---
title: "Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 88"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/valmiki-ramayana/ayodhya-kanda/sarga-88"
lang: "en"
---

# Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 88

> तच्छ्रुत्वा निपुणं सर्वं भरतः सह मन्त्रिभिः।  
> इङ्गुदीमूलमागम्य रामशय्यामवैक्षत॥ १॥

Hearing all that attentively and reaching the foot of the Iṅgudi tree with the king’s counsellors, Bharata saw Śrī Rāma’s bed. (1)

> अब्रवीज्जननीः सर्वा इह तस्य महात्मनः।  
> शर्वरी शयिता भूमाविदमस्य विमर्दितम्॥ २॥

He said to all his mothers, “Here was the night spent by that high-souled prince lying on the ground. These are the blades of Kuśa grass crushed by his body while reposing on them. (2)

> महाराजकुलीनेन महाभागेन धीमता।  
> जातो दशरथेनोर्व्यां न रामः स्वप्तुमर्हति॥ ३॥

“Śrī Rāma, who was procreated by the wise and highly blessed Daśaratha, born in the line of great kings, does not deserve to sleep on the ground without any shade or couch. (3)

> अजिनोत्तरसंस्तीर्णे वरास्तरणसंचये।  
> शयित्वा पुरुषव्याघ्रः कथं शेते महीतले॥ ४॥

“Having reposed all along on a bed consisting of a pile of excellent rugs and covered with an outermost covering of superb deerskin fit for kings, how does Śrī Rāma, a tiger among men, sleep on the ground? (4)

> प्रासादाग्रविमानेषु वलभीषु च सर्वदा।  
> हैमराजतभौमेषु वरास्तरणशालिषु॥ ५॥  
> पुष्पसंचयचित्रेषु चन्दनागुरुगन्धिषु।  
> पाण्डुराभ्रप्रकाशेषु शुकसंघरुतेषु च॥ ६॥  
> प्रासादवरवर्येषु शीतवत्सु सुगन्धिषु।  
> उषित्वा मेरुकल्पेषु कृतकाञ्चनभित्तिषु॥ ७॥  
> गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषैर्वराभरणनिःस्वनैः।  
> मृदङ्गवरशब्दैश्च सततं प्रतिबोधितः॥ ८॥

“Sleeping always on the topmost storey of palaces built after the style of aerial cars and in turrets and in the foremost apartments of excellent seven-storeyed buildings—which were provided with floors paved with gold and silver and furnished with excellent carpets, which looked picturesque with heaps of flowers and were fragrant with the odour of sandalwood and aloe, which shone like white clouds and were noisy with the chatter of flocks of parrots, where natural coolness prevailed and which emitted a sweet fragrance of camphor etc., nay which vied with Mount Meru in height and whose walls were inlaid with gold—he was awakened everyday by the strains of vocal and instrumental music, the tinkling of excellent jewels and the excellent sound of clay tomtoms. (5—8)

> बन्दिभिर्वन्दितः काले बहुभिः सूतमागधैः।  
> गाथाभिरनुरूपाभिः स्तुतिभिश्च परंतपः॥ ९॥

“Again Śrī Rāma, the tormentor of his enemy, was glorified at the time of waking by a number of panegyrists, bards and minstrels through appropriate verses and songs of praise. (9)

> अश्रद्धेयमिदं लोके न सत्यं प्रतिभाति मा।  
> मुह्यते खलु मे भावः स्वप्नोऽयमिति मे मतिः॥ १०॥

“This is incredible in the world and does not appear true to me. My mind is really confused. My conclusion, therefore, is that this is a dream. (10)

> न नूनं दैवतं किंचित् कालेन बलवत्तरम्।  
> यत्र दाशरथी रामो भूमावेवमशेत सः॥ ११॥  
> यस्मिन् विदेहराजस्य सुता च प्रियदर्शना।  
> दयिता शयिता भूमौ स्नुषा दशरथस्य च॥ १२॥

“Surely there is no deity more powerful than Time (the will of God), impelled by which the aforesaid Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, reposes on the ground in this way and by force of which the daughter of Janaka (the king of the Videha territory), who is so pleasing to the sight and the beloved daughter-in-law of Daśaratha, has to lie down on the ground. (11-12)

> इयं शय्या मम भ्रातुरिदमावर्तितं शुभम्।  
> स्थण्डिले कठिने सर्वं गात्रैर्विमृदितं तृणम्॥ १३॥

“This is the bed of my elder brother and here are the blessed marks of his changing sides in the form of all the blades of Kuśa grass crushed by his limbs against the hard ground. (13)

> मन्ये साभरणा सुप्ता सीतास्मिन्शयने शुभा।  
> तत्र तत्र हि दृश्यन्ते सक्ताः कनकबिन्दवः॥ १४॥

“It appears the blessed Sītā lay down decked with ornaments on this bed; for here and there are seen stuck to the grass particles of gold. (14)

> उत्तरीयमिहासक्तं सुव्यक्तं सीतया तदा।  
> तथा ह्येते प्रकाशन्ते सक्ताः कौशेयतन्तवः॥ १५॥

“Sītā quite evidently had her upper garment entangled with these blades of grass at that time. That is why these silk threads appear stuck to them. (15)

> मन्ये भर्तुः सुखा शय्या येन बाला तपस्विनी।  
> सुकुमारी सती दुःखं न विजानाति मैथिली॥ १६॥

“I conclude the husband’s bed, be it soft or hard, is comfortable at all events to a devoted wife, as is evident from the fact that Sītā, the princess of Mithilā, though youthful and tender, experiences no smart even while reposing on such a hard and rough bed, virtuous as she is and devoted to austerities. (16)

> हा हतोऽस्मि नृशंसोऽस्मि यत् सभार्यः कृते मम।  
> ईदृशीं राघवः शय्यामधिशेते ह्यनाथवत्॥ १७॥

“Alas, I am ruined. Cruel am I, in that on my account Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) with his wife has to lie down on such a hard bed like a forlorn creature ! (17)

> सार्वभौमकुले जातः सर्वलोकसुखावहः।  
> सर्वप्रियकरस्त्यक्त्वा राज्यं प्रियमनुत्तमम्॥ १८॥  
> कथमिन्दीवरश्यामो रक्ताक्षः प्रियदर्शनः।  
> सुखभागी न दुःखार्हः शयितो भुवि राघवः॥ १९॥

“Relinquishing his beloved rulership, which is unsurpassed, how did Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), born in a line of universal monarchs, who brings happiness to the whole world and does good to all, who is blue as a lotus, has reddish eyes and is pleasing of appearance and who is deserving of happiness and unworthy of suffering, lie down on the ground? (18-19)

> धन्यः खलु महाभागो लक्ष्मणः शुभलक्षणः।  
> भ्रातरं विषमे काले यो राममनुवर्तते॥ २०॥

“Blessed and highly fortunate indeed is Lakṣmaṇa, endowed with auspicious bodily marks, who is following his eldest brother in a critical period of his life ! (20)

> सिद्धार्था खलु वैदेही पतिं यानुगता वनम्।  
> वयं संशयिताः सर्वे हीनास्तेन महात्मना॥ २१॥

“Truly accomplished of purpose is Sītā, a princess of the Videha kingdom, who followed her husband to the forest ! We are, however, all plunged in doubt as to our getting a chance to serve him, bereft as we are of that high-souled prince. (21)

> अकर्णधारा पृथिवी शून्येव प्रतिभाति मे।  
> गते दशरथे स्वर्गं रामे चारण्यमाश्रिते॥ २२॥

“Emperor Daśaratha having ascended to heaven and Śrī Rāma having taken up his abode in the forest, the earth appears desolate to me like a boat without a pilot. (22)

> न च प्रार्थयते कश्चिन्मनसापि वसुंधराम्।  
> वने निवसतस्तस्य बाहुवीर्याभिरक्षिताम्॥ २३॥

“Nor does anyone lay claim even with his mind to the sovereignty of the globe, which stands protected on all sides by the very might of arms of Śrī Rāma dwelling in the forest. (23)

> शून्यसंवरणारक्षामयन्त्रितहयद्विपाम्।  
> अनावृतपुरद्वारां राजधानीमरक्षिताम्॥ २४॥  
> अप्रहृष्टबलां शून्यां विषमस्थामनावृताम्।  
> शत्रवो नाभिमन्यन्ते भक्ष्यान् विषकृतानिव॥ २५॥

“The enemies do not claim as their own, any more than one would like to have articles made of poisoned food, the capital, Ayodhyā, whose protective wall is lying undefended, the horses and elephants in which roam about uncontrolled, whose entrances are never closed and the troops stationed in which are cheerless, and as such which is altogether unprotected, unguarded, desolate and reduced to a wretched condition. (24-25)

> अद्यप्रभृति भूमौ तु शयिष्येऽहं तृणेषु वा।  
> फलमूलाशनो नित्यं जटाचीराणि धारयन्॥ २६॥

“From this day onward I shall lie down on the bare ground or on blades of grass, living on fruits and roots alone from day to day and wearing matted hair on my head and the bark of trees on my person. (26)

> तस्याहमुत्तरं कालं निवत्स्यामि सुखं वने।  
> तत् प्रतिश्रुतमार्यस्य नैव मिथ्या भविष्यति॥ २७॥

“I shall comfortably dwell in the forest for the rest of the period of Śrī Rāma’s exile as his representative. In that way, the well-known vow of my elder brother will not be belied. (27)

> वसन्तं भ्रातुरर्थाय शत्रुघ्नो मानुवत्स्यति।  
> लक्ष्मणेन सहायोध्यामार्यो मे पालयिष्यति॥ २८॥

“Śatrughna will dwel with me when I live in the forest on behalf of my elder brother; while the latter with Lakṣmaṇa will protect Ayodhyā. (28)

> अभिषेक्ष्यन्ति काकुत्स्थमयोध्यायां द्विजातयः।  
> अपि मे देवताः कुर्युरिमं सत्यं मनोरथम्॥ २९॥

“The Brāhmaṇas will install Śrī Rāma (a scion of Kakutstha) on the throne of Ayodhyā. May the gods fulfil this desire of mine. (29)

> प्रसाद्यमानः शिरसा मया स्वयं  
> बहुप्रकारं यदि न प्रपत्स्यते।  
> ततोऽनुवत्स्यामि चिराय राघवं  
> वनेचरं नार्हति मामुपेक्षितुम्॥ ३०

“If he does not agree to return to Ayodhyā even when being solicited by me personally in many ways with my head bent low, in that case I shall dwell with Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu) for any length of time so long as he roams about in the forest. He ought not to disregard me, I think. (30)

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