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Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda · Chapter 57

Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 57

अयोध्याकाण्डः सर्गः 57

29 verses

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

kathayitvā tu duḥkhārtaḥ sumantreṇa ciraṃ saha| rāme dakṣiṇakūlasthe jagāma svagṛhaṃ guhaḥ||

Having for a long time conversed with Sumantra, Guha distressed at heart on Rāma reaching the southern bank, retraced his steps homewards.

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भरद्वाजाभिगमनं प्रयागे च सभाजनम्। आ गिरेर्गमनं तेषां तत्रस्थैरभिलक्षितम्॥ अनुज्ञातः सुमन्त्रोऽथ योजयित्वा हयोत्तमान्। अयोध्यामेव नगरी प्रययौ गाढदुर्मनाः॥

bharadvājābhigamanaṃ prayāge ca sabhājanam| ā girergamanaṃ teṣāṃ tatrasthairabhilakṣitam|| anujñātaḥ sumantro'tha yojayitvā hayottamān| ayodhyāmeva nagarī prayayau gāḍhadurmanāḥ||

Learning from envoys at (Śrngaverapura) all about Rāma's visit to Bharadvāja at Prayāga and his reception (at Bharadvāja's place) as well as their destined journey (to Citrakuta), Sumantra, taking the permission (of Guha), yoked those excellent horses and with a heavy heart directed his course to the city of Ayodhyā.

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

sa vanāni sugandhīni saritaśca sarāṃsi ca| paśyan yatto yayau śīghraṃ grāmāṇi nagarāṇi ca||

And beholding perfumed woods and rivers and watery expanses and towns and villages, he eagerly proceeded on his way.

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ततः सायाह्नसमये द्वितीयेऽहनि सारथिः। अयोध्यां समनुप्राप्य निरानन्दां ददर्श ह॥

tataḥ sāyāhnasamaye dvitīye'hani sārathiḥ| ayodhyāṃ samanuprāpya nirānandāṃ dadarśa ha||

And on the third day at dusk the charioteer arriving at Ayodhyā saw it bereft of happiness.

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स शून्यामिव निःशब्दां दृष्ट्वा परमदुर्मनाः। सुमन्त्रश्चिन्तयामास शोकवेगसमाहतः॥ कच्चिन सगजा साश्वा सजना सजनाधिपा। रामसंतापदुःखेन दग्धा शोकाग्निना पुरी।७।।

sa śūnyāmiva niḥśabdāṃ dṛṣṭvā paramadurmanāḥ| sumantraścintayāmāsa śokavegasamāhataḥ|| kaccina sagajā sāśvā sajanā sajanādhipā| rāmasaṃtāpaduḥkhena dagdhā śokāgninā purī|7||

And beholding it empty and still, Sumantra afflicted with exceeding sorrow, and overwhelmed with grief, thought, “Perhaps the city with her elephants and horses and men and king has been consumed by the fire of grief on account of Rāma."

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इति चिन्तापरः सूतो वाजिभिः शीघ्रयायिभिः। नगरद्वारमासाद्य त्वरितः प्रविवेश ह॥

iti cintāparaḥ sūto vājibhiḥ śīghrayāyibhiḥ| nagaradvāramāsādya tvaritaḥ praviveśa ha||

Having thus reflected, the charioteer drawing up to the city-gate by means of those fleetcoursing horses, speedily entered the city.

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सुमन्त्रमभिधावन्तः शतशोऽथ सहस्रशः। क्व राम इति पृच्छन्तः सूतमभ्यद्रवन् नराः॥

sumantramabhidhāvantaḥ śataśo'tha sahasraśaḥ| kva rāma iti pṛcchantaḥ sūtamabhyadravan narāḥ||

Thereupon, people by hundreds and thousands rushed after the charioteer, Sumantra, asking, "Where is Rāma?”

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तेषां शशंस गङ्गायामहमापृच्छय राघवम्। अनुज्ञातो निवृत्तोऽस्मि धार्मिकेण महात्मना ॥ ते तीर्णा इति विज्ञाय वाष्पपूर्णमुखा नराः। अहो धिगिति निःश्वस्य हा रामेति विचुक्रुशुः॥ शुश्राव च वचस्तेषां वृन्दं वृन्दं च तिष्ठताम्। हताः स्म खलु ये नेह पश्याम इति राघवम्॥

teṣāṃ śaśaṃsa gaṅgāyāmahamāpṛcchaya rāghavam| anujñāto nivṛtto'smi dhārmikeṇa mahātmanā || te tīrṇā iti vijñāya vāṣpapūrṇamukhā narāḥ| aho dhigiti niḥśvasya hā rāmeti vicukruśuḥ|| śuśrāva ca vacasteṣāṃ vṛndaṃ vṛndaṃ ca tiṣṭhatām| hatāḥ sma khalu ye neha paśyāma iti rāghavam||

To them he replied, “Having asked Rāghava on the Gangā and being permitted by him, I have been sent away by that high-souled righteous one." Learning that they (Rāma and the rest) had crossed over (the Ganga), the men with tears in their eyes, sighed forth “O fie!" and began to bewail, exclaiming, “Ah Rāma." And he heard crowds exclaim, Not seeing Rāma in the car, we cease to exist.

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दानयज्ञविवाहेषु समाजेषु महत्सु च। न द्रक्ष्यामः पुनर्जातु धार्मिकं राममन्तरा॥

dānayajñavivāheṣu samājeṣu mahatsu ca| na drakṣyāmaḥ punarjātu dhārmikaṃ rāmamantarā||

We shall no longer see the righteous Rāma in the midst of mighty assemblies engaged in charity, sacrifice or nuptial rites.

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किं समर्थे जनस्यास्य किं प्रियं किं सुखावहम्। इति रामेण नगरं पित्रेव परिपालितम्॥

kiṃ samarthe janasyāsya kiṃ priyaṃ kiṃ sukhāvaham| iti rāmeṇa nagaraṃ pitreva paripālitam||

What was necessary for this body? What was dear to them and what did they delight in?, (constantly revolving all this in his mind), Rāma ruled this city even as father.

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वातायनगतानां च स्त्रीणामन्वन्तरापणम्। राममेवाभितप्तानां शुश्राव परिदेवनाम्॥

vātāyanagatānāṃ ca strīṇāmanvantarāpaṇam| rāmamevābhitaptānāṃ śuśrāva paridevanām||

Then proceeding past the stalls, Sumantra heard the lamentations of females at windows, burning in grief for Rāma.

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स राजमार्गमध्येन सुमन्त्रः पिहिताननः। यत्र राजा दशरथस्तदेवोपययौ गृहम्॥

sa rājamārgamadhyena sumantraḥ pihitānanaḥ| yatra rājā daśarathastadevopayayau gṛham||

With his face muffled, Sumantra proceeded on the highway towards the palace of Daśaratha.

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सोऽवतीर्य रथाच्छीघ्रं राजवेश्म प्रविश्य च। कक्ष्याः सप्ताभिचक्राम महाजनसमाकुलाः॥

so'vatīrya rathācchīghraṃ rājaveśma praviśya ca| kakṣyāḥ saptābhicakrāma mahājanasamākulāḥ||

Swiftly alighting from the car and entering the royal residence, he went past seven apartments thronged with people.

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हम्यैर्विमानैः प्रासादैरवेक्ष्याथ समागतम्। हाहाकारकृता नार्यो रामादर्शनकर्शिताः॥

hamyairvimānaiḥ prāsādairavekṣyātha samāgatam| hāhākārakṛtā nāryo rāmādarśanakarśitāḥ||

And beholding Sumantra returned to the city crowned with edifices, seven-storied houses, and palatial mansions, the women, stricken with the absence of Rama, set up a cry of "Oh" and "Alas."

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आयतैर्विमलैत्रैरश्रुवेगपरिप्लुतैः। अन्योन्यमभिवीक्षन्ते व्यक्तमार्ततराः स्त्रियः॥ ततो दशरथस्त्रीणां प्रासादेभ्यस्ततस्ततः। रामशोकाभितप्तानां मन्दं शुश्राव जल्पितम्॥

āyatairvimalaitrairaśruvegapariplutaiḥ| anyonyamabhivīkṣante vyaktamārtatarāḥ striyaḥ|| tato daśarathastrīṇāṃ prāsādebhyastatastataḥ| rāmaśokābhitaptānāṃ mandaṃ śuśrāva jalpitam||

Waxing still more aggrieved, the females looked at each other with their expansive and transparent eyes fast flooded with tears. And then he heard the talk, as toned down it proceeded from the royal mansions, of the wives of Dasaratha afflicted with grief for Rāma.

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सह रामेण निर्यातो विना राममिहागतः। सूतः किं नाम कौसल्या क्रोशन्ती प्रतिवक्ष्यति॥

saha rāmeṇa niryāto vinā rāmamihāgataḥ| sūtaḥ kiṃ nāma kausalyā krośantī prativakṣyati||

Going in company with Rāma, and returning without him, what will the charioteer answer Kausalya bewailing (for her son)?

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

yathā ca manye durjīvamevaṃ na sukaraṃ dhruvam| ācchidya putre niryāte kausalyā yatra jīvati||

Surely life is miserable, yet is incapable of being renounced, since, although her son leaving (the installation) has gone away, yet Kausalyā still lives.

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

satyarūpaṃ tu tad vākyaṃ rājastrīṇāṃ niśāmayan| pradīpta iva śokena viveśa sahasā gṛham||

Having heard those words of the queens, fraught with truth, Sumantra burning as it were in grief, at once entered the (next) apartment.

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स प्रविश्याष्टमीं कक्ष्यां राजानं दीनमातुरम्। पुत्रशोकपरिधूनमपश्यत् पाण्डुरे गृहे॥

sa praviśyāṣṭamīṃ kakṣyāṃ rājānaṃ dīnamāturam| putraśokaparidhūnamapaśyat pāṇḍure gṛhe||

And entering the eighth apartment he beheld in a gloomy chamber the king distressed and in a pitiable plight, woe-begone for grief for his son.

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अभिगम्य तमासीनं राजानमभिवाद्य च। सुमन्त्रो रामवचनं यथोक्तं प्रत्यवेदयत्॥

abhigamya tamāsīnaṃ rājānamabhivādya ca| sumantro rāmavacanaṃ yathoktaṃ pratyavedayat||

Thereupon presenting himself before the monarch, Sumantra saluted him and then conveyed to the king the words of Rāma as he had uttered them.

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स तूष्णीमेव तच्छ्रुत्वा राजा विद्रुतमानसः। मूर्छितो न्यपतद् भूमौ रामशोकाभिपीडितः॥

sa tūṣṇīmeva tacchrutvā rājā vidrutamānasaḥ| mūrchito nyapatad bhūmau rāmaśokābhipīḍitaḥ||

Hearing them silently, the monarch with his mind exceedingly wrought, dropped down to the ground in a swoon, afflicted with grief for Rāma.

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ततोऽन्तःपुरमाविद्धं मूर्छिते पृथिवीपतौ। उच्छ्रित्य बाहू चुक्रोश नृपतौ पतिते क्षितौ॥

tato'ntaḥpuramāviddhaṃ mūrchite pṛthivīpatau| ucchritya bāhū cukrośa nṛpatau patite kṣitau||

On the lord of earth swooning away and falling to the ground, the inmates of the inner apartment raising their burst into lamentations. arms of an

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

sumitrayā tu sahitā kausalyā patitaṃ patim| utthāpayāmāsa tadā vacanaṃ cedamabravīt||

Kausalyā availing herself of the aid of Sumantra, raised up her fallen lord and addressed him, saying.

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इमं तस्य महाभाग दूतं दुष्करकारिणः। वनवासादनुप्राप्तं कस्मान्न प्रतिभाषसे॥

imaṃ tasya mahābhāga dūtaṃ duṣkarakāriṇaḥ| vanavāsādanuprāptaṃ kasmānna pratibhāṣase||

This, O eminently virtuous one, is the envoy of that one an exceedingly arduous achievement returned from the forest. Why do you not accost him?

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

adyemamanayaṃ kṛtvā vyapatrapasi rāghava| uttiṣṭha sukṛtaṃ te'stu śoke na syāt sahāyatā|||

O descendant of Raghu, you are ashamed today, having done this wrong. Do you rise: merit be yours (arising from this act.) Let not your adherents come to naught (because of your sorrow).

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

deva yasyā bhayād rāmaṃ nānupṛcchasi sārathim| neha tiṣṭhati kaikeyī viśrabdhaṃ pratibhāṣyatām||

O worshipful one, she from fear of whom you do not speak to the charioteer, Kaikeyi, is not here. Do you therefore speak to him without fear.

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सा तथोक्त्वा महाराज कौसल्या शोकलालसा। धरण्यां निपपाताशु बाष्पविप्लुतभाषिणी॥

sā tathoktvā mahārāja kausalyā śokalālasā| dharaṇyāṃ nipapātāśu bāṣpaviplutabhāṣiṇī||

Having said this to the monarch, Kausalyā overwhelmed with grief, with her voice oppressed with the vapour begot of emotion, all on a sudden fell to the earth.

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विलपन्ती तथा दृष्ट्वा कौसल्यां पतितां भुवि । पतिं चावेक्ष्य ताः सर्वाः समन्ताद् रुरुदुः स्त्रियः॥

vilapantī tathā dṛṣṭvā kausalyāṃ patitāṃ bhuvi | patiṃ cāvekṣya tāḥ sarvāḥ samantād ruruduḥ striyaḥ||

Behoiding Kausalyā fallen on the ground bewailing, as also their husband, the ladies seated around, began to Lament,

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

tatastamantaḥpuranādamutthitaṃ samīkṣya vṛddhāstaruṇāśca mānavāḥ| striyaśca sarvā ruruduḥ samantataḥ puraṃ tadāsīt punareva saṃkulam||

Hearing the sounds of wailing arise from the inner apartment, old and young as well as females, set up lamentations all round; and the city was again filled with them.

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