Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya
Rama reveals to Bharata that Kaikey's marriage, stating that Dasaratha would confer the kingdom as a marriage-dowry. Rama also adds that Kaikeyi also received the promise of two boons from Dasaratha as a token of his pleasure and gratitude for the help Kaikeyi rendered during the conflict long ago between gods and demons. Rama further informs Bharata that according to that promise, Kaikeyi asked for the two boons, one for Bharata's throne and another for his own exile to the forest. Rama requests Bharata to make Dasaratha's promises true and asks him to return to Ayodhya and assume its rulership.
punar evam bruv˜õam tu bharatam lakÿmaõa agraja× |
pratyuvaca tata× þrŸm˜n jn˜ti madhye atisatk®ta× || 2-107-1
1. tataH= thereafter; shriimaan= the illustrious; abhisatkR^itaH= pratyuvaacha= replied (as follows); bharatam= to Bharata; evam= who was thus; bruvaaNam= speaking; jJNaatimadhye= among their relatives.
Thereafter, the illustrious Rama, highly respected among his fraternity, (as follows) to Bharata who was speaking as aforesaid among his relatives.
upapannam idam v˜kyam yat tvam evam abh˜ÿath˜× |
j˜ta× putro daþarath˜t kaikeyy˜m r˜ja sattam˜t || 2-107-2
2. idam= these; vaakyam= words; yat= which; abhyabhaaSathaaH= were spoken; evam= thus; tvam= by you; jaataH= born; putraH= as a son; kaikeyyaam= in Kaikeyi, dasharathaat= through Dasartha; raajasattamaat= the excellent king; upapannam= are suited for the occasion.
"These words, which you have spoken are worthy of you, the son of Dasaratha the excellent king, born through Kaikeyi."
pur˜ bhr˜ta× pit˜ na× sa m˜taram te samudvahan |
m˜t˜mahe sam˜þrauÿŸd r˜jya þulkam anuttamam || 2-107-3
3. bhraataH= O, My brother!; puraa= long ago; samudvahan= while marrying; te maataram= your mother; saH= that; naH pitaa= our father; samaashrouSiit= promised; anuttamam= an exceptional; raajyashulkam= marriage dowry in the form of our kingdom; maataamahe= to you maternal grandfather.
"O, My brother! Long ago, when our father married your mother, he promised your maternal grandfather that he would confer his kingdom as an exceptional marriage-dowry"
deva asure ca samgr˜me jananyai tava p˜rthiva× |
samprah®ÿ÷o dadau r˜j˜ varam ˜r˜dhita× prabhu× || 2-107-4
4. prabhuH= the efficient; paarthivaH= lord of the earth; raajaa= King Dasaratha; dadau= bestowed; varamcha= a boon; tava jananyai= to your mother; samprahR^iSTaH= he having been overjoyed; aaraadhitaH= by your mother's service; samgraame= in a conflict; daivaasure= between Gods and demons.
"Thereafter, in a conflict between Gods and demons, your mother received the promise of two boons from the efficient lord of the earth, King Dasartha, as a token of his joy and gratitude."
tata× s˜ sampratiþr˜vya tava m˜t˜ yaþasvinŸ |
ay˜cata nara þreÿ÷ham dvau varau vara varõinŸ || 2-107-5
tava r˜jyam nara vy˜ghra mama pravr˜janam tath˜ |
tac ca r˜j˜ tath˜ tasyai niyukta× pradadau varau || 2-107-6
5, 6. naravyaaghraH= O, Tiger among men!; tataH= then; tava maataa= your mother; yashasvinii= the illustrious woman; vara varNinii= with a beautiful complexion; sampratishraavya= having been made a promise; narashreSTam= by Dasaratha the chief of men; ayaachata= asked; dvau= two; varau= boons; raajyam= (one for giving) kingdom; tava= to you; tathaa= and; pravraajanam= (the other) the exile; mama= for me; tadaa= then; niyuktaH= the enjoined; raajaacha= king also; pradadau= gave; tau varau= those boons.
"O, Tiger among men! Your illustrious mother of beautiful complexion consequently demanded these two boons from that cheif of men, for you the throne and for me the exile to the forest."
tena pitr˜ aham apy atra niyukta× puruÿa ®ÿabha |
caturdaþa vane v˜sam varÿ˜õi varad˜nikam || 2-107-7
7. puruSarSabha= O, excellent among men!; ahamapi= I too; niyuktaH= have been enjoined; tena pitraa= by our aforesaid father; vaasam= to live; atra= in this; vane= forest; chaturdasha vaSaaNi= for fourteen years; varadaanikam= in accord with the granting of boon.
"O, excellent among men! I too, have been enjoined by our aforesaid father to live here in the forest for fourteen years, in accord iwth granting of boon."
so aham vanam idam pr˜pto nirjanam lakÿmaõa anvita× |
þŸtay˜ ca apratidvandva× satya v˜de sthita× pitu× || 2-107-8
8. saH aham= I as such; apratidvandvaH= without any rival; idam= nirjanam= to this lonely; vanam= forest; lakSmaNaanvitaH= accompanied by Lakshmana; siitayaa cha= and Seeta; sthitaH= standing firm; satya vaade= with the promise gien; pituH= by our father.
"I as such, without any rival, have come to this lonely forest accompanied by Lakshmana and Seetha in order to carry out the promise given by our father."
bhav˜n api tath˜ ity eva pitaram satya v˜dinam |
kartum arhati r˜ja indram kÿipram eva abhiÿecan˜t || 2-107-9
9. bhavaanapi= you too; arhati= ought; tathetyeva= likewise; kartum= to make; pitaram= our father; satyavaadinam= as a person having given a true promise; raajendra= O, Indra the Lord of celestials among Kings!; abhiSechanaat= by getting anointed to the crown; kSiprameva= without delay.
"You too ought, likewise, to make our father, as a person having given a true promise, O Indra (the Lord of Celestials) among kings, by getting yourself anointed to the crown without any delay.
®õ˜n mocaya r˜j˜nam mat k®te bharata prabhum |
pitaram tr˜hi dharmajna m˜taram ca abhinandaya || 2-107-10
10. bharata= O, Bharata; matkR^ite= for my sake; mochaya= relive; prabhum= the mighty; raajaanam= king; R^iNaat= from the debt; abhinandaya pitaram chappi maataram cha= make our father and happy mother.
"O, Bharata! For my sake relieve the mighty king from his vow and make both our mother and fahter happy."
þr¨yate hi pur˜ t˜ta þrutir gŸt˜ yaþasvinŸ |
gayena yajam˜nena gayeÿu eva pit®®n prati || 2-107-11
11. taata= my dear brother!; puraa= formerly; yashasvinaa= by an illustrious king; gayena= named Gaya; yajamaanena= while performing a sacrifice; gayeSvena= in a place called Gaya; pitR^iin prati= in honour of his ancestors; shrutiH= a verse; giitaa= was changed; shruuyate hi= and indeed heard (as follows)
"My dear brother! Formerly, an illustrious king named Gaya, while perfoming a sacrifice in a place called Gaya in honour of his ancestors, chanted the following verse:
pum n˜mn˜ narak˜d yasm˜t pitaram tr˜yate suta× |
tasm˜t putra iti prokta× pit®®n yat p˜ti v˜ suta× || 2-107-12
12. yasmaat= since; sutaH= a son; traayate= delivers; pitaram= his father; narakaat= from a place of torment; punnaamaH= called 'Put'; tasmaat= for that reason; protaH= (he) is named; pitra iti= as "Putra"; yaH= he who; paati= delivers; pitR^iin= his ancestors; sarvataH= from all (dangers).
"Since a son delivers his father from a place of torment (hell) called 'Put', he is named as 'Putra'- 'he who delivers his ancestors from all dangers'"
eÿ÷avy˜ bahava× putr˜ guõavanto bahu þrut˜× |
teÿ˜m vai samavet˜n˜m api kaþcid gay˜m vrajet || 2-107-13
13. bahavaH= many; yuNavantaH= viruous; bahushrutaaH= and very learned; putraH= sons; eSTavyaaH= are to be desired; teSaam= In them; kashchidapi= at lease one; samavetaanaam= who is intimately related; vrajet= may go; gayaam= to Gaya (to perform a sacrifice)
"To have many virtuous and learned sons is to be desired, since one, atleast among them, who is intimately connected will ocme to Gaya to perform a sacrifice."
evam r˜ja ®ÿaya× sarve pratŸt˜ r˜ja nandana |
tasm˜t tr˜hi nara þreÿ÷ha pitaram narak˜t prabho || 2-107-14
14. raaja nandan= O, Prince!; sarve= all; raajarSayaH= the royal sages; pratiitaaH= the royal sages; pratiitaaH= are convinced; evam= in this narashreSTa= and the excellent among men!; tasmaat= for that reason; traahi= save; pitaram= our father; narakaat= from hell.
"O, prince! This is the conviction of all the royal sages. O, the efficient and the excellent of men! Therefore, save our father from hell.
ayodhy˜m gagca bharata prak®tŸr anuranjaya |
þatrughna sahito vŸra saha sarvair dvij˜tibhi× || 2-107-15
15. viiraH= O, the valiant; bharataH= Bharata!; gachchha= go; ayodhyaam= to Ayodhya; shatrughna sahitaH= along with Shatrughna; sarvaiH= and all; dvijaatibhiH saha= the brahmanas; anuraNjaya= and give joy; prakR^itiiH= the people.
"O, the valiant Bharata! Go to Ayodhya along with Shatrughna and all the Brahmanas and give joy to the people there."
pravekÿye daõýaka araõyam aham apy avilambayan |
˜bhy˜m tu sahito r˜jan vaidehy˜ lakÿmaõena ca || 2-107-16
16. raajan= O, King!; ahamapi= I too; avilambayan= without delay; pravekSe= shall enter; daNDakaaraNyam= the forest of Dandaka; sahitaH= along with; abhyaam= this; vaidehyaa= Seetha; lakSmaNena= and Lakshmana.
"O, King! I too, without delay, will proceed to Dandaka forest along with Seetha and Lakshaman."
tvam r˜j˜ bhava bharata svayam nar˜õ˜m |
vany˜n˜m aham api r˜ja r˜õ m®g˜õ˜m |
gagca tvam pura varam adya samprah®ÿ÷a× |
samh®ÿ÷a× tu aham api daõýak˜n pravekÿye || 2-107-17
17. bharata= O, Bharata!; tvam= you; svayam= yourself; bhava= become; raajaa= the Lord; naraaNaam= of men; ahamapi= I too; raajaraaT= (will become) the great Lord; mR^igaaNaam= of the wild beasts; vanyaanaam= in this forest; tvam= you; gachchha= proceed; puravaram= to the excellent city of Ayodhya; adya= now; samprahR^iSTaH= with joy; ahampai= I also; pravekSye= shall enter; daN^Dakaan; Dandaka forest; sampraR^iSTaH= with joy.
"O, Bharata! You become the Lord of men. I will become the emperor of the wild beasts of the forest! Return now to the excellent city of Ayodhya full of joy and I also full of joy will enter Dankada Forest!"
c˜y˜m te dina kara bh˜× prab˜dham˜nam |
varÿatram bharata karotu m¨rdhni þŸt˜m |
eteÿ˜m aham api k˜nana drum˜õ˜m |
c˜y˜m t˜m atiþayinŸm sukham þrayiÿye || 2-107-18
18. bharata= O, Bharata!; varSatram= (Let) the umbrella; karotu= make; shiitaam= a coo; chhaayaam= shadow; te muurdhni= for your head; prabaadhamaanam= which is affected; dinakarabhaaH= by sunlight; ahamapi= I too; sukhii= comfortably; shrayiSye= shall take; shelter; taam= under that; atishayaniim= abundant; chhaayaam= shadow; kaanana drumaaNaam= of forest-trees.
"O, Bharata! Let the (royal) white umbrella provide a cool shadow for your head, repulsing the rays of sunlight. I will take shelter comoftably under the abundant shadow of these forest-trees."
þatrughna× kuþala mati× tu te sah˜ya× |
saumitrir mama vidita× pradh˜na mitram |
catv˜ra× tanaya var˜ vayam nara indram |
satyastham bharata car˜ma m˜ viÿ˜dam || 2-107-19
19. bharata= O, Bharata!; kushalamatiH= the intelligent; shatrughnaH= Shatrughna; sahaayaH= is helpful; te= to you; saumitriH= Lakshmana; viditaH= is known; pradhaana mitram= to be a cheif companion; mama= for me; vayam= we ; chatvaaraH= the four; tanayavaraaH= excellent sons; charaama= will make; narendram= the king; satyastham= true to his promise; maa viSiida= do not grieve.
"O, Bharata! The wise Shatrughna is helpful to you. Lakshmana is known to be an outstanding friend for me. We, the four excellent sons, will ultimately make the king true to his promise. Do not get disappointed."
ity˜rÿe þrŸmadr˜m˜yaõe ˜dik˜vye ayodhy˜k˜õýe saptottaraþatatama× sarga×
Thus completes 107th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© August 2005, K. M. K. Murthy