Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 50

Meaning

Having travelled across the extensive and beautiful territory of Kosala and standing with his face turned towards Ayodhyā, the wise Śrī Rāma, elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa, with folded hands addressed the following words to Ayodhyā : (1)

Meaning

“I take leave of you, O pre-eminent city, carefully protected by King Daśaratha, a scion of Kakutstha, as well as of the deities that protect you and dwell in you. (2)

Meaning

“When the period of my exile in the forest has expired and I have got square with the Emperor (by executing his command and implementing the promise made by him to Kaikeyī), I shall see you again, united once more with my mother and father.” (3)

Meaning

Lifting up His right arm and wearing a wretched look, his face covered with tears, Śrī Rāma (who was possessed of lovely reddish eyes) then spoke to the people hailing from the countryside as follows : (4)

Meaning

“Respect and compassion according to my worth in your eyes have been shown to me by you all. Prolongation of the agony which is being experienced by you due to your presence by my side is most undesirable. Therefore, pray, let you be gone for accomplishing your desired chores (viz., attending to your household work) !” (5)

Meaning

Greeting the high-souled prince and going round him clockwise as a mark of respect, those men stood rooted here and there, not minding where they stood, wailing frightfully. (6)

Meaning

Even while they were lamenting as aforesaid, unsated as they were with the sight of Śrī Rāma, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, passed beyond their sight just as the sun goes out of sight at the commencement of night. (7)

Meaning

Śrī Rāma, a tiger among men, then crossed in His chariot the blessed and lovely territory of Kosala, which was full of foodgrains and other riches and was peopled by men given to charity, which had no fear from any quarter and was covered all over with temples and sacrificial posts, which was rich in gardens and mango groves and strewn with ponds full of water, which was thickly populated with contented and well-fed people and abounded in herds of cows, nay, each village of which deserved to be protected by kings and which was made resonant with the chanting of the Vedas. (8—10)

Meaning

Thence Śrī Rāma, the foremost of those possessed of firmness drove at a moderate speed to a happy and prosperous territory ruled over by a number of feudatory chiefs and abounding in lovely gardens. (11)

Meaning

There in the confines of that kingdom Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, saw the celestial and lovely river Gaṅgā, which takes a threefold course flowing as it does through heaven, earth and the subterranean regions, carries cool waters, is free from duck-weed sand and is frequented by Ṛṣis. (12)

Meaning

The blessed river was adorned with splendid hermitages standing not very far from one another; and its pools, overflowing with water, were resorted to at suitable hours by merry celestial nymphs. (13)

Meaning

Nay, the blessed river was graced with the presence of gods and demons, Gandharvas (celestial musicians) and Kinnaras and was constantly* visited by the consorts of Nāgas and Gandharvas. (14)

Meaning

The well-known river was hemmed in by hundreds of pleasure-hills forming part of the Himalayan range and adorned with celestial gardens; it coursed through the heavens for the benefit of gods and contained celestial lotuses. (15)

Meaning

It assumed a severe aspect while indulging in a horse-laugh in the form of a noise produced by the striking of its waters against rocks, and seemed to shed a bright smile when covered with white foam. At some places its water was reduced to the shape of plaited locks because of its flowing in a curved line, while at other places it was adorned with eddies. (16)

Meaning

Somewhere its waters were still and deep, and at other places they were disturbed with violent agitation. Here it made a deep roaring sound and there it produced a terrific noise. (17)

Meaning

Hosts of gods took a dip into its water, covered all over with white lotuses. Here it was hemmed in with spacious banks and there it was lined with white sands. (18)

Meaning

The river, which is free from reproach in everyway was rendered noisy by swans and cranes, was graced with Cakrawākas (a species of bird which gets disunited with its mate by night); and other birds which are in rut all the year round, kept hovering on its waters. (19)

Meaning

Here it was decked with trees growing on its banks, which encircled it like garlands. Here it was covered with full-blown lotuses, while there it was carpeted with a bed of lotuses. (20)

Meaning

Here it was graced with beds of water-lilies in the form of buds, while there it was reddened with the pollen of numerous flowers and looked like a woman excited with passion. (21)

Meaning

Stocks of sins of those bathing in it or drinking of its waters are washed away by it and it presents an appearance spotless as the effulgence of a gem. The interior of the forests encircling its banks is rendered noisy by the elephants guarding the quarters, wild elephants and other tame elephants of excellent breed, belonging to the Airāvata species, used for riding by Indra, the ruler of gods. Surrounded by trees laden with fruits and flowers and tender leaves, shrubs and birds of various species, it looked like a young woman artistically decked with the best of jewels. Not only devoid of sins, the celestial river dispels all sins, flowing as it does from the holy feet of Lord Viṣṇu. (22—24)

Meaning

In deep waters the river was infested with sharks and crocodiles as well as with snakes and had fallen from the mass of matted hair on the head of Lord Śaṅkara, thanks to the Yoga power acquired through religious austerities by Emperor Bhagīratha. (25)

Meaning

In the vicinity of Śṛṅgaverapura (the modern Singraur) Śrī Rāma, the mighty-armed prince, reached the bank of the Gaṅgā, the principal consort of Ocean, which was rendered noisy by cranes and herons. (26)

Meaning

Perceiving the river, which was full of eddies interspersed with its waves, the great car-warrior said to the charioteer, Sumantra, “Let us halt at this very spot today. (27)

Meaning

“Not very far from the river stands this very large Iṅgudī tree containing abundant flowers and fresh leaves. Let us halt under this very tree, O charioteer ! (28)

Meaning

“I shall clearly behold from that place the benign Gaṅgā, the foremost of rivers, whose waters deserve to be respected by gods, human beings, Gandharvas, beasts, reptiles and birds alike.” (29)

Meaning

Saying “Very well!” and nothing more to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, Lakṣmaṇa and Sumantra too then drove up to the Iṅgudī tree in the chariot drawn by horses. (30)

Meaning

Approaching that lovely tree, Śrī Rāma, the delight of the Ikṣwākus, alighted from that chariot alongwith his consort and with Lakṣmaṇa. (31)

Meaning

Getting down and unyoking the excellent horses, Sumantra too with joined palms stood by the side of Śrī Rāma, seated at the foot of the tree. (32)

Meaning

The king of that territory, Guha by name, was a friend of Śrī Rāma, dear to him as his own life. He was a Niṣāda by birth, possessed of bodily as well as military strength, owning as he did a large army consisting of all the four limbs, viz., elephants, chariots, horsemen and foot soldiers, and well-known as a ruler of the Niṣādas. (33)

Meaning

Hearing of Śrī Rāma, a tiger among men, having arrived in his territory, and accompanied by his elderly ministers and relations too, he sought the prince. (34)

Meaning

Seeing from a distance the ruler of the Niṣādas waiting, the said Śrī Rāma alongwith Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) thereupon went forth to meet Guha. (35)

Meaning

Closely embracing Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, Guha, who felt distressed to see him clad in the robes of a hermit, said to him, “This principality of Śṛṅgaverapura is as much yours as Ayodhyā, O Rāma ! What shall I do for you? In fact, who will get such a beloved guest as you, O mighty-armed prince?” Having brought cooked rice of excellent quality and other dishes of various kinds, he then quickly offered him water to wash his hands with and other articles of worship and spoke as follows: so the tradition goes : “Welcome is your advent to this place, O mighty-armed prince ! This entire land (of mine) is yours. (36—38)

Meaning

“We are your servants, you are our master; pray, rule over our kingdom in the proper way from now. Nay, here are at your service dishes requiring mastication (such as rice) and those which can be eaten without mastication (such as milk boiled with rice and sugar), those which can be drunk, those which are fit to be licked up and those which can be sucked. Moreover, there are excellent beds for you to sleep on as well as fodder for your horses.” (39)

Meaning

To Guha, who was speaking as aforesaid, Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), for his part, they say, replied as follows : “We stand honoured by you by your very coming all the way on foot to meet us as well as by your exhibition of affection, and are always pleased with you.” Pressing Guha tightly once more with his rounded arms, Śrī Rāma added the following : (40-41)

Meaning

“I am glad, O Guha, I see you quite in good health with your relations. Is all well with your state, allies and forests? (42)

Meaning

“I for my part accept and allow you to take back all this, that has been lovingly offered by you, since I do not make use of gifts for my own purpose. (43)

Meaning

“Know me as under a vow to wear (a zone of) Kuśa grass, the bark of trees and deerskin and to subsist on fruits and roots alone, to practise austerities and dwell in the forest, remaining devoted to piety. (44)

Meaning

“I am interested only in having food for the horses and in nothing else. By being provided with this much at the present moment I shall be duly entertained by you. (45)

Meaning

“Since these horses are beloved of my father, King Daśaratha, I shall feel honoured by these horses being duly fed.” (46)

Meaning

On that very spot the said Guha commanded his men in the following words : “Let milk etc., (which horses of excellent breed are given to drink after being fed with grass etc.) and barley flour mixed with ghee, sugar and so on, which they are given to eat in addition to grass etc., be promptly supplied to the horses.” (47)

Meaning

Having worshipped the evening twilight, appearing in the west, with an upper garment made of the bark of trees on his person, Śrī Rāma then took for food only water brought by Lakṣmaṇa himself thus observing a fast in honour of the sacred river which he visited. (48)

Meaning

Having cleanly washed the feet of Śrī Rāma, and his consort lying on the ground to repose for the night, and receding from that place, Lakṣmaṇa took his position at the foot of another tree close by. (49)

Meaning

Following in the footsteps of Lakṣmaṇa (son of Sumitrā) and encouraging him to speak on the virtues of Śrī Rāma, and wielding his bow, Guha too thereupon kept vigil with the charioteer, remaining alert all the time in the interest of Śrī Rāma. (50)

Meaning

While the illustrious, lofty-minded and high-souled Śrī Rāma (son of Daśaratha), who had never undergone suffering and who was used to all comforts, remained lying after that on the ground as aforesaid, that night eventually lingered away. (51)