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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 61
In the previous Sarga, Sumantra tries to console Kousalyā. But it proves to be of no use. In this short Sarga, Kousalyā laments for the state of her mighty son and her daughter-in-law. She thrashes Daṡaratha for hurting everyone including her, her son, daughter-in-law, the ministers, himself, the citizens, and the kingdom and the country. Hearing those terrible words of hers, Daṡaratha plunges into grief.
2.61.1 வநம் கதே தர்மபரே ராமே ரமயதாம் வரே ।
கௌஸல்யா ருததீ ஸ்வார்தா பர்தாரமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
vanaṃ gatē dharmaparē rāmē ramayatāṃ varē ।
kausalyā rudatī svārtā bhartāramidamabravīt ॥
With Rāma, the supreme adherent of Dharma
and the best among those who make everyone cheerful,
gone to the Vana, Kousalyā sobbing extremely pitifully,
said these words to her husband:
2.61.2 யத்யபி த்ரிஷு லோகேஷு ப்ரதிதம் தே மஹத்யஸ: ।
ஸாநுக்ரோஸோ வதாந்யஸ்ச ப்ரியவாதீ ச ராகவ: ॥
yadyapi triṣu lōkēṣu prathitaṃ tē mahadyaṡaḥ ।
sānukrōṡō vadānyaṡca priyavādī ca rāghavaḥ ॥
All the three worlds may be hailing
your great fame: “Rāghava (Daṡaratha) is
compassionate, generous and sweet-spoken”.
2.61.3 கதம் நரவரஸ்ரேஷ்ட! புத்ரௌ தௌ ஸஹ ஸீதயா ।
து:கிதௌ ஸுகஸம்வ்ருத்தௌ வநே து:கம் ஸஹிஷ்யத: ॥
kathaṃ naravaraṡrēṣṭha! putrau tau saha sītayā ।
duḥkhitau sukhasaṃvṛddhau vanē duḥkhaṃ sahiṣyataḥ ॥
But, how, O best of the best among men,
your two sons, along with Seetā,
who were raised in comfort, will
suffer and endure the hardship of Vana?
2.61.4 ஸா நூநம் தருணீ ஸ்யாமா ஸுகுமாரீ ஸுகோசிதா ।
கதமுஷ்ணம் ச ஸீதம் ச மைதிலீ ப்ரஸஹிஷ்யதே ॥
sā nūnaṃ taruṇī ṡyāmā sukumārī sukhōcitā ।
kathamuṣṇaṃ ca ṡītaṃ ca maithilī prasahiṣyatē ॥
How could the princess of Mithilā,
in the prime of her youth,
so delicate and worthy of all comfort,
endure the heat and cold (of Vana)?
2.61.5 புக்த்வாऽஸநம் விஸாலாக்ஷீ ஸூபதம் ஸாந்விதம் ஸுபம் ।
வந்யம் நைவாரமாஹாரம் கதம் ஸீதோபபோக்ஷ்யதே ॥
bhuktvā'ṡanaṃ viṡālākṣī sūpadaṃ ṡānvitaṃ ṡubham ।
vanyaṃ naivāramāhāraṃ kathaṃ sītōpabhōkṣyatē ॥
How could Seetā of wide eyes,
used to eating well sauced and seasoned food all her life,
subsist on the wild rice of the Vana!
2.61.6 கீதவாதித்ரநிர்கோஷம் ஸ்ருத்வா ஸுபமநிந்திதா ।
கதம் க்ரவ்யாதஸிம்ஹாநாம் ஸப்தம் ஸ்ரோஷ்யத்யஸோபநம் ॥
gītavāditranirghōṣaṃ ṡrutvā ṡubhamaninditā ।
kathaṃ kravyādasiṃhānāṃ ṡabdaṃ ṡrōṣyatyaṡōbhanam ॥
How could the blameless one, accustomed to
the delightful sounds of music, sung and played,
bear the harsh din of lions and other savage beasts?
2.61.7 மஹேந்த்ரத்வஜஸங்காஸ: க்வ நு ஸேதே மஹாபுஜ: ।
புஜம் பரிகஸங்காஸமுபதாய மஹாபல: ॥
mahēndradhvajasaṅkāṡaḥ kva nu ṡētē mahābhujaḥ ।
bhujaṃ parighasaṅkāṡamupadhāya mahābalaḥ ॥
Where could he, the mighty armed, the mighty strong,
one (who stands tall) like the flagstaff of Mahēndra
be sleeping, using his iron-club-like (hard) arm as his pillow!
2.61.8 பத்மவர்ணம் ஸுகேஸாந்தம் பத்மநிஸ்ஸ்வாஸமுத்தமம் ।
கதா த்ரக்ஷ்யாமி ராமஸ்ய வதநம் புஷ்கரேக்ஷணம் ॥
padmavarṇaṃ sukēṡāntaṃ padmaniṡṡvāsamuttamam ।
kadā drakṣyāmi rāmasya vadanaṃ puṣkarēkṣaṇam ॥
Ah! When would I see Rāma’s face,
radiant like a lotus, with its lotus eyes,
its crown of lovely tresses,
and breath sweet as the scent of lotus? This Ṡlōka beautifully captures what any mother would feel about her son!
2.61.9 வஜ்ரஸாரமயம் நூநம் ஹ்ருதயம் மே ந ஸம்ஸய: ।
அபஸ்யந்த்யா ந தம் யத்வை பலதீதம் ஸஹஸ்ரதா ॥
vajrasāramayaṃ nūnaṃ hṛdayaṃ mē na saṃṡayaḥ ।
apaṡyantyā na taṃ yadvai phalatīdaṃ sahasradhā ॥
My heart must be made of the
core of a diamond, without doubt.
For it is not breaking apart into thousands of pieces,
even a Rāma is not to be seen.
2.61.10 யத்த்வயாऽகருணம் கர்ம வ்யபோஹ்ய மம பாந்தவா: ।
நிரஸ்தா: பரிதாவந்தி ஸுகார்ஹா: க்ருபணா வநே ॥
yattvayā'karuṇaṃ karma vyapōhya mama bāndhavāḥ ।
nirastāḥ paridhāvanti sukhārhāḥ kṛpaṇā vanē ॥
Instead of enjoying your grace,
all my people who deserve to enjoy comforts,
are now distanced, and are roaming in the Vana
in a pathetic manner.
2.61.11 யதி பஞ்சதஸே வர்ஷே ராகவ: புநரேஷ்யதி ।
ஜஹ்யாத்ராஜ்யம் ச கோஸம் ச பரதோ நோபலக்ஷயதே ॥
yadi pañcadaṡē varṣē rāghavaḥ punarēṣyati ।
jahyādrājyaṃ ca kōṡaṃ ca bharatō nōpalakṣayatē ॥
There is no knowing whether Bharata
would give up the throne and the treasury,
when Rāma returns in the fifteenth year.
2.61.12 போஜயந்தி கில ஸ்ராத்தே கேசித்ஸ்வாநேவ பாந்தவாந் ।
தத: பஸ்சாத்ஸமீக்ஷந்தே க்ருதகார்யா த்விஜர்ஷபாந் ॥
bhōjayanti kila ṡrāddhē kēcitsvānēva bāndhavān ।
tataḥ paṡcātsamīkṣantē kṛtakāryā dvijarṣabhān ॥
Some people, on the occasion of annual
ceremonial offerings to the deceased,
feed their own relations first and only after that
worry about the esteemed Brāhmaṇas.
2.61.13 தத்ர யே குணவந்தஸ்ச வித்வாம்ஸஸ்ச த்விஜாதய: ।
ந பஸ்சாத்தேऽபிமந்யந்தே ஸுதாமபி ஸுரோபமா: ॥
tatra yē guṇavantaṡca vidvāṃsaṡca dvijātayaḥ ।
na paṡcāttē'bhimanyantē sudhāmapi surōpamāḥ ॥
But learned Brāhmaṇas of illustrious qualities
who are comparable to Dēvas,
would not accept even Amṛta,
if it was served to others before them.
2.61.14 ப்ராஹ்மணேஷ்வபி த்ருப்தேஷு பஸ்சாத்போக்தும் த்விஜர்ஷபா: ।
நாப்யுபைதுமலம் ப்ராஜ்ஞாஸ்ஸ்ருங்கச்சேதமிவர்ஷபா: ॥
brāhmaṇēṣvapi tṛptēṣu paṡcādbhōktuṃ dvijarṣabhāḥ ।
nābhyupaitumalaṃ prājñāṡṡṛṅgacchēdamivarṣabhāḥ ॥
Even if those that were served
ahead of them were Brāhmaṇas,
the best of the Brāhmaṇas,
would not agree to eat later,
any more than bulls will tolerate
attempts to cut their horns off.
2.61.15 ஏவம் கநீயஸா ப்ராத்ரா புக்தம் ராஜ்யம் விஸாம்பதே ।
ப்ராதா ஜ்யேஷ்டோ வரிஷ்டஸ்ச கிமர்தம் நாவமம்ஸ்யதே ॥
ēvaṃ kanīyasā bhrātrā bhuktaṃ rājyaṃ viṡāmpatē ।
bhrātā jyēṣṭhō variṣṭhaṡca kimarthaṃ nāvamaṃsyatē ॥
O lord of the world, why would not an
elder and most distinguished brother,
likewise look with disdain upon a kingdom
that has been enjoyed by a younger brother?
2.61.16 ந பரேணாऽஹ்ருதம் பக்ஷ்யம் வ்யாக்ர: காதிதுமிச்சதி ।
ஏவமேதந்நரவ்யாக்ர: பரலீடம் ந மந்யதே ॥
na parēṇā'hṛtaṃ bhakṣyaṃ vyāghraḥ khāditumicchati ।
ēvamētannaravyāghraḥ paralīḍhaṃ na manyatē ॥
A tiger would never eat the food
left over by other animals.
Similarly, a tiger among men will
never accept anything that
has already been enjoyed by others.
2.61.17 ஹவிராஜ்யம் புரோடாஸா: குஸா யூபாஸ்ச காதிரா: ।
நைதாநி யாதயாமாநி குர்வந்தி புநரத்வரே ॥
havirājyaṃ purōḍāṡāḥ kuṡā yūpāṡca khādirāḥ ।
naitāni yātayāmāni kurvanti punaradhvarē ॥
Oblations of cooked food, clarified butter,
ground flour, Kuṡa grass and stakes made of ebony,
which have been once used,
are not used again in Yajñas.
2.61.18 ததா ஹ்யாத்தமிதம் ராஜ்யம் ஹ்ருதஸாராம் ஸுராமிவ ।
நாபிமந்துமலம் ராமோ நஷ்டஸோமமிவாத்வரம் ॥
tathā hyāttamidaṃ rājyaṃ hṛtasārāṃ surāmiva ।
nābhimantumalaṃ rāmō naṣṭasōmamivādhvaram ॥
Likewise, Rāma will not desire this kingdom
which has been enjoyed by another,
any more than one would like to
drink wine that has lost its savor
or partake in a Yajña after
the Sōma has already been served.
2.61.19 நைவம் விதமஸத்காரம் ராகவோ மர்ஷயிஷ்யதி ।
பலவாநிவ ஸார்தூலோ வாலதேரபிமர்ஸநம் ॥
naivaṃ vidhamasatkāraṃ rāghavō marṣayiṣyati ।
balavāniva ṡārdūlō vāladhērabhimarṡanam ॥
Rāghava will not tolerate this indignity just as a
mighty tiger cannot tolerate somebody touching its tail.
2.61.20 நைதஸ்ய ஸஹிதா லோகா பயம் குர்யுர்மஹாம்ருதே ।
அதர்மம்த்விஹ தர்மாத்மா லோகம் தர்மேண யோஜயேத் ॥
naitasya sahitā lōkā bhayaṃ kuryurmahāmṛthē ।
adharmaṃtviha dharmātmā lōkaṃ dharmēṇa yōjayēt ॥
Not even all the worlds arrayed against him
in a fierce battle can cause fear in him.
He is a Dharmātma, capable of establishing
Dharma in this world, if it deviates from it.
2.61.21 நந்வஸௌ காஞ்சநைர்பாணைர்மஹாவீர்யோ மஹாபுஜ: ।
யுகாந்த இவ பூதாநி ஸாகராநபி நிர்தஹேத் ॥
nanvasau kāñcanairbāṇairmahāvīryō mahābhujaḥ ।
yugānta iva bhūtāni sāgarānapi nirdahēt ॥
He, of the mighty arms and immense strength,
Can, with his gold-tipped arrows, burn up,
like the Fire of the Dissolution,
all the beings and the ocean itself.
2.61.22 ஸ தாத்ருஸஸ்ஸிம்ஹபலோ வ்ருஷபாக்ஷோ நரர்ஷப: ।
ஸ்வயமேவ ஹத: பித்ரா ஜலஜேநாத்மஜோ யதா ॥
sa tādṛṡassiṃhabalō vṛṣabhākṣō nararṣabhaḥ ।
svayamēva hataḥ pitrā jalajēnātmajō yathā ॥
Like a fish killing its own offspring,
you have undone such a bull among men,
whose strength rivals that of a lion
and whose eyes are (fierce) like that of a bull.
2.61.23 த்விஜாதிசரிதோ தர்மஸ்ஸாஸ்த்ரத்ருஷ்டஸ்ஸநாதந: ।
யதி தே தர்மநிரதே த்வயா புத்ரே விவாஸிதே ॥
dvijāticaritō dharmaṡṡāstradṛṣṭassanātanaḥ ।
yadi tē dharmaniratē tvayā putrē vivāsitē ॥
If the time-honored Dharma that is enunciated
in the scriptures and adhered to by the twice-born
was respected by you, you should not have
exiled your son who is so devoted to Dharma. The word twice-born is normally used to refer to Brāhmaṇas. But it also applies to Kshatriyas and Vaiṡyas.
‘Twice-born’ obviously indicates second birth. The second birth here refers to the taking of an oath, asserting that one would lead his life in accordance with the appropriate Dharma that is right for the assumed role, as opposed to leading one’s life based simply on instincts.
Unlike ‘roles’ in the modern times, which start at 8am and end at 5pm, roles in the conventional Indian society are for 24 hours. A Kshatriya, for example, is a Kshatriya even while sleeping.
The word Dharma refers to the explicit rules and regulations as well as implicit customs and conventions related to a role. The famous Ṡlōka स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेयः परधर्मो भयावहः (Bhagavadgeeta 3.5) refers to this Dharma.
2.61.24 கதிரேகா பதிர்நார்யா த்விதீயா கதிராத்மஜ: ।
த்ருதீயா ஜ்ஞாதயோ ராஜம்ஸ்சதுர்தீ நேஹ வித்யதே ॥
gatirēkā patirnāryā dvitīyā gatirātmajaḥ ।
tṛtīyā jñātayō rājaṃṡcaturthī nēha vidyatē ॥
O King! For a woman, the first refuge is her husband,
the second is her son and the third, her relations.
No fourth one is known.
2.61.25 தத்ர த்வம் சைவ மே நாஸ்தி ராமஸ்ச வநமாஸ்ரித: ।
ந வநம் கந்துமிச்சாமி ஸர்வதா நிஹதா த்வயா ॥
tatra tvaṃ caiva mē nāsti rāmaṡca vanamāṡritaḥ ।
na vanaṃ gantumicchāmi sarvathā nihatā tvayā ॥
Of these, you are lost to me,
and Rāma has gone to the Vana.
As I do not wish to go to the Vana,
I am hurt by you in every manner
(of having to put up with the third option).
2.61.26 ஹதம் த்வயா ராஜ்யமிதம் ஸராஷ்ட்ரம்
ஹதஸ்ததாऽத்மா ஸஹ மந்த்ரிபிஸ்ச ।
ஹதா ஸபுத்ராऽஸ்மி ஹதாஸ்ச பௌரா:
ஸுதஸ்ச பார்யா ச தவ ப்ரஹ்ருஷ்டௌ ॥
hataṃ tvayā rājyamidaṃ sarāṣṭraṃ
hatastathā'tmā saha mantribhiṡca ।
hatā saputrā'smi hatāṡca paurāḥ
sutaṡca bhāryā ca tava prahṛṣṭau ॥
This kingdom including all the country, is hurt by you.
All the ministers and yourself are hurt.
I am hurt, along with my son. The citizens are hurt.
Only your wife (Kaikēyee) and son (Bharata) are happy.
2.61.27 இமாம் கிரம் தாருணஸப்த ஸம்ஸ்ரிதாம்
நிஸம்ய ராஜாऽபி முமோஹ து:கித: ।
தத ஸ்ஸ ஸோகம் ப்ரவிவேஸ பார்திவ-
ஸ்ஸ்வதுஷ்க்ருதம் சாபி புநஸ்ததா ஸ்மரந் ॥
imāṃ giraṃ dāruṇaṡabda saṃṡritāṃ
niṡamya rājā'pi mumōha duḥkhitaḥ ।
tata ssa ṡōkaṃ pravivēṡa pārthiva-
ssvaduṣkṛtaṃ cāpi punastadā smaran ॥
On hearing those terrible words,
the King’s senses were numbed by sadness.
Then, thinking of the damage he himself had caused,
that ruler of the earth plunged into grief.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே ஏகஷஷ்டிதமஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē ēkaṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the sixty first Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.