Tweet
Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 111
In this Sarga, Vasishṭha continues to persuade Rāma, saying that Rāma would not go wrong by fulfilling the wishes of everyone including himself, his brothers, his mothers, his ministers, his guilds, the assembly and the people of the city and the country. Rāma responds by saying there is no way to repay the love shown by one’s father except by honoring his word.
Bharata, feeling terrible hearing those words, sits in protest on Darbha grass, and tells that he will not budge till Rāma agrees to return, and asks everyone to implore Rāma on his behalf. But everyone finds it hard to press upon Rāma, as he stands by what is right.
Bharata then says that neither did he ask his father for the kingdom, nor did he urge his mother to do so, nor did he approve of Rāma going to Vana. He further says that if it is necessary for one to stay in the Vana, he would stay in the Vana instead of Rāma.
Rāma then says to Bharata that finding a substitute to stay in the Vana in his place would be despicable. And that both he and Bharata have the responsibility to fulfill his father’s word.
2.111.1 வஸிஷ்டஸ்து ததா ராமம்
உக்த்வா ராஜபுரோஹித: ।
அப்ரவீத்தர்மஸம்யுக்தம்
புநரேவாபரம் வச: ॥
vasiṣṭhastu tadā rāmam
uktvā rājapurōhitaḥ ।
abravīddharmasaṃyuktaṃ
punarēvāparaṃ vacaḥ ॥
Having said this to Rāma,
Vasishṭha, the royal Purōhita,
said again these words informed by Dharma:
2.111.2 புருஷஸ்யேஹ ஜாதஸ்ய
பவந்தி குரவஸ்த்ரய: ।
ஆசார்யஸ்சைவ காகுத்ஸ்த
பிதா மாதா ச ராகவ ॥
puruṣasyēha jātasya
bhavanti guravastrayaḥ ।
ācāryaṡcaiva kākutstha
pitā mātā ca rāghava ॥
There are three gurus
for any man born in this world,
mother, father and teacher.
2.111.3 பிதா ஹ்யேவம் ஜநயதி
புருஷம் புருஷர்ஷப ।
ப்ரஜ்ஞாம் ததாதி சாசார்ய:
தஸ்மாத்ஸ குருருச்யதே ॥
pitā hyēvaṃ janayati
puruṣaṃ puruṣarṣabha ।
prajñāṃ dadāti cācāryaḥ
tasmātsa gururucyatē ॥
O bull among men!
Parents, of course, give birth to a man.
Whereas teacher gives him wisdom,
and hence is called a Guru.
2.111.4 ஸோऽஹம் தே பிதுராசார்ய:
தவ சைவ பரந்தப ।
மம த்வம் வசநம் குர்வந்
நாதிவர்தேஸ்ஸதாம் கதிம் ॥
sō'haṃ tē piturācāryaḥ
tava caiva parantapa ।
mama tvaṃ vacanaṃ kurvan
nātivartēssatāṃ gatim ॥
I am the teacher, O scorcher of foes,
both for him and for you.
By following my advice, you would,
in no way, be falling away from the ways of the good.
2.111.5 இமா ஹி தே பரிஷத:
ஸ்ரேணயஸ்ச த்விஜாஸ்ததா ।
ஏஷு தாத சரந்தர்மம்
நாதிவர்தே ஸ்ஸதாம் கதிம் ॥
imā hi tē pariṣadaḥ
ṡrēṇayaṡca dvijāstathā ।
ēṣu tāta carandharmaṃ
nātivartē ssatāṃ gatim ॥
My child! The assemblies, the guilds and
the Brāhmaṇas are yours!
By doing the right thing for them, you would,
in no way, be falling away from the ways of the good.
2.111.6 வ்ருத்தாயா தர்மஸீலாயா
மாதுர்நார்ஹஸ்யவர்திதும் ।
அஸ்யாஸ்து வசநம் குர்வந்
நாதிவர்தேஸ்ஸதாம் கதிம் ॥
vṛddhāyā dharmaṡīlāyā
māturnārhasyavartitum ।
asyāstu vacanaṃ kurvan
nātivartēssatāṃ gatim ॥
You must not default in your duty
to attend on your virtuous and aged mother.
By obeying her word, you would,
in no way, be falling away from the ways of the good.
2.111.7 பரதஸ்ய வச: குர்வந்
யாசமாநஸ்ய ராகவ ।
ஆத்மாநம் நாதிவர்தேஸ்த்வம்
ஸத்யதர்மபராக்ரம ॥
bharatasya vacaḥ kurvan
yācamānasya rāghava ।
ātmānaṃ nātivartēstvaṃ
satyadharmaparākrama ॥
Rāma, you are a man of truthfulness,
Dharma and ultimate prowess!
By following the word of the beseeching Bharata,
you would, in no way, violate yourself.
2.111.8 ஏவம் மதுரமுக்தஸ்ஸந்
குருணா ராகவஸ்ஸ்வயம் ।
ப்ரத்யுவாச ஸமாஸீநம்
வஸிஷ்டம் புருஷர்ஷப: ॥
ēvaṃ madhuramuktassan
guruṇā rāghavassvayam ।
pratyuvāca samāsīnaṃ
vasiṣṭhaṃ puruṣarṣabhaḥ ॥
Rāma, the bull among men, exhorted thus
directly by the guru in pleasing words,
responded to Vasishṭha who was sitting next to him:
2.111.9-10 யந்மாதாபிதரௌ வ்ருத்தம்
தநயே குருதஸ்ஸதா ।
ந ஸுப்ரதிகரம் தத்து
மாத்ரா பித்ரா ச யத்க்ருதம் ॥
யதாஸக்தி ப்ரதாநேந
ஸ்வாபநோச்சாதநேந ச ।
நித்யம் ச ப்ரியவாதேந
ததா ஸம்வர்தநேந ச ॥
yanmātāpitarau vṛttaṃ
tanayē kurutassadā ।
na supratikaraṃ tattu
mātrā pitrā ca yatkṛtam ॥
yathāṡakti pradānēna
svāpanōcchādanēna ca ।
nityaṃ ca priyavādēna
tathā saṃvardhanēna ca ॥
Whatever the mother and father do to a son,
in giving him everything they can,
in putting him to bed (every night)
in doting on him and in nurturing him,
can never be fully repaid.
2.111.11 ஸ ஹி ராஜா ஜநயிதா
பிதா தஸரதோ மம ।
ஆஜ்ஞாதம் யந்மயா தஸ்ய
ந தந்மித்யா பவிஷ்யதி ॥
sa hi rājā janayitā
pitā daṡarathō mama ।
ājñātaṃ yanmayā tasya
na tanmithyā bhaviṣyati ॥
To my father, the King Daṡaratha, I owe my existence.
The word I gave him cannot simply go void.
2.111.12 ஏவமுக்தஸ்து ராமேண
பரத: ப்ரத்யநந்தரம் ।
உவாச பரமோதார:
ஸூதம் பரமதுர்மநா: ॥
ēvamuktastu rāmēṇa
bharataḥ pratyanantaram ।
uvāca paramōdāraḥ
sūtaṃ paramadurmanāḥ ॥
When Rāma said this, the magnanimous Bharata,
feeling terribly dejected,
said to the charioteer who was by his side:
2.111.13 இஹ மே ஸ்தண்டிலே ஸீக்ரம்
குஸாநாஸ்தர ஸாரதே ।
ஆர்யம் ப்ரத்யுபவேக்ஷ்யாமி
யாவந்மே ந ப்ரஸீததி ॥
iha mē sthaṇḍilē ṡīghraṃ
kuṡānāstara sārathē ।
āryaṃ pratyupavēkṣyāmi
yāvanmē na prasīdati ॥
Spread Darbha grass quick here,
on the ground, O charioteer!
I shall sit here in protest,
till the noble one takes pity on me.
2.111.14 அநாஹாரோ நிராலோகோ
தநஹீநோ யதா த்விஜ: ।
ஸேஷ்யே புரஸ்தாச்சாலாயா
யாவந்ந ப்ரதியாஸ்யதி ॥
anāhārō nirālōkō
dhanahīnō yathā dvijaḥ ।
ṡēṣyē purastācchālāyā
yāvanna pratiyāsyati ॥
I will, like a Brāhmaṇa who has no money and no food,
lie down at the entrance of this cottage,
with my face covered, until he returns.
2.111.15 ஸ து ராமமவேக்ஷந்தம்
ஸுமந்த்ரம் பேக்ஷ்ய துர்மநா: ।
குஸோத்தரமுபஸ்தாப்ய
பூமாவேவாऽஸ்தரத்ஸ்வயம் ॥
sa tu rāmamavēkṣantaṃ
sumantraṃ pēkṣya durmanāḥ ।
kuṡōttaramupasthāpya
bhūmāvēvā'staratsvayam ॥
Seeing Sumantra (hesitating and) looking at Rāma,
he, the extremely dejected one,
himself brought a stack of Darbha grass
and spread it on the ground.
2.111.16 தமுவாச மஹாதேஜா
ராமோ ராஜர்ஷிஸத்தம: ।
கிம் மாம் பரத குர்வாணம்
தாத ப்ரத்யுபவேக்ஷ்யஸி ॥
tamuvāca mahātējā
rāmō rājarṣisattamaḥ ।
kiṃ māṃ bharata kurvāṇaṃ
tāta pratyupavēkṣyasi ॥
Then the supremely radiant Rāma,
the foremost among the Rājarshis said to him:
‘My dear Bharata! What have I done,
for you to protest like this?
2.111.17 ப்ராஹ்மணோ ஹ்யேகபார்ஸ்வேந
நராந்ரோத்துமிஹார்ஹதி ।
ந து மூர்தாபிஷிக்தாநாம்
விதி: ப்ரத்யுபவேஸநே ॥
brāhmaṇō hyēkapārṡvēna
narānrōddhumihārhati ।
na tu mūrdhābhiṣiktānāṃ
vidhiḥ pratyupavēṡanē ॥
A Brāhmaṇa may lie down on his side
in order to stop someone,
but a consecrated one (Kshatriya) is not
expected to lie down like this to coerce.
2.111.18 உத்திஷ்ட நரஸார்தூல
ஹித்வைதத்தாருணம் வ்ரதம் ।
புரவர்யாமித: க்ஷிப்ரம்
அயோத்யாம் யாஹி ராகவ ॥
uttiṣṭha naraṡārdūla
hitvaitaddāruṇaṃ vratam ।
puravaryāmitaḥ kṣipram
ayōdhyāṃ yāhi rāghava ॥
O tiger among men! Get up and
give up this terrible vow!
O Rāghava! Go quick to
Ayōdhyā, the best of the cities!
2.111.19 ஆஸீநஸ்த்வேவ பரத:
பௌரஜாநபதம் ஜநம் ।
உவாச ஸர்வத: ப்ரேக்ஷ்ய
கிமார்யம் நாநுஸாஸத ॥
āsīnastvēva bharataḥ
paurajānapadaṃ janam ।
uvāca sarvataḥ prēkṣya
kimāryaṃ nānuṡāsatha ॥
Bharata, still sitting on the ground,
looked around and said to
the urban and rural folk,
‘Why do you not exhort
the noble one (to do as I wish)?’
2.111.20 தே தமூசுர்மஹாத்மாநம்
பௌரஜாநபதா ஜநா: ।
காகுத்ஸ்தமபிஜாநீம:
ஸம்யக்வததி ராகவ: ॥
tē tamūcurmahātmānaṃ
paurajānapadā janāḥ ।
kākutsthamabhijānīmaḥ
samyagvadati rāghavaḥ ॥
But they, the citizens and the country folk,
responded to that Mahātma saying:
‘We fully understand Kakutstha.
Rāghava speaks justly.’
2.111.21 ஏஷோऽபி ஹி மஹாபாக:
பிதுர்வசஸி திஷ்டதி ।
அத ஏவ ந ஸக்தா: ஸ்மோ
வ்யாவர்தயிதுமஞ்ஜஸா ॥
ēṣō'pi hi mahābhāgaḥ
piturvacasi tiṣṭhati ।
ata ēva na ṡaktāḥ smō
vyāvartayitumañjasā ॥
He, the blessed one, stands firmly by his father’s word.
Hence, we cannot get him to go back, in a rush.
2.111.22 தேஷாமாஜ்ஞாய வசநம்
ராமோ வசநமப்ரவீத் ।
ஏவம் நிபோத வசநம்
ஸுஹ்ருதாம் தர்மசக்ஷுஷாம் ॥
tēṣāmājñāya vacanaṃ
rāmō vacanamabravīt ।
ēvaṃ nibōdha vacanaṃ
suhṛdāṃ dharmacakṣuṣām ॥
Hearing what they said, Rama said:
‘Listen to what our friends,
who see what is right, say.’
2.111.23 ஏதச்சைவோபயம் ஸ்ருத்வா
ஸம்யக்ஸம்பஸ்ய ராகவ ।
உத்திஷ்ட த்வம் மஹாபாஹோ
மாம் ச ஸ்ப்ருஸ ததோதகம் ॥
ētaccaivōbhayaṃ ṡrutvā
samyaksampaṡya rāghava ।
uttiṣṭha tvaṃ mahābāhō
māṃ ca spṛṡa tathōdakam ॥
Consider carefully what you heard
from both of us (me and the friends).
Get up, O you of the mighty arm,
touch me and then water! Touching water is a symbol of giving up fasting.
2.111.24 அதோத்தாய ஜலம்ஸ்ப்ருஷ்ட்வா
பரதோ வாக்யமப்ரவீத் ।
ஸ்ருண்வந்து மே பரிஷதோ
மந்த்ரிண ஸ்ஸ்ரேணயஸ்ததா ॥
athōtthāya jalaṃspṛṣṭvā
bharatō vākyamabravīt ।
ṡruṇvantu mē pariṣadō
mantriṇa ṡṡrēṇayastathā ॥
Then Bharata got up, touched the water and said:
‘May the members of the assembly,
the guildsmen and the ministers hear me!’
2.111.25 ந யாசே பிதரம் ராஜ்யம்
நாநுஸாஸாமி மாதரம் ।
ஆர்யம் பரமதர்மஜ்ஞம்
நாநுஜாநாமி ராகவம் ॥
na yācē pitaraṃ rājyaṃ
nānuṡāsāmi mātaram ।
āryaṃ paramadharmajñaṃ
nānujānāmi rāghavam ॥
Neither did I ask my father for the kingdom,
nor did I urge my mother,
nor did I give my assent to Rāghava, the noble one,
the knower of Dharma (to go to the forest).
2.111.26 யதித்வவஸ்யம் வஸ்தவ்யம்
கர்தவ்யம் ச பிதுர்வச: ।
அஹமேவ நிவத்ஸ்யாமி
சதுர்தஸ ஸமா வநே ॥
yaditvavaṡyaṃ vastavyaṃ
kartavyaṃ ca piturvacaḥ ।
ahamēva nivatsyāmi
caturdaṡa samā vanē ॥
If it is absolutely essential
to stay (in the Vana) according
to the word given by my father,
I shall myself stay (in the Vana)
for the period of fourteen years.
2.111.27 தர்மாத்மா தஸ்ய தத்யேந
ப்ராதுர்வாக்யேந விஸ்மித: ।
உவாச ராமஸ்ஸம்ப்ரேக்ஷ்ய
பௌரஜாநபதம் ஜநம் ॥
dharmātmā tasya tathyēna
bhrāturvākyēna vismitaḥ ।
uvāca rāmassamprēkṣya
paurajānapadaṃ janam ॥
Astonished at those heartfelt words of
his brother, Rāma, the Dharmātma, looked at the
city people and country folk and said:
2.111.28 விக்ரீதமாஹிதம் க்ரீதம்
யத்பித்ரா ஜீவதா மம ।
ந தல்லோபயிதும் ஸக்யம்
மயா வா பரதேந வா ॥
vikrītamāhitaṃ krītaṃ
yatpitrā jīvatā mama ।
na tallōpayituṃ ṡakyaṃ
mayā vā bharatēna vā ॥
Neither I nor Bharata can undermine
whatever my father did while he lived,
by way of sale, pledge or purchase. What is hinted in Ṡlōka 2.107.19 is made explicit in this Ṡlōka.
In the closely knit communities of India, people promise one another many things and enter into many transactions with each other. Keeping those promises and fulfilling those transactions is the bedrock of the social existence.
But, it also happens that people die before they can fulfill the promises they made. Then the question is whether their children, who inherit the wealth, would also fulfill the promises made by the deceased or not. If they do, they bring name to their family and lineage. And such families are held in high regard.
The lineage of Ikshwāku, Kakutstha and Raghu is one such. And hence Rāma says what he says here. It is not an option for them to keep the word of his father. The well earned reputation of their family made it an obligation.
The truth of the adage that ‘Rāmāyaṇa is the life blood of Indian society’ lies in Ṡlōkas like this.
This is the pivotal Ṡlōka that helped an entire civilization take pride in its sense of obligation and provided the needed support when tough times put that sense to test.
A man who keeps his word and a family which honors its word earn their due reputation.
In this modern day and times, the knee jerk reaction would be ‘how about women?’ And the answer to that question is:
Women are understood to be emotionally fragile compared to men. Hence their character was held to a milder standard. What was asked of them was loyalty, to the father or husband or any other guardian and their families.
Not only women, even men and entire families who could not function as independent reliable social entities by themselves used to live under the shade and support of capable persons and families. They were the dependants, staff, attendants, etc., that were oft-mentioned in Rāmāyaṇa.
Sociologists who confuse them to be the equivalent of the subservient and indentured slaves of the last couple of centuries are missing the point.
2.111.29 உபதிர்ந மயா கார்யோ
வநவாஸே ஜுகுப்ஸித: ।
யுக்தமுக்தம் ச கைகேய்யா
பித்ரா மே ஸுக்ருதம் க்ருதம் ॥
upadhirna mayā kāryō
vanavāsē jugupsitaḥ ।
yuktamuktaṃ ca kaikēyyā
pitrā mē sukṛtaṃ kṛtam ॥
I shall not take the cheap route of
delegating the life in Vana to a substitute.
Whatever Kaikēyee asked was appropriate (for her),
and whatever my father did was right (for him).
2.111.30 ஜாநாமி பரதம் க்ஷாந்தம்
குருஸத்காரகாரிணம் ।
ஸர்வமேவாத்ர கல்யாணம்
ஸத்யஸந்தே மஹாத்மநி ॥
jānāmi bharataṃ kṣāntaṃ
gurusatkārakāriṇam ।
sarvamēvātra kalyāṇaṃ
satyasandhē mahātmani ॥
I know that Bharata is a man of forbearance
and is zealous in his regard to elders.
Everything will turn out well
for him, for this Mahātma
who is true to his word.
2.111.31 அநேந தர்மஸீலேந
வநாத்ப்ரத்யாகத: புந: ।
ப்ராத்ரா ஸஹ பவிஷ்யாமி
ப்ருதிவ்யா: பதிருத்தம: ॥
anēna dharmaṡīlēna
vanātpratyāgataḥ punaḥ ।
bhrātrā saha bhaviṣyāmi
pṛthivyāḥ patiruttamaḥ ॥
Returning from the forest, I shall,
along with this brother of mine,
who is devoted to Dharma,
become a worthy ruler of the earth.
2.111.32 வ்ருதோ ஹி ராஜா கைகேய்யா
மயா தத்வசநம் க்ருதம் ।
அந்ருதாந்மோசயாநேந
பிதரம் தம் மஹீபதிம் ॥
vṛtō hi rājā kaikēyyā
mayā tadvacanaṃ kṛtam ।
anṛtānmōcayānēna
pitaraṃ taṃ mahīpatim ॥
The king was requested by Kaikēyee
and I fulfilled that word.
Relieve the king, our father, from
the ignominy of not keeping his word.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே
வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே
ஏகாதஸோத்தரஸததமஸ்ஸர்க: ।
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē
vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē
ēkādaṡōttaraṡatatamassargaḥ ।
Thus concludes the one hundred and eleventh Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.