Book II : Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya
That night in Ayodhya passed over with agony. At sunrise the Brahmins who enthrone a person as a king, assembled and requested Vasista the family priest of Ikshvakus to select a youth to be crowned as a king of Ayodhya. They enunciated the various evil consequences of allowing the country without a king and leaving it in anarchy. |
aakranditaniraanandaa saasrakamThajanaavilaa |
aayodhyaayaamatitataa saa vyatiiyaaya sharvarii || 2-67-1
1. saa sarvarii= that night; ayodhyaayaam= in Ayodhya; aakrandita niraanandaa= which was joyless with a weeping tone; saasrakaNThajanaavilaa= thronged with people with tears in their throats; vyatiitaaya= passed away; atitaayaa= very much dragging.
That night in Ayodhya, which was joyless in a weeping tone and thronged with people with tears in their throats, slowly passed over.
vyatiitaayaam tu sharvaryaam aadityasya udaye tataH |
sametya raaja kartaaraH sabhaam iiyur dvijaatayaH || 2-67-2
2. tataH= afterwards; sharvaryaam= when the night. Vyatiitaayaam= was passing away; udaye= and with rising; aadityasa= of the sun; dvijaatayaH= the brahmanas; raajakartaaraH= who place a king on the throne; sametya= together; iiyuH= went; sabhaam= to the assembly.
At sunrise, when the night had passed over, the Brahmins who place a king on the throne, together gathered at the assembly.
maarkaNDeyo atha maudgalyo vaamadevaH ca kaashyapaH |
kaatyayano gautamaH ca jaabaaliH ca mahaa yashaaH || 2-67-3
ete dvijaaH saha amaatyaiH pR^ithag vaacam udiirayan |
vasiSTham eva abhimukhaaH shreSThaH raaja purohitam || 2-67-4
3,4. maarkaNdeyaH= Markandeya; atha= and; moudgalyaH= Moudgalya; vaamadevaH= Vamadeva; kaasyapaH= Kasyapa; kaatyaayanaH= Katyayana; goutamaashcha= Goutama; mahaayashaaH= the greatly famous; jaabaalishcha= Jabali; etc,,these, dvijaaH= Brahmans; amaatyaiHscha = along with ministers; abhimukhaaH= turned their face; vashishhThameva= towards Vasista; shreshhTaham= the excellent; raajapurohitam= royal priest; pR^ithak= and one by one; udiirayan= spoke; vaacham= words:
Markandeya, Moudgalya, Vamadeva, Kasyapa,Katyayana, Goutama and the greatly famous Jabali-all these Brahmans together with the ministers turned towards the excellent royal priest Vasishta and one by one spoke as follows:
atiitaa sharvarii duhkham yaa no varSa shata upamaa |
asmin pancatvam aapanne putra shokena paarthive || 2-67-5
5. asmin= “This, paarthiva= king; aapanne= having obtained; paNchatvam= death; putrashokena= due to grief for his sons; yaa= which night; varshhashatopamaa= which was equal to a hundred years; naH= to us; sharvarii= that night; atiitaa= has passed away; duHkham= with great difficulty.”
“King Dasaratha having obtained death due to grief born of separation from his sons (Rama and Lakshmana), the night which burdened like a hundred years, has passed over with great difficulty.”
svar gataH ca mahaa raajo raamaH ca araNyam aashritaH |
lakSmaNaH ca api tejasvii raameNa eva gataH saha || 2-67-6
6. mahaaraajaH=the monarch; svargatashcha= has gone to heaven; raamashcha= Rama; aashritaH= took retreat; araNyam=in a forest. tejasvii= The brilliant; lakshhmaNashcha= Lakshmana; gataH= went; raameNaiva saha= along with Rama in the same manner.”
“The monarch has gone to heaven. Rama took retreat in a forest. The brilliant Lakshmana followed suit and went along with Rama.”
ubhau bharata shatrughnau kkekayeSu param tapau |
pure raaja gR^ihe ramye maataamaha niveshane || 2-67-7
7. ubhou= both; bharata shatrughnou= Bharata and Satrughna; paramtapou= the annihilators of enemies; ramye maataamaha ni veshane= are encamped in the beautiful house of their maternal uncle; pure= in the city; raajagR^iihe= of Rajagriha; kaikeyeshhu= in the kingdom of Kekaya.”
“Both Bharata and Satrughna, the annihilator of enemies, are encamped in the beautiful house of their maternal uncle in the city of Rajagriha in the kingdom of Kekaya.”
ikSvaakuuNaam iha adya eva kashcit raajaa vidhiiyataam |
araajakam hi no raaSTram na vinaasham avaapnuyaat || 2-67-8
8. kashchit= anyone; ikshhvaakuunaam= in Ikshvaku dynasty; iha= here; vidhiiyataam= should be made; raajaa= a king; adyaiva= today itself; naH= our; raashhTram= nation; araajakam= without a king; samavaapnuyaat= will obtain; hi= indeed; vinaasham= a collapse.”
“Hence, let anyone here in Ikshvaku dynasty be made a king today itself lest our nation without a king should result in a collapse indeed.”
na araajale jana pade vidyun maalii mahaa svanaH |
abhivarSati parjanyo mahiim divyena vaariNaa || 2-67-9
9. parjanyaH= clouds; vidyunmaalii= with a garland of lightnings; mahaasvanaH= and with a great noise; naabhivarshhati= will not be showering; vaariNaa= with water; divyena= from sky; mahiim= on earth; janapade= in a country; araajake= without a king.”
“Lightning clouds in the sky with a great noise of thunder, will not yield rain on the land in a country without a king.”
na araajake jana pade biija muSTiH prakiiryate |
na araakake pituH putraH bhaaryaa vaa vartate vashe || 2-67-10
10. janapade= in a country; araajake= without a king; biijamushhTih= even a fist of seeds; naprakiinyate= are not dispersed; putraH= a son; bhaaryaavaa= or a wife; navartate= does not abide; vashe= in the authority; pituH= of a father; araajake= in an anarchy.”
“Even a fist of seeds are not disbursed in a ruler- less land. In anarchy, even a son is not amenable to the control of a father nor a wife in the authority of her husband.”
araajake dhanam na asti na asti bhaaryaa api araajake |
idam atyaahitam ca anyat kutaH satyam araajake || 2-67-11
11. araajake= in a rulerless land; naasti= there is no; dhanam= wealth; araajake= where there is no king; naasti= there is no; bhaaryaapi=(faithful) wife. anyat= Another; atyaahitam= very dangerous thing; idam cha= is there; araajake= In a rulerless land; kutaH= how can there be; satyam= truth?”
“In a rulerless land, there is no wealth. Where there is no king, there is no (faithful) wife. Another very dangerous thing is there. In a ruler less territory, how can there be truth? "
na araajake jana pade kaarayanti sabhaam naraaH |
udyaanaani ca ramyaaNi hR^iSTaaH puNya gR^ihaaNi ca || 2-67-12
12. araajake=In a ruler less; janapade= country; naraaH= people; nakaarayante= do not arrange; sabhaam= assembly; hR^ishhTaaH= with delight; ramyaaNi= beautiful; udyaanaani= parks; puNyagR^ihaaNi= or temples.”
“In a ruler- less country, people do not cause to make a delightful assembly nor erect beautiful parks or temples.”
na araajake jana pade yaj~na shiilaa dvijaatayaH |
satraaNi anvaasate daantaa braahmaNaaH samshita vrataaH || 2-67-13
13. araajake= In a rulerless; janapade= territory; yaN^gashiilaH= Those who frequently perform sacrificial rites; daantaaH= those who are self restraint; brahmaNaaH= those who have divine knowledge; samshitavrataaH= those who firmly adhere to a vow; dvijaatayaH= and brahmanas; na anvaasate= do not carry out; sattraaNi= Soma sacrifices.”
“In a ruler- less territory, those who frequently perform sacrificial rites, those who have self-restraint, those who firmly adhere to a vow as well as Brahmins do not carry out Soma sacrifices.”
na araajake janapade mahaayajJNeSu yajvanaH |
braahmaNaa vasusampannaa visR^ijantyaaptadakshiNaaH || 2-67-14
14. araajake= in a ruler less; janapade= land; vasusampannaaH= who accomplished wealth; yajvanaH= and sacrificers; mahaa yaN^geshhu= in great sacrificial rites; na visR^ijanti= do not bestow; aapta dakshhi NaaH= proper gifts.”
“In a rulerless land, Brahmans who obtained wealth and sacrificers in great sacrificial rites do not bestow proper gifts”
na araajake jana pade prabhuuta naTa nartakaaH |
utsavaaH ca samaajaaH ca vardhante raaSTra vardhanaaH || 2-67-15
15. araajake= In a ruler less; janapade=territory; utsavaashcha= festivals; samaajaashcha= and gatherings; raashhTra vardhanaaH= exalting the kingdom; prabhuuta naTa nartakaaH= having actors and dancers; na vardhante= are not intensified.”
“In a ruler- less territory, festivals and gatherings exalting the kingdom in which actors, and dancers exhibit their talents are not frequently arranged”
na arajake jana pade siddha arthaa vyavahaariNaH |
kathaabhir anurajyante kathaa shiilaaH kathaa priyaiH || 2-67-16
16. araajake= in a ruler less; janapade= land; vyavahaariNaH= litigants; na=do not; siddhaarthaaH= do not get their disputes settled; kathaashiilaaH= and those who frequently narrate stories; na anurajyante= do not gratify; kathaapriyaiH= story-lovers; kathaabhiH= with their stories.”
“In a ruler less land, litigants do not get their disputes settled and persons who have a knack for narrating stories do not gratify story- lovers with their tales.”
na araajake janapade udyaanaani samaagataaH |
saayaahne kriiDitum yaanti kumaaryo hemabhuuSitaaH || 2-67-17
17. araajake= in a rulerless; janapade= territory; kumaaryaaH= girls; samaagataaH= together; hemabhuushhitaaH= adorned in gold; na yaanti=do not go; udyaanaani= to parks; kriiDitum= to play; saayaahne= in the evening.”
“In a ruler less territory, girls adorned in gold do not go together to parks to play there in the evening.”
na araajake jana pade vaahanaiH shiighra gaamibhiH |
naraa niryaanti araNyaani naariibhiH saha kaaminaH || 2-67-18
18. araajake= in a lord less; janapade= land; kaaminaH= lustful; naraaH= men; na niryaanti= do not go out; naaribhiH= with ladies; araNyaani= to forests; shiighragaamibhiH= in speedily moving. vaahanaiH= vehicles.”
“In a lord less land, lustful men do not go out to woods with ladies in speedily moving vehicles"
na araakaje jana pade dhanavantaH surakSitaaH |
sherate vivR^ita dvaaraaH kR^iSi go rakSa jiivinaH || 2-67-19
19. araajake= in a lord less; janapade= land; dhanavantaH= living on agriculture and cattle rearing; na sherate= do not sleep; surakshhitaaH= well protected; vivR^itadvaaraaH= with their doors open.”
“In a lord less land, rich people living on agriculture and cattle rearing do not sleep in their abodes well protected, with their doors open”
na araajake janapade baddaghaNTaa viSaaNInaH |
aaTanti raajamaargeSu kuJNjaraaH SaSTihaayanaaH || 2-67-20
20. janapade= in a land; araajake= without an emperor; kuNjaraaH= elephants; shhashTi haayanaaH= with sixty years of age; na aaTanti= do not roam; baddhaghaNTaa vishhaaNinaH= with bells tied around their tusks ; raajamaargeshhu= on royal highways.”
“In a land without emperor, sixty year old elephants with bells tied around their tusks, do not roam around on royal high ways
na araajake janapade sharaan samtatamasyataam |
shruuyate talanirghoSa iSvastraaNaamupaasane || 2-67-21
21. janapade= in a land; araajake= without a king; upaasane= while practicing; ishhvastraaNaam= the use of bows; talanirghoshhaH= the noise of plucking the bow string with the palm; asyataam= of archers who discharge; sharaan= arrows; santatam= continuously; na shruuyati= is not heard.”
“In a ruler less land, the noise of plucking the bow string with the palm, produced by archers continuously discharging arrows while practicing the use of their bows, is not heard.”
na araajake jana pade vaNijo duura gaaminaH |
gacchanti kSemam adhvaanam bahu puNya samaacitaaH || 2-67-22
22. araajake= in a ruler less; janapade= land; vaNijaH= traders; duura gaaminaH= who go to distant places; bahuvaNya samaachitaa= along with several merchandises; na gachchhanti= can not travel; kshhemam=safely; adhvaanam= on the path.”
“In a rulerless land, traders who go to distant places, carrying with them several merchandises, cannot travel safely in their voyages.”
na araajake jana pade carati eka caraH vashii |
bhaavayann aatmanaa aatmaanam yatra saayam gR^iho muniH || 2-67-23
23. araajake= in rulerless; janapade= land; muniH= a monk; ekacharaH= who wanders alone; vashii= who has subdued his senses; bhaavayan= who meditates; aatmaanaa= himself; aatmaanam= on the soul; yatrasaayamgR^ihaH= and who takes up an abode wherever evening overtakes him; nacharati= cannot roam around.”
“In a rulerless land, a monk who wanders alone, who has subdued his senses, who mediates himself on the soul and who takes up an abode wherever evening overtakes him, cannot roam around the city.”
na araajake jana pade yoga kSemam pravartate |
na ca api araajake senaa shatruun viSahate yudhi || 2-67-24
24. araajake= in a rulerless; janapade= land; yogakshhemam= gain and security; na pravartate= are not established; araajake= In anarchy ;senaa=army; na vishhahate= can not conquer; shatruun= enemies; yudhi= in battle.”
“In a rulerless land; gain and security are not duly established. In anarchy, army cannot conquer enemies in battle.”
na araajake janapade hR^iSTaiH paramavaajibhiH |
naraaH samyaanti sahasaa rathaishca parimaNDitaaH || 2-67-25
25. araajake= in a rulerless; janapade= land; naraaH= people; parimanDitaaH = beautifully adorned; na samyaanti= cannot go; sahasaa= fast; paramavaajibhiH= in excellent horses; rathaishcha= and chariots; hR^ishhTaiH= cheerfully.”
“In a rulerless land, people beautifully adorned, cannot go fast cheerfully in excellent horses and chariots.”
na araajake janapade naraaH shaastravishaaradaaH |
sampadanto.avatiSThante vaneSuupavaneSu ca || 2-67-26
26. araajake= in a rulerless; janapade= land; naraaH= persons; shaastra vishaaradaaH= skilled in sacred scripts; na avatishhThante= can not sit; vaneshhu= in forests; upavaneshhu= and groves; samvadantaH= speaking together.”
“In a rulerless land, persons skilled in sacred treatises cannot sit speaking together in forests and groves.”
na araajake janapade maalyamodakadakshiNaaH |
devataabhyarcanaarthaya kalpyante niyatairjanaiH || 2-67-27
27. araajake= in a rulerless; janapade= territory; maalyamodakadakshhiNaaH=garlands; sweetmeats and gifts; devataabhyarchanaarthaaya= for the purpose of worshipping deities; nakalpayante= are not arranged; niyataiH= by the appointed; janaiH= persons.”
“In a rulerless land, floral garlands, sweet-meats and gifts for the sake of offering to the deities, are not arranged by the appointed persons.”
na araajake janapade candanaagururuuSitaaH |
raajaputraa viraajante vasanta iva shaakhinaH || 2-67-28
28. araajake= in a rulerless; janapade= land; raajaputraaH= royalprinces; chanda naaguru ruushhitaah= smeared with paste of sandal and aloe wood; na raajante= do not look brilliantly; shakhiraH iva= like trees; vasante= in springtime.”
“In a rulerless land, royal princes smeared with paste of sandal and aloe-wood do not figure brilliantly like trees in a spring time.”
yathaa hi anudakaa nadyo yathaa vaa api atR^iNam vanam |
agopaalaa yathaa gaavaH tathaa raaSTram araajakam || 2-67-29
29. anuudaaH= waterless; yathaa= like; nadyaH= the rivers; yathaa= like; atR^iNam= a lawnless; vanam= garden; yathaa vaa=and like ; agopaalaaH=cowherd less; yaavah= cows; yathaatathaa= in the same manner; araajakam= is a rulerless; raashhTram= country.”
“A rulerless country is like the water less rivers, like the lawn less garden and like the cowherd less cows.”
dhvajo rathasya prajJNaanam dhuumo jJNaanam vibhaavasoH |
teSaam yo no dhvajo raaja sa devatvamito gataH || 2-67-30
30. dhvajaH=A flag; praG^yaanam= is an identity; rathasya= for a chariot; dhuumaH= smoke; jJNaanam= is an identity; vibhaavasoH= for fire; teshhaam= for such; naH= of us; yaH= who; dhvajaH= like a flag; saH raajaa= that king; gatah= obtained; devatvam= godhead; itaH= from here.”
“A flag is an identity for a chariot. A smoke is an identity for a fire. King Dasaratha, like a flag, was an identity for us and he has left the world for a heavenly abode.”
na araajake jana pade svakam bhavati kasyacit |
matsyaaiva naraa nityam bhakSayanti parasparam || 2-67-31
31. araajake= in a rulerless; janapade= land; na bhavati= there is no; svakam= one’s own property; kasyachit= for any one; naraaH= persons ; nityam= always; bhakshhyanti= eat away; parasparam= each other; matsyaah iva= like eating fishes .
“In a rulerless land, there is no one’s own property for any one. Like fishes, persons always eat away each other.”
yehi sambhinna maryaadaa naastikaaH chinna samshayaaH |
te api bhaavaaya kalpante raaja daNDa nipiiDitaaH || 2-67-32
32. yehi= which; naastikaaH= atheists; sambhinnamaryaadaah= who were separated from the right path; te api= they also; raajadaNDitapiiDitaaH= have been tormented; with punishment by the king; chhinna samshayaH= and now their fear being dispelled; kalpante= are able to excersise; bhaavaaya= their temperament.”
“The atheists, who were separated from their right path and who had been tormented; with punishment earlier by the king, are now without fear and are able to exercise their old temperament (due to anarchy)”
yathaa dR^iSTiH shariirasya nityamevapravartate |
tathaa narendro raaSTrasya prabhavaH satyadharmayoH || 2-67-33
33. yathaa=how; dR^IshhTiH= the eye-sight; (is helpful); nityameva= regularly; pravartate= for the proper setting in motion; shariirasya= of the body; tathaa= in the same manner; narendraH= a king; prabhavaH= is the cause of existence; satya dharmayoH= for truth and righteousness; raashhTrasya= of the country.”
“As the eye sight is helpful regularly for a proper setting -in-motion of the body, so also a king is the cause of existence for truth and righteousness of a country.”
raajaa satyam ca dharmashca raajaa kulavataam kulam |
raajaa maataa pitaa chaiva raajaa hitakaro nR^iNaam || 2-67-34
34. raajaa= the king; satyamcha= is truthfulness; dharmashcha= and righteousness; kulavataam= belonging to a noble family; kulam= in a race; raajaa= the king; maata= is a mother; pitaachaiva= and even a father; raja= the king; hitakaraH= is a benefactor; nR^iNaam= to people.”
“The king is truthfulness and righteousness personified in him. In a race, he belongs to a noble family. The king is a mother and a father. The king is a benefactor to people.”
yamo vaishravaNaH shakro varuNashca mahaabalaH |
visheSyante narendreNa vR^ittena mahaataa tataH || 2-67-35
35. tataH= hence; (the god of death); Yama= (the god of riches);shakraH= Indra(the ruler of celestials); varuNashcha= Varuna(the ruler of waters); mahaabalaH= of great strength; viseshhyante= are out stretched; narendreNa= by the king; mahataa= of the high; vR^ittena= conduct.”
“Hence, Yama (the god of Death); Kubera (the god of riches), Indra (the ruler of celestials) and the very mighty Varuna (the Lord of Waters) are outstretched by the a high and eminent conduct.”
aho tamaiva idam syaan na praj~naayeta kimcana |
raajaa cen na bhaven loke vibhajan saadhv asaadhunii || 2-67-36
36. “aho= Alas! raajaana bhavedyati= If a king is not there; loke= in the world; vibhajan= discriminating; saadhvasaadhunii= between good and evil; idam= this world; syaat= will be; tamaH= dark; iva=as it were; na kimchana= Nothing; na prajaayata=will be clearly perceived.”
“Alas! If a king is not there in the world, with his power of discrimination between good and evil, this world will be dark and nothing will be clearly perceived.”
jiivati api mahaa raaje tava eva vacanam vayam |
na atikramaamahe sarve velaam praapya iva saagaraH || 2-67-37
37. mahaaraajye jiivatyapi= even when the emperor was alive; vayam= we; sarve= all of us; naatikramaamahe= did not transgress,; tava= your; vachanameva=words; praapyeva= as with obtaining; velaam= the coast; saagaraH= by an ocean.”
“Even when the emperor was alive, we all of us did not transgress your words, only any more than an ocean transgresses its coast.”
sa naH samiikSya dvija varya vR^ittam |
nR^ipam vinaa raajyam araNya bhuutam |
kumaaram ikSvaaku sutam vadaanyam |
tvam eva raajaanam iha abhiSincaya || 2-67-38
38. dvijararya= O, the excellent Brahmana! SaH= such of you; samikshhya= after reviewing; vR^Ittam= the circumstance; raajyam= the kingdom; nR^ipam vinaa= without a king; araNyabhuutam= becoming a jungle; tvamena= you yourself; abhishhiNcha= anoint; kumaaram= a youth; ikshhvaakusutam=born in Ikshvaku dynasty; tathaanyam= or any one else; iha= here; raajaanam= as king.”
“O, the excellent Brahmana! After renewing the circumstances here and seeing that the kingdom is becoming a jungle without a king, you yourself anoint a youth born in Ikshvaku race or anyone here as a king.”
ityaarSe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye ayodhyaakaaNDe saptaSaSTitamH sargaH
Thus completes 67th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© November 2003, K. M. K. Murthy