A Brahmana named Jabali tries to persuade Rama to accept the kingdom by advocating the theory of Nastikas (non-believers), saying that he need not get attached to his father's words and remain in the troublesome forest. Jabali requests Rama to enjoy the royal luxuries, by accepting the crown.
āśvāsayantam bharatam jābālir brāhmaṇa uttamaḥ |
uvāca rāmam dharmajnam dharma apetam idam vacaḥ || 2-108-1
1. brahmaNottamaH = A Brahmana; jaabaaliH = named Jabali; uvaacha = spoke; idam = the following; dharmaapetam = unrighteous; vachaH = words; raamam = to Rama; dharmajJNam = who knew righteousness; aashvaasayantam = and who was assuaging; bharatam = Bharata.
A brahmana called Jabali spoke the following unrighteous words to Rama, who knew righteousness and who was assuaging Bharata as aforesaid
sādhu rāghava mā bhūt te buddhir evam nirarthakā |
prākṛtasya narasya iva ārya buddheḥ tapasvinaḥ || 2-108-2
2. raaghava = O; Rama!; saadhu = well!; maabhuut = Let not; buddhiH = your wisdom; nivarthikaa = be rendered void; narasyeva = like a common man; te = you; aarya buddheH = who are distinguished for your intelligence; manasvinaH = and virtue.
"Enough, O Rama! Let not your wisdom be rendered void like a common man, you who are distinguished for your intelligence and virtue."
kaḥ kasya puruṣo bandhuḥ kim āpyam kasya kenacit |
yad eko jāyate jantur eka eva vinaśyati || 2-108-3
3. kaH puruSaH = which person; bandhuH = is a relative; kasya = to whom?; kim = what; aapyam = can be obtained; kena chit = from whom; kasya = by whom? yat = because; jantuH = a living; being; jaayate = is born; ekaH = alone; vinashyati = and dies; eka eva = alone.
"Who is related to whom? What is there to be obtained by anything and by whom? Every creature is born alone and dies alone."
tasmān mātā pitā ca iti rāma sajjeta yo naraḥ |
unmatta iva sa jneyo na asti kācidd hi kasyacit || 2-108-4
4. raama = O; Rama!; Tasmaat = hence; yaH naraH = which person; sajjeta = clings to another (saying); pitaa cheti = 'this is my father; maataa = this is my mother; saH = he; vijJNeya = should be known; unmatta iva = as one who has lost his wits; naasti hi = there is none; kashchit = whosoever; (who belongs); kasya chit = to another.
"O, Rama! He who clings to another, saying, 'This is my father, this is my mother, he should be known as one who has lost his wits. There is none who belongs to another."
yathā grāma antaram gagcchan naraḥ kaścid kvacid vaset |
utsṛjya ca tam āvāsam pratiṣṭheta apare ahani || 2-108-5
evam eva manuṣyāṇām pitā mātā gṛham vasu |
āvāsa mātram kākutstha sajjante na atra sajjanāḥ || 2-108-6
5; 6. kaakutthsa = O; Rama!; yathaa = as; kashchit = a certain; naraH = person; gachchhan = who passes; graamantaram = through a strange village; vaset = spends the night; kvachit = at that certain place; apare ahami = and the next day; utsR^ijya = leaves; tam aavaasam = that place; pratiSTheta = and continues is journey; evameva = so are; pitaa = father; maataa = mother; gR^iham = home; vasu = and possessions; manuSyaaNaam = to men; aavaasamaatram = they are but a resting place; sajjanaaH = the wise; na sajjante = do not become attached; atra = in this.
"O, Rama! As one who passes the a strange village spends the night the and the next day leaves that place and continues his journey, so are mother, father, home and possessions to a man; they are but a resting place. The wise do not become attached to them".
pitryam rājyam samutsṛjya sa na arhati nara uttama |
āsthātum kāpatham duhkham viṣamam bahu kaṇṭakam || 2-108-7
7. narottama = O; chief of men!; saH = you as such; naarhasi = ought not; parityajya = abandon; pitrayam = your father's; raajyam = kingdom; aasthaatum = in order to dwell; kaapatham = in a lonely forest; duHkham = that is painful; viSamam = hard to traverse; bahukaN^Takam = and full of thorny thickets.
"O, chief of men! You as such should not abandon your father's kingdom in order to dwell in a lonely forest, that is excruciating hard to traverse and full of thorny thickets."
samṛddhāyām ayodhyāyām ātmānam abhiṣecaya |
eka veṇī dharā hi tvām nagarī sampratīkṣate || 2-108-8
8. aatmaanaam abhiSechaya = get yourself crowned; samR^iddhaayaam = in the prosperous; ayodhyaayaam = kingdom of Ayodhya; nagarii = that city; sampratiikSate = is waiting; tvaam = fro you; eka veNiidharaa = with your locks unfound.
"Get yourself crowned in the prosperous kingdom of Ayodhya. That city is waiting for you, with your locks duly unfound."
rāja bhogān anubhavan mahā arhān pārthiva ātmaja |
vihara tvam ayodhyāyām yathā śakraḥ triviṣṭape || 2-108-9
9. paarthivaatmaja = O; prince! tvam = you; anubhavan = enjoy; raaja bhogaan = the royal luxuries; mahaarhaan = worthy of you; vihara move; ayodhyaayaam = in Ayodhya; shakraH yathaa = as Indra the Lord of Celestials; triviSTape (moves in) heaven!
"O, prince! Enjoy the royal luxuries worthy of you. Move around in Ayodhya as Indra the Lord of celestials does in heaven!"
na te kaścid daśaratahḥ tvam ca tasya na kaścana |
anyo rājā tvam anyaḥ ca tasmāt kuru yad ucyate || 2-108-10
10. dasharathaH = Dasaratha; na kashchit = is none; te = to you; na = nor; tvam cha = you; kashcana = in anyway; tasya = to him; saH raaja = that king; anyaH = is another; tvam = and you; anyaH = are another; tasmaat = hence; kuru = do; yat = what is uchyate = told (by me).
"Dasaratha is none to you nor you in anyway to him. That king is another and your are another. Hence, do what is told by me?"
bījamātram pitā jantoḥ śuklaṃ rudhirameva ca |
saṃyuktamṛtumanmātrā puruṣasyeha janma tat || 2-108-11
11. pitaa = the father; biija maatram = is only the seed; jantoH = of a being; shuklam = the sperm; rudhirameva cha\ and the ovum; samyuktam = blend; R^itumat = at the right time; maatraa = in the mother's womb; tat = so that; puruSasya = man; janma = is born; iha = in this world.
"The father is only the seed of a being. The sperm and the ovum blend at the right time in the mother's womb, so that a human being is born in this world."
gataḥ sa nṛpatiḥ tatra gantavyam yatra tena vai |
pravṛttir eṣā martyānām tvam tu mithyā vihanyase || 2-108-12
12. saH nR^ipatiH = that king; gataH = has gone; yatra = where; tena = he; gantavyam = had to go; eSaa = this; pravR^ittiH = is the fate; martyaanaam = of (all) beings; mithyaa = unnecessarily; tvam tu = you are still; vihanyase = frustrated.
"The king has gone, where he had to go. This is the fate of all being unnecessarily, you are still frustrated over the matter."
artha dharma parā ye ye tāmḥ tān śocāmi na itarān |
te hi duhkham iha prāpya vināśam pretya bhejire || 2-108-13
13. shochaami = I pity; taamstaan = all those; ye ye = whosoever; artha dharmaparaaH = devoted to wealth and religious merit; na = not; itaraan = others (who are devoted to sense-enjoyment); te = for; they; praapya = having undergone; duHkham = suffering; iham = in this life; bhejire = they have met with; vinaasham = extermination; pretya = after death.
"I pity all those whosoever, devoted to wealth and religious merit, not other (who are devoted to sense-enjoyment), for, they, having undergone suffering in this life, have met with extermination after death."
aṣṭakā pitṛ daivatyam ity ayam prasṛto janaḥ |
annasya upadravam paśya mṛto hi kim aśiṣyati || 2-108-14
14. ayam = these; janaH = people; prasR^itaH = say; iti = that; aSTakaa = the eight day; pitR^idaivatyam = should be given up to sacrifices for the spirits of our ancestors; pashya = see; upadravam = the waste annasya = of food; kim = what; mR^itaH = (will) a dead man; ashiSyati = eat?
"These people say, 'The eighth day should be given up to sacrifices for the spirits of our ancestors.' See the waste of food. What will a dead man eat?"
yadi bhuktam iha anyena deham anyasya gagcchati |
dadyāt pravasataḥ śrāddham na tat pathy aśanam bhavet || 2-108-15
15. yadi bhuktam = If food eaten; anyena = by one; iha = here; gachchhati = reaches; anyasya = another's; deham = body; shraaddham = (then let) a sacrifice; dadyaat = be offered; pravasataH = for those who are setting out on a distant journey; tat na bhavet = will it not become; ashanam = a food; pathi = on their path?
"If food eaten by one here, reaches another's body, then let a sacrifice be offered for those who are setting out on a distant journey. Will it not become a food on their path?"
dāna samvananā hy ete granthā medhāvibhiḥ kṛtāḥ |
yajasva dehi dīkṣasva tapaḥ tapyasva samtyaja || 2-108-16
16. yajasva = perform sacrifices dehi = distribute gifts; diikSasva = consecrate yourselves; tapyasva = practise; tapaH = austerity; samtyaja = and renunciation; ete = there granthaaH = writings; kR^itaaH = are composed; medhaavibhiH = by learned men; daana samvananaaH = for the sake of inducing others to give.
"Perform sacrifices, distribute gifts, consecrate yourselves, practise ansterity and renunciation' - These writings are composed by learned men for the sake of inducing others to give."
sa na asti param ity eva kuru buddhim mahā mate |
pratyakṣam yat tad ātiṣṭha parokṣam pṛṣṭhataḥ kuru || 2-108-17
17. mahaamate = O; the highly wise!; saH = you as such; kuru = arrive at; buddhim = a conclusion; naasti ityeva = that there is nothing; param = beyond this universe; aatiSTha = give precedence; tat = to that; yat = which; pratyakSam = meets the eye; pR^iSThataH kuru = and turn your back; parokSam = on what is beyond our knowledge.
"O, the highly wise! Arrive at a conclusion, therefore, that there is nothing beyond this Universe. Give precedence to that which meets the eye and turn your back on what is beyond our knowledge."
satām buddhim puraḥ kṛtya sarva loka nidarśinīm |
rājyam tvam pratigṛhṇīṣva bharatena prasāditaḥ || 2-108-18
18. puraskR^itya = honour; taam buddhim = that judgment of the wise; sarva loker nidarshiniim = and regarding that which is approved by all; pratigR^ihNiiSva = accept; raajyam = the kingdom; prasaaditaH = a propitiated; bharatena = by Bharata.
"Honour the judgment of the wise and regarding that which is approved by all, accept the kingdom as propitiated by Bharata."
- - -
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe aṣṭottaraśatatamaḥ sargaḥ
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© August 2005, K. M. K. Murthy
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