through despondency, deprived as they were of Śrī Rāma who was full of wisdom, and, therefore, non-plussed, the citizens, even though they were wise, uttered plaintive words as follows : (3)

> धिगस्तु खलु निद्रां तां ययापहतचेतसः।  
> नाद्य पश्यामहे रामं पृथूरस्कं महाभुजम्॥ ४॥

“Woe indeed be to that slumber, rendered unconscious by which we could not perceive today Śrī Rāma, who is distinguished by a broad chest and mighty arms ! (4)

> कथं रामो महाबाहुः स तथावितथक्रियः।  
> भक्तं जनमभित्यज्य प्रवासं तापसो गतः॥ ५॥

“How did that mighty-armed Śrī Rāma, whose actions, as is well known, are never ineffectual, leave for other lands in the garb of an ascetic, abandoning us, his devoted subjects? (5)

> यो नः सदा पालयति पिता पुत्रानिवौरसान्।  
> कथं रघूणां स श्रेष्ठस्त्यक्त्वा नो विपिनं गतः॥ ६॥

“How did that jewel among the Raghus, who ever protected us as a father does his own children, proceed to the forest abandoning us? (6)

> इहैव निधनं याम महाप्रस्थानमेव वा।  
> रामेण रहितानां नो किमर्थं जीवितं हितम्॥ ७॥

“Let us meet our end at this very place by fasting or definitely set out on the grand journey to the north with a resolve to die. For what purpose can life be good for us, deprived as we are of Śrī Rāma? (7)

> सन्ति शुष्काणि काष्ठानि प्रभूतानि महान्ति च।  
> तैः प्रज्वाल्य चितां सर्वे प्रविशामोऽथवा वयम्॥ ८॥

“Or, there are any number of big logs of dry wood here. Lighting a funeral pile, let us all enter the fire together. (8)

> किं वक्ष्यामो महाबाहुरनसूयः प्रियंवदः।  
> नीतः स राघवोऽस्माभिरिति वक्तुं कथं क्षमम्॥ ९॥

“Shall we break the news when asked by those left behind in Ayodhyā that Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) of mighty arms, who is free from jealousy and speaks kindly to all, has been conveyed to the forest by us? How can such words be uttered by us? (9)

> सा नूनं नगरी दीना दृष्ट्वास्मान् राघवं विना।  
> भविष्यति निरानन्दा सस्त्रीबालवयोऽधिका॥ १०॥

“Seeing us back without Śrī Rāma, that city of Ayodhyā will surely assume a wretched and cheerless aspect with its womenfolk, children and elderly people. (10)

> निर्यातास्तेन वीरेण सह नित्यं महात्मना।  
> विहीनास्तेन च पुनः कथं द्रक्ष्याम तां पुरीम्॥ ११॥

“How shall we, who went out with that high-souled hero for good, can behold that city again without him?” (11)

> इतीव बहुधा वाचो बाहुमुद्यम्य ते जनाः।  
> विलपन्ति स्म दुःखार्ता हृतवत्सा इवाग्र्यगाः॥ १२॥

Holding up their arms, the above-mentioned men, who were stricken with agony like cows of excellent breed, bereft of their calf, lamented in various ways as above. (12)

> ततो मार्गानुसारेण गत्वा किंचित् ततः क्षणम्।  
> मार्गनाशाद् विषादेन महता समभिप्लुताः॥ १३॥

Then proceeding to some distance along the tracks, left by Śrī Rāma’s chariot for some moments, they were overwhelmed with great despondency, the tracks having disappeared immediately afterwards due to the chariot having returned by another route. (13)

> रथमार्गानुसारेण न्यवर्तन्त मनस्विनः।  
> किमिदं किं करिष्यामो दैवेनोपहता इति॥ १४॥

The high-minded citizens eventually returned to Ayodhyā along the tracks left by the chariot while leaving Ayodhyā, saying “How is it that the tracks have disappeared so soon? What shall we do? We are doomed by Providence.” (14)

> तदा यथागतेनैव मार्गेण क्लान्तचेतसः।  
> अयोध्यामगमन् सर्वे पुरीं व्यथितसज्जनाम्॥ १५॥

Depressed in spirits, they all then returned by the same route along which they had come, to the city of Ayodhyā, where all good people were feeling distressed. (15)

> आलोक्य नगरीं तां च क्षयव्याकुलमानसाः।  
> आवर्तयन्त तेऽश्रूणि नयनैः शोकपीडितैः॥ १६॥

Nay, seeing the city which presented a sorry spectacle, they shed tears in profusion through their eyes tormented with grief, their mind distracted through cheerlessness. (16)

> एषा रामेण नगरी रहिता नातिशोभते।  
> आपगा गरुडेनेव ह्रदादुद्धृतपन्नगा॥ १७॥

Bereft of Śrī Rāma, the aforesaid city of Ayodhyā did not look any more charming than a river whose snakes have been uprooted from its deep pool by Garuḍa. (17)

> चन्द्रहीनमिवाकाशं तोयहीनमिवार्णवम्।  
> अपश्यन् निहतानन्दं नगरं ते विचेतसः॥ १८॥

Those bewildered men beheld the city joyless like the firmament bereft of the moon and an ocean without water. (18)

> ते तानि वेश्मानि महाधनानि  
> दुःखेन दुःखोपहता विशन्तः।  
> नैव प्रजग्मुः स्वजनं परं वा  
> निरीक्ष्यमाणाः प्रविनष्टहर्षाः॥ १९॥

Entering their dwellings full of abundant riches with difficulty, the citizens could not distinguish between their own people and others, though casting their eyes all round, stricken as they were with sorrow, their joy having altogether disappeared for good. (19)

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

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