Chapter [Sarga] 53

Introduction

Rama tries to send Lakshmana back to Ayodhya, apprehending trouble for Kousalya and others in the hands of Kaikeyi. Lakshmana however refuses to return to Ayodhya, pleasing his inability to survive in the absence of Rama. Rama thereafter agrees again for Lakshmana’s stay in the forest with him.


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s tm! v&]m! smasa* sMXyam! ANvaSy piímam!,
ram> rmytam! ïeóEit h %vac lúm[m!. 2£53£1

1. raamaH= Rama; shreshhTaH= the foremost; ramayataam= of these affording happiness to others; samasaadya= reached; tam vR^ikshham= the aforesaid tree; anvaasya= worshipped; pashchimaam= the western; sandhyaam= twilight; uvaacha ha= and spoke; iti= thus; lakshhmaNam= to Lakshmana:

Rama, the foremost of those affording happiness to others, reached the aforesaid tree, worshipped the western twilight and spoke to Lakshmana as follows:

Verse Locator

A* #ym! àwma raiÇrœ yata jn pdat! bih>,
ya sumÙe[ rihta tam! n %Tki{Qtum! AhRis. 2£53£2

2. iyam= “This; raatriH= night; yaa= which; yaatraa= has got past (us); apya= today; bahiH= outside; janapadaat= the inhabited territory; prathamaa= is the first one; rahitaa= without; sumantreNa= Sumantra. naarahasi= You ought not; utkaN^Thitum= repent; taam= over it.”

“This might which has got past us today outside the inhabited territory is the first night which has passed without Sumantra. You ought not repent over it.”

Verse Locator

jagtRVym! AtiNÔ_yam! A* à-&it raiÇ;u,
yaeg ]em> ih sItaya vtRte lúm[ Aavyaehœ. 2£53£3

3. lakshhmaNaH= “Oh, Lakshmana! atandribhyaam= Remaining free from lassitude; jaagartavyam= (we must both) keep awake; raatrishhu= during nights; adya prabhR^iti= from today. yoga kshhemou= The gain and security; siitaayaaH= of Sita; vartate hi= indeed depend; aavayoH= on us two.”

“Remaining free from lassitude, we must both keep awake during nights, from today Lakshmana! The safety and welfare of Sita indeed depend on us two.”

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raiÇm! kwiMct! @v #mam! saEimÇe vtRyamhe,
%pavtaRmhe -Umav! AaStIyR Svym! AaijRtE>. 2£53£4

4. vartayaamahe= “Let us pass; imaam raatrim= this night; kathamchideva= any how; soumitre= Lakshmana! upaavartaamahe= Let us lie down; bhuumou= on the ground;aastiirya= covering it; aarjitaiH= (by things ) procured; svayam= by our own(hands).”

“Let us pass this night anyhow, Lakshmana! Let us lie down on the ground, covering it by straw, leaves and so on, procured by our own hands.”

Verse Locator

s tu siMvZy meidNyam! mha AhR zyn %ict>,
#ma> saEimÇye ram> Vyajhar kwa> zu-a>. 2£53£5

5. samvishya= Streching himself; madinyaam= on the ground; saH= Rama; mahaarha shayanochitaH= who was accustomed to a luxurious coach; vyaajahaara= uttered; imaaH= these; shubhaaH= suitable; kathaaH= words; soumitraye= to Lakshmana:

Streching himself on the bare ground, Rama, who was accustomed to a luxurious coach, uttered the following suitable words to Lakshmana:

Verse Locator

Øuvm! A* mha rajae Êhœom! Svipit lúm[,
k«t kama tu kEkeyI tuòa -ivtum! AhRit. 2£53£6

6. dhruvam= “assuredly; mahaaraajaH= the emperor; svapiti= is sleeping; duHkham= badly; adya= to-night; kaikeyiitu= while Kaikeyi; kR^takaamaa= having realized her ambitions; arhati= ought; bhavitum= to feel; tushhTaa= satisfied.”

“Assuredly the emperor is sleeping badly tonight, while Kaikeyi, having realized her ambitions, ought to feel satisfied.”

Verse Locator

sa ih devI mha rajm! kEkeyI raJy kar[at!,
Aip n Cyavyet! àa[an! †òœva -rtm! Aagtm!. 2£53£7

7. dR^ishhTvaa= “seeing; bharatam= Bharata; aagatam= returned; saa= that; devii= queen; kaikeyii= Kaikeyi; na chyaavayedapi= (I am afraid) may not expel; praaNaan= the lives; mahaaraajam= of the emperor; raajya kaaraNaat= hi indeed for the sake of kingdom.”

“Seeing Bharata returned, queen Kaikeyi, I am afraid, may not expel the lives of the emperor for the sake of kingdom.”

Verse Locator

Anaw> cEv v&Ï> c mya cEv ivnak«t>,
ikm! kir:yit kam AaTma kEkeYya vzm! Aagt>. 2£53£8

8. vR^iddhascha= “aged; anaathashcha= (and therefore) helpless; mayaarinaacha= deprived of my presence; kim karishhyati= what will he do; kR^itaH= dominated as he is; kaamaatmaa= by his passion (for Kaikeyi); aagataH= and who has fallen; kaikeyiivasham= into clutches of Kaikeyi.”

“Aged and (therefore) helpless, deprived of my presence, what will he do, dominated as he is by his passion for Kaikeyi and who has fallen into the clutches of Kaikeyi.”

Verse Locator

#dm! Vysnm! AalaeKy ra}> c mit ivæmm!,
kamv AxR xmaR_yam! grIyan! #it me mit>. 2£53£9

9. aalokya= “reflecting on; idam=this; vyasanam= misfortune; raaG^yaH=of the king; mativibhramamcha= and his mental derangement; me= my; matiH= belief; iti= (is) that; kaama eva= passion alone; gariiyaan= is stronger; artha dharmaabhyaam= than earthly gain and religious merit.”

“Reflecting on this misfortune of the king and his mental derangement, I deem that passion alone is greater than early gain and religious merit.”

Verse Locator

kae ih AivÖan! Aip puman! àmdaya> k«te Tyjet!,
cNd AnuvitRnm! puÇm! tat> mam! #v lúm[. 2£53£10

10. kaH pumaan= “what man; avidyaanapi= however deluded; tataH= (what) father; pramadaayaaH kR^ite=on account of a woman; chandaamvartinam= at his own will and pleasure; tyajet= abandon; putram= a son; maamiva= like myself?”

“what man however deluded, what father on account of a woman, at his own will and pleasure, abandon a son like myself?

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suoI bt s-ayR> c -rt> kekyI sut>,
muidtan! kaeslan! @kae yae -aeúyit Aixrajvt!. 2£53£11

11. bataH= “Alas, kaikeyiisutaH=Kaikeyi’s son; bharataH= Bharata; ekaH= alone; sukhii= is happy; sa bhaaryaH= along with his wife; yaH= who; adhiraajavat= like an overlord; bhokshhyati= will enjoy; muditaan= the prosperous; kosalaan= kingdom of Kosala.”

“Alas, Kaikeyi’s son Bharata (alone) is happy along with his wife. Like an overlord, he is going to enjoy the prosperous kingdom of Kosala.”

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s ih svRSy raJySy muom! @km! -iv:yit,
tate c vysa AtIte miy c Ar{ym! Aaiïte. 2£53£12

12. taate= “father; vayasaa atiite= is superannuated. Mayicha =I; aasthite= am staying; areNyam= in the forest. saH= Bharata; bhavishhyanti= will become; ekam= the prime; mukham= head; sarvasya= for the entire; raajyasya= kingdom.”

“Father is superannuated. I am staying in the forest. Bharata will become the prime head for the entire kingdom.”

Verse Locator

AwR xmaER pirTyJy y> kamm! AnuvtRte,
@vm! Aap*te i]àm! raja dzrwae ywa. 2£53£13

13. yaH= “he who; anuvartate= persues; kaamam= sensuous pleasures; parityajya= neglecting; artha dharmou= his real interests and discipline; kshhipram= soon; aapadyate= comes to distress; evam= in the same way; raaja dasharatho yathaa= as king Dasaratha has.”

“He who pursues sensuous pleasures neglecting his real interests and discipline soon comes to distress; in the same way as king Dasaratha has.”

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mNye dzrw ANtay mm àìajnay c,
kEkeyI saEMy sMàaÝa raJyay -rtSy c. 2£53£14

14. soumya= “Oh,good brother; manye= I think; kaikeyii-= that Kaikeyi; sampraaptaa= came (into our house); dasharathaantaaya= to bring about an end to Dasaratha, mama pravraajanaayacha= to send me into exile; raajyaayacha= (and to secure) kingship; bharatasya= for Bharata.”

“It seems that Kaikeyi came into our house, oh good brother, to bring about an end to Dasaratha, to send me into exile and to secure kingship for Bharata.”

Verse Locator

Aip #danIm! n kEkeyI saE-aGy md maeihta,
kaEsLyam! c suimÇam! c sMàbaxet mt! k«te. 2£53£15

15. soubhaagya mada mohitaa= “blinded by pride of good fortune; kaikeyii= will Kaikeyi; api idaaniim= even now; na samprabaadheta= not persecute; kausalyaamcha= and Sumitra; matkR^ite= because of their relationship with me.”

“Blinded by pride of good fortune, Kaikeyi may even now persecute Kausalya and Sumitra because of their relationship with me.”

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ma Sm mt! kar[at! devI suimÇa Êhœom! Aavset!,
AyaeXyam! #tv Tvm! kale àivz lúm[. 2£53£16

16. devii= “queen; sumitraa= Sumitra; maa aavaset sma= will she not dwell; duHkham= with hardship; matkaaraNaat= because of her affinity to me? tvam =You; pravisha= enter; ayodhyaam= Ayodhya; ita eva= from this very place; kaalye= next morning; lakshhmaNa= oh, Lakshmana!”

“Queen Sumitra is likely to suffer hardship because of her affinity to us. From this very place, you proceed to Ayodhya next morning, oh, Lakshmana!”

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Ahm! @kae gim:yaim sItya sh d{fkan!,
Anawaya ih naw> Tvm! kaEsLyaya -iv:yis. 2£53£17

17. aham=”I; ekaH= alone; gamishhyaami= will go; siitayaa saha= along with Sita; daNdakaan= to Dandaka forest. tvam= You; bhavishhyasi= become; naathaH= protector; kausalyaa= to Kausalya; anaathaayaaH= the supportless.”

“I shall proceed to Dandaka forest alone with Sita, while you will be the protector for Kausalya, who has no defender.”

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]uÔ kmaR ih kEkeyI Öe;at! ANyaYym! Aacret!,
pird*a ih xmR}e -rte mm matrm!. 2£53£18

18. kaikeyii= “Kaikeyi; kshhudra karmaa= of base deeds; aacharet= may resort to; anyaayyam= unjustified means; dveshhyam= to be disliked. paridadyaHhi= Give(for protection); mama= my; maataram= mother; bharate=to Bharata; dharmaG^ye= oh, virtuous prince!”

“Kaikeyi of base deeds may resort to unjustified means to be disliked. Give (for protection) my mother to Bharata, oh virtuous Prince!”

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nUnm! jait ANtre kiSmMs! iôy> puÇE> ivyaeijta>,
jnNya mm saEimÇe tt! Aip @tt! %piSwtm!. 2£53£19

19. kasmin jaatyantare= “In some other birth; soumitre= Oh, Lakshmana; striyaH= women; viyojitaaH= must have been deprived; putraiH= of their sons; mama jananyaa= by my mother. Tasmaat= For that reason; etat= this upasthitam= has arisen; nuunam= certainly.”

“In some other (past) birth, women must have been deprived of their sons by my mother (Kausalya), oh, Lakshmana! For that reason this has arisen certainly.”

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mya ih icr puòen Êhœo sMvixRten c,
ivàayuJyt kaEsLya )l kale ixg! AStu mam!. 2£53£20

20. phala kale= “At a time when benefit is to be obtained; mayaa= by me; kausalyaa= Kausalya; vipraayujyata= has been deprived of my company by me, chirapushhTena= who was nurtured up with great pains; astu= Let it be; dhik= woe; maam= to me.”

“At a time when Kausalya should have obtained benefits for her labors repaid by me, she has been deprived of my company by me, who was nurtured by her for a long time and brought up with great pains. Woe to me.”

Verse Locator

ma Sm sImiNtnI kaicj! jnyet! puÇm! $†zm!,
saEimÇe yae Ahm! AMbaya diÒ zaekm! AnNtkm!. 2£53£21

21. maasma kaachit siimantinii= “Let no woman ever; janayet= give birth; iidR^isham= to such; putram= a son; yaH= as; aham= myself; dadmii= who has given; ananthakam= endless; shokam= sorrow; ambaayaaH=to my mother; soumitre= oh, Lakshmana!”

“Let no woman ever give birth to such a son as myself, who have caused perpetual grief to my mother, oh, Lakshmana!”

Verse Locator

mNye àIit ivizòa sa mÄ> lúm[ sairka,
ySya> tt! ïUyte vaKym! zuk padm! Arerœ dz. 2£53£22

22. manye= “I think; saa shaarikaa= that myna (which is kept as a pet by mother Kausalya); priitivishishhTaa= is more affectionate; mattaH= than I; yasyaaH= (since)her; shruuyate= are heard; tat vaakyam= the words; dasha= “Bite ; shuka= oh, parrot; paadam= the foot; areH= of the enemy’; lakshhmaNa = oh, Lakshmana!”

“Oh, Lakshmana! I think that myna (which is kept as a pet by mother Kausalya) is more affectionate than I, since her are heard the words, “Bite, oh parrot, the foot of the enemy.”

Verse Locator

zaecNTya> c ALp -aGyaya n ikiMct! %pk…vRta,
puÇeR[ ikm! ApuÇaya mya kayRm! Airm! dm. 2£53£23

23. kim= “what; kaaryam= can be done; mayaa= by me; putreNa= her son; nopakurvataa= who cannot go to her aid; kamchit= even a little(to her); shochantyaaH= who is weeping; alpa bhaagyaayaaH= who is unfortunate; aputraayaaH= and who has no son; arindama= oh, conqueror of foes!”

“What can be done by me, her son, who cannot go to her aid even a little to her, my mother, who is weeping, who is unfortunate and who has no son, oh conqueror of foes?”

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ALp -aGya ih me mata kaEsLya rihta mya,
zete prm Êhœo AataR pitta zaek sagre. 2£53£24

24. kausalyaa= “Kausalya; me maataa= my mother; alpabhaagyaa hi= of poor luck indeed; rahitaa= bereft; mayaa= of me; parama duhkhaartaaH= is stricken with great melancholy; shate= and lies; patitaa= fallen; shoka saagare= in a sea of grief.”

“Kausalya my mother of poor luck indeed, bereft of me, is stricken with great melancholy and lies plunged in a sea of grief”

Verse Locator

@kae ih Ahm! AyaeXyam! c p&iwvIm! c Aip lúm[,
treym! #;ui-> ³…Ïae nnu vIyRm! Akar[m!. 2£53£25

25. kruddhaH= “Enraged; aham= I; tareyam= can subdue; ishhubhiH= with my arrows; ekaH= single-handed; ayodhyaamcha= not only Ayodhya; pR^ithiviimchaapi= but also earth; lakshhmaNa= oh Lakshmana! viiryam= Valor; akaaraNam nam= is not the cause, not at all”

“Enraged, I can subdue with my arrows single handed not only Ayodhya but also the earth. But it is not a question of valor here.”

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AxmR -y -It> c pr laekSy c An",
ten lúm[ n A* Ahm! AaTmanm! Ai-;ecye. 2£53£26

26. anagha= “Oh, the sinless Lakshmana! aham=I; adharma bhaya bhiitashcha= am terribly concerned of doing wrong; paralokasyacha= and(of ruining my prospects) in the other world. tena= For that reason; aatmaanam= I do not allow myself; naabhishhechaye= to be crowned”

“Oh, the sinless Lakshmana! I am terribly concerned of doing wrong and of ruining my prospects in the other world. Hence, I do not allow myself to be crowned.”

Verse Locator

@tt! ANyc! c ké[m! ivlPy ivjne b÷,
Aïu pU[R muoae ram> iniz tU:[Im! %paivzt!. 2£53£27

27. raamaH= Rama; nishi= during the night; vijane= in the lonely forest; vilapya= wailed; karuNam= piteously; etat= thus; anyashcha= and in other ways; upaavishat= sat; tushhN^iim= quite; ashrupuurNa mukhaH= his face full of tears.

Rama during the night in that lonely forest, wailed piteously thus and in so many other ways and sat quite, his face full of tears.

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ivlPy %prtm! ramm! gt AicR;m! #v Anlm!,
smuÔm! #v inveRgm! Aañasyt lúm[>. 2£53£28

28. ayodhyaa purii= “the city of Ayodhya; adya= now; tvayi= you; nishhkraante= have come away from it; dhruvam = has certainly; nishhprabhaa= been divested of its splendor; sharvariiva= and resembles a night; gatachandraa= without the moon; raajan= Oh, king; vara= the jewel; aayudhinaam= among armed warriors!”

“The city of Ayodhya, now that you have come away from it, has certainly been divested of its splendor and resembles a night without the moon, Oh, Rama the jewel among armed warriors!”

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Øuvm! A* purI ramayaeXya yuixnam! vr,
in:à-a Tviy in:³aNte gt cNÔa #v zvRrI. 2£53£29

29. ayodhyaa purii= “the city of Ayodhya; adya= now; tvayi= you; nishhkraante= have come away from it; dhruvam = has certainly; nishhprabhaa= been divested of its splendor; sharvariiva= and resembles a night; gatachandraa= without the moon; raajan= Oh, king; vara= the jewel; aayudhinaam= among armed warriors!”

“The city of Ayodhya, now that you have come away from it, has certainly been divested of its splendor and resembles a night without the moon, Oh, Rama the jewel among armed warriors!”

Verse Locator

n @tt! AaEpiykm! ram ydœ #dm! pirtPyse,
iv;adyis sItam! c mam! cEv pué; \;-. 2£53£30

30. etat= “this; na= is not; oupayikam= proper; raama= oh Rama; yat paritapyate= that you should grieve; idam= in the manner. vishhaadayasi= You cause distress; siitamcha= to Sita; maamchaiva= and me too; purushharshhabha= oh jewel among men!”

“It is not proper, oh Rama, that you should grieve in this way. You cause distress to Sita and me too, oh jewel among men!”

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n c sIta Tvya hIna n c Ahm! Aip ra"v,
muøtRm! Aip jIvavae jlan! mTSyav! #v %ϯtaE. 2£53£31

31. raaghava= “Oh, Rama! hiinaa= Bereft; tvayaa= of you; siitaa= Sita; na= will not survive. ahamapi = I also; na jiivaavaH= We shall not survive; muhuurtamapi= even for a moment; matsyaaviva= like fishes; uddhR^iton= pulled out of water.”

“Oh, Rama! Bereft of you , neither Sita nor I will not survive even for a moment, like fish pulled out of water.”

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n ih tatm! n zÇu¹m! n suimÇam! prm! tp,
Ôòum! #½eym! A* Ahm! SvgRm! va Aip Tvya ivna. 2£53£32

32. paramtapa= “Oh, Rama causing pain to the foes! Tvayaa vinaa= without you; aham= I; na hi ichchheyam= do not wish; drashhTum =to see either; taatam= our father; na = nor; shatrughnam=Satrughna; sumitraam= Sumitra; svargamvaapi= nor even heaven.”

“Oh, Rama causing pain to the foes! Without you, I do not wish to see either our father or Satrughna or Sumitra or even the heaven.”

Verse Locator

ttStÇ suoasIne naitËre inrIúy tam!,
Ny¢aexe suk«tam! zYyam! -ejate xmRvTslaE. 2£53£33

33. tataH= then; dharmavatsalou= Rama and Lakshmana, the lovers of piety; sukhasiinou= sitting comfortably; tatra= there; niriikshhya= (and) seeing; taam shayyaam= that bed; sukR^itaam= well arranged; nyagrodha= under a banyan tree; bhejate= sought (for the bed).”

Then Rama and Lakshmana the lovers of piety, sitting comfortably there and on seeing a bed well- prepared under a banyan tree, sought for the bed.

Verse Locator

s lúm[Sy %Äm pu:klm! vcae,
inzMy c @vm! vn vasm! Aadrat!,
sma> smSta ivdxe prm! tp>,
àp* xmRm! suicray ra"v>. 2£53£34

34. saH raaghavaH= that Rama; paramtapaH= the terminator of foes; aadaraat= attentively; nishamya= hearing; lakshhmaNasya= Lakshmana’s; vachaH= words; uttama pushhkalam= which were excellent and holistic; prapadya= and adopting; suchiraaya= for a fairly long period; dharmam= the course of conduct prescribed for hermits; vidadhe= resolved; samastaaH= (to stand) all; samaaH= the years; vanavaasam= in exile(with Lakshmana).

Attentively hearing Lakshmana’s words which were excellent and wholistic and adopting for a fairly long period the course of conduct prescribed for hermits, Rama resolved to spend all the fourteen years in exile with Lakshmana.

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ttStu tiSmn! ivjne vne tda,
mhablaE ra"vvMzvxRnaE,
n taE -ym! sMæmm_yupeytu,
yRwEv isMhaE igirsanugaecraE. 2£53£35

35. tataH tadaa= thence forward; tasmin vane= in that forest; vijane= which was lonely; tou= those; mahaabalou raaghava vamsha vardhanon= (two) powerful offspring of the Raghu race; na abhyupeyatuH= did not admit; bhayam= fear; sambhramam= or agitation; simhou yathaiva= like unto two lions; girisaanu gocharon= dwelling on the slopes of a mountain.

Thence forward, those two powerful offspring of the Raghu race (Rama and Lakshmana) never admitted fear or agitation (while dwelling) in that vast and lonely forest any more than a couple of lions on the slopes of a mountain.

 

#it vaLmIik ramay[e Aaid kaVye AyaeXy ka{fe iÇpÂz> sgR

Thus completes canto fifty-three of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.


Verse Locator for Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya : Chapter 53

 

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Sarga 53 in English Prose

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© Nov 2002, K. M. K. Murthy