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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 33
In this Sarga, Rāma along with Seetā and Lakshmaṇa, go to Daṡaratha’s palace to take leave of him. Along the way they hear the reaction of the people, who say that they would rather leave the city and go to Vana along with Rāma, following the example of Lakshmaṇa.
2.33.1 தத்த்வா து ஸஹ வைதேஹ்யா ப்ராஹ்மணேப்யோ தநம் பஹு ।
ஜக்மது: பிதரம் த்ரஷ்டும் ஸீதயா ஸஹ ராகவௌ ॥
dattvā tu saha vaidēhyā brāhmaṇēbhyō dhanaṃ bahu ।
jagmatuḥ pitaraṃ draṣṭuṃ sītayā saha rāghavau ॥
The princes of Raghu dynasty
and the princess of Vidēha thus
gave away their immense wealth to Brāhmaṇas.
The brothers, along with Seetā, then went to see their father.
2.33.2 ததோ க்ருஹீதே துஷ்ப்ரேக்ஷே த்வஸோபேதாம் ததாயுதே ।
மாலாதாமபிராபத்தே ஸீதயா ஸமலங்க்ருதே ॥
tatō gṛhītē duṣprēkṣē tvaṡōbhētāṃ tadāyudhē ।
mālādāmabhirābaddhē sītayā samalaṅkṛtē ॥
The weapons they carried,
covered with many flower garlands decorated by Seetā,
dazzled the eyes of the beholder.
2.33.3 தத: ப்ராஸாதஹர்ம்யாணி விமாநஸிகராணி ச ।
அதிருஹ்ய ஜநஸ்ஸ்ரீமாநுதாஸீநோ வ்யலோகயத் ॥
tataḥ prāsādaharmyāṇi vimānaṡikharāṇi ca ।
adhiruhya janaṡṡrīmānudāsīnō vyalōkayat ॥
The wealthy people climbed their respective
palaces, mansions and the terraces of seven-storied residences
and gazed at them joylessly. Rāmāyaṇa, on the one hand, is the story of Rāma, the story of Seetā, the story of Hanuman, the story of Rāvaṇa and the story of Dharma.
But on the other hand, even more importantly, it is the story of the relationship between a king and the subjects of his kingdom.
In public affairs, there is a delicate balance between the will of the ruler and the will of the ruled. A good ruler commands respect of the people and thus secures the strength of rule by standing up to the expectations and obliging the will of the ruled, rather than by suppressing or harassing them.
The events of Rāmāyaṇa are as much shaped by the stupid insistence of Kaikēyee on Rāma’s banishment, the naive fear of Seetā about the danger to Rāma and the insolence of Rāvaṇa, as it is by the public opinion.
It is Rāma’s unwavering adherence to Dharma that deprived him of the kingdom and led him to the Vana.
It is his regard to public opinion that deprived him of his dear wife and wrecked his marriage.
Vālmeeki, hence, covers extensively the mood and mind of the people of Ayōdhyā at every step. Almost a fourth of Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa is focused on public opinion. The subjects of Ayōdhyā, unto themselves, should be seen as a ‘character’ in the story.
This underlying theme of Rāmāyaṇa, i.e., the relationship between the ruler and the ruled, often goes underemphasized. To that extent, an important message of Rāmāyaṇa is often missed.
It is same public opinion which holds him in high esteem all through, that trounces him mercilessly when he brings back Seetā, who lived in the custody of a lecher like Rāvaṇa.
2.33.4 ந ஹி ரத்யா: ஸ்ம ஸக்யந்தே கந்தும் பஹுஜநாகுலா: ।
ஆருஹ்ய தஸ்மாத்ப்ராஸாதாந் தீநா: பஸ்யந்தி ராகவம் ॥
na hi rathyāḥ sma ṡakyantē gantuṃ bahujanākulāḥ ।
āruhya tasmātprāsādān dīnāḥ paṡyanti rāghavam ॥
As the streets were impassable
owing to the press of crowds,
they mounted to the top stories and
gazed at the prince of Raghu dynasty with sadness.
2.33.5 பதாதிம் வர்ஜிதச்சத்ரம் ராமம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா ஜநாஸ்ததா ।
ஊசுர்பஹுவிதா வாசஸ்ஸோகோபஹதசேதஸ: ॥
padātiṃ varjitacchatraṃ rāmaṃ dṛṣṭvā janāstadā ।
ūcurbahuvidhā vācaṡṡōkōpahatacētasaḥ ॥
Seeing Rāma go on foot without the royal umbrella,
their hearts were wrung by grief,
prompting them to comment in many a manner:
2.33.6 யம் யாந்தமநுயாதி ஸ்ம சதுரங்கபலம் மஹத் ।
தமேகம் ஸீதயா ஸார்தமநுயாதி ஸ்ம லக்ஷ்மண: ॥
yaṃ yāntamanuyāti sma caturaṅgabalaṃ mahat ।
tamēkaṃ sītayā sārdhamanuyāti sma lakṣmaṇaḥ ॥
He used to be followed, wherever he went,
by great armies of four divisions.
Now Lakshmaṇa is following that man
who is treading alone along with Seetā.
2.33.7 ஐஸ்வர்யஸ்ய ரஸஜ்ஞ: ஸந் காமிநாம் சைவ காமத: ।
நேச்சத்யேவாந்ருதம் கர்தும் பிதரம் தர்மகௌரவாத் ॥
aiṡvaryasya rasajñaḥ san kāmināṃ caiva kāmadaḥ ।
nēcchatyēvānṛtaṃ kartuṃ pitaraṃ dharmagauravāt ॥
He knew very well the taste of riches.
He is the grantor of the wishes of seekers.
Yet, in deference to Dharma,
he does not want his father’s word to be broken.
2.33.8 யா ந ஸக்யா புரா த்ரஷ்டும் பூதைராகாஸகைரபி ।
தாமத்ய ஸீதாம் பஸ்யந்தி ராஜமார்ககதா ஜநா: ॥
yā na ṡakyā purā draṣṭuṃ bhūtairākāṡagairapi ।
tāmadya sītāṃ paṡyanti rājamārgagatā janāḥ ॥
Even creatures that fly in the air
could not get a glimpse of the Seetā in the past.
Now she can be beheld by even those
who are walking on the public roads.
2.33.9 அங்கராகோசிதாம் ஸீதாம் ரக்தசந்தநஸேவிநீம் ।
வர்ஷமுஷ்ணம் ச ஸீதம் ச நேஷ்யந்த்யாஸு விவர்ணதாம் ॥
aṅgarāgōcitāṃ sītāṃ raktacandanasēvinīm ।
varṣamuṣṇaṃ ca ṡītaṃ ca nēṣyantyāṡu vivarṇatām ॥
The rain, the heat and the cold
will now wither away Seetā,
who is used to creams and lotions
and the application of red sandal paste.
2.33.10 அத்ய நூநம் தஸரதஸ்ஸத்த்வமாவிஸ்ய பாஷதே ।
ந ஹி ராஜா ப்ரியம் புத்ரம் விவாஸயிதுமர்ஹதி ॥
adya nūnaṃ daṡarathassattvamāviṡya bhāṣatē ।
na hi rājā priyaṃ putraṃ vivāsayitumarhati ॥
Certainly, today Daṡaratha speaks like one possessed.
How else could the king send his beloved son in exile?
2.33.11 நிர்குணஸ்யாபி புத்ரஸ்ய கதம் ஸ்யாத்விப்ரவாஸநம் ।
கிம் புநர்யஸ்ய லோகோऽயம் ஜிதோ வ்ருத்தேந கேவலம் ॥
nirguṇasyāpi putrasya kathaṃ syādvipravāsanam ।
kiṃ punaryasya lōkō'yaṃ jitō vṛttēna kēvalam ॥
How can one exile one’s own son,
even if he were to be worthless?
What to speak of then, to exile a son,
who has won the heart of the entire world
on his own right, by virtue of his own conduct? Vālmeeki, more than once, makes it clear that Rāma became a darling of people, not by virtue of being the eldest son of the king, but because of his very own virtues and conduct.
2.33.12 அந்ருஸம்ஸ்யமநுக்ரோஸ: ஸ்ருதம் ஸீலம் தமஸ்ஸம: ।
ராகவம் ஸோபயந்த்யேதே ஷட்குணா: புருஷோத்தமம் ॥
anṛṡaṃsyamanukrōṡaḥ ṡrutaṃ ṡīlaṃ damaṡṡamaḥ ।
rāghavaṃ ṡōbhayantyētē ṣaḍguṇāḥ puruṣōttamam ॥
Rāghava, the noblest among men,
shines with the six great virtues of
kindness, compassion, scholarship, character,
control of the senses and serenity of mind!
2.33.13 தஸ்மாத்தஸ்யோபகாதேந ப்ரஜா: பரமபீடிதா: ।
ஔதகாநீவ ஸத்த்வாநி க்ரீஷ்மே ஸலிலஸங்க்ஷயாத் ॥
tasmāttasyōpaghātēna prajāḥ paramapīḍitāḥ ।
audakānīva sattvāni grīṣmē salilasaṅkṣayāt ॥
Hence, this hardship to Rāma
is in reality a great distress to the people,
like the dwindling supply of water in the summer
is to the waterborne creatures.
2.33.14 பீடயா பீடிதம் ஸர்வம் ஜகதஸ்ய ஜகத்பதே: ।
மூலஸ்யேவோபகாதேந வ்ருக்ஷ: புஷ்பபலோபக: ॥
pīḍayā pīḍitaṃ sarvaṃ jagadasya jagatpatēḥ ।
mūlasyēvōpaghātēna vṛkṣaḥ puṣpaphalōpagaḥ ॥
The hardship to the lord is the hardship to all,
just as injury to the root is injurious
to the entire tree with all its flowers and fruits.
2.33.15 மூலம் ஹ்யேஷ மநுஷ்யாணாம் தர்மஸாரோ மஹாத்யுதி: ।
புஷ்பம் பலம் ச பத்ரம் ச ஸாகாஸ்சாஸ்யேதரே ஜநா: ॥
mūlaṃ hyēṣa manuṣyāṇāṃ dharmasārō mahādyutiḥ ।
puṣpaṃ phalaṃ ca patraṃ ca ṡākhāṡcāsyētarē janāḥ ॥
He, the supremely radiant, the essence of Dharma
is like the taproot of a tree,
of which all other people are like
flowers, fruits, leaves and branches!
2.33.16 தே லக்ஷ்மண இவ க்ஷிப்ரம் ஸபத்ந்ய ஸ்ஸஹபாந்தவா: ।
கச்சந்தமநுகச்சாமோ யேந கச்சதி ராகவ: ॥
tē lakṣmaṇa iva kṣipraṃ sapatnya ssahabāndhavāḥ ।
gacchantamanugacchāmō yēna gacchati rāghavaḥ ॥
Like Lakshmaṇa, let all of us also go right away
along with our wives and relatives wherever Rāghava goes!
2.33.17 உத்யாநாநி பரித்யஜ்ய க்ஷேத்ராணி ச க்ருஹாணி ச ।
ஏகது:கஸுகா ராமமநுகச்சாம தார்மிகம் ॥
udyānāni parityajya kṣētrāṇi ca gṛhāṇi ca ।
ēkaduḥkhasukhā rāmamanugacchāma dhārmikam ॥
We shall leave the gardens, farms and houses
and follow Rāma, the Dhārmika,
to be one with him in happiness and sorrow.
2.33.21 ஸமுத்த்ருதநிதாநாநி பரித்வஸ்தாஜிராணி ச ।
உபாத்த தநதாந்யாநி ஹ்ருதஸாராணி ஸர்வஸ: ॥
ரஜஸாப்யவகீர்ணாநி பரித்யக்தாநி தைவதை: ।
மூஷகை:பரிதாவத்பிருத்பிலைராவ்ருதாநி ச ॥
அபேதோதகதூமாநி ஹீநஸம்மார்ஜநாநி ச ।
ப்ரணஷ்டபலிகர்மேஜ்யாமந்த்ரஹோமஜபாநி ச ॥
துஷ்காலேநேவ பக்நாநி பிந்நபாஜநவந்தி ச ।
அஸ்மாத்த்யக்தாநி வேஸ்மாநி கைகேயீ ப்ரதிபத்யதாம் ॥
samuddhṛtanidhānāni paridhvastājirāṇi ca ।
upātta dhanadhānyāni hṛtasārāṇi sarvaṡaḥ ॥
rajasābhyavakīrṇāni parityaktāni daivataiḥ ।
mūṣakaiḥparidhāvadbhirudbilairāvṛtāni ca ॥
apētōdakadhūmāni hīnasammārjanāni ca ।
praṇaṣṭabalikarmējyāmantrahōmajapāni ca ॥
duṣkālēnēva bhagnāni bhinnabhājanavanti ca ।
asmāttyaktāni vēṡmāni kaikēyī pratipadyatām ॥
May Kaikēyee enjoy the houses deserted by us,
with all their hidden chests excavated out,
with the courtyards abandoned and unkempt,
with the moneys and food grains taken away,
with the vitals depleted everywhere,
with dust covering all over,
abandoned by all gods,
rats emerging out of their holes and roaming everywhere,
none swept, nor washed, nor having smoke,
with no sacrifices, Yajñas, mantras, Hōmas and Japas and
as if beaten by bad times with broken utensils everywhere. The decay described here reminds one of the images of the 2009 television series ‘Life After People’, produced for the History Channel.
2.33.22 வநம் நகரமேவாஸ்து யேந கச்சதி ராகவ: ।
அஸ்மாபிஸ்ச பரித்யக்தம் புரம் ஸம்பத்யதாம் வநம் ॥
vanaṃ nagaramēvāstu yēna gacchati rāghavaḥ ।
asmābhiṡca parityaktaṃ puraṃ sampadyatāṃ vanam ॥
May the Vana where Rāma is going to, become a city
and the city abandoned by us become the Vana. Fairness and rule of law are the bedrock of any civilized society. Without them, a city is like a jungle and with them a jungle is like a city.
2.33.23-24a பிலாநி தம்ஷ்ட்ரிண ஸ்ஸர்வே ஸாநூநி ம்ருகபக்ஷிண: ।
த்யஜந்த்வஸ்மத்பயாத்பீதா கஜாஸ்ஸிம்ஹா வநாநி ச ॥
அஸ்மத்த்யக்தம் ப்ரபத்யந்தாம் ஸேவ்யமாநம் த்யஜந்து ச ।
bilāni daṃṣṭriṇa ssarvē sānūni mṛgapakṣiṇaḥ ।
tyajantvasmadbhayādbhītā gajāssiṃhā vanāni ca ॥
asmattyaktaṃ prapadyantāṃ sēvyamānaṃ tyajantu ca ।
Fearing us, may all fanged creatures quit their lairs,
may the birds and beasts leave the mountainside,
may the elephants and lions abandon the forest
and occupy the places abandoned by us!
2.33.24b-25 த்ருணமாம்ஸ பலாதாநாம் தேஸம் வ்யாலம்ருகத்விஜம் ॥
ப்ரபத்யதாம் ஹி கைகேயீ ஸபுத்ரா ஸஹ பாந்தவை: ।
ராகவேண வநே ஸர்வே வயம் வத்ஸ்யாம நிர்வ்ருதா: ॥
tṛṇamāṃsa phalādānāṃ dēṡaṃ vyālamṛgadvijam ॥
prapadyatāṃ hi kaikēyī saputrā saha bāndhavaiḥ ।
rāghavēṇa vanē sarvē vayaṃ vatsyāma nirvṛtāḥ ॥
Let Kaikēyee with her son and kin
take over the kingdom filled with
menacing beasts and birds
that feed on grass, fruit and meat.
We shall all live happily in the Vana, along with Rāghava!
2.33.26 இத்யேவம் விவிதா வாசோ நாநாஜநஸமீரிதா: ।
ஸுஸ்ராவ ராம: ஸ்ருத்வா ச ந விசக்ரேऽஸ்ய மாநஸம் ॥
ityēvaṃ vividhā vācō nānājanasamīritāḥ ।
ṡuṡrāva rāmaḥ ṡrutvā ca na vicakrē'sya mānasam ॥
Rāghava heard many words like these
spoken by the many people.
But he remained calm and unperturbed in his mind. Emotions in support of Rāma and in derision of Kaikēyee and Daṡaratha, are obviously at their peak.
Even a slight wave of hand by Rāma is enough for everyone to swarm the palace of Daṡaratha and Kaikēyee, in protest and in anger. Hence, it was important for Rāma to let the people calm down by themselves.
It behooves on a great leader to display this kind of calm at tense times.
2.33.27 ஸ து வேஸ்ம பிதுர்தூராத்கைலாஸஸிகரப்ரபம் ।
அபிசக்ராம தர்மாத்மா மத்தமாதங்கவிக்ரம: ॥
sa tu vēṡma piturdūrātkailāsaṡikharaprabham ।
abhicakrāma dharmātmā mattamātaṅgavikramaḥ ॥
With a gait resembling that of an elephant in rut,
Rāma, the Dharmātma approached Daṡaratha’s palace
that looked like the splendid peak of Kailāsa, from a distance.
2.33.28 விநீதவீரபுருஷம் ப்ரவிஸ்ய து ந்ருபாலயம் ।
ததர்ஸாவஸ்திதம் தீநம் ஸுமந்த்ரமவிதூரத: ॥
vinītavīrapuruṣaṃ praviṡya tu nṛpālayam ।
dadarṡāvasthitaṃ dīnaṃ sumantramavidūrataḥ ॥
Entering the King’s residence,
with its deferential men-at-arms,
he saw the dejected Sumantra standing nearby.
2.33.29 ப்ரதீக்ஷமாணோऽபி ஜநம் ததார்த-
மநார்தரூப: ப்ரஹஸந்நிவாத ।
ஜகாம ராம: பிதரம் தித்ருக்ஷு:
பிதுர்நிதேஸம் விதிவச்சிகீர்ஷு: ॥
pratīkṣamāṇō'pi janaṃ tadārta-
manārtarūpaḥ prahasannivātha ।
jagāma rāmaḥ pitaraṃ didṛkṣuḥ
piturnidēṡaṃ vidhivaccikīrṣuḥ ॥
Seeing the dejected people there did not make Rāma dejected.
Rather, he looked cheerful, with his mind
well set on carrying out the command of his father.
Thus, he went ahead to see his father.
2.33.30 தத்பூர்வமைக்ஷ்வாகஸுதோ மஹாத்மா
ராமோ கமிஷ்யந்வநமார்தரூபம் ।
வ்யதிஷ்டத ப்ரேக்ஷ்ய ததா ஸுமந்த்ரம்
பிதுர்மஹாத்மா ப்ரதிஹாரணார்தம் ॥
tatpūrvamaikṣvākasutō mahātmā
rāmō gamiṣyanvanamārtarūpam ।
vyatiṣṭhata prēkṣya tadā sumantraṃ
piturmahātmā pratihāraṇārtham ॥
Rāma, the Mahātma, the son of the descendant of Ikshwāku,
who was on his way to Vana,
waited for the unhappy Sumantra
to inform his father of his arrival.
2.33.31 பிதுர்நிதேஸேந து தர்மவத்ஸல:
வநப்ரவேஸே க்ருதபுத்திநிஸ்சய: ।
ஸ ராகவ: ப்ரேக்ஷ்ய ஸுமந்த்ரமப்ரவீ-
ந்நிவேதயஸ்வாகமநம் ந்ருபாய மே ॥
piturnidēṡēna tu dharmavatsalaḥ
vanapravēṡē kṛtabuddhiniṡcayaḥ ।
sa rāghavaḥ prēkṣya sumantramabravī-
nnivēdayasvāgamanaṃ nṛpāya mē ॥
Rāghava, who loved Dharma,
and had resolved to live in the Vana
as commanded by his father,
told Sumantra, “Let the King know that I am here!”
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே த்ரயஸ்த்ரிம்ஸஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē trayastriṃṡassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the thirty third Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.