Chapter [Sarga] 58

Introduction

As per the orders of king Dasaratha, Sumantra delivers the parting messages of Rama and Lakshmana. Rama sends positive messages to Kausalya and Bharata but Lakshmana sends angry messages to Dasaratha.


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pratyaashvastaH yadaa raajaa mohaat pratyaagataH punaH |
thaajuhaava tam suutam raama vR^itta anta kaaraNaat || 2-58-1

1. atha= thereafter; raajaa= the king; yadaa= when; pratyaashvastaH= recovered; mohaat= from loss of consciousness; punaH= and again; pratyaagataH= returned to his breath, (then) aajuhaava= called; tam suutam= that charioteer; raama vR^ittantaa kaaraNaat= for the purpose of getting the report on Rama.

Thereafter, the king when recovered from loss of consciousness and again returned to his breath, he called that charioteer for the purpose of getting the report on Rama.

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tadaa suuto mahaaraaja kR^itaaJNjalirupasthitaH|
raamameva anushocantaM duHkhashokasamanvitam || 2-58-2
vR^iddham parama samtaptam nava graham iva dvipam |
viniHshvasantam dhyaayantam asvastham iva kunjaram || 2-58-3

2-3. atha= then; suutaH= sumantra; kR^itaaJNjaliH= who joined his palms in reverence; upasthitaH= approached; mahaaraaja= the monarch; anushochantam= who was repenting; raamameva= about Rama alone; duhkha shoka samanvitam= filled with pain and sorrow; vR^iddham= who was advanced in age; parama samtaptam= who was greatly anguished; vinihshvasantam= who was sighing; dvipam iva= like an elephant; nava graham= which was newly caught; dhyaayantam= who was thinking something; kunjaram iva= like an elephant; asvastham= which is sick.

Then, Sumantra, who joined his palms in reverence, approached the monarch who was repenting about Rama alone, filled with pain and sorrow, advanced in age, greatly anguished, sighing like a newly caught elephant and reflecting on something as a sick elephant.

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raajaa tu rajasaa suutam dhvasta aN^gam samupasthitam |
ashru puurNa mukham diinam uvaaca parama aartavat || 2-58-4

4. raajaa= the king; parama aartavat= having great distress; uvaacha= spoke; suutam= to Sumantra; dhvasta aN^gam= whose body was covered; rajasaa= with dust; ashru puurNa mukham= whose face was filled with tears; diinam= who was miserable; samupasthitam= and who approached near him.

The king, having great distress, spoke to Sumantra, whose body was covered with dust, his face filled with tears, who was miserable and who approached near him (as follows):

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kva nu vatsyati dharma aatmaa vR^ikSa muulam upaashritaH |
so atyanta sukhitaH suuta kim ashiSyati raaghavaH || 2-58-5

5. suuta= Oh, Sumantra; kva nu= where; dharmaatmaa= can Rama the virtuous man; vatsyati= reside; upaashritaH= taking refuge; vR^ikSa muulam= at the root of a tree? Kim= what; saH raaghavaH= that Rama; atyanta sukhitaH= who enjoyed very many comforts; ashiSyati= can eat?

“Oh, Sumantra! Where can Rama the virtuous man abide, taking refuge at the root of a tree? What that Rama, who enjoyed very many pleasantries, can eat now?”

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duHkhasyaanucito duHkham sumantra shayanocitaH |
bhuumi paala aatmajo bhuumau shete katham anaathavat || 2-58-6

6. sumantra= Oh Sumantra; katham= how can; bhuumi paala aatmajo= Rama the prince; shayanochitaH= who was habituated to good beds; shete= sleep; duHkham= with discomfort; bhuumau= on a floor; anaathavat= like an orphan?

“Oh, Sumantra! How can Rama the prince, who was habituated to good beds, sleep with such discomfort on a floor like an orphan?”

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yam yaantam anuyaanti sma padaati ratha kuNJjaraaH |
sa vatsyati katham raamaH vijanam vanam aashritaH || 2-58-7

7. yam= with whom; yaantam= while journeying; padaati ratha kuNJjaraaH= foot-soldiers, chariots and elephants; anuyaanti sma= sued to follow; katham= how; saH raamaH= that Rama; aashritaH= can take shelter; vatsyati= and stay; vijanam= in a deserted; vanam= forest?

“Foot soldiers, Chariots and elephants used to follows whenever Rama was marching ahead. How such a man can take shelter and stay in a forest devoid of people?”

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vyaaLaiH mR^igaiH aacaritam kR^iSNa sarpa niSevitam |
katham kumaarau vaidehyaa saardham vanam upasthitau || 2-58-8

8. katham= how; kumaarau= Rama and Lakshmana; vaidehyaa saardham= along with Seetha; upasthitau=reached; vanam= the forest; aacaritam= being frequented by; vyaaLaiH= wild; mR^igaiH= animals; kR^iSNa sarpa niSevitam= and haunted by black snakes?

“How Seetha Rama and Lakshmana entered forest filled with wild animals and black snakes?”

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sukumaaryaa tapasvinyaa sumantra saha siitayaa |
raaja putrau katham paadaiH avaruhya rathaat gatau || 2-58-9

9. sumantra= Oh Sumantra! Katham= how; raajaputrau= those princes; siitayaa saha= with Seetha; sukumaaryaa= the delicate; tapasvinyaa= and the poor lady; gatau= went; paadaiH= on foot; avaruhya= after descending; rathaat= from the chariot?

“Oh, Sumantra! How those princes with Seetha the delicate and the poor lady went on foot, after descending from the chariot?”

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siddha arthaH khalu suuta tvam yena dR^iSTau mama aatmajau |
vana antam pravishantau taav ashvinaav iva mandaram || 2-58-10

10. suuta= Oh, Sumantra! Ye=by you; mama= my; aatmajau= sons; dR^iSTau= have been seen; pravishantau= entering; vana antam= the boundary of the forest; mandaram iva= as (entering) the region of Mandara mountain; ashvinaav= by the two divinities of Aswini; tvam= you; siddha arthaH khalu= are indeed accomplished.

“Oh, Sumantra! You have seen my sons entering the forest, as though divinities of Aswini had entered the Mountain-range of Mandara. You are indeed lucky.”

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kim uvaaca vaco raamaH kim uvaaca ca lakSmaNaH |
sumantra vanam aasaadya kim uvaaca ca maithilii || 2-58-11

11. sumantra= Oh, Sumantra! Aasaadya= after reaching; vanam= the forest; kim= what; vachaH= words; raamaH= (did) Rama; uvaacha= speak; kim= what did; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; uvaacha= speak; kim cha= and what; maithilii= (did) Seetha; uvaacha= speak?

“Oh, Sumantra! After reaching the forest, what words did Rama speak? What did Lakshmana speak? What did Seetha speak?”

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aasitam shayitam bhuktam suuta raamasya kiirtaya |
jiivishhyaamyahametena yayaatiriva saadhuSu || 2-58-12

12. suuta= Oh, charioteer; kiirtaya= tell (me); asitam= about sitting; shayitam= sleeping; bhuktam= and eating; raamasya= of Rama; etena= by this; aham= I; jiivishhyaami= shall survive; saadhushhu iva= as among saints; yayaatiH= Yayati (lived).

“Oh, charioteer! Tell me where Rama sat, slept and took food. By hearing these things, I shall survive, as Yayati survived in the company of saints.”

Comment: King Yayati, when doomed to fall from heaven requested Indra to cast his lot with saints. He was accordingly sent down to a spot on the earth, where four ascetics- Astaka Pratardana, Vasuman and King Sibi had been practicing austerities, and had discourse with them- Mahabharata, Adi Parva.

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iti suutaH nara indreNa coditaH sajjamaanayaa |
uvaaca vaacaa raajaanam sa baaSpa parirbaddhayaa || 2-58-13

13. choditaH= as asked; iti= thus; narendreNa= by the king; saH suutaH= that charioteer; uvaacha= spoke; raajaanam= to the emperor; vaachaa= in a voice; sajjamaanayaa= quivering; baaSpa paribaddhayaa= and choked with tears.

As asked thus by the king, Sumantra spoke to the emperor in a voice quivering and choked with tears (as follows).

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abraviin maam mahaa raaja dharmam eva anupaalayan |
anjalim raaghavaH kR^itvaa shirasaa abhipraNamya ca || 2-58-14

14. mahaaraaja= Oh, emperor; raaghavaH= Rama; anupaalayan= keeping up; dharmameva= the prescribed course of conduct; kR^itvaa= making; anjalim= salutation with joined palms; abhipraNamya cha= and bowing in reverence; shirasaa= with his head (to you); abraviit= spoke; maam= to me.

“Oh, emperor! Rama, keeping up the prescribed course of conduct, making salutation with joined palms and bowing his head in reverence to you, spoke to me as follows:”

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suuta madvacanaat tasya taatasya vidita aatmanaH |
shirasaa vandaniiyasya vandyau paadau mahaatmanaH || 2-58-15

15. suuta= Oh, charioteer; paadau= the feet; tasya taatasya= of my father; vidita aatmanaH= one with remarkable intellect; mahaatmanaH= one with mighty soul; vandaniiyasya= and one to be respectfully greeted; vandyau= are to be saluted; shirasaa= with my head; madvacanaat= through my words.

“Oh, charioteer! Tell my salutations to my father, the one with a remarkable intellect, a mighty soul and the one to be respectfully greeted.”

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sarvam antaH puram vaacyam suuta madvacanaattvayaa |
aarogyam avisheSeNa yathaa arham ca abhivaadanam || 2-58-16

16. suuta= Oh, Charioteer; vaachyam= It is to be spoken; tvayaa= by you; madvachanaat= as my word; sarvam= to the entire; antaH puram= gynaeceum; avisheSeNa= without any disparity; aarogyam= about their health; yathaarham= and appropriate; abhivaadanam ca=salutations too.

Oh, charioteer! Enquire about the health of all the people in the gynaeceum without any disparity and offer my appropriate salutations to them.

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maataa ca mama kausalyaa kushalam ca abhivaadanam |
apramaadam ca vaktavyaa bruuyaashcaimidam vacaH || 2-58-17

17. mama= my; maataa= Kausalya; vaktavyaa= is to be told; kushalam= about my welfare; abhivaadanam ca= about my salutations; apramaadam ca= and about my alertness; bruuyaaH= tell; idam= these; vachashcha= words also.

My mother Kausalya is to be told about my welfare, about my offering salutations to her and about my meticulousness.

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dharmanityaa yathaakaalamagnyagaaraparaa bhava |
devi devasya paadau ca devavat paripaalaya || 2-58-18

18. devii= Oh, godly lady; bhava= be; dharmanityaa= righteous always; agnyagaaraparaa= and be interested in offering sacrifices in the house of fire-worship; yathaa kaalam= as per the prescribed timings; paripaalaya= nurture; paadau ca= the feet; devasya= of the King Dasaratha; devavat= like with a god.

“Oh, godly lady! Be always righteous and be interested in offering worship and sacrifices as per the prescribed timings in the House of Fire worship. Nurture the feet of the Lord Dasaratha, like with a god.”

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abhimaanam ca maanam ca tyaktvaa vartasva maatR^iSu |
anu raajaana maaryaam ca kaikeyiimamba kaaraya || 2-58-19

19. amba= Oh, mother; vartasva= behave; maatR^iSu= towards other mothers; tyaktvaa= abounding; abhimaanam ca= self-conceit; maanam ca= and indignation; kaaraya= make; aaryaam= the venerable; kaikeyiim= Kiakeyi; raajaanam anu= agreeable to the king.

“Oh, mother! Behave towards my other mothers, abandoning self-conceit and indignation. Make the venerable Kaikeyi, agreeable to the king.”

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kumaare bharate vR^ittirvartitavyaaca raajavat |
arthajyeSThaa hi raajaano raajadharmamanusmara || 2-58-20

20. bharate= in respect of Bharata; kumaare= your son; vartitavyaa= follow; vR^ittiH= a respectable behaviour; raajavat= as with a king; raajaanaH= kings; artha jyeSThaaH hi= are indeed sovereign in substance; anusmara= remember; raajadharmam= the rules; relating to kings.

“In respect of Bharata your son, follow a respectable behaviour as with a king. Kings are indeed sovereign in substance. Remember the rules relating to kings.”

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bharataH kushalam vaacyo vaacyo mad vacanena ca |
sarvaasva eva yathaa nyaayam vR^ittim vartasva maatR^iSu || 2-58-21

21. bharataH= Bharata; vaacyaH= is to be asked; kushalam= about his well-being; vaacyaH ca= It is to be told also; madvachanena= as my word; vartasva= follow; vR^ittim= good behaviour; eva= indeed; yathaanyaayam= judiciously; sarvaasu= towards all; maatR^iSu= mothers.

“Bharata is to be enquired about his well-being and he is also to be informed as follows: “Follow good behaviour indeed judiciously towards all your mothers.”

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vaktavyaH ca mahaa baahur ikSvaaku kula nandanaH |
pitaram yauvaraajyastho raajyastham anupaalaya || 2-58-22

22. mahaabaahuH= the mighty armed Bharata; ikSvaaku kula nandanaH= the son of Ikshvaku race; vaktavyaH ca= is to be told (as follows) yauvaraajyasthaH= being installed in the office of prince Regent.

“The mighty armed Bharata the son of Ikshvaku race, is to be told as follows: ‘Being installed in the office of Prince Regent, attend to your father who still stays in the throne’.”

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atikraantavayaa raajaa maasmainam vyavarorudhaH |
kumaararaajye jiiva tvam tasyaivaajJNpravartanaam || 2-58-23

23. raajaa= the King; atikraantavayaaH= has crossed his age; maasmainam vyavarorudhaH= do not depose; enam= him; aaJNaapravartanaat= by proceeding according to the orders; tasyaiva= of the king; tvam= of; jiiva= live; kumaara raajye= as a prince.”

“The king has crossed his age. But do not depose him on that score. By proceeding according to the orders of the king, you live as a prince.”

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abraviicchaapi maam bhuuyo bhR^ishamashruuNi vartayan |
maateva mama maataa te draSTavyaa putragardhinii || 2-58-24

24. vartayan= shedding; ashruuNi= tears; bhR^isham= profusely; bhuuyaH= (he) again; abraviicchaapi= spoke; maam= to me (as follows); maam maataa= my mother; putragardhinii= who is very much longing her son; draSTavyaa= is to be looked after; te= by you; maateva= as your mother.

“Shedding tears profusely, Rama again spoke to me as follows : ‘My mother, who is very much longing her son, is to be looked after by you as if she is your mother’.”

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iti evam maam mahaaraaja bR^ivann eva mahaa yashaaH |
raamaH raajiiva taamra akSo bhR^isham ashruuNi avartayat || 2-58-25

25. mahaaraja= Oh, emperor; raamaH= Rama; mahaayashaaH= of most beautiful appearance; raajiiva taamraakshhaH= with red eyes resembling red lotus flowers; bruvanneva= while even uttering; ityeva= thus; maam= to me; bhR^isham= amply; avartata= shed; ashruuNi= tears.

“Oh, emperor! Rama of the most beautiful appearance with red eyes resembling red lotus flowers, while even uttering these words to me profusely shed tears.”

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lakSmaNaH tu susamkruddho nihshvasan vaakyam abraviit |
kena ayam aparaadhena raaja putraH vivaasitaH || 2-58-26

26. lakshmaNastu= but Lakshmana; susamkruddhaH= was very angry; nishshvasan= and breathing a sigh, abraviit= spoke; vaakyam= (these) words; kena= on which; aparedhena= offence; ayam= this; raajaputraH= prince; vivaasitaH= was expelled from his home’”

“But Lakshmana was very angry and breathing a sigh, spoke to me as follows: ‘On which offence this prince was expelled from home?’”

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raajJNaa tu khalu kaikeyyaa laghu tvaashritya shaasanam |
kR^itam kaaryamakaaryam vaa vayam yenaabhipiiDitaaH || 2-58-27

27. raajJNaa tu= the king even; aashritya= took shelter under; laghu= the wretched; shaasanam= decree; kaikeyyaaH= of Kaikeyi; kR^itam= and did; akaaryam= an act not to be done; kaaryam= as though it is a proper act; yena= by which; vayam= we; abhipiiDitaH= are tormented.

“The king even took shelter under a wretched decree of Kaikeyi and performed an act not to be done, as though it is a proper deed, for which we are now tormented.”

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yadi pravraajitaH raamaH lobha kaaraNa kaaritam |
vara daana nimittam vaa sarvathaa duSkR^itam kR^itam || 2-58-28

28. lobha kaaraNa kaaritam= either instigated by passion; vara daana nimittam vaa= or with the intention of giving boons; raamaH= Rama; pravraajitaH yadi= was sent to exile; dushhkR^itam= an infamous deed; kR^itam= was done; sarvathaa= by all means.”

“Even if this was done for the good pleasure of the king or through the will of God, I do not see any justification for Rama’s abandonment.”

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idam taavadyathaakaamamiishvarasya kR^ite kR^itam |
raamasya tu parityaage na hetum upalakSaye || 2-58-29

29. idam taavat= even if this; kR^itam= was done; yathaakaamam= for the good pleasure of the kin, iishvarasya kR^ita= or through the will of god; na upalakshhye= I do not see; hetum= any justification; raamasya= for Rama’s parityaage= abandonment.

“Even if this was done for the good pleasure of the king or through the will of god, I do not see any justification for Rama’s abandonment.”

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asamiikSya samaarabdham viruddham buddhi laaghavaat |
janayiSyati samkrosham raaghavasya vivaasanam || 2-58-30

30. raaghavasya= Rama’s; vivaasam= exile; viruddham= an illegal decision; samaarabdham= undertaken; buddhi laaghavaat= whether due to levity of judgment; asamiikshhya= or due to lack of reflection; janayishhyati= will raise; samkrosham= intensive anguish.

“Rama’s exile, an illegal decision undertaken whether due to levity of judgment or due to lack of reflection, will raise countless protests.”

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aham taavan mahaa raaje pitR^itvam na upalakSaye |
bhraataa bhartaa ca bandhuH ca pitaa ca mama raaghavaH || 2-58-31

31. aham= I; na upalakshhaye= do not see; pitR^itvam= father-hood; mahaaraaja= in the emperor; mama= for me; raaghavaH= Rama; bhraataa ca= is brother; bhartaa ca= lord; bandhuH ca= relative and; pitaa= father.

“I do not consider the emperor as my father. For me, Rama is the brother, lord, relative and my father.”

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sarva loka priyam tyaktvaa sarva loka hite ratam |
sarva loko anurajyeta katham tvaa anena karmaNaa || 2-58-32

32. tyaktvaa= leaving; sarva loka priyam= (Rama) the beloved of all people; ratam= and who is interested; sarva lokahite= in the welfare of all mankind; katham= how would; sarva lokaH= all the people; anurajyeta= be interested; tvam= in you; anena karmaNaa= by this act?

“Leaving Rama the beloved of all people and who is interested in the welfare of all human beings, how would all these people would be interested in you by this act of yours?”

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sarvaprajaabhiraamam hi raamam pravraajya dhaarmikam |
sarvalokam virudhyemam katham raajaa bhaviSyasi || 2-58-33

33. pravraajya= by banishing; raamam= Rama; sarvaprajaabhiraamam= who is delightful to entire people; dhaarmikam= and virtuous; virudhya= and opposing; imam sarva lokam= all this entire world; katham= how; bhavishhyasi= will you stay; raajaa= as a king?

“By banishing Rama who is delightful to entire people and who is a virtuous man and by opposing all this entire world, how will you stay as a king?”

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jaanakii tu mahaa raaja niHshvasantii tapasvinii |
bhuuta upahata cittaa iva viSThitaa vR^iSmR^itaa sthitaa || 2-58-34

34. mahaaraaja= “Oh king; tapasvinii= the wise; jaanakii tu= Seetha for her part; niHshvasantii= stood sighing; bhuuta upahata cittaa= with mind like one possessed; vR^iSmR^itaa sthitaa= forgetting her own existence there; viSThitaa= stood motionless.

“Oh, King! The wise Seetha for her part with her mind like one possessed and forgetting her own existence, stood sighing and static.

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adR^iSTa puurva vyasanaa raaja putrii yashasvinii |
tena duhkhena rudatii na eva maam kimcit abraviit || 2-58-35

35. raaja putrii= that princess Seetha; yashasvinii= the illustrious one; adR^iSTa puurva vyasanaa= having not seen such misfortune earlier; na eva abraviit= could not even tell; kimcit= anything; maam= to me; rudatii= weeping (as she was); tena duHkhena= with that unpleasantness.

“The illustrious Seetha having not seen such misfortune earlier, could not even to speak me anything, weeping as she was with that uneasiness.”

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udviikSamaaNaa bhartaaram mukhena parishuSyataa |
mumoca sahasaa baaSpam maam prayaantam udiikSya saa || 2-58-36

36. udiikSya= seeing; maam= me; parishuSyataa= with emaciated; mukhena= face; udviikSamaaNaa= perceiving; bhartaaram= her husband; sahasaa= soon; mumoca= shed down; baaSpam= tears.

“Seeing me going back, Seetha with emaciated face, perceiving her husband, soon shed down tears.”

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tathaiva raamaH ashru mukhaH kR^ita anjaliH |
sthitaH abhaval lakSmaNa baahu paalitaH sthitaH |
tathaiva siitaa rudatii tapasvinii |
niriikSate raaja ratham tathaiva maam || 2-58-37

37. tathaiva= In the same way; raamaH= Rama; ashru mukhaH= with tears on his face; kR^ita anjaliH= and with joined palms; sthitaH abhaval= stood; lakSmaNa baahu paalitaH= shielded by the arms of Lakshmana; tathaiva= In the same way; tapasvinii= the miserable; siitaa= Seetha; rudatii= weeping, niriikSate= was seeing; raaja ratham= the royal chariot; tathaiva= and; maam= me.”

“In the same way, Rama with tears on his face and with joined palms, stood being shielded by the arms of Lakshmana. The miserable Seetha in the same manner was weeping and seeing the royal chariot and me.”

 

ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe aSTapaJNcaashaH sargaH

Thus completes 58th Chapter 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 58

 

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Sarga 58 in English Prose

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© April 2003, K. M. K. Murthy