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title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 51"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-51"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 51

> तं जाग्रतमदम्भेन भ्रातुरर्थाय लक्ष्मणम्।  
> गुहः संतापसंतप्तो राघवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ १॥

Distressed with agony to see the princely couple lying on the ground, Guha spoke as follows to the celebrated Lakṣmaṇa (a scion of Raghu), who was keeping awake, through sincere love, for the protection of his elder brother, Śrī Rāma : (1)

> इयं तात सुखा शय्या त्वदर्थमुपकल्पिता।  
> प्रत्याश्वसिहि साध्वस्यां राजपुत्र यथासुखम्॥ २॥

“Here is a cosy bed nicely prepared for you, dear brother; pray, repose comfortably on it, O prince ! (2)

> उचितोऽयं जनः सर्वः क्लेशानां त्वं सुखोचितः।  
> गुप्त्यर्थं जागरिष्यामः काकुत्स्थस्य वयं निशाम्॥ ३॥

“We are all inured to hardships, while you are deserving of comforts. We shall keep vigil for the night for the protection of Śrī Rāma, a scion of Kakutstha. (3)

> नहि रामात् प्रियतमो ममास्ते भुवि कश्चन।  
> ब्रवीम्येव च ते सत्यं सत्येनैव च ते शपे॥ ४॥

“For, none on earth is more beloved of me than Śrī Rāma: I tell you the bare truth and swear to you by truth. (4)

> अस्य प्रसादादाशंसे लोकेऽस्मिन् सुमहद् यशः।  
> धर्मावाप्तिं च विपुलामर्थकामौ च पुष्कलौ॥ ५॥

“By his grace alone I hope to earn very great renown in this world as also to acquire religious merit as well as abundant riches and sense-enjoyment. (5)

> सोऽहं प्रियसखं रामं शयानं सह सीतया।  
> रक्षिष्यामि धनुष्पाणिः सर्वथा ज्ञातिभिः सह॥ ६॥

“As such, I shall with my kindred guard in everyway, bow in hand, my beloved friend, Śrī Rāma, reposing with Sītā. (6)

> न मेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचिद् वनेऽस्मिंश्चरतः सदा।  
> चतुरङ्गं ह्यतिबलं सुमहत् संतरेमहि॥ ७॥

“Nothing in this woodland is unknown to me, wandering as I do all the time in it. We can also undoubtedly get the better of a surpassingly huge and exceptionally mighty army consisting of the four limbs viz., elephants, chariots, horsemen and foot soldiers.” (7)

> लक्ष्मणस्तु तदोवाच रक्ष्यमाणास्त्वयानघ।  
> नात्र भीता वयं सर्वे धर्ममेवानुपश्यता॥ ८॥

Thereupon Lakṣmaṇa for his part replied as follows : “Being protected by you, who keep your duty alone in view, O sinless Guha, we all are not the least afraid of any in this land. (8)

> कथं दाशरथौ भूमौ शयाने सह सीतया।  
> शक्या निद्रा मया लब्धुं जीवितं वा सुखानि वा॥ ९॥

“But so long as Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, remains lying down on the ground with Sītā, how can sleep be had by me, much less nourishment intended to keep the body and soul together or amenities of life? (9)

> यो न देवासुरैः सर्वैः शक्यः प्रसहितुं युधि।  
> तं पश्य सुखसंसुप्तं तृणेषु सह सीतया॥ १०॥

“Behold him, who cannot be withstood in battle by all the gods and demons put together, fast asleep with comfort on a bed of straw with Sītā ! (10)

> यो मन्त्रतपसा लब्धो विविधैश्च पराक्रमैः।  
> एको दशरथस्यैष पुत्रः सदृशलक्षणः॥ ११॥  
> अस्मिन् प्रव्रजिते राजा न चिरं वर्तयिष्यति।  
> विधवा मेदिनी नूनं क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति॥ १२॥

“When Śrī Rāma—who was secured as a foremost (eldest both in age and virtues) son, endowed with characteristics similar to his own, by Daśaratha by virtue of his chanting of sacred texts and austerities as well as through various undertakings in the form of sacrificial performances etc.—has gone into exile, the king (Daśaratha) will not live long and the earth will surely be widowed forthwith (by the demise of Daśaratha). (11-12)

> विनद्य सुमहानादं श्रमेणोपरताः स्त्रियः।  
> निर्घोषोपरतं तात मन्ये राजनिवेशनम्॥ १३॥

“Having uttered forth a shrill cry, the women in the city must have ceased weeping through exhaustion by this time. I believe the royal palace too has by now become silent after a loud wail. (13)

> कौसल्या चैव राजा च तथैव जननी मम।  
> नाशंसे यदि जीवन्ति सर्वे ते शर्वरीमिमाम्॥ १४॥

“I do not expect that the great queen Kausalyā (Śrī Rāma’s mother) and the king and even so my mother (Sumitrā)—all these will outlive this night. (14)

> जीवेदपि हि मे माता शत्रुघ्नस्यान्ववेक्षया।  
> तद् दुःखं यदि कौसल्या वीरसूर्विनशिष्यति॥ १५॥

“My mother might even survive due to her expecting to meet Śatrughna. But it will be painful if Kausalyā, who has given birth to a heroic son, dies. (15)

> अनुरक्तजनाकीर्णा सुखालोकप्रियावहा।  
> राजव्यसनसंसृष्टा सा पुरी विनशिष्यति॥ १६॥

“That city of Ayodhyā, which has till now been crowded with men and women full of love for Śrī Rāma, nay, which has been a source of joy to all and brought pleasure to the world, will perish when seized with agony over the king’s death. (16)

> कथं पुत्रं महात्मानं ज्येष्ठपुत्रमपश्यतः।  
> शरीरं धारयिष्यन्ति प्राणा राज्ञो महात्मनः॥ १७॥

“How will the life-breath of the high-souled king retain its hold on his body when he is no longer able to behold the high-souled Śrī Rāma, his eldest son? (17)

> विनष्टे नृपतौ पश्चात् कौसल्या विनशिष्यति।  
> अनन्तरं च मातापि मम नाशमुपैष्यति॥ १८॥

“When the king is dead, Kausalyā will die in his wake and my mother (Sumitrā) too will meet her end immediately after. (18)

> अतिक्रान्तमतिक्रान्तमनवाप्य मनोरथम्।  
> राज्ये राममनिक्षिप्य पिता मे विनशिष्यति॥ १९॥

“Not attaining his desired end and without installing Śrī Rāma on the throne of Ayodhyā, my father will breathe his last with the words ‘Lost ! Lost !!’ on his lips. (19)

> सिद्धार्थाः पितरं वृत्तं तस्मिन् काले ह्युपस्थिते।  
> प्रेतकार्येषु सर्वेषु संस्करिष्यन्ति राघवम्॥ २०॥

“Fortunate men alone will consecrate our deceased father, Daśaratha (a scion of Raghu) in the course of all funeral rites when that unlucky moment has actually arrived. (20)

> रम्यचत्वरसंस्थानां संविभक्तमहापथाम्।  
> हर्म्यप्रासादसम्पन्नां गणिकावरशोभिताम्॥ २१॥  
> रथाश्वगजसम्बाधां तूर्यनादनिनादिताम्।  
> सर्वकल्याणसम्पूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम्॥ २२॥  
> आरामोद्यानसम्पन्नां समाजोत्सवशालिनीम्।  
> सुखिता विचरिष्यन्ति राजधानीं पितुर्मम॥ २३॥

“If, on the other hand, Daśaratha survives, people will move about happily in the capital of my father, provided with cross roads, allocated at lovely sites, and well-aligned roads, nay, rich in mansions of well-to-do men, temples of gods and royal palaces, adorned with the foremost of courtesans, crowded with chariots, horses and elephants, made resonant with the sound of musical instruments, full of all blessings and crowded with merry and well-fed men, well-provided with gardens and royal parks and bright with festivities carried on under the auspices of associations. (21—23)

> अपि जीवेद् दशरथो वनवासात् पुनर्वयम्।  
> प्रत्यागम्य महात्मानमपि पश्याम सुव्रतम्॥ २४॥

“In case Daśaratha, our father, survives, we might on returning from our exile in the forest see that high-souled king of noble vows once more. (24)

> अपि सत्यप्रतिज्ञेन सार्धं कुशलिना वयम्।  
> निवृत्ते वनवासेऽस्मिन्नयोध्यां प्रविशेमहि॥ २५॥

“Let us hope when this period of exile in the forest has expired, we may safely return to Ayodhyā alongwith Śrī Rāma, who is true to his promise.” (25)

> परिदेवयमानस्य दुःखार्तस्य महात्मनः।  
> तिष्ठतो राजपुत्रस्य शर्वरी सात्यवर्तत॥ २६॥

While the high-souled prince, Lakṣmaṇa, sat lamenting as above, afflicted with agony as he was, that night slipped away. (26)

> तथा हि सत्यं ब्रुवति प्रजाहिते  
> नरेन्द्रसूनौ गुरुसौहृदाद् गुहः।  
> मुमोच बाष्पं व्यसनाभिपीडितो  
> ज्वरातुरो नाग इव व्यथातुरः॥ २७॥

While Lakṣmaṇa, son of Daśaratha, a friend of the people, was speaking the truth as above out of affection for his elder brother, Śrī Rāma, Guha, who was sore pinched with adversity and oppressed with agony, shed tears like an elephant tormented with fever. (27)

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

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