Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 53
स तं वृक्षं समासाद्य संध्यामन्वास्य पश्चिमाम्। रामो रमयतां श्रेष्ठ इति होवाच लक्ष्मणम्॥ १॥
Meaning
Having reached the foot of the aforesaid tree and worshipped the evening twilight, Śrī Rāma, the foremost of those affording delight to others., spoke to Lakṣmaṇa as follows: so the tradition goes : (1)
अद्येयं प्रथमा रात्रिर्याता जनपदाद् बहिः। या सुमन्त्रेण रहिता तां नोत्कण्ठितुमर्हसि॥ २॥
Meaning
“This night, which has overtaken us today outside the territory inhabited by our own people, is the first night which will pass without Sumantra. You ought not to sorrow over it. (2)
जागर्तव्यमतन्द्रिभ्यामद्यप्रभृति रात्रिषु। योगक्षेमौ हि सीताया वर्तेते लक्ष्मणावयोः॥ ३॥
Meaning
“Remaining free from lassitude, we must both keep awake during the coming nights; for the procuration of what is needed by Sītā and the protection of her person and honour etc., are our care, O Lakṣmaṇa! (3)
रात्रिं कथंचिदेवेमां सौमित्रे वर्तयामहे। अपवर्तामहे भूमावास्तीर्य स्वयमर्जितैः॥ ४॥
Meaning
“Let us pass this night anyhow, O son of Sumitrā! Let us lie down on the ground, covering it with straw, leaves and so on procured with our own hands.” (4)
स तु संविश्य मेदिन्यां महार्हशयनोचितः। इमाः सौमित्रये रामो व्याजहार कथाः शुभाः॥ ५॥
Meaning
Sitting on the bare ground, the said Śrī Rāma, for his part, who was accustomed to costly beds, addressed the following suitable remarks to Lakṣmaṇa : (5)
ध्रुवमद्य महाराजो दुःखं स्वपिति लक्ष्मण। कृतकामा तु कैकेयी तुष्टा भवितुमर्हति॥ ६॥
Meaning
“Surely the Emperor must be sleeping uncomfortably tonight, O Lakṣmaṇa ! Kaikeyī, on the other hand, who has her desired object accomplished, ought to feel gratified. (6)
सा हि देवी महाराजं कैकेयी राज्यकारणात्। अपि न च्यावयेत् प्राणान् दृष्ट्वा भरतमागतम्॥ ७॥
Meaning
“Seeing Bharata returned from his maternal grandfather’s, Queen Kaikeyī, I am afraid, may not actually rob the Emperor of his very life for the sake of sovereignty. (7)
अनाथश्च हि वृद्धश्च मया चैव विना कृतः। किं करिष्यति कामात्मा कैकेय्या वशमागतः॥ ८॥
Meaning
“What will the king—whose desire to see me installed as Prince Regent lingers even now in his mind and who has fallen into the clutches of Kaikeyī, nay, who is aged and, therefore, helpless and has further been disunited from me—do to foil her designs upon his life? (8)
इदं व्यसनमालोक्य राज्ञश्च मतिविभ्रमम्। काम एवार्थधर्माभ्यां गरीयानिति मे मतिः॥ ९॥
Meaning
“Viewing this evil plight of mine and the perversion of the king’s mind, I am led to think that gratification of the senses is of greater moment than earthly gain and religious merit. (9)
को ह्यविद्वानपि पुमान् प्रमदायाः कृते त्यजेत्। छन्दानुवर्तिनं पुत्रं तातो मामिव लक्ष्मण॥ १०॥
Meaning
“What man, even though ignorant, would actually abandon for the sake of a woman, a son following his will, even as father has abandoned me, O Lakṣmaṇa? (10)
सुखी बत सुभार्यश्च भरतः केकयीसुतः। मुदितान् कोसलानेको यो भोक्ष्यत्यधिराजवत्॥ ११॥
Meaning
“Ah, Kaikeyī’s son, Bharata alone is happy and the spouse of a lucky woman in that he is going to rule over the prosperous kingdom of Kosala like an overlord, his claim being disputed by none! (11)
स हि राज्यस्य सर्वस्य सुखमेकं भविष्यति। ताते तु वयसातीते मयि चारण्यमाश्रिते॥ १२॥
Meaning
“For, he will enjoy the undivided blessings of the entire kingdom, now that father is superannuated and I have retired to the forest. (12)
अर्थधर्मौ परित्यज्य यः काममनुवर्तते। एवमापद्यते क्षिप्रं राजा दशरथो यथा॥ १३॥
Meaning
“He who pursues sensuous pleasure, neglecting wealth and virtue, soon comes to grief in the same way as King Daśaratha has. (13)
मन्ये दशरथान्ताय मम प्रव्राजनाय च। कैकेयी सौम्य सम्प्राप्ता राज्याय भरतस्य च॥ १४॥
Meaning
“I believe, O good brother, that Kaikeyī came to this house to bring about the end of Daśaratha, to send me into exile and to secure kingship for Bharata. (14)
अपीदानीं तु कैकेयी सौभाग्यमदमोहिता। कौसल्यां च सुमित्रां च सा प्रबाधेत मत्कृते॥ १५॥
Meaning
“Blinded by pride of good fortune, I am afraid, the aforesaid Kaikeyī may even now persecute Kausalyā and Sumitrā too because of their relation with me and you. (15)
मातास्मत्कारणाद् देवी सुमित्रा दुःखमावसेत्। अयोध्यामित एव त्वं काले प्रविश लक्ष्मण॥ १६॥
Meaning
“Your mother, Queen Sumitrā, is likely to suffer hardship because of her affinity to us. From this very place, therefore, O Lakṣmaṇa, proceed you to Ayodhyā next morning. (16)
अहमेको गमिष्यामि सीतया सह दण्डकान्। अनाथाया हि नाथस्त्वं कौसल्याया भविष्यसि॥ १७॥
Meaning
“I shall proceed to the Daṇḍaka forest alone with Sītā, while you will be a protector to Kausalyā, who will be left without a protector after the death of King Daśaratha. (17)
क्षुद्रकर्मा हि कैकेयी द्वेषादन्यायमाचरेत्। परिदद्याद्धि धर्मज्ञ गरं ते मम मातरम्॥ १८॥
Meaning
“Kaikeyī of vile deeds may undoubtedly resort to unfair means due to malice and even administer poison to your mother and mine, O knower of what is right ! (18)
नूनं जात्यन्तरे तात स्त्रियः पुत्रैर्वियोजिताः। जनन्या मम सौमित्रे तदद्यैतदुपस्थितम्॥ १९॥
Meaning
“In some other past birth, O dear brother, women must have been deprived of their sons by my mother, Kausalyā. That act of hers alone, O Lakṣmaṇa, has recoiled on her in the form of this visitation. (19)
मया हि चिरपुष्टेन दुःखसंवर्धितेन च। विप्रयुज्यत कौसल्या फलकाले धिगस्तु माम्॥ २०॥
Meaning
“At a time when Kausalyā, my mother, should have found her labours repaid by me, she has been deprived of my company by me, who was nurtured by her for long years and brought up with great pains. Woe to me ! (20)
मा स्म सीमन्तिनी काचिज्जनयेत् पुत्रमीदृशम्। सौमित्रे योऽहमम्बाया दद्मि शोकमनन्तकम्॥ २१॥
Meaning
“Let no matron give birth to such a son as myself, who, O Lakṣmaṇa, have inflicted endless sorrow on my mother ! (21)
मन्ये प्रीतिविशिष्टा सा मत्तो लक्ष्मण सारिका। यत्तस्याः श्रूयते वाक्यं शुक पादमरेर्दश॥ २२॥
Meaning
“I believe that myna, which is kept as a pet by mother Kausalyā, O Lakṣmaṇa, is more affectionate towards my mother than I, since from her are heard the words ‘Bite, O parrot, the foot of the enemy of our master and thereby render him incapable of marching against our master.’ (22)
शोचन्त्याश्चाल्पभाग्याया न किंचिदुपकुर्वता। पुत्रेण किमपुत्राया मया कार्यमरिंदम॥ २३॥
Meaning
“What purpose of my grieving mother of poor luck, who is as good as issueless, can be served by me, her son, who does no good to her, O chastiser of foes? (23)
अल्पभाग्या हि मे माता कौसल्या रहिता मया। शेते परमदुःखार्ता पतिता शोकसागरे॥ २४॥
Meaning
“Of poor luck indeed is my mother, Kausalyā, who, bereft as she is of me, is stricken with great agony and lies plunged in a sea of grief. (24)
एको ह्यहमयोध्यां च पृथिवीं चापि लक्ष्मण। तरेयमिषुभिः क्रुद्धो ननु वीर्यमकारणम्॥ २५॥
Meaning
“When enraged I can surely subdue with my arrows single-handed not only the kingdom of Ayodhyā but the earth as well, O Lakṣmaṇa ! But show of valour is not always conducive to good in the other world. (25)
अधर्मभयभीतश्च परलोकस्य चानघ। तेन लक्ष्मण नाद्याहमात्मानमभिषेचये॥ २६॥
Meaning
“I am afraid of sin that will be incurred by me if I fail to help my father in implementing the boons conferred by him on Kaikeyī as well as of ruining my prospects in the other world, O sinless Lakṣmaṇa ! Hence I do not install myself in the office of Prince Regent (by force) today.” (26)
एतदन्यच्च करुणं विलप्य विजने बहु। अश्रुपूर्णमुखो दीनो निशि तूष्णीमुपाविशत्॥ २७॥
Meaning
Having wailed piteously as aforesaid and in many other ways in that lonely forest, Śrī Rāma sat quiet during the night, afflicted as he was, his face bathed in tears. (27)
विलापोपरतं रामं गतार्चिषमिवानलम्। समुद्रमिव निर्वेगमाश्वासयत लक्ष्मणः॥ २८॥
Meaning
Lakṣmaṇa comforted Śrī Rāma as follows when the latter had ceased lamenting and looked like a fire whose flames had gone out and a sea that had lost its vehemence : (28)
ध्रुवमद्य पुरी राम अयोध्याऽऽयुधिनां वर। निष्प्रभा त्वयि निष्क्रान्ते गतचन्द्रेव शर्वरी॥ २९॥
Meaning
“The city of Ayodhyā, O Rāma, now that you have come away from it, has undoubtedly been divested of its splendour and resembles a night without the moon, O jewel among armed warriors ! (29)
नैतदौपयिकं राम यदिदं परितप्यसे। विषादयसि सीतां च मां चैव पुरुषर्षभ॥ ३०॥
Meaning
“It is not desirable, O Rāma, that you should grieve in this way. You make Sītā and myself too sad thereby, O jewel among men! (30)
न च सीता त्वया हीना न चाहमपि राघव। मुहूर्तमपि जीवावो जलान्मत्स्याविवोद्धृतौ॥ ३१॥
Meaning
“Bereft of you, O scion of Raghu, neither Sītā nor I myself can survive even for a shortwhile any more than fish taken out of water. (31)
नहि तातं न शत्रुघ्नं न सुमित्रां परंतप। द्रष्टुमिच्छेयमद्याहं स्वर्गं चापि त्वया विना॥ ३२॥
Meaning
“Today I wish to see neither father nor Śatrughna (my younger brother) nor Sumitrā (my own mother) nor even heaven without you, O tormentor of foes !” (32)
ततस्तत्र समासीनौ नातिदूरे निरीक्ष्य ताम्। न्यग्रोधे सुकृतां शय्यां भेजाते धर्मवत्सलौ॥ ३३॥
Meaning
Perceiving a bed decently prepared by Lakṣmaṇa at the foot of the banyan tree not very far from the place occupied by them, while they were comfortably seated there, Śrī Rāma and Sītā, who were tenderly alive to their duty, then sought the bed. (33)
स लक्ष्मणस्योत्तमपुष्कलं वचो निशम्य चैवं वनवासमादरात्। समाः समस्ता विदधे परंतपः प्रपद्य धर्मं सुचिराय राघवः॥ ३४॥
Meaning
Hearing attentively the excellently-worded and comprehensive submission of Lakṣmaṇa, reproduced above, and embracing for a fairly lengthy period the course of conduct prescribed for hermits, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, the tormentor of foes, resolved to spend all the years of his exile with Lakṣmaṇa. (34)
ततस्तु तस्मिन् विजने महाबलौ महावने राघववंशवर्धनौ। न तौ भयं सम्भ्रममभ्युपेयतु- र्यथैव सिंहौ गिरिसानुगोचरौ॥ ३५॥
Meaning
Thenceforward the two exceptionally mighty princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the promoters of the race of Raghu, never experienced fear or agitation while dwelling in that great lonely forest any more than a couple of lions living on a mountain-peak. (35)
Ramayan appFree. No ads. Works offline.InstallFrom the Gita Press, Gorakhpur edition. Buy the book