Lamentation of Kausalya
tataḥ samīkṣya śayane sannam śokena pārthivam |
kausalyā putra śoka ārtā tam uvāca mahī 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:
rāghavo nara śārdūla viṣam uptvā dvijihvavat |
vicariṣyati kaikeyī nirmuktā iva hi pannagī || 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"
vivāsya rāmam subhagā labdha kāmā samāhitā |
trāsayiṣyati mām bhūyo duṣṭa ahir iva veśmani || 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 rāmaḥ caran bhaikṣam gṛhe vaset |
kāma kāraḥ varam dātum api dāsam mama ātmajam || 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.
pātayitvā tu kaikeyyā rāmam sthānāt yathā iṣṭataḥ |
pradiṣṭaḥ rakṣasām bhāgaḥ parvaṇi iva āhita agninā || 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 rāja gatir vīraḥ mahā bāhur dhanur dharaḥ |
vanam āviśate nūnam sabhāryaḥ saha lakṣmaṇaḥ || 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 adṛṣṭa duhkhānām kaikeyyā anumate tvayā |
tyaktānām vana vāsāya kā nv avasthā bhaviṣyati || 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 hīnāḥ taruṇāḥ phala kāle vivāsitāḥ |
katham vatsyanti kṛpaṇāḥ phala mūlaiḥ kṛta aśanāḥ || 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 idānīm sa kālaḥ syān mama śoka kṣayaḥ śivaḥ |
sabhāryam yat saha bhrātrā paśyeyam iha rāghavam || 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?"
śrutvā eva upasthitau vīrau kadā ayodhyā bhaviṣyati |
yaśasvinī hṛṣṭa janā sūccrita dhvaja mālinī || 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 ? "
kadā prekṣya nara vyāghrāv araṇyāt punar āgatau |
nandiṣyati purī hṛṣṭā samudraiva parvaṇi || 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? "
kadā ayodhyām mahā bāhuḥ purīm vīraḥ pravekṣyati |
puraḥ kṛtya rathe sītām vṛṣabho go vadhūm 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?"
kadā prāṇi sahasrāṇi rāja mārge mama ātmajau |
lājaiḥ avakariṣyanti praviśantāv 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?"
praviśanau kadā.apiyodhyām drakṣyāmi śubhakuṇḍatā |
udagrāyudhanistrīṃśau saśṛṅgāviva 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?"
kadā sumanasaḥ kanyā dvijātīnām phalāni ca |
pradiśantyaḥ purīm hṛṣṭāḥ kariṣyanti pradakṣiṇam || 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?"
kadā pariṇataḥ buddhyā vayasā ca amara prabhaḥ |
abhyupaiṣyati dharmajñaḥ trivarṣaiva mām 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?"
nihsaṃśayam mayā manye purā vīra kadaryayā |
pātu kāmeṣu vatseṣu mātṛṛṇām śātitāḥ stanāḥ || 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."
sā aham gaur iva simhena vivatsā vatsalā kṛtā |
kaikeyyā puruṣa vyāghra bāla vatsā iva gaur balāt || 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 tāvad guṇaiḥ juṣṭam sarva śāstra viśāradam |
eka putrā vinā putram aham jīvitum 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 jīvite kiṃcit sāmartham iha kalpyate |
apaśyantyāḥ priyam putram mahā bāhum mahā 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 mām dīpayate samutthitaḥ |
tanūja śoka prabhavo huta aśanaḥ |
mahīm imām raśmibhir uttama prabho |
yathā nidāghe bhagavān divā karaḥ || 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 vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye ayodhya kāṇḍe tricatvāriṃśaḥ sargaḥ
Thus completes 43rd chapter in the Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
| Top of Page | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 |
© August 2002, K. M. K. Murthy