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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 78
In this Sarga, Ṡatrughna, in his desperation and rage, wonders why Lakshmaṇa did not restrain Daṡaratha and relieve Rāma from having to go the Vana.
At about the same time, Manthara passes by the gate, decked up in ornaments and regal costumes. The gate keepers catch her and bring her to Ṡatrughna. Ṡatrughna, in his rage, drags her on the floor and all her ornaments get strewn around. She screams and cries. In his rage, Ṡatrughna also says many a harsh word to Kaikēyee.
Manthara’s maids take refuge with Kousalyā. Manthara and Kaikēyee take refuge with Bharata. Bharata tells Ṡatrughna to leave the women alone, for Rāma would not agree to killing women.
Kaikēyee consoles Manthara who cries piteously looking around like a Krounca bird caught in a net.
2.78.1 அத யாத்ராம் ஸமீஹந்தம் ஸத்ருக்நோ லக்ஷ்மணாநுஜ: ।
பரதம் ஸோகஸந்தப்தமிதம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
atha yātrāṃ samīhantaṃ ṡatrughnō lakṣmaṇānujaḥ ।
bharataṃ ṡōkasantaptamidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
Then Ṡatrughna, the younger brother of Lakshmaṇa,
said to Bharata who, scorched by grief,
was impatient to start on the journey
(to the Vana to fetch Rāma).
2.78.2 கதிர்யஸ்ஸர்வபூதாநாம் து:கே கிம் புநராத்மந: ।
ஸ ராமஸ்ஸத்த்வஸம்பந்ந: ஸ்த்ரியா ப்ரவ்ராஜிதோ வநம் ॥
gatiryassarvabhūtānāṃ duḥkhē kiṃ punarātmanaḥ ।
sa rāmassattvasampannaḥ striyā pravrājitō vanam ॥
He is the refuge for all creatures in distress,
and similarly for us, needless to say.
That Rāma, who is endowed with every strength,
was exiled to the Vana by a woman.
2.78.3 பலவாந்வீர்யஸம்பந்நோ லக்ஷ்மணோ நாம யோऽப்யஸௌ ।
கிம் ந மோசயதே ராமம் க்ருத்வா ஸ்ம பித்ருநிக்ரஹம் ॥
balavānvīryasampannō lakṣmaṇō nāma yō'pyasau ।
kiṃ na mōcayatē rāmaṃ kṛtvā sma pitṛnigraham ॥
Why did this man known by the name Lakshmaṇa,
who is full of strength and valor,
not relieve Rāma by putting the father under restraint?
2.78.4 பூர்வமேவ து நிக்ராஹ்யஸ்ஸமவேக்ஷ்ய நயாநயௌ ।
உத்பதம் யஸ்ஸமாரூடோ ராஜா நார்யா வஸம் கத: ॥
pūrvamēva tu nigrāhyassamavēkṣya nayānayau ।
utpathaṃ yassamārūḍhō rājā nāryā vaṡaṃ gataḥ ॥
The king, who had trekked this path
by falling into the hands of a woman
should have been restrained in the beginning itself
in full consideration of what is fair and unfair.
2.78.5 இதி ஸம்பாஷமாணே து ஸத்ருக்நே லக்ஷ்மணாநுஜே ।
ப்ராக்த்வாரேऽபூத்ததா குப்ஜா ஸர்வாபரணபூஷிதா ॥
iti sambhāṣamāṇē tu ṡatrughnē lakṣmaṇānujē ।
prāgdvārē'bhūttadā kubjā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā ॥
As Ṡatrughna, the younger brother of Lakshmaṇa
was saying this, the hunchback was passing by
the eastern gate, bedecked with every ornament.
2.78.6 லிப்தா சந்தநஸாரேண ராஜவஸ்த்ராணி பிப்ரதீ ।
விவிதம் விவிதைஸ்தைஸ்தைர்பூஷணைஸ்ச விபூஷிதா ॥
liptā candanasārēṇa rājavastrāṇi bibhratī ।
vividhaṃ vividhaistaistairbhūṣaṇaiṡca vibhūṣitā ॥
She was shining with sandal essence applied on her body,
dressed in regal costumes, and with a variety
of ornaments adorning her in various ways.
2.78.7 மேகலாதாமபிஸ்சித்ரைரந்யைஸ்ச ஸுபபூஷணை: ।
பபாஸே பஹுபிர்பத்தா ரஜ்ஜுபத்தேவ வாநரீ ॥
mēkhalādāmabhiṡcitrairanyaiṡca ṡubhabhūṣaṇaiḥ ।
babhāsē bahubhirbaddhā rajjubaddhēva vānarī ॥
With girdles and other exquisite ornaments
tied to her waist, she looked like a
female monkey that was tied with ropes.
2.78.8 தாம் ஸமீக்ஷ்ய ததா த்வாஸ்ஸ்தாஸ்ஸுப்ருஸம் பாபகாரிணீம் ।
க்ருஹீத்வாऽகருணாம் குப்ஜாம் ஸத்ருக்நாய ந்யவேதயந் ॥
tāṃ samīkṣya tadā dvāssthāssubhṛṡaṃ pāpakāriṇīm ।
gṛhītvā'karuṇāṃ kubjāṃ ṡatrughnāya nyavēdayan ॥
The gatekeepers then got sight of her,
the extremely evil and heartless hunchback,
and haled her before Ṡatrughna and said:
2.78.9 யஸ்யா: க்ருதே வநே ராமோ ந்யஸ்ததேஹஸ்ச வ: பிதா ।
ஸேயம் பாபா ந்ருஸம்ஸா ச தஸ்யா: குரு யதாமதி ॥
yasyāḥ kṛtē vanē rāmō nyastadēhaṡca vaḥ pitā ।
sēyaṃ pāpā nṛṡaṃsā ca tasyāḥ kuru yathāmati ॥
This is the evil and cruel woman
because of whom Rāma is in the forest
and your father left his body;
do with her as you please.
2.78.10 ஸத்ருக்நஸ்ச ததாஜ்ஞாய வசநம் ப்ருஸது:கித: ।
அந்த:புரசராந்ஸர்வாநித்யுவாச த்ருத வ்ரத: ॥
ṡatrughnaṡca tadājñāya vacanaṃ bhṛṡaduḥkhitaḥ ।
antaḥpuracarānsarvānityuvāca dhṛta vrataḥ ॥
Hearing that, the grief-stricken Ṡatrughna,
with his mind clear on what he should do,
told everyone that are around in the inner quarters:
2.78.11 தீவ்ரமுத்பாதிதம் து:கம் ப்ராத்ரூணாம் மே ததா பிது: ।
யயா ஸேயம் ந்ருஸம்ஸஸ்ய கர்மண: பலமஸ்நுதாம் ॥
tīvramutpāditaṃ duḥkhaṃ bhrātrūṇāṃ mē tathā pituḥ ।
yayā sēyaṃ nṛṡaṃsasya karmaṇaḥ phalamaṡnutām ॥
Let this woman who brought intense sorrow
to me, my father and my brothers,
reap the fruit of her cruel actions.
2.78.12 ஏவமுக்த்வா து தேநாஸு ஸகீஜநஸமாவ்ருதா ।
க்ருஹீதா பலவத்குப்ஜா ஸா தத்க்ருஹமநாதயத் ॥
ēvamuktvā tu tēnāṡu sakhījanasamāvṛtā ।
gṛhītā balavatkubjā sā tadgṛhamanādayat ॥
Saying thus, immediately he grabbed her,
who was surrounded by maids, violently.
That hunchback then made the house
reverberate with a shriek.
2.78.13 ததஸ்ஸுப்ருஸஸந்தப்தஸ்தஸ்யா ஸ்ஸர்வ ஸ்ஸகீஜந: ।
க்ருத்தமாஜ்ஞாய ஸத்ருக்நம் விபலாயத ஸர்வஸ: ॥
tatassubhṛṡasantaptastasyā ssarva ssakhījanaḥ ।
kruddhamājñāya ṡatrughnaṃ vipalāyata sarvaṡaḥ ॥
And her maids, realizing that Ṡatrughna was in a rage,
were terrified and fled in all directions.
2.78.14 ஆமந்த்ரயத க்ருத்ஸ்நஸ்ச தஸ்யாஸ்ஸர்வஸ்ஸகீஜந: ।
யதாऽயம் ஸமுபக்ராந்தோ நிஸ்ஸேஷாம் ந: கரிஷ்யதி ॥
āmantrayata kṛtsnaṡca tasyāssarvassakhījanaḥ ।
yathā'yaṃ samupakrāntō niṡṡēṣāṃ naḥ kariṣyati ॥
All of her maids then thought to themselves:
‘From the way he started, it seems that
he is going to finish us all’.
2.78.15 ஸாநுக்ரோஸாம் வதாந்யாம் ச தர்மஜ்ஞாம் ச யஸஸ்விநீம் ।
கௌஸல்யாம் ஸரணம் யாம ஸா ஹி நோऽஸ்து த்ருவா கதி: ॥
sānukrōṡāṃ vadānyāṃ ca dharmajñāṃ ca yaṡasvinīm ।
kausalyāṃ ṡaraṇaṃ yāma sā hi nō'stu dhruvā gatiḥ ॥
Let us seek shelter with the
compassionate and generous Kousalyā
of great renown, who knows Dharma;
she is the only hope for us, for certain!
2.78.16 ஸ ச ரோஷேண தாம்ராக்ஷஸ்ஸத்ருக்நஸ்ஸத்ருதாபந: ।
விசகர்ஷ ததா குப்ஜாம் க்ரோஸந்தீம் தரணீதலே ॥
sa ca rōṣēṇa tāmrākṣaṡṡatrughnaṡṡatrutāpanaḥ ।
vicakarṣa tadā kubjāṃ krōṡantīṃ dharaṇītalē ॥
Ṡatrughna, scorcher of foes,
his eyes red with anger, dragged the
screaming hunchback on the floor.
2.78.17 தஸ்யா ஹ்யாக்ருஷ்யமாணாயா மந்தராயாஸ்ததஸ்தத: ।
சித்ரம் பஹுவிதம் பாண்டம் ப்ருதிவ்யாம் தத்வ்யஸீர்யத ॥
tasyā hyākṛṣyamāṇāyā mantharāyāstatastataḥ ।
citraṃ bahuvidhaṃ bhāṇḍaṃ pṛthivyāṃ tadvyaṡīryata ॥
As she, Manthara, was shoved about,
her assorted ornaments were
scattered all over the floor.
2.78.18 தேந பாண்டேந ஸம்ஸ்தீர்ணம் ஸ்ரீமத்ராஜநிவேஸநம் ।
அஸோபத ததா பூய: ஸாரதம் ககநம் யதா ॥
tēna bhāṇḍēna saṃstīrṇaṃ ṡrīmadrājanivēṡanam ।
aṡōbhata tadā bhūyaḥ ṡāradaṃ gaganaṃ yathā ॥
The resplendent royal palace,
strewn all over with those jewels,
shone more brightly than ever,
like the sky in post-monsoon season.
2.78.19 ஸ பலீ பலவத்க்ரோதாத்க்ருஹீத்வா புருஷர்ஷப: ।
கைகேயீமபிநிர்பர்த்ஸ்ய பபாஷே பருஷம் வச: ॥
sa balī balavatkrōdhādgṛhītvā puruṣarṣabhaḥ ।
kaikēyīmabhinirbhartsya babhāṣē paruṣaṃ vacaḥ ॥
Tightening his grip upon her in his rage,
that strong bull among men, spoke harsh words
to Kaikēyee, intimidating her.
2.78.20 தைர்வாக்யை: பருஷைர்து:கை: கைகேயீ ப்ருஸது:கிதா ।
ஸத்ருக்நபயஸந்த்ரஸ்தா புத்ரம் ஸரணமாகதா ॥
tairvākyaiḥ paruṣairduḥkhaiḥ kaikēyī bhṛṡaduḥkhitā ।
ṡatrughnabhayasantrastā putraṃ ṡaraṇamāgatā ॥
Greatly pained by those harsh and wounding words,
and frightened of what Ṡatrughna might do,
Kaikēyee sought shelter with her son.
2.78.21 தம் ப்ரேக்ஷ்ய பரத: க்ருத்தம் ஸத்ருக்நமிதமப்ரவீத் ।
அவத்யாஸ்ஸர்வபூதாநாம் ப்ரமதா: க்ஷம்யதாமிதி ॥
taṃ prēkṣya bharataḥ kruddhaṃ ṡatrughnamidamabravīt ।
avadhyāssarvabhūtānāṃ pramadāḥ kṣamyatāmiti ॥
Bharata then said to the outraged Ṡatrughna:
‘The female, of any species, should not be killed.
May she be forgiven!’ Rāma said the same when he was asked to kill Tāṭaka (1.26.12)
2.78.22 ஹந்யாமஹமிமாம் பாபாம் கைகேயீம் துஷ்டசாரிணீம் ।
யதி மாம் தார்மிகோ ராமோ நாஸூயேந்மாத்ருகாதகம் ॥
hanyāmahamimāṃ pāpāṃ kaikēyīṃ duṣṭacāriṇīm ।
yadi māṃ dhārmikō rāmō nāsūyēnmātṛghātakam ॥
If only Rāma, the Dhārmika,
would not condemn me for matricide,
I would myself have killed this evil and vile Kaikēyee.
2.78.23 இமாமபி ஹதாம் குப்ஜாம் யதி ஜாநாதி ராகவ: ।
த்வாம் ச மாம் ச ஹி தர்மாத்மா நாபிபாஷிஷ்யதே த்ருவம் ॥
imāmapi hatāṃ kubjāṃ yadi jānāti rāghavaḥ ।
tvāṃ ca māṃ ca hi dharmātmā nābhibhāṣiṣyatē dhruvam ॥
Even if this wicked hunchback were to be killed,
and should Rāghava, the Dharmātma, come to know about it,
he would certainly speak no more to you or to me.
2.78.24 பரதஸ்ய வசஸ்ஸ்ருத்வா ஸத்ருக்நோ லக்ஷ்மணாநுஜ: ।
ந்யவர்தத ததோ ரோஷாத்தாம் முமோச ச மந்தராம் ॥
bharatasya vacaṡṡrutvā ṡatrughnō lakṣmaṇānujaḥ ।
nyavartata tatō rōṣāttāṃ mumōca ca mantharām ॥
Upon hearing those words of Bharata,
Ṡatrughna, the younger brother of Lakshmaṇa,
calmed himself from the rage and left Manthara free.
2.78.25 ஸா பாதமூலே கைகேய்யா மந்தரா நிபபாத ஹ ।
நிஸ்ஸ்வஸந்தீ ஸுது:கார்தா க்ருபணம் விலலாப ச ॥
sā pādamūlē kaikēyyā mantharā nipapāta ha ।
niṡṡvasantī suduḥkhārtā kṛpaṇaṃ vilalāpa ca ॥
Manthara fell at the feet of Kaikēyee,
feeling helpless and extremely sad,
heaving great sighs and crying piteously.
2.78.26 ஸத்ருக்நவிக்ஷேபவிமூடஸம்ஜ்ஞாம்
ஸமீக்ஷ்ய குப்ஜாம் பரதஸ்ய மாதா ।
ஸநைஸ்ஸமாஸ்வாஸயதார்தரூபாம்
க்ரௌஞ்சீம் விலக்நாமிவ வீக்ஷமாணாம் ॥
ṡatrughnavikṣēpavimūḍhasaṃjñāṃ
samīkṣya kubjāṃ bharatasya mātā ।
ṡanaissamāṡvāsayadārtarūpāṃ
krauñcīṃ vilagnāmiva vīkṣamāṇām ॥
The mother of Bharata slowly
consoled the despondent hunchback
who was thus whirled about by Ṡatrughna and became dazed
and looking around like a
female Krounca bird caught in a net. Vālmeeki indeed sees everything through the lens of a camera. Try to visualize the seen ending with the camera zooming on Manthara looking around like a bird caught in a net!
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே அஷ்டஸப்ததிதமஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē aṣṭasaptatitamassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the seventy eighth Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
You have completed reading 5297 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
Meaning, notes and commentary by: Krishna Sharma.