---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-57"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57

> कथयित्वा तु दुःखार्तः सुमन्त्रेण चिरं सह।  
> रामे दक्षिणकूलस्थे जगाम स्वगृहं गुहः॥ १॥

Having talked long with Sumantra on the virtues of Śrī Rāma, Guha for his part, stricken as he was with agony due to separation from Śrī Rāma, left for his home when Śrī Rāma set his foot on the southern bank of the Gaṅgā. (1)

> भरद्वाजाभिगमनं प्रयागे च सभाजनम्।  
> आ गिरेर्गमनं तेषां तत्रस्थैरभिलक्षितम्॥ २॥

The meeting of Śrī Rāma and others with Bharadwāja at Prayāga and their reception by the latter as well as their journey up to the Citrakūta hill was witnessed by the spies of Guha, resident of Śṛṅgaverapura and reported to Guha, who apprised Sumantra of it. (2)

> अनुज्ञातः सुमन्त्रोऽथ योजयित्वा हयोत्तमान्।  
> अयोध्यामेव नगरीं प्रययौ गाढदुर्मनाः॥ ३॥

Therefore, yoking the excellent horses to his chariot, taking leave of Guha, Sumantra drove straight to Ayodhyā, deeply disconsolate at heart. (3)

> स वनानि सुगन्धीनि सरितश्च सरांसि च।  
> पश्यन् यत्तो ययौ शीघ्रं ग्रामाणि नगराणि च॥ ४॥

Viewing woodlands diffusing sweet odours, rivers and lakes, villages and cities, the charioteer carefully drove along at a quick speed. (4)

> ततः सायाह्नसमये द्वितीयेऽहनि सारथिः।  
> अयोध्यां समनुप्राप्य निरानन्दां ददर्श ह॥ ५॥

Duly reaching Ayodhyā at dusk on the second day (since his departure from Śṛṅgaverapura), the charioteer found it cheerless : so it is said. (5)

> स शून्यामिव निःशब्दां दृष्ट्वा परमदुर्मनाः।  
> सुमन्त्रश्चिन्तयामास शोकवेगसमाहतः॥ ६॥

Greatly troubled in mind to see Ayodhyā noiseless as though desolate, and overpowered with the vehemence of grief, Sumantra reflected : (6)

> कच्चिन्न सगजा साश्वा सजना सजनाधिपा।  
> रामसंतापदुःखेन दग्धा शोकाग्निना पुरी॥ ७॥

“I hope the city of Ayodhyā with its elephants, horses, people and sovereign has not been consumed by the fire of grief caused by the agony of separation from Śrī Rāma.”(7)

> इति चिन्तापरः सूतो वाजिभिः शीघ्रयायिभिः।  
> नगरद्वारमासाद्य त्वरितः प्रविवेश ह॥ ८॥

Reaching the city gate by the chariot driven by swift-going horses, while pondering thus, the charioteer, they say, hastily entered the city. (8)

> सुमन्त्रमभिधावन्तः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः।  
> क्व राम इति पृच्छन्तः सूतमभ्यद्रवन् नराः॥ ९॥

Inquiring where Śrī Rāma was, people forthwith rushed in their hundreds and thousands towards Sumantra, who was driving in the direction of the palace. (9)

> तेषां शशंस गङ्गायामहमापृच्छ्य राघवम्।  
> अनुज्ञातो निवृत्तोऽस्मि धार्मिकेण महात्मना॥ १०॥

He replied to them, “Taking leave of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), when sent back by that pious and lofty-minded prince, on the bank of the Gaṅgā at Śṛṅgaverapura, I have returned from that place.” (10)

> ते तीर्णा इति विज्ञाय बाष्पपूर्णमुखा नराः।  
> अहो धिगिति निःश्वस्य हा रामेति विचुक्रुशुः॥ ११॥

Coming to know for certain that the exiles had crossed the Gaṅgā, and sighing with the words “Oh, fie upon us !” people with their faces bathed in tears cried aloud, “Ah Rāma !” (11)

> शुश्राव च वचस्तेषां वृन्दं वृन्दं च तिष्ठताम्।  
> हताः स्म खलु ये नेह पश्याम इति राघवम्॥ १२॥

Nay, he heard the lament of the people, who stood in batches saying, “Doomed indeed are we, who do not perceive Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) in this chariot ! (12)

> दानयज्ञविवाहेषु समाजेषु महत्सु च।  
> न द्रक्ष्यामः पुनर्जातु धार्मिकं राममन्तरा॥ १३॥

“Alas, we shall never see the pious Śrī Rāma in our midst again on the occasions of bestowing gifts, sacrificial performances and weddings nor in large gatherings. (13)

> किं समर्थं जनस्यास्य किं प्रियं किं सुखावहम्।  
> इति रामेण नगरं पित्रेव परिपालितम्॥ १४॥

“The citizens of Ayodhyā were looked after by Śrī Rāma as by a father with due regard to what was conducive to one’s good, what was agreeable to an individual and what brought happiness to one.” (14)

> वातायनगतानां च स्त्रीणामन्वन्तरापणम्।  
> राममेवाभितप्तानां शुश्राव परिदेवनाम्॥ १५॥

Driving through the bazars, Sumantra heard the wailing of women standing at the windows of their houses and feeling distressed on account of Śrī Rāma’s exile. (15)

> स राजमार्गमध्येन सुमन्त्रः पिहिताननः।  
> यत्र राजा दशरथस्तदेवोपययौ गृहम्॥ १६॥

His face covered with cloth, the said Sumantra headed through the middle of the king’s highway towards the palace where King Daśaratha was. (16)

> सोऽवतीर्य रथाच्छीघ्रं राजवेश्म प्रविश्य च।  
> कक्ष्याः सप्ताभिचक्राम महाजनसमाकुलाः॥ १७॥

Quickly alighting from the chariot and entering the royal palace, he crossed the seven portals thronged with large crowds of men. (17)

> हर्म्यैर्विमानैः प्रासादैरवेक्ष्याथ समागतम्।  
> हाहाकारकृता नार्यो रामादर्शनकर्शिताः॥ १८॥

Finding from their mansions, seven-storied buildings and palaces that Sumantra had duly returned from the forest without Śrī Rāma, ladies, who had been emaciated because of their not being able to see Śrī Rāma all these days, burst into a loud wail. (18)

> आयतैर्विमलैर्नेत्रैरश्रुवेगपरिप्लुतैः।  
> अन्योन्यमभिवीक्षन्तेऽव्यक्तमार्ततराः स्त्रियः॥ १९॥

Deeply distressed, the ladies gazed on one another vacantly with their big eyes flooded with an upsurge of tears and, therefore, rid of their collyrium. (19)

> ततो दशरथस्त्रीणां प्रासादेभ्यस्ततस्ततः।  
> रामशोकाभितप्तानां मन्दं शुश्राव जल्पितम्॥ २०॥

Then he heard the talk in low tones of the consorts of Emperor Daśaratha—who were stricken with grief caused by separation from Śrī Rāma—from their palaces here and there. (20)

> सह रामेण निर्यातो विना राममिहागतः।  
> सूतः किं नाम कौसल्यां क्रोशन्तीं प्रतिवक्ष्यति॥ २१॥

“They said to one another : “What reply will the charioteer (Sumantra), who departed from Ayodhyā with Rāma and has returned to the capital without Rāma, give to the screaming Kausalyā when questioned by her? (21)

> यथा च मन्ये दुर्जीवमेवं न सुकरं ध्रुवम्।  
> आच्छिद्य पुत्रे निर्याते कौसल्या यत्र जीवति॥ २२॥

“Since Kausalyā continues to survive even though her son Rāma has left Ayodhyā relinquishing the throne, I am led to believe that surely it is not so easy to end one’s life, as it is hard to preserve life against odds.” (22)

> सत्यरूपं तु तद् वाक्यं राजस्त्रीणां निशामयन्।  
> प्रदीप्त इव शोकेन विवेश सहसा गृहम्॥ २३॥

Hearing the aforesaid truthful assertion of the King’s consorts, Sumantra for his part entered the palace all at once as though he were set ablaze with grief. (23)

> स प्रविश्याष्टमीं कक्ष्यां राजानं दीनमातुरम्।  
> पुत्रशोकपरिद्यूनमपश्यत् पाण्डुरे गृहे॥ २४॥

Entering the eighth gateway, he beheld in the white chamber the afflicted and over-anxious monarch withered through grief for his son. (24)

> अभिगम्य तमासीनं राजानमभिवाद्य च।  
> सुमन्त्रो रामवचनं यथोक्तं प्रत्यवेदयत्॥ २५॥

Approaching the aforesaid king, who was seated, and greeting him, Sumantra delivered to him the message of Śrī Rāma, as instructed by the latter. (25)

> स तूष्णीमेव तच्छ्रुत्वा राजा विद्रुतमानसः।  
> मूर्च्छितो न्यपतद् भूमौ रामशोकाभिपीडितः॥ २६॥

Hearing that message in perfect silence, the aforesaid monarch felt perplexed in mind and dropped unconscious to the ground, tormented as he was with grief caused by separation from Śrī Rāma. (26)

> ततोऽन्तःपुरमाविद्धं मूर्च्छिते पृथिवीपतौ।  
> उच्छ्रित्य बाहू चुक्रोश नृपतौ पतिते क्षितौ॥ २७॥

The Emperor having fainted, the entire gynaeceum now felt sore distressed. And when the king fell to the ground, the inmates of the gynaeceum burst into a wail raising their arms. (27)

> सुमित्रया तु सहिता कौसल्या पतितं पतिम्।  
> उत्थापयामास तदा वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥ २८॥

Assisted by Sumitrā, Kausalyā for her part lifted up her fallen husband on that occasion and submitted as follows : (28)

> इमं तस्य महाभाग दूतं दुष्करकारिणः।  
> वनवासादनुप्राप्तं कस्मान्न प्रतिभाषसे॥ २९॥

“Wherefore, O highly blessed king, do you not make answer to the messenger of Rāma—who has accomplished a difficult task—returned from his recent trip to the forest? (29)

> अद्येममनयं कृत्वा व्यपत्रपसि राघव।  
> उत्तिष्ठ सुकृतं तेऽस्तु शोके न स्यात् सहायता॥ ३०॥

“Having perpetrated this unseemly act in the shape of banishing your eldest and worthiest son, do you feel abashed today, O scion of Raghu? Kindly get up ! Let your virtue resulting from your devotion to truth abide. In the event of your giving way to grief, your associates too may cease to be. (30)

> देव यस्या भयाद् रामं नानुपृच्छसि सारथिम्।  
> नेह तिष्ठति कैकेयी विश्रब्धं प्रतिभाष्यताम्॥ ३१॥

“Kaikeyī, for fear of whom you do not address inquiries concerning Rāma to the charioteer (Sumantra), O lord, is not present here. Therefore, reply may be given to Sumantra with confidence.” (31)

> सा तथोक्त्वा महाराजं कौसल्या शोकलालसा।  
> धरण्यां निपपाताशु बाष्पविप्लुतभाषिणी॥ ३२॥

Having submitted to the Emperor as aforesaid, the celebrated Kausalyā, who was wholly given up to grief, and was faltering through tears, forthwith dropped to the ground. (32)

> विलपन्तीं तथा दृष्ट्वा कौसल्यां पतितां भुवि।  
> पतिं चावेक्ष्य ताः सर्वाः समन्ताद् रुरुदुः स्त्रियः॥ ३३॥

Seeing Kausalyā fallen to the ground, wailing as aforesaid, and gazing on their husband lying senseless, all those ladies around her wept. (33)

> ततस्तमन्तःपुरनादमुत्थितं  
> समीक्ष्य वृद्धास्तरुणाश्च मानवाः।  
> स्त्रियश्च सर्वा रुरुदुः समन्ततः  
> पुरं तदासीत् पुनरेव संकुलम्॥ ३४॥

Perceiving that plaintive cry raised in the gynaeceum, men, both aged and young, and all women flocked around weeping and the city of Ayodhyā was agitated once more. (34)

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