Lamentation of Kausalya
tataH samiikShya shayane sannam shokena paarthivam |
kausalyaa putra shoka aartaa tam uvaaca mahii patim || 2-43-1
1. tataH = Thereafter; kausalyaa = Kausalya; putrashokaartaa = afflicted with the grief of her son; samiikshha = seeing; paarthivam = the king; shayane = lying down; sannam = depressed; shokena = with sorrow; uvaacha = spoke ; tam mahiipatim = thus to that monarch.
Thereafter, Kausalya afflicted with grief of her son and seeing the king lying down depressed with sorrow, spoke to the monarch as follows:
raaghavo nara shaarduula viSham uptvaa dvijihvavat |
vicariShyati kaikeyii nirmuktaa iva hi pannagii || 2-43-2
2. kaikeyii = Kaikeyi; ahijihmagaa = moving tortuously like a snake; uptvaa = planted; vishham = poison; raaghave = in Rama; narasharduule = the tiger among men; vicharishhyati = and will wander about; pannagii iva = like a female serpent; nirmuktaa = that has cast off its slough.
"Having planted her poison on Rama the tiger among men, indeed Kaikeyi of crooked ways will surely wander about freely like a female serpent that has cast off its slough"
vivaasya raamam subhagaa labdha kaamaa samaahitaa |
traasayiShyati maam bhuuyo duShTa ahir iva veshmani || 2-43-3
3. labdhakaamaa = having fulfilled her desire; vivaasya = of expelling; raamam = Rama; subhagaa = Kaikeyi; the charming woman; traasayishhyati = will frighten; samaahitaa = by clamping down; maam = on me; dushhTaahiriva = like a dangerous serpent; veshmani = in the hous.
"Having fulfilled her desire of expelling Rama to the forest, Kaikeyi the charming woman will frighten by clamping down upon me, like a dangerous serpent in the house."
atha sma nagare raamaH caran bhaikSham gR^ihe vaset |
kaama kaaraH varam daatum api daasam mama aatmajam || 2-43-4
4. daatum api = even giving; mama = my; aatmajam = son; daasam = as a slave; varam = ( would have been) better; atha = thereafter; raamaH = Rama; vaset sma = (would have) stayed; gR^ihe = in the house;kaama kaaraH = by doing the work entrusted ; charan = and roaming about; nagare = in the city;bhaikshhyam = asking alms.
"Even giving my son to her as a slave would have been better. By that Rama would have at least stayed in the house by doing the work entrusted by her and roaming about in the city, asking alms.
paatayitvaa tu kaikeyyaa raamam sthaanaat yathaa iShTataH |
pradiShTaH rakShasaam bhaagaH parvaNi iva aahita agninaa || 2-43-5
5. raamam = Rama; paatayitraa = having been thrown; sthaanaat = out of his position;kaikeyyaa = by Kaikeyi; yatheshhTaH = as per her will; pradishhTaH = indicated; bhaagaH iva = as a part (of the sacrifice)thrown to; rakshhasaam = ogres; parvaNi = on a new or full moon; aahitaagninaa = by one who tends the sacred fire.
"Having willfully thrown Rama out of his position, Kaikeyi has acted in the same way as one who tends the sacred fire throws a part of the sacrifice to ogres on a new or full moon."
gaja raaja gatir viiraH mahaa baahur dhanur dharaH |
vanam aavishate nuunam sabhaaryaH saha lakShmaNaH || 2-43-6
6. sabhaaryaH = together with wife; sahalakshhmaNaH = accompanied by Lakshmana; gajaraajagatiH = walking like the king of elephants; dhanurdharaH = wearing a bow; mahaabaahuH = the mighty armed; viiraH = hero; nuunam = surely; aavishate = will have entered; vanam = the forest.
Together with his wife, accompanied by Lakshmana and walking like king of elephants having a bow in hand, the mighty armed hero surely will have entered the forest "
vane tu adR^iShTa duhkhaanaam kaikeyyaa anumate tvayaa |
tyaktaanaam vana vaasaaya kaa nv avasthaa bhaviShyati || 2-43-7
7. vane = in the forest; kaanu = what; avasthaa = fate; bhavishhyati = will befall (them);adR^ishTa duHkhaanaam = who had never seen suffering (before); tyaktaanaam = who have been sent; tvayaa = by you;vanavaasaaya = to a forest life;anumate = as per the wish; kaikeyyaaH = of Kaikeyi.
" In the forest, what fate will befall them who had never seen such a suffering before and who have been sent by you to a forest life as per the wishes of Kaikeyi?"
te ratna hiinaaH taruNaaH phala kaale vivaasitaaH |
katham vatsyanti kR^ipaNaaH phala muulaiH kR^ita ashanaaH || 2-43-8
8. ratna hiinaH = devoid of riches;te = they ;taruNaaH = theyouthful beings;vivaasitaaH = exiled;phalakaale = at the age when they should be enjoying; katham = how; vatsyanti = are they to live;kR^IpaNaaH = in misery; phala muulaiH = with fruits and roots;kR^itaashanaaH = to be eaten.
"Devoid of riches, those youthful beings, in exile at the age when they should be enjoying diversions of every kind, how are they to live in misery, having only roots and fruits for their nourishment?"
api idaaniim sa kaalaH syaan mama shoka kShayaH shivaH |
sabhaaryam yat saha bhraatraa pashyeyam iha raaghavam || 2-43-9
9. yat = when; saH kaalaH = that time ;shivaH = which; apisyaat = come; mama = to me idaaniim = now; shoka kshhayaH = that will bring an end to my sorrows; pashyayam = and I shall see; raaghavam = Rama;sabhaaryam = with his wife;saha bhraataa = along with his brother; iha = here.
"When that auspicious hour will come to me that will bring an end to my sorrows and I shall see Rama with his wife and brother returning here?"
shrutvaa eva upasthitau viirau kadaa ayodhyaa bhaviShyati |
yashasvinii hR^iShTa janaa suucchrita dhvaja maalinii || 2-43-10
10. shrutvaiva = hearing; upashtiton = the presence ; viirou = of Rama and Lakshmana;the heroes; kadaa = when all; yashasvinii = the famous ; Ayodhya = city of Ayodhya; bhavishhyati = will transform; hR^ishhTajanaa = into a city with people thrilling with rapture; suuchchhrita dhvaja maalinii = and be adorned with rows of towering banners.
"When will Ayodhya regain her pristine glory, with people thrilling with rapture and be adorned with rows of towering banners the moment it hears of the two heroic princes (Rama and Lakshmana) being present ? "
kadaa prekShya nara vyaaghraav araNyaat punar aagatau |
nandiShyati purii hR^iShTaa samudraiva parvaNi || 2-43-11
11. kadaa = when will; purii = this city ;nandishhyati = rejoice; samudra iva = like an ocean; hR^ishhTaa = swelling jubilantly ;parvaNi = on a full moon night ; prekshhya = to perceive;naravyaaghrou = the two princes who are tigers among men ; aagaton = come; punaH = back; araNyaat = from the forest?".
"When will the city rejoice like an ocean swelling jubilantly on a full moon night to perceive the two princes who are tigers among men come back from the forest? "
kadaa ayodhyaam mahaa baahuH puriim viiraH pravekShyati |
puraH kR^itya rathe siitaam vR^iShabho go vadhuum iva || 2-43-12
12. kadaa = when will ; mahaabaahuH = the mighty armed; viiraH = hero(Rama);pravekshhyati = enter; ayodhyaa puriim = the city of Ayodhya; puraskR^tya siitaam = placing Sita in front; rathe = in the chariot ;govadhuumiva = as a cow; vR^ishhabhaH = by a bull?"
"When will the mighty armed hero (Rama) enter the city of Ayodhya placing Sita in his front in the chariot as a bull would follow a cow?"
kadaa praaNi sahasraaNi raaja maarge mama aatmajau |
laajaiH avakariShyanti pravishantaav arim damau || 2-43-13
13. kadaa = when will; praNisahasraaNi = thousands of men; avakirishhyanti = shower ; laajaiH = the parched grains of paddy; raaja maarge = on the royal highway; mama = my; aatmajou = two sons(Rama and Lakshmana) ; arindamou = the subduer of their enemies; pravishantou = entering the city?"
"When will thousands of men shower the parched grains of paddy on the royal highway over my two sons (Rama and Lakshmana) the subduer of their enemies, entering the city?"
pravishanau kadaa.apiyodhyaam drakshyaami shubhakuNDataa |
udagraayudhanistrii.nshau sashR^iN^gaaviva parvatau || 2-43-14
14. kadaa = when ; drakshhyaami = shall I see; shubhakuNdataa = (the two princes)adorned with splendid ear-rings;udagraayudha mistrimshou = and armed with excellent bows and swords; pravishantou = entering; ayodhyaam = Ayodhya;parvataaviva = like(a pair of mountains) ;sashR^ngou = crowned with peaks?"
"When shall I see the two princes adorned with splendid ear-rings and armed with excellent bows and swords, entering Ayodhya like a pair of mountains crowned with peaks?"
kadaa sumanasaH kanyaa dvijaatiinaam phalaani ca |
pradishantyaH puriim hR^iShTaaH kariShyanti pradakShiNam || 2-43-15
15. kadaa = when will; pradikshhiNam karishhyati = they make rounds clockwise of; puriim = the city; hR^IshhTaaH = with rejoice; pradikshhantaH = giving away; sumanasaH = flowers; phalaaricha = and fruits; kanyaa dvijaatiinaam = to virgins and brahmanas?"
"When will those two princes with Sita merrily go round the city clockwise, giving away flowers and fruits to virgins and brahmanas?"
kadaa pariNataH buddhyaa vayasaa ca amara prabhaH |
abhyupaiShyati dharmaGYaH trivarShaiva maam lalan || 2-43-16
16. kadaa = when will; dharmaGyaH = the pious Rama; pariNataH = grown ripe; buddhyaa = in intellect; amaraprabhaH = and shining like a god; vayasaacha = in point of age; abhyupaishhyati = return; maam = to me; lalan = cherishing (the world); trivarshhaH iva = like the propitious and timely rain?" (Literally trivarshha " means three consecutive showers favorable to crops).
"When will the pious Rama, grown ripe in intellect and shining like a god in point of age ,return to me, cherishing the world like the proportious and timely rain?"
nihsa.nshayam mayaa manye puraa viira kadaryayaa |
paatu kaameShu vatseShu maatR^iR^iNaam shaatitaaH stanaaH || 2-43-17
17. nissamshayam = undoubtedly;puraa = in some past life; kadaryayaa = through mean mindedness; viira = oh valiant king; stanaaH = the teats ; maatR^iiNaam = of mothers; shaatitaaH = were cut off; mayaa = by me; vatseshhu = while their calves; paatukaameshhu = were longing to suck them."
"Undoubtedly in some past life, through mean-mindedness, Oh, valiant king, I believe that the teats of cows were cut off by me while their calves were longing to suck them."
saa aham gaur iva simhena vivatsaa vatsalaa kR^itaa |
kaikeyyaa puruSha vyaaghra baala vatsaa iva gaur balaat || 2-43-18
19. purushhavyaaghra = Oh; Tiger among heroes! vatsalaa = fond of my child; gouriva = like a cow; saa aham = I as such ; kR^itaa = who made; balata = forcibly; vivatsaaH = deprived of my child;kaikeyyea = by Kaikeyi; gouriva = as a cow; baalavatsaa = having a calf of tender age; simhena = by a lion."
"Oh, tiger among heroes! Fond of my child like a cow, I, as such was forcibly deprived of my child by Kaikeyi in the same way as a cow having a calf of tender age may be deprived of her calf by a lion."
na hi taavad guNaiH juShTam sarva shaastra vishaaradam |
eka putraa vinaa putram aham jiivitum utsahe || 2-43-19
19. aham = I; na utsahehi = cannot indeed wish; jiivitum = to survive; putram vinaa = without my son; eka putra = the only son; jushhTam = who is adorned; taavadguNaiH = with all virtues; sarva shaastra vishaaradam = well-versed in all scriptures."
"I cannot indeed wish to survive without my only son who is adorned with all virtues and is well-versed in all scriptures."
na hi me jiivite ki.ncit saamartham iha kalpyate |
apashyantyaaH priyam putram mahaa baahum mahaa balam || 2-43-20
20. na kimchit = not the least; saamarthyam = capacity; kalpyatehi = is indeed imaginable; me = in me; jiivite = to live; iha = here; apashyantyaaH = so long as I do not see; priyam putram = my beloved son; mahaa baahum = who is mighty armed; mahaabalam = and of great strength."
"There is not the least capacity imaginable in me to sustain my life here so long as I fail to perceive my beloved son (Rama) who is mighty armed and Lakshmana of great strength"
ayam hi maam diipayate samutthitaH |
tanuuja shoka prabhavo huta ashanaH |
mahiim imaam rashmibhir uttama prabho |
yathaa nidaaghe bhagavaan divaa karaH || 2-43-21
21. ayam = This; hutaashaH = fire; tanuuja shoka prabhavaH = born of grief occasioned by separation from my son; diipayate = is torturing; maam = me; bhagavaan = as the illustrious; divaakaraH = sun; uddhata prabhaH = possessed of greatest splendor; rashmibhiH = by its rays; samutthitaH = appears; imaam mahiim yathaa = as to this earth; nidaaghe = in summer."
"This fire born of grief occasioned by separation from my son, is torturing me in the same way as the illustrious sun, possessed of greatest splendor, scorches this earth with its rays in summer."
- - -
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye ayodhya kaaNDe trichatvaariMshaH sargaH
Thus completes 43rd chapter in the Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
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© August 2002, K. M. K. Murthy