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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 114
In this Sarga Bharata enters Ayōdhyā and reflects on its desolate state. He enters the residence of Daṡaratha which has lost all its luster and feels very sad.
2.114.1 ஸ்நிக்தகம்பீரகோஷேண
ஸ்யந்தநேநோபயாந்ப்ரபு: ।
அயோத்யாம் பரத: க்ஷிப்ரம்
ப்ரவிவேஸ மஹாயஸா: ॥
snigdhagambhīraghōṣēṇa
syandanēnōpayānprabhuḥ ।
ayōdhyāṃ bharataḥ kṣipraṃ
pravivēṡa mahāyaṡāḥ ॥
Bharata, renowned for his leadership,
riding on a chariot whose rumble was
(reassuringly) pleasing and majestic,
entered Ayōdhyā without any delay. It is very common to see the hero enter the scene in a luxury car or motorcycle in today’s movies. The camera first zooms on the shiny front wheel of the vehicle that squeaks to a stop, before moving on to the hero’s face.
This technique of using the majesty of the vehicle as a symbol of the majesty of the rider, comes to us all the way from the times of Rāmāyaṇa.
In this case, Vālmeeki uses the majesty of the sound of the vehicle as a representation of the majesty of Bharata.
Further, it must have been very distinct, against the dead silence of the city (see last Ṡlōka of the previous Sarga).
2.114.2 பிடாலோலூகசரிதாம்
ஆலீநநரவாரணாம் ।
திமிராப்யாஹதாம் காலீம்
அப்ரகாஸாம் நிஸாமிவ ॥
biḍālōlūkacaritām
ālīnanaravāraṇām ।
timirābhyāhatāṃ kālīm
aprakāṡāṃ niṡāmiva ॥
Cats and owls were on the prowl there.
Men and elephants were subdued.
Ayōdhyā was engulfed by darkness
resembling a night with no trace of light. Ṡlōkas 2-20 describe the state of Ayōdhyā when Bharata entered.
This Ṡlōka says cats were on the prowl. It is true even according to modern scientists. They say rats take over if human activity comes down. And obviously cats that live on rats can also be expected to be on the prowl.
See the article by Palaeobiologist Jan Zalasiewiczof University of Leicester.
2.114.3 ராஹுஸத்ரோ: ப்ரியாம் பத்நீம்
ஸ்ரியா ப்ரஜ்வலிதப்ரபாம் ।
க்ரஹேணாப்யுத்திதேநைகாம்
ரோஹிணீமிவ பீடிதாம் ॥
rāhuṡatrōḥ priyāṃ patnīṃ
ṡriyā prajvalitaprabhām ।
grahēṇābhyutthitēnaikāṃ
rōhiṇīmiva pīḍitām ॥
It seemed lost and troubled
like the resplendent and glowing star Rōhiṇee ,
the beloved wife of moon,
seeing her husband captured
by his arch enemy Rāhu. Ayōdhyā is Rōhiṇee . Rāma is the moon. Fate is Rāhu.
2.114.4 அல்போஷ்ணக்ஷுப்தஸலிலாம்
கர்மோத்தப்தவிஹங்கமாம் ।
லீநமீநஜுஷக்ராஹாம்
க்ருஸாம் கிரிநதீமிவ ॥
alpōṣṇakṣubdhasalilāṃ
gharmōttaptavihaṅgamām ।
līnamīnajhuṣagrāhāṃ
kṛṡāṃ girinadīmiva ॥
It was like a mountain-stream in summer,
that was reduced to a trickle of
hot and turbid water,
with its birds drooping in the heat,
its fish, small and big,
and crocodiles hidden from view.
2.114.5 விதூமாமிவ ஹேமாபாம்
அத்வராக்நே ஸ்ஸமுத்திதாம் ।
ஹவிரப்யுக்ஷிதாம் பஸ்சாத்
ஸிகாம் விப்ரலயம் கதாம் ॥
vidhūmāmiva hēmābhām
adhvarāgnē ssamutthitām ।
havirabhyukṣitāṃ paṡcāt
ṡikhāṃ vipralayaṃ gatām ॥
It was like the smokeless
golden tongue of flame of a Hōma,
that just arose, only to be dampened
by the Havya poured into it.
2.114.6 வித்வஸ்தகவசாம் ருக்ண
கஜவாஜிரதத்வஜாம் ।
ஹதப்ரவீராமாபந்நாம்
சமூமிவ மஹாஹாவே ॥
vidhvastakavacāṃ rugṇa
gajavājirathadhvajām ।
hatapravīrāmāpannāṃ
camūmiva mahāhāvē ॥
It was like an army that
was beaten in a fierce battle,
with its armor completely destroyed
its elephants, horses, chariots
and flags lying battered and mangled,
and the best of its warriors decimated.
2.114.7 ஸபேநாம் ஸஸ்வநாம் பூத்வா
ஸாகரஸ்ய ஸமுத்திதாம் ।
ப்ரஸாந்தமாருதோத்தூதாம்
ஜலோர்மிமிவ நிஸ்ஸ்வநாம் ॥
saphēnāṃ sasvanāṃ bhūtvā
sāgarasya samutthitām ।
praṡāntamārutōddhūtāṃ
jalōrmimiva nissvanām ॥
It was like a roaring, foamy wave
that arose in the ocean
only to be quieted down by a calm wind.
2.114.8 த்யக்தாம் யஜ்ஞாயுதைஸ்ஸர்வை:
அபிரூபைஸ்ச யாஜகை: ।
ஸுத்த்யாகாலே விநிர்வ்ருத்தே
வேதிம் கதரவாமிவ ॥
tyaktāṃ yajñāyudhaissarvaiḥ
abhirūpaiṡca yājakaiḥ ।
suttyākālē vinirvṛttē
vēdiṃ gataravāmiva ॥
It was like a quieted Vēdi
at the conclusion of a Yajña,
denuded of all the comely implements of Yajña,
and abandoned by the priests!
2.114.9 கோஷ்டமத்யே ஸ்திதாமார்தாம்
அசரந்தீம் த்ருணம் நவம் ।
கோவ்ருஷேண பரித்யக்தாம்
கவாம் பத்நீமிவோத்ஸுகாம் ॥
gōṣṭhamadhyē sthitāmārtām
acarantīṃ tṛṇaṃ navam ।
gōvṛṣēṇa parityaktāṃ
gavāṃ patnīmivōtsukām ॥
It was like a cow standing
in the cow pen suffering,
without touching the tender grass,
abandoned by her bull that she
was longing for, like a devout wife. I grew up in a rural area with plenty of cows and bulls around, but never heard of such an expression of love among the bovine species. Have any of you?
It makes me wonder, whether the cows of ancient India were of a different breed altogether that we have lost over time!
- - -
Being dumped is hard, especially for women who are fragile; whether in the times of Rāmāyaṇa or in contemporary culture of ‘dating’ and ‘live in relationships’; whether it is among humans or among bovines.
Rāmāyaṇa is timeless, precisely because it speaks about basic emotions like these.
2.114.10 ப்ரபாகராத்யைஸ்ஸுஸ்நிக்தை:
ப்ரஜ்வலத்பிரிவோத்தமை: ।
வியுக்தாம் மணிபிர்ஜாத்யை:
நவாம் முக்தாவலீமிவ ॥
prabhākarādyaissusnigdhaiḥ
prajvaladbhirivōttamaiḥ ।
viyuktāṃ maṇibhirjātyaiḥ
navāṃ muktāvalīmiva ॥
It was like a garland of fresh pearls
stripped of exquisite, smooth, excellent and
dazzling gems of the finest class such as rubies.
2.114.11 ஸஹஸா சலிதாம் ஸ்தாநாந்
மஹீம் புண்யக்ஷயாத்கதாம் ।
ஸம்வ்ருதத்யுதிவிஸ்தாராம்
தாராமிவ திவஸ்ச்யுதாம் ॥
sahasā calitāṃ sthānān
mahīṃ puṇyakṣayādgatām ।
saṃvṛtadyutivistārāṃ
tārāmiva divaṡcyutām ॥
It was like a star fallen from the heavens,
whose luster had diminished upon falling on the earth
immediately after the exhaustion of its Puṇya. One of the very poetic and poignant imaginations of those times is that people, after their stint on earth, would rise to the heavens and become stars and would fall down (meteors) to the earth once their Puṇya is exhausted.
2.114.12 புஷ்பநத்தாம் வஸந்தாந்தே
மத்தப்ரமரநாதிதாம் ।
த்ருததாவாக்நி விப்லுஷ்டாம்
க்லாந்தாம் வநலதாமிவ ॥
puṣpanaddhāṃ vasantāntē
mattabhramaranāditām ।
drutadāvāgni vipluṣṭāṃ
klāntāṃ vanalatāmiva ॥
It was like a sylvan creeper
that is full of flowers and the
humming of intoxicated bees,
that wilted under the heat of
fast spreading summer heat at the end of spring.
2.114.13 ஸம்மூடநிகமாம்ஸ்தப்தாம்
ஸம்க்ஷிப்தவிபணாபணாம் ।
ப்ரச்சந்நஸஸிநக்ஷத்ராம்
த்யாமிவாம்புதரைர்வ்ருதாம் ॥
sammūḍhanigamāṃstabdhāṃ
saṃkṣiptavipaṇāpaṇām ।
pracchannaṡaṡinakṣatrāṃ
dyāmivāmbudharairvṛtām ॥
With all business activities coming to a standstill,
all its markets and shops closed,
it looked like the sky with its moon and stars
disappearing behind the heavy clouds. No one, in these modern times, in the ‘developed’ world, can afford enough time and space to enjoy the beauty of the night sky, and experience its wild moods such as the one described in this Ṡlōka.
All of us might have heard the phrase ‘pitch dark’ but only a few of us would have ever experienced it.
And those who did can tell how that weirdness, that dark night with complete cloud cover making its presence known only through the sounds of rain and wind, would connect one to the mystery of this universe.
2.114.14 க்ஷீணபாநோத்தமைர்பிந்நை:
ஸராவைரபிஸம்வ்ருதாம் ।
ஹதஸௌண்டாமிவாऽகாஸே
பாநபூமிமஸம்ஸ்க்ருதாம் ॥
kṣīṇapānōttamairbhinnaiḥ
ṡarāvairabhisaṃvṛtām ।
hataṡauṇḍāmivā'kāṡē
pānabhūmimasaṃskṛtām ॥
It looked like an unmaintained drinking bar,
its keeper killed, its pitchers
broken and scattered around,
and the best of its liquors lost. It is difficult for anyone in modern times to imagine the mention of Yajñas (Ṡlōka 5 above) and drinking bars in the same context!
But that was the golden age of Rāmāyaṇa, where all aspects of life were equally enjoyed.
2.114.15 வ்ருக்ணபூமிதலாம் நிம்நாம்
வ்ருக்ணபாத்ரைஸ்ஸமாவ்ருதாம் ।
உபயுக்தோதகாம் பக்நாம்
ப்ரபாம் நிபதிதாமிவ ॥
vṛkṇabhūmitalāṃ nimnāṃ
vṛkṇapātraissamāvṛtām ।
upayuktōdakāṃ bhagnāṃ
prapāṃ nipatitāmiva ॥
It looked like a sunken and shattered
roadside beverage stall
with its broken floor, water emptied and
all the pots and vessels broken and strewn around.
2.114.16 விபுலாம் விததாம் சைவ
யுக்தபாஸாம் தரஸ்விநாம் ।
பூமௌ பாணைர்விநிஷ்க்ருத்தாம்
பதிதாம் ஜ்யாமிவாயுதாத் ॥
vipulāṃ vitatāṃ caiva
yuktapāṡāṃ tarasvinām ।
bhūmau bāṇairviniṣkṛttāṃ
patitāṃ jyāmivāyudhāt ॥
It was like a stretched and wide bowstring,
its strands made of the best materials
that fell off the bow on to the earth,
severed by the arrows of sharp shooters. You might remember from Ṡlōka 1.5.7 Bāla Kāṇḍa that Ayōdhyā is a rectangular strip of 12 x 3 Yōjanas; hence its comparison to the long and wide bow string.
2.114.17 ஸஹஸா யுத்தஸௌண்டேந
ஹயாரோஹேண வாஹிதாம் ।
நிஹதாம் ப்ரதிஸைந்யேந
வடவாமிவ பாதிதாம் ॥
sahasā yuddhaṡauṇḍēna
hayārōhēṇa vāhitām ।
nihatāṃ pratisainyēna
vaḍavāmiva pātitām ॥
It was like a mare that was turned,
all of a sudden, into a mount by a
cavalryman skilled in fight, and then was
felled down to its death by the enemy forces.
2.114.18 ஸுஷ்கதோயாம் மஹாமத்ஸ்யை:
கூர்மைஸ்ச பஹுபிர்வ்ருதாம் ।
ப்ரபிந்நதடவிஸ்தீர்ணாம்
வாபீமிவ ஹ்ருதோத்பலாம் ॥
ṡuṣkatōyāṃ mahāmatsyaiḥ
kūrmaiṡca bahubhirvṛtām ।
prabhinnataṭavistīrṇāṃ
vāpīmiva hṛtōtpalām ॥
It was like a stepped well with its sides broken,
spread wide, water depleted, lilies vanished
and taken over by turtles and big fish. Stepped wells are part of civic amenities of yore, which are works of good architecture, engineering and taste in their own right. They can be seen even today, abandoned or maintained, in areas like Gujarat, Rajasthan and parts of Pakistan.
A good example is one at the sun temple at Modhera in Gujarat, which is reasonably well preserved. You can see a video of it on YouTube.
2.114.19 புருஷஸ்யாப்ரஹ்ருஷ்டஸ்ய
ப்ரதிஷித்தாநுலேபநாம் ।
ஸந்தப்தாமிவ ஸோகேந
காத்ரயஷ்டிமபூஷணாம் ॥
puruṣasyāprahṛṣṭasya
pratiṣiddhānulēpanām ।
santaptāmiva ṡōkēna
gātrayaṣṭimabhūṣaṇām ॥
It was like the body of an unhappy man,
that was not treated with any creams
and not adorned by any ornaments,
left to be scorched by grief. We cannot but admire how accurately Vālmeeki depicts human nature. It is true that men suffer more and longer than women, when subjected to the same kind of dejection. The reason is that women, fortunately, get over an unfortunate situation, by crying over it or by accepting it. Whereas men get killed by dejection, taking recourse to alcohol, drugs or to silent suffering like the one described in this Ṡlōka.
2.114.20 ப்ராவ்ருஷி ப்ரவிகாடாயாம்
ப்ரவிஷ்டஸ்யாப்ரமண்டலம் ।
ப்ரச்சந்நாம் நீலஜீமூதை:
பாஸ்கரஸ்ய ப்ரபாமிவ ॥
prāvṛṣi pravigāḍhāyāṃ
praviṣṭasyābhramaṇḍalam ।
pracchannāṃ nīlajīmūtaiḥ
bhāskarasya prabhāmiva ॥
It was like the luster of the sun
obscured by dense black clouds
in the midst of heavy monsoon.
2.114.21 பரதஸ்து ரதஸ்தஸ்ஸந்
ஸ்ரீமாந்தஸரதாத்மஜ: ।
வாஹயந்தம் ரதஸ்ரேஷ்டம்
ஸாரதிம் வாக்யமப்ரவீத் ॥
bharatastu rathasthassan
ṡrīmāndaṡarathātmajaḥ ।
vāhayantaṃ rathaṡrēṣṭhaṃ
sārathiṃ vākyamabravīt ॥
While still sitting in the chariot,
the blessed Bharata, son of Daṡaratha,
said these words to the charioteer,
who was driving that excellent chariot:
2.114.22 கிம் நு கல்வத்ய கம்பீரோ
மூர்சிதோ ந நிஸம்யதே ।
யதாபுரமயோத்யாயாம்
கீதவாதித்ரநிஸ்வந: ॥
kiṃ nu khalvadya gambhīrō
mūrchitō na niṡamyatē ।
yathāpuramayōdhyāyāṃ
gītavāditranisvanaḥ ॥
How sad that we do not hear today,
as we used to, the magnificent sounds
of music and song in Ayōdhyā, everywhere!
2.114.23 வாருணீமதகந்தஸ்ச
மால்யகந்தஸ்ச மூர்சித: ।
தூபிதாகுருகந்தஸ்ச
ந ப்ரவாதி ஸமந்தத: ॥
vāruṇīmadagandhaṡca
mālyagandhaṡca mūrchitaḥ ।
dhūpitāgurugandhaṡca
na pravāti samantataḥ ॥
The breeze does not carry the smells of
heady liquor or garlands or of burnt Agaru.
2.114.24 யாநப்ரவரகோஷஸ்ச
ஸ்நிக்தஸ்ச ஹயநிஸ்வந: ।
ப்ரமத்தகஜநாதஸ்ச
மஹாம்ஸ்ச ரதநிஸ்வந: ।
நேதாநீம் ஸ்ரூயதே புர்யாம்
அஸ்யாம் ராமே விவாஸிதே ॥
yānapravaraghōṣaṡca
snigdhaṡca hayanisvanaḥ ।
pramattagajanādaṡca
mahāṃṡca rathanisvanaḥ ।
nēdānīṃ ṡrūyatē puryām
asyāṃ rāmē vivāsitē ॥
With Rāma exiled, the hum of great vehicles,
the pleasant sounds of horses,
the trumpeting of elephants in rut,
and the loud noises of chariots
are now not heard in the city.
2.114.25 சந்தநாகருகந்தாம்ஸ்ச
மஹார்ஹாஸ்ச நவஸ்ரஜ: ।
கதே ஹி ராமே தருணா:
ஸம்தப்தா நோபபுஞ்ஜதே ॥
candanāgarugandhāṃṡca
mahārhāṡca navasrajaḥ ।
gatē hi rāmē taruṇāḥ
saṃtaptā nōpabhuñjatē ॥
Since Rāma has left, men in the prime of their youth,
grieving, have discarded the enjoyment
of scents of sandal and Agaru
and exquisite and newer types of flower garlands.
2.114.26 பஹிர்யாத்ராம் ந கச்சந்தி
சித்ரமால்யதரா நரா: ।
நோத்ஸவாஸ்ஸம்ப்ரவர்தந்தே
ராமஸோகார்திதே புரே ॥
bahiryātrāṃ na gacchanti
citramālyadharā narāḥ ।
nōtsavāssampravartantē
rāmaṡōkārditē purē ॥
In this city gripped by grief for Rāma,
men do not go out on excursions,
wearing assorted garlands;
and no festivals are celebrated.
2.114.27 ஸஹ நூநம் மம ப்ராத்ரா
புரஸ்யாஸ்ய த்யுதிர்கதா ।
ந ஹி ராஜத்யயோத்யேயம்
ஸாஸாரேவார்ஜுநீ க்ஷபா ॥
saha nūnaṃ mama bhrātrā
purasyāsya dyutirgatā ।
na hi rājatyayōdhyēyaṃ
sāsārēvārjunī kṣapā ॥
Certainly, along with my brother,
has gone the light of this city.
Ayōdhyā is not shining; it is
rather like the fortnight of waxing moon,
that is caught by torrential rains.
2.114.28 கதா நு கலு மே ப்ராதா
மஹோத்ஸவ இவாऽகத: ।
ஜநயிஷ்யத்யயோத்யாயாம்
ஹர்ஷம் க்ரீஷ்ம இவாம்புத: ॥
kadā nu khalu mē bhrātā
mahōtsava ivā'gataḥ ।
janayiṣyatyayōdhyāyāṃ
harṣaṃ grīṣma ivāmbudaḥ ॥
Ah! When will my brother, coming like a festival,
bring joy to Ayōdhyā, like the rain-cloud in summer!
2.114.29 தருணைஸ்சாருவேஷைஸ்ச
நரைருந்நதகாமிபி: ।
ஸம்பதத்பிரயோத்யாயாம்
நாபிபாந்தி மஹாபதா: ॥
taruṇaiṡcāruvēṣaiṡca
narairunnatagāmibhiḥ ।
sampatadbhirayōdhyāyāṃ
nābhibhānti mahāpathāḥ ॥
The thoroughfares of Ayōdhyā are not resplendent,
flooded by stylishly dressed youth of proud strides.
2.114.30 ஏவம் பஹுவிதம் ஜல்பந்
விவேஸ வஸதிம் பிது: ।
தேந ஹீநாம் நரேந்த்ரேண
ஸிம்ஹஹீநாம் குஹாமிவ ॥
ēvaṃ bahuvidhaṃ jalpan
vivēṡa vasatiṃ pituḥ ।
tēna hīnāṃ narēndrēṇa
siṃhahīnāṃ guhāmiva ॥
Reflecting on many a thing thus,
he entered the residence of his father,
which was like a cave sans the lion,
with the absence of that lord of the people.
2.114.31 ததா ததந்த:புரமுஞ்ஜிதப்ரபம்
ஸுரைரிவோத்ஸ்ருஷ்டமபாஸ்கரம் திவம் ।
நிரீக்ஷ்ய ஸர்வம் து விவிக்தமாத்மவா-
ந்முமோச பாஷ்பம் பரத: ஸுது:கித: ॥
tadā tadantaḥpuramuñjhitaprabhaṃ
surairivōtsṛṣṭamabhāskaraṃ divam ।
nirīkṣya sarvaṃ tu viviktamātmavā-
nmumōca bāṣpaṃ bharataḥ suduḥkhitaḥ ॥
Seeing those inner apartments
whose luster was completely gone,
that looked like heaven
abandoned by gods and the sun,
Bharata, the conscientious one,
shed tears in deep sorrow.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே
வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே
சதுர்தஸோத்தரஸததமஸ்ஸர்க: ।
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē
vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē
caturdaṡōttaraṡatatamassargaḥ ।
Thus concludes the one hundred and fourteenth Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.