Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 64

Meaning

Recalling how that great seer was killed undeservedly by him, the pious-minded Daśaratha, a scion of Raghu, for his part continued to speak as follows to Kausalyā, mourning all the time for his son : (1)

Meaning

“Having perpetrated through ignorance that egregious sin, I thought with the help of my reason, my senses being utterly confounded and I being alone, how good luck may yet attend on me. (2)

Meaning

“Taking that pitcher (left by the deceased) when it had been filled with purified water of the Sarayū, and proceeding along the track already pointed out by the hermit boy, I reached the hermitage referred to by the deceased. (3)

Meaning

“There I saw his feeble, blind and aged parents, with none to conduct them here and there and resembling a pair of birds whose wings had been clipped. (4)

Meaning

“Remaining occupied with talks concerning their only son, they sat free from ennui and like two forlorn persons they fondly hugged the hope of meeting their son, though deprived of it through my doing. (5)

Meaning

“My intellect being already clouded with grief and my mind dismayed through apprehension of incurring the displeasure of the ascetic couple, I fell a prey to further grief on reaching the site of that hermitage. (6)

Meaning

“Hearing my footfalls, the sage for his part spoke as follows : ‘Why are you tarrying, my son? Pray, bring water immediately. (7)

Meaning

“ ‘Your mother here is seized with anxiety because, O dear son, you have sported in water so long; pray, enter the hermitage without delay. (8)

Meaning

“ ‘The offence, if any, that may have been given to you by your mother or myself, my son, should not be taken to heart by you, my child, an ascetic that you are. (9)

Meaning

“ ‘You are our support, supportless as we are; nay, you are our eyesight, sightless as we are. Our senses are focussed on you. How then do you not speak to me?’ (10)

Meaning

“As though frightened in mind to behold the sage, I replied to him in faltering and inarticulate words, lacking in certain consonants. (11)

Meaning

“Fully controlling fear (which is an action of the mind) by means of outward signs (showing fearlessness) and acquiring the power of expression, I for my part told him (in the following words) of the fear that awaited him as a result of his son’s death. (12)

Meaning

“ ‘I am a Kṣatriya named Daśaratha, and not the son of your exalted self. As a result of my own action this agony, which is despised by noble men, has been reaped by me. (13)

Meaning

“ ‘Desirous of killing any beast of prey or elephant arrived in a ford for drinking water, I sought the bank of the Sarayū, bow in hand, O holy sage ! (14)

Meaning

“ ‘Presently was heard by me the sound of a pitcher being filled in water. I stood unsuspecting, believing that it was an elephant that was making the sound and the living being (responsible for the sound) was hit by me with an arrow. (15)

Meaning

“ ‘Proceeding to the bank of the river immediately I found an ascetic lying on the ground with his life well-nigh extinct, pierced as he was with the arrow in the heart. (16)

Meaning

“ ‘Then, drawing near, at the instance of the ascetic himself, who had been suffering intense pain, the said arrow was immediately extracted from his vital part by me. (17)

Meaning

“ ‘With the arrow extracted from his bosom, the ascetic forthwith ascended to heaven, grieving for you both, and lamenting on the ground that you were blind. (18)

Meaning

“ ‘Through ignorance your son has been rashly killed by me. Such being the case, may Your Holiness be pleased to direct what remains to be done.’ (19)

Meaning

“Hearing that cruel story related by me, who confessed the guilt, the aforesaid sage, though capable of pronouncing a terrible curse, could not do so, my sin having been attenuated by voluntary confession. (20)

Meaning

“Stupefied through grief and sighing, his face bathed in tears, the sage, who was exceptionally glorious, replied as follows to me, who stood near him with folded hands : (21)

Meaning

“ ‘Had you not told me of this evil deed yourself, your head, O king, would have instantly split into a hundred or even thousand pieces. (22)

Meaning

“ ‘The death of a hermit wittingly brought about by a Kṣatriya in particular, O king, is sure to bring down even Indra, the wielder of a thunderbolt, from his position. (23)

Meaning

“ ‘Nay, the head of a man consciously hurling a weapon against such a hermit, remaining engaged in austerities and expounding the Vedas, is sure to split into seven. (24)

Meaning

“ ‘Since this sinful deed has been done by you actually through ignorance, therefore you survive. Otherwise the race of the Raghus itself would have become extinct, much more you.’ (25)

Meaning

“The sage further said to me, ‘Take us, O monarch, to that place where my son is lying dead. We two long today to see that son of ours—whom, alas, we are going to see for the last time—lying unconscious on the ground, transferred to the control of Dharmarāja (the god of piety, who receives virtuous souls into his realm after death), his whole body bathed in blood and his robes of deerskin thrown about.’ (26-27)

Meaning

“I took the sore afflicted couple to that spot single-handed, and I immediately made that sage with his wife touch his son. (28)

Meaning

“Approaching that son of theirs and touching him, the two ascetics fell on his person and the father addressed him as follows : so the tradition goes : (29)

Meaning

“ ‘You do not greet me today as you used to do before, nor do you speak to me. Moreover, why are you actually lying on the ground, my darling? Are you really displeased with me? (30)

Meaning

“ ‘If I am unwelcome to you, my son, look at your pious mother. Moreover, why do you not embrace her, my tender son? Pray, address loving words to me. (31)

Meaning

“ ‘Whose heart-captivating voice shall I hear now in the latter half of the night, reading in particularly sweet tones from any scripture or other sacred book? (32)

Meaning

“ ‘Who, having bathed, worshipped Sandhyā (the goddess presiding over the morning twilight) and offered oblations to the sacred fire, and seated by my side, will console me, tormented with grief and fear caused by the death of my son? (33)

Meaning

“ ‘Who, having fetched bulbs, roots and fruits, will feed me as one would entertain a beloved guest, unfit as I am for work, resourceless and guideless? (34)

Meaning

“ ‘How, my son, shall I be able to support this mother of yours, who is not only blind, aged and given to austerities, but also miserable and full of longing for her son? (35)

Meaning

“ ‘Tarry, my son, pray, do not, O do not yet proceed to the abode of Yama (the god of death). Tomorrow you will go with me and accompanied by your mother too. (36)

Meaning

“ ‘Stricken with grief, devoid of a supporter and leading a wretched life in the forest, we shall both proceed to Yama’s abode without delay, bereft as we are of you. (37)

Meaning

‘Seeing Yama (son of Vivaswān, the sun-god) I shall then address the following prayer to him: ‘May King Dharma (the god of piety) be pleased to condone my fault. Let this son of mine continue to support us, his parents, as heretofore. (38)

Meaning

“ ‘A pious-minded and highly illustrious guardian of the world, you ought to vouchsafe in my favour this one imperishable boon and make me fearless for ever, reduced as I am to this plight, (39)

Meaning

“ ‘Though killed as a result of some sinful act committed in some previous existence, you are really sinless. Therefore, endowed as you are with truthfulness, speedily ascend, my son, to the realms which are attained by those who die fighting with weapons. (40)

Meaning

“ ‘Reach, my son, that highest destiny to which actually attain heroic warriors never retreating from the fields of battle and killed while facing the enemy. (41)

Meaning

“ ‘Reach, my dear child, the same goal to which attained Emperors Sagara, Śaibya, Dilīpa, Janamejaya, Nahuṣa and Dhundhumāra. (42)

Meaning

“ ‘Get merged, my dear son, in the same Brahma which is the goal of all living beings, attainable through study of the Vedas and asceticism, and attain that destiny which is reserved for a donor of land, for him who has maintained the sacred fire all his life, who has taken a vow of marrying a single wife, those who have gifted a thousand cows, those who are vowed to the service of their preceptor or who have dropped their body by journeying to the Himālayas or drowning themselves in water or leaping into the flames. (43-44)

Meaning

“ ‘In fact no one born in this race of ascetics can ever meet with an evil destiny after death. He alone by whom you, my son, have been killed will meet with such a destiny.’ (45)

Meaning

“The ascetic piteously wailed again and again as aforesaid on that spot. Thereafter he proceeded with his wife to offer libations of water to the spirit of his departed son. (46)

Meaning

“By virtue of his own virtuous deeds, that sage’s son, for his part, who knew what is right, immediately ascended in an ethereal form to heaven in the company of Indra, who had evidently come in person drawn by the exceptional merits of the hermit in order to escort him. (47)

Meaning

“Nay, the ascetic for his part alongwith Indra talked with the aged couple and, comforting them awhile, spoke to his father as follows : (48)

Meaning

‘Through service rendered to you both I have attained an exalted place. You two as well will soon reach my presence.’ (49)

Meaning

“Having spoken as aforesaid the sage’s son, for his part, who had subdued his senses, quickly rose to heaven in a shapely aerial car of heavenly design. (50)

Meaning

“Having quickly offered libations of water with his wife, the exceptionally glorious ascetic spoke as follows to me, who stood near him with folded hands : (51)

Meaning

“ ‘Since with one arrow you have rendered me sonless—me, who had only one son, pray, kill me as well this very day, O king; no agony will be experienced by me in dying. (52)

Meaning

“ ‘Again, since that boy of mine has been killed by you through ignorance, I shall accordingly pronounce a most painful and very severe curse on you too. (53)

Meaning

“ ‘As this agony caused by the death of my son is being experienced by me at this moment (through you), you too will likewise meet your end through grief born of separation from your son. (54)

Meaning

“ ‘Since, however, an ascetic has been killed by you, a Kṣatriya, through ignorance, the sin of killing a Brāhmaṇa is not going to visit you forthwith (as may be feared by you), O ruler of men ! (55)

Meaning

“ ‘A similar situation that will not only be dreadful but will prove fatal to you will soon confront you even as merit accrues to the giver of a donation to the priest.’ (56)

Meaning

“Having pronounced this execration on me and piteously wailing a lot, and throwing their body into the funeral pile, the aforesaid couple rose to heaven. (57)

Meaning

“The sin committed by me on that occasion through folly by first discharging and then extracting an arrow capable of hitting an invisible mark with the help of its sound was automatically recalled by me while brooding over the present predicament, O godly lady ! (58)

Meaning

“The bitter fruit of that sinful deed, O queen ! has now come upon me even as illness follows as a matter of course in the wake of nutriment taken with zest alongwith unwholesome (seasoned) articles. (59)

Meaning

“Therefore, the fruit of the aforesaid imprecation of that great sage has come to me, O blessed lady !” Saying so, the said Emperor spoke weeping again to his wife, Kausalyā, frightened as he was at the approach of death in the absence of Śrī Rāma : (60)

Meaning

“Since I am soon going to yield up the ghost out of grief born of separation from my son, Śrī Rāma, I no longer perceive you with my eyes, O Kausalyā ! Therefore, touch you me to convince me of your presence by my side; for men who have reached the threshold of the abode of Yama (the god of death) no longer discern anyone. Should Rāma touch me only once or regain my wealth or the office of Prince Regent, I might yet survive: such is my belief. The wrong which has been done by me to Rāma (a scion of Raghu) is not becoming of me, O pious lady, while the obligation which has been done by him to me by redeeming my promise and waiving his rightful claim to the throne of Ayodhyā is worthy of him alone. What wise man on earth would forsake a son even of bad morals? And what son when being sent into exile by his father would not find fault with his father? I can no longer see you with my eyes and my memory too is fading. Nay, these messengers of Yama (son of Vivaswān, the sun-god), are urging me to make haste, O Kausalyā ! Really speaking, what can be more painful than the fact that even at the end of my life I cannot behold Rāma, of unfailing prowess, who knows what is right ! “The grief born of my not being able to see my son of incomparable deeds is really drying up my vitality even as sunshine dries up meagre water. They who will be able to behold again in the fifteenth year Rāma’s face with lovely and beautiful earrings are not men but gods. Lucky men alone will look on the moon-like countenance of Rāma with eyes resembling lotus petals, shapely eyebrows, lovely teeth and a charming nose. Blessed are they who will see the sweet-smelling face of my Rāma, resembling the autumnal moon and a full-blown lotus. The happy alone will behold the celebrated Rāma returned to Ayodhyā on his term of exile having expired, even as people see with delight the planet Venus reverted to its usual course. Due to obtuseness of mind, O Kausalyā, my heart is sinking, and I have no sensation of sound, touch and taste even when these objects of senses are brought into contact with my senses; for all the senses are obscured as a result of the failure of the mind, even as the exceedingly luminous rays of a lamp, whose oil has been consumed, disappear. (61—73)

Meaning

“This grief, which has emanated from my own self, is rendering me helpless and unconscious by its vehemence in the same way as the current of a river wears away its own bank by its swift motion. (74)

Meaning

“Ah! mighty-armed scion of Raghu, O reliever of my suffering, O darling of your father, Ah! my protector. Ah! my son, are you really gone out of sight? (75)

Meaning

“Ah Kausalyā, I can no longer see with my eyes. Ah Sumitrā, given to austerities ! Oh cruel Kaikeyī, my sworn enemy, the disgrace of my family !” (76)

Meaning

Lamenting thus in the presence of Śrī Rāma’s mother, Kausalyā, and Sumitrā, King Daśaratha reached the end of his life. (77)

Meaning

Speaking as aforesaid, the king of noble aspect, who was already feeling miserable and distressed on the score of his beloved son’s exile, felt sore stricken with agony by the time half the night passed and forthwith gave up the ghost. (78)