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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 97
In this Sarga, Rāma pacifies Lakshmaṇa and tells him that there is no reason for him to suspect Bharata. He further says, having sworn to uphold the word given by his father, how does it make sense for him to kill Bharata and take the kingdom back?
Rāma further asserts that he lives, and would want a kingdom only for the betterment of his brothers. Even then, he wouldn’t want a kingdom that is gained by unrighteous means.
He asserts that Bharata must have come to mend ways for what had happened and to give the kingdom back. He also says that anything Lakshmaṇa says against Bharata, would be considered being said against himself.
Lakshmaṇa feels ashamed and says that it could be Daṡaratha who is coming. Rāma picks on that positive note and says that it must be true that Daṡaratha might have come to take them, or at least Seetā, back.
Bharata meanwhile, orders the army to disperse and scatter instead of crowding at one place.
2.97.1 ஸுஸம்ரப்தம் து ஸௌமித்ரிம்
லக்ஷ்மணம் க்ரோதமூர்சிதம் ।
ராமஸ்து பரிஸாந்த்வ்யாத
வசநம் சேதமப்ரவீத் ॥
susaṃrabdhaṃ tu saumitriṃ
lakṣmaṇaṃ krōdhamūrchitam ।
rāmastu parisāntvyātha
vacanaṃ cēdamabravīt ॥
When Lakshmaṇa burst out thus overpowered by rage,
Rāma calmed him down and said these words:
2.97.2 கிமத்ர தநுஷா கார்யம்
அஸிநா வா ஸசர்மணா ।
மஹேஷ்வாஸே மஹாப்ராஜ்ஞே
பரதே ஸ்வயமாகதே ॥
kimatra dhanuṣā kāryam
asinā vā sacarmaṇā ।
mahēṣvāsē mahāprājñē
bharatē svayamāgatē ॥
When Bharata, the great bowman of immense wisdom,
comes in person, what use is bow or sword and the shield?
2.97.3 பிதுஸ்ஸத்யம் ப்ரதிஸ்ருத்ய
ஹத்வா பரதமாகதம் ।
கிம் கரிஷ்யாமி ராஜ்யேந
ஸாபவாதேந லக்ஷ்மண ॥
pitussatyaṃ pratiṡrutya
hatvā bharatamāgatam ।
kiṃ kariṣyāmi rājyēna
sāpavādēna lakṣmaṇa ॥
O Lakshmaṇa , having sworn to make father’s word truthful,
and then having killed Bharata who comes here,
what would I do with the kingdom
that is earned slanderously!
2.97.4 யத்த்ரவ்யம் பாந்தவாநாம் வா
மித்ராணாம் வா க்ஷயே பவேத் ।
நாஹம் தத்ப்ரதிக்ருஹ்ணீயாம்
பக்ஷாந்விஷக்ருதாநிவ ॥
yaddhravyaṃ bāndhavānāṃ vā
mitrāṇāṃ vā kṣayē bhavēt ।
nāhaṃ tatpratigṛhṇīyāṃ
bhakṣānviṣakṛtāniva ॥
I will never take riches that result
from the adversity of relations and friends,
any more than I would take poisoned food.
2.97.5 தர்மமர்தம் ச காமம் ச
ப்ருதிவீம் சாபி லக்ஷ்மண ।
இச்சாமி பவதாமர்தே
ஏதத் ப்ரதிஸ்ருணோமி தே ॥
dharmamarthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca
pṛthivīṃ cāpi lakṣmaṇa ।
icchāmi bhavatāmarthē
ētat pratiṡṛṇōmi tē ॥
I seek either Dharma, or Artha or Kāma,
or even this earth, O Lakshmaṇa,
only for the sake of all of you, I swear.
2.97.6 ப்ராத்ரூணாம் ஸம்க்ரஹார்தம் ச
ஸுகார்தம் சாபி லக்ஷ்மண ।
ராஜ்யமப்யஹமிச்சாமி
ஸத்யேநாऽயுதமாலபே ॥
bhrātrūṇāṃ saṃgrahārthaṃ ca
sukhārthaṃ cāpi lakṣmaṇa ।
rājyamapyahamicchāmi
satyēnā'yudhamālabhē ॥
Even a kingdom, O Lakshmaṇa, I seek only
for the happiness of my brothers and to be with them,
I swear, touching my weapons. Rāma tries to clarify his priorities and intentions, like any other leader would, at times of crisis.
In Ṡlōka 6, he makes it clear that he would want a kingdom only for the sake of his brothers.
In Ṡlōka 7 he says, but again, even for the sake of brothers, he would not seek a kingdom by unjust means.
2.97.7 நேயம் மம மஹீ ஸௌம்ய
துர்லபா ஸாகராம்பரா ।
ந ஹீச்சேயமதர்மேண
ஸக்ரத்வமபி லக்ஷ்மண ॥
nēyaṃ mama mahī saumya
durlabhā sāgarāmbarā ।
na hīcchēyamadharmēṇa
ṡakratvamapi lakṣmaṇa ॥
O gentle one! This sea-clad earth
is not at all unattainable for me.
But I would not like even the position of Ṡakra
at the cost of Dharma.
2.97.8 யத்விநா பரதம் த்வாம் ச
ஸத்ருக்நம் சாபி மாநத ।
பவேந்மம ஸுகம் கிஞ்சித்
பஸ்ம தத்குருதாம் ஸிகீ ॥
yadvinā bharataṃ tvāṃ ca
ṡatrughnaṃ cāpi mānada ।
bhavēnmama sukhaṃ kiñcit
bhasma tatkurutāṃ ṡikhī ॥
O you, the protector of my dignity!
Let fire reduce any happiness that I find
without you, Bharata and Ṡatrughna, to ashes.
2.97.9-11 மந்யேऽஹமாகதோऽயோத்யாம்
பரதோ ப்ராத்ருவத்ஸல: ।
மம ப்ராணாத்ப்ரியதர:
குலதர்மமநுஸ்மரந் ॥
ஸ்ருத்வா ப்ரவ்ராஜிதம் மாம் ஹி
ஜடாவல்கலதாரிணம் ।
ஜாநக்யாஸஹிதம் வீர
த்வயா ச புருஷர்ஷப ॥
ஸ்நேஹேநாऽக்ராந்தஹ்ருதய:
ஸோகேநாகுலிதேந்த்ரிய: ।
த்ரஷ்டுமப்யாகதோ ஹ்யேஷ
பரதோ நாந்யதாऽகத: ॥
manyē'hamāgatō'yōdhyāṃ
bharatō bhrātṛvatsalaḥ ।
mama prāṇātpriyataraḥ
kuladharmamanusmaran ॥
ṡrutvā pravrājitaṃ māṃ hi
jaṭāvalkaladhāriṇam ।
jānakyāsahitaṃ vīra
tvayā ca puruṣarṣabha ॥
snēhēnā'krāntahṛdayaḥ
ṡōkēnākulitēndriyaḥ ।
draṣṭumabhyāgatō hyēṣa
bharatō nānyathā'gataḥ ॥
I think that Bharata, O Veera,
who loves his brothers and
who is dearer to me than my own life,
must have come to Ayōdhyā and
hearing that I had gone into exile
with matted locks, clad in tree bark,
along with daughter of Janaka and you,
has come to visit us here,
mindful of the family traditions,
his heart flooded by love and
his mind disoriented with grief.
I am sure that he has come for no other purpose.
2.97.12 அம்பாம் ச கைகயீம் ருஷ்ய
பருஷம் சாப்ரியம் வதந் ।
ப்ரஸாத்ய பிதரம் ஸ்ரீமாந்
ராஜ்யம் மே தாதுமாகத: ॥
ambāṃ ca kaikayīṃ ruṣya
paruṣaṃ cāpriyaṃ vadan ।
prasādya pitaraṃ ṡrīmān
rājyaṃ mē dātumāgataḥ ॥
Having in anger spoken harsh and
unkind words to his mother Kaikēyee,
and having pleaded with father,
he, of rich bearing, must have come to give me the kingdom. Rāma, obviously, was not aware and was not even suspecting the demise of Daṡaratha.
2.97.13 ப்ராப்தகாலம் யதேஷோऽஸ்மாந்
பரதோ த்ரஷ்டுமிச்சதி ।
அஸ்மாஸு மநஸாऽப்யேஷ
நாப்ரியம் கிஞ்சிதாசரேத் ॥
prāptakālaṃ yadēṣō'smān
bharatō draṣṭumicchati ।
asmāsu manasā'pyēṣa
nāpriyaṃ kiñcidācarēt ॥
This is about the right time
for Bharata to wish to see me.
Not even a thought of doing anything
unpleasant to us would cross his mind.
2.97.14 விப்ரியம் க்ருதபூர்வம் தே
பரதேந கதா நு கிம் ।
ஈத்ருஸம் வா பயம் தேऽத்ய
பரதம் யோऽத்ர ஸங்கஸே ॥
vipriyaṃ kṛtapūrvaṃ tē
bharatēna kadā nu kim ।
īdṛṡaṃ vā bhayaṃ tē'dya
bharataṃ yō'tra ṡaṅkasē ॥
Did Bharata ever do anything unpleasant to you,
that you should suspect him to be a source of fear now?
2.97.15 ந ஹி தே நிஷ்டுரம் வாச்யோ
பரதோ நாப்ரியம் வச: ।
அஹம் ஹ்யப்ரியமுக்தஸ்ஸ்யாம்
பரதஸ்யாப்ரியே க்ருதே ॥
na hi tē niṣṭhuraṃ vācyō
bharatō nāpriyaṃ vacaḥ ।
ahaṃ hyapriyamuktassyāṃ
bharatasyāpriyē kṛtē ॥
You shall not say aught in malice
or in unkindness to Bharata;
any unkindness to Bharata
would be unkindness to me.
2.97.16 கதம் நு புத்ரா: பிதரம்
ஹந்யு: கஸ்யாம் சிதாபதி ।
ப்ராதா வா ப்ராதரம் ஹந்யாத்
ஸௌமித்ரே ப்ராணமாத்மந: ॥
kathaṃ nu putrāḥ pitaraṃ
hanyuḥ kasyāṃ cidāpadi ।
bhrātā vā bhrātaraṃ hanyāt
saumitrē prāṇamātmanaḥ ॥
How could sons bring themselves to kill their father,
whatever be the danger that threatens,
or brother to kill a brother, who is his own other life,
O son of Sumitrā?
2.97.17 யதி ராஜ்யஸ்ய ஹேதோஸ்த்வம்
இமாம் வாசம் ப்ரபாஷஸே ।
வக்ஷ்யாமி பரதம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா
ராஜ்யமஸ்மை ப்ரதீயதாம் ॥
yadi rājyasya hētōstvam
imāṃ vācaṃ prabhāṣasē ।
vakṣyāmi bharataṃ dṛṣṭvā
rājyamasmai pradīyatām ॥
If it is for the sake of kingdom
that you have said all this,
I shall, on seeing Bharata, tell him,
‘you shall give the kingdom to him.’
2.97.18 உச்யமாநோऽபி பரதோ
மயா லக்ஷ்மண தத்வச: ।
ராஜ்யமஸ்மை ப்ரயச்சேதி
பாடமித்யேவ வக்ஷ்யதி ॥
ucyamānō'pi bharatō
mayā lakṣmaṇa tadvacaḥ ।
rājyamasmai prayacchēti
bāḍhamityēva vakṣyati ॥
The moment I tell Bharata, O Lakshmaṇa, those words of
‘Give him the kingdom ‘, he will only say ‘Yes’!
2.97.19 ததோக்தோ தர்மஸீலேந
ப்ராத்ரா தஸ்ய ஹிதே ரத: ।
லக்ஷ்மண: ப்ரவிவேஸேவ
ஸ்வாநி காத்ராணி லஜ்ஜயா ॥
tathōktō dharmaṡīlēna
bhrātrā tasya hitē rataḥ ।
lakṣmaṇaḥ pravivēṡēva
svāni gātrāṇi lajjayā ॥
Told thus by his brother,
the essence of whose character was Dharma,
Lakshmaṇa, who was devoted to him, felt as if
every limb of his body was filled with shame.
2.97.20 தத்வாக்யம் லக்ஷ்மணஸ்ஸ்ருத்வா
வ்ரீலித: ப்ரத்யுவாச ஹ ।
த்வாம் மந்யே த்ரஷ்டுமாயாத:
பிதா தஸரதஸ்ஸ்வயம் ॥
tadvākyaṃ lakṣmaṇaṡṡrutvā
vrīlitaḥ pratyuvāca ha ।
tvāṃ manyē draṣṭumāyātaḥ
pitā daṡarathassvayam ॥
Hearing those words, he replied, feeling ashamed:
‘I consider, it is father Daṡaratha
who has come in person to see you’.
2.97.21 வ்ரீலிதம் லக்ஷ்மணம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா
ராகவ: ப்ரத்யுவாச ஹ ।
ஏஷ மந்யே மஹாபாஹு:
இஹாஸ்மாந்த்ரஷ்டுமாகத: ॥
vrīlitaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā
rāghavaḥ pratyuvāca ha ।
ēṣa manyē mahābāhuḥ
ihāsmāndraṣṭumāgataḥ ॥
Seeing that Lakshmaṇa felt ashamed,
Rāghava responded saying:
‘Yes, I too think that he, the mighty armed,
has himself came to see us’.
2.97.22 அதவா நௌ த்ருவம் மந்யே
மந்யமாநஸ்ஸுகோசிதௌ ।
வநவாஸமநுத்யாய
க்ருஹாய ப்ரதிநேஷ்யதி ॥
athavā nau dhruvaṃ manyē
manyamānassukhōcitau ।
vanavāsamanudhyāya
gṛhāya pratinēṣyati ॥
Or certainly, I think, to take us back home,
considering the comforts we are used to and
(the lack of them in) this stay in the Vana.
2.97.23 இமாம் வாப்யேஷ வைதேஹீம்
அத்யந்தஸுகஸேவிநீம் ।
பிதா மே ராகவஸ்ஸ்ரீமாந்
வநாதாதாய யாஸ்யதி ॥
imāṃ vāpyēṣa vaidēhīm
atyantasukhasēvinīm ।
pitā mē rāghavaṡṡrīmān
vanādādāya yāsyati ॥
Or, may be, my gracious father, the scion of the Raghus,
will take back from this Vana, the princess of Vidēha
who was raised in great comfort and luxury.
2.97.24 ஏதௌ தௌ ஸம்ப்ரகாஸேதே
கோத்ரவந்தௌ மநோரமௌ ।
வாயுவேகஸமௌ வீர
ஜவநௌ துரகோத்தமௌ ॥
ētau tau samprakāṡētē
gōtravantau manōramau ।
vāyuvēgasamau vīra
javanau turagōttamau ॥
O Veera! These two beautiful pedigree horses of distinction,
that vie with the wind in speed, stand out.
2.97.25 ஸ ஏஷ ஸுமஹாகாய:
கம்பதே வாஹிநீமுகே ।
நாகஸ்ஸத்ருஞ்ஜயோ நாம
வ்ருத்தஸ்தாதஸ்ய தீமத: ॥
sa ēṣa sumahākāyaḥ
kampatē vāhinīmukhē ।
nāgaṡṡatruñjayō nāma
vṛddhastātasya dhīmataḥ ॥
And there comes, swaying at the head of the army,
the giant old tusker Ṡatruñjaya, of our sagacious father.
2.97.26 பாண்டுரம் லோகஸத்க்ருதம் ।
பிதுர்திவ்யம் மஹாபாஹோ
ஸம்ஸயோ பவதீஹ மே ॥
pāṇḍuraṃ lōkasatkṛtam ।
piturdivyaṃ mahābāhō
saṃṡayō bhavatīha mē ॥
But I do not see the highly regarded white
splendid parasol of father, O mighty armed,
which raises suspicion in me.
2.97.27 வ்ருக்ஷாக்ராதவரோஹ த்வம்
குரு லக்ஷ்மண மத்வச: ।
இதீவ ராமோ தர்மாத்மா
ஸௌமித்ரிம் தமுவாச ஹ ॥
vṛkṣāgrādavarōha tvaṃ
kuru lakṣmaṇa madvacaḥ ।
itīva rāmō dharmātmā
saumitriṃ tamuvāca ha ॥
‘Please come down from the tree,
O Lakshmaṇa, and do as I tell you.’
said Rāma, the Dharmātma, to the son of Sumitrā.
2.97.28 அவதீர்ய து ஸாலாக்ராத்
தஸ்மாத்ஸஸமிதிஞ்ஜய: ।
லக்ஷ்மண: ப்ராஞ்ஜலிர்பூத்வா
தஸ்தௌ ராமஸ்ய பார்ஸ்வத: ॥
avatīrya tu sālāgrāt
tasmātsasamitiñjayaḥ ।
lakṣmaṇaḥ prāñjalirbhūtvā
tasthau rāmasya pārṡvataḥ ॥
Climbing down from the Sāla tree,
Lakshmaṇa, the conqueror of armies
waited at the side of Rāma with palms joined.
2.97.29 பரதேநாபி ஸந்திஷ்டா
ஸம்மர்தோ ந பவேதிதி ।
ஸமந்தாத்தஸ்ய ஸைலஸ்ய
ஸேநா வாஸமகல்பயத் ॥
bharatēnāpi sandiṣṭā
sammardō na bhavēditi ।
samantāttasya ṡailasya
sēnā vāsamakalpayat ॥
Ordered by Bharata not to gather in a crowd,
the army camped, scattered around the mountain.
2.97.30 அத்யர்தமிக்ஷ்வாகுசமூ:
யோஜநம் பர்வதஸ்ய ஸா ।
பார்ஸ்வேந்யவிஸதாவ்ருத்ய
கஜவாஜிரதாகுலா ॥
adhyardhamikṣvākucamūḥ
yōjanaṃ parvatasya sā ।
pārṡvēnyaviṡadāvṛtya
gajavājirathākulā ॥
That army of the Ikshwākus,
packed with elephants, horses and chariots,
settled down on the flanks of the mountain,
spreading out to one and half Yōjanas around it.
2.97.31 ஸா சித்ரகூடே பரதேந ஸேநா
தர்மம் புரஸ்க்ருத்ய விதூய தர்பம் ।
ப்ரஸாதநார்தம் ரகுநந்தநஸ்ய
விராஜதே நீதிமதா ப்ரணீதா ॥
sā citrakūṭē bharatēna sēnā
dharmaṃ puraskṛtya vidhūya darpam ।
prasādanārthaṃ raghunandanasya
virājatē nītimatā praṇītā ॥
The army brought by Bharata,
knower of protocol and strategy,
in accordance with Dharma,
to earn the grace of Rāma,
made a splendid presence,
without any ostentation, at that Citrakūṭa.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே ஸப்தநவதிதமஸ்ஸர்க: ।
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē saptanavatitamassargaḥ ।
Thus concludes the ninety seventh Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
You have completed reading 5833 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
Meaning, notes and commentary by: Krishna Sharma.