Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam
( Translation and Commentary by Scholar,
Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji
and Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )
Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 61
Kausalya, while weeping, rebukes Dasaratha for his evil act of sending Rama to exile. She explains various difficulties being faced by Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha in their forest-life. She says that even if Rama returns to Ayodhya in the fifteenth year, he may not accept the kingdom since enjoyed by Bharata.
When Rama, who is excellent in virtue and outstanding among those causing delight, having left for the forest, Kausalya who was feeling pained, spoke, weeping to her husband as follows: “Despite the fame in the three worlds of your great glory that Dasaratha is compassionate, bountiful and kind in his words, how your two sons along with Seetha who grew comfortably can bear suffering in the forest when faced with hardships, O the best among the foremost of men! That Seetha, who is a young lady in the prime of her youth and very delicate, can really tolerate heat and cold? How the large-eyed Seetha can eat a food prepared with wild rice, she having eaten here a good food containing soups and snacks? How that irreproachable Seetha can hear the horrid sounds of cruel animals and lions, after hearing the auspicious sounds of singing and music here? Where Rama the mighty hero, resplendent as Mahendra’s standard and the mighty armed is sleeping indeed with his arm as a pillow? When can I see the face of Rama with the colour of a lotus, framed with marvelous locks of lotus-perfume, with eyes resembling lotus-petals and excellent? There is no doubt that my heart is fully made of the solid-interior of a diamond, for which reason this heart is not shattered into a thousand pieces, even in my not seeing of that Rama. It was not a kindly act by you that you banished my kith and kin, who were worthy of comforts to wander around in the forest in such a miserable condition. Even if Rama comes back in the fifteenth year, it cannot be inferred that Bharata will abandon the kingdom and the treasury. There are those who in a ceremony in hour of dead relatives, first feed their relatives and thereafter, to fulfill their duty, remember to invite the illustrious Twice-born. The virtuous and the learned Brahmins, who are like unto gods, do not accept afterwards even food as delicious as ambrosia. The best of Brahmins in their wisdom, will not accept what remains of the food of which other Brahmins have partaken, regarding it as a bull shorn of its horns. O, king! Why not the eldest and the best brother refuse to accept the kingdom enjoyed by the younger brother? A tiger does not wish to share a part of food eaten by another animal. In the same manner, Rama the tiger among men may not accept that which has been enjoyed by another. Oblations, clarified butter, leavings of an offering, sacred grass and sacrificial posts made of trunk of Khadira tree, once used, are not put to use again in a sacrifice. Thus, Rama cannot accept the kingdom taken away by other, as those not accepting an ambrosia whose essence has been taken away or as in a sacrifice, stalks of Soma plant (from which a beverage called Soma is prepared) are lost. Rama will not go through such a type of dishonour, as a strong tiger does not endure even touching of its tail. Even if all the worlds combine together in a great battle, they cannot stir up fear in him. The virtuous minded Rama will provide righteousness to the people with unrighteousness. Rama with great prowess and with his mighty arms can surely burn up all beings and even the ocean itself by his golden arrows; like at the time of destruction of the world. That excellent man with such a lion’s strength and with eyes like those of a bull was ruined indeed by his own father, like killing its child-fish by an adult fish. A son, who is devoted to righteousness, has been sent to exile by you. Is it a right thing for you, as seen by scriptures or is it an eternal conduct as practiced by the Twice born? O, king! A husband is a chief refuge for a woman. Her second refuge is a son. The third refuge is her near-relative. There is no fourth one here. Among those three refuges, you do not indeed exist. Rama on his part took refuge in a forest and I do not wish to go there. Thus, I have been ruined in all ways, by you. This kingdom along with neighboring states has been ruined by you. You yourself along with ministers have been ruined. I along with my son am ruined. Citizens too are ruined. Your son Bharata and your wife Kaikeyi only are delighted.”
Hearing the aforesaid voice of Kausalya, consisting of her cruel words, the king also being distressed became disillusioned. Thereafter, the king then looking back on his own evil act, was entangled in grief.
Thus completes 61st Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 62
After hearing harsh words from Kausalya, king Dasaratha loses consciousness and restores it after a long time. Afterwards, Kausalya repents for her mistake of speaking such crude words and consoles the king with her reconciliatory words. Overcome by grief, Dasaratha fell into the grip of slumber as the night prevailed.
When harsh words with anger in this manner were heard by the grief-stricken Kausalya, Rama’s mother, king Dasaratha felt depressed and reflected upon those words. The king fell brooding, thus perplexed as he was in his mind and lost his consciousness. Thereafter, that king who tormented the enemies regained his consciousness after a long time. After restoring his consciousness he, breathing a long and hot sigh and seeing Kausalya by his side, began to worry again. As he thus brooded over, he recalled in his mind, a sinful deed that was done by him out of ignorance long ago, by shooting with an arrow an unseen object, the sound of which was only heard. The mighty emperor felt distressed through agony caused by that sinful dead and as also through agony caused by separation from Rama and was tormented by the dual grief.
That king, tormented by the afflictions, was trembling, bent his head down, joined his palms in salutation, desirous of getting her grace and spoke to Kausalya as follows: “O, Kausalya! I seek your grace. This joining of palms is set out by me. You are always affectionate even towards others and even indeed kind. For women intent on righteousness, a husband whether he is virtuous or worthless, is a visible god indeed. You as such, who is ever intent on virtue, who has understood good and evil fortunes in the world, even if grief-stricken, ought not to have spoken unpleasant words to me, who is too much in distress.”
Hearing those miserable words spoken by the distressed king, Kausalya shed tears, akin to new rain water flowing from a channel. Capturing on her own head, the king’s palms joined in the form of a lotus; Kausalya was scared and spoke weeping in hurriedly lettered words in eagerness: “O, king! I appeal to you with my bowed head. I lie prostrate on the floor. I am ruined. I am not to be forgiven indeed by you. In both the worlds, it is ill-becoming of a woman, being propitiated by her husband, who is praise worthy and possessing good disposition. In both the worlds, it is ill-becoming of a woman, being propitiated by her husband, who is praise worthy and possessing good disposition. Grief ruins courage. Grief ruins sacred learning, grief ruins all. There is no enemy like grief. A hitting that descended from the hands of an enemy is possible to be tolerated. But, the grief suddenly descended, even if so small, is not possible to be tolerated. Even ascetics, who know righteousness, who have learnt sacred texts and who have rent asunder doubts relating to religious merit and wealth, go astray having their minds infatuated with grief. Today it is counted as five days since Rama has gone to exile. It is equal to five years for me, since grief has ruined my happiness. While I think of Rama, this grief in my heart is increasing, like water in a great ocean increases with the fast streaming of rivers.”
While Kausalya was telling auspicious words indeed as aforesaid the sun became feeble and turned towards night too. The king, thus cheered up by the queen Kausalya, got subjected to slumber, after having been overcome by grief.
Thus completes 62nd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose Sarga 63
Dasaratha woke up with anxious thoughts. Recalling his earlier sin, he starts recounting the story of a young ascetic to Kausalya. He says that while he was Prince Regent of Ayodhya, he went out for hunting in a forest one day and heard the sound of a hermit-boy filling his pitcher with water by suberging it into Sarayu River. Mistaking the gurgling sound for trumpeting of an elephant the prince hit the boy with an arrow, which went deep into the body and mortally wounded him. On approaching the victim, he discovered the fatal blunder and tendered his heart felt apologies to the hermit boy, who asked him to extract the arrow from his body and inform his parents. The boy died soon after the arrow was drawn out from the body.
The king, awakened after some time, with his mind afflicted with grief, got into an anxious thinking. Due to banishing of Rama and Lakshmana, a great calamity befell on Dasaratha who was equal in strength to Indra, like sun seized by obscurity, which is attributed to the demon Rahu. After Rama along with his wife departed to the forest, Dasaratha the king of Kosala recalling his earlier sin, wanted to tell Kausalya, whose eye-corners were dark in colour all about it. After Rama was sent into exile to the forest, King Dasaratha, on the sixth night at mid-night, was recalling his sin done (long ago). King Dasaratha, afflicted by grief for his son, recalling his sin, spoke the following words to Kausalya who was suffering from sorrow for her son.
"O, blessed lady! O gracious one! A doer reaps surely the fruit of his own deeds corresponding to the nature of work either good or bad, of that which he does! He who does not consider, while undertaking actions, the relative value of their fruits as well as the utilities or defects accruing from them, is surely called a fool. Anyone, who after seeing their (charming and big) flowers, greedily desires their (large and luscious) fruits and nourishes Palasa trees, by cutting off a mongo grove, he will come to grief after bearing of their fruit. He who without knowing the result goes running towards action, will come to grief as a nourisher of Kimsuka trees coming to grief at the time of their fruit-bearing. I nourished Palasa trees, by cutting off mango grove. Being wicked-minded in abandoning Rama at the time of arrival of fruit, I am lamenting thereafter. This sin was done by me while I was young and wielding a bow. At that time, I was famous as a young man, who can shoot heard (but unseen) object by an arrow, O Kausalya! This grief, obtained by my own accord, has befallen me, as by a boy in ignorance eating poison in the world. How the other man became disillusioned by Palasa trees, I also became disillusioned in the same manner, without knowing accurately the correct result of hitting a target by means of sound only. You were unmarried till then and I was the Prince Regent. Then came the rainy season which enhanced excitement and desire (for hunting). The sun, partaking fluids from earth and warming the world with its rays, entered the terrible southern quarter haunted by spirits. Heat disappeared suddenly. Resplendent clouds appeared in the sky. All frogs, cuckoos and peacocks were full of joy. Birds with moistened top of their wings as if they bathed, reached with great difficulty the trees, the tops of which were shaken off by rain and wind. Enveloped by water falling again and again on the water already fallen, the mountain with its antelopes in rut, glowed like an ocean. Although the water-streams were crystal clear, they flowed in serpentine courses, with white and red colours because of their admixture with ashes and mountain-minerals on the way. The water-streams, which were crystal-clear till then, became churned with reddish waters, carrying water by a wrong way, after the onset of rain. With a wish to do hunting as an exercise in that most comfortable season, I went along Sarayu River, in a chariot, wearing bow and arrows. Without my senses under control and with an intent to kill there a (wild) buffalo or an elephant or any other wild animal coming in the night at that place for the purpose of drinking water, I was ready with my bow at a solitary place. Hearing the sound, I killed turning towards it, a wild animal, which came to the bank of Sarayu River and another violent beast too which came there. Meanwhile, in that darkness and not within the reach of the eye, I heard the sound of a pitcher being filled up, the sound of which appeared like that of an elephant. With an intent to hit that elephant, I drew out a shining arrow resembling a serpent, targeted towards the direction of sound and discharged it. I released a sharp arrow, resembling a serpent.”
“There, at dawn, arose a distinct voice uttering 'Ah! Ah!' of a forest-inhabitant, dropping down in water after his vital part was hit by an arrow. While that arrow was attacking a human voice there was heard, saying, 'Oh, how a weapon did rush upon an ascetic like me?' I came to the river, which was away from habitation, in the night to fetch water. By whom I was hit by an arrow? On the other hand what wrong have I done to anyone? To a seer like me, of having laid down violence and living on fruits and roots of wild plants in the forest, how a killing by an arrow is enjoined? Who is desirous of killing me, wearing a mass of locks of hair and clad with bark of trees and deer-skin? What harm was done to him by me? A vain act concerning only with a useless objective is undertaken in this manner. No one will admire him, as for instance like any man seeking the bed of his preceptor's wife, as good. I do not worry that much of my death. I worry both for my mother and father, in the case of my death. By what means of livelihood this elderly couple, maintained since a long time by me, support themselves when I obtain my death? I and my aged parents are killed by a single arrow. By a man without self control and being very much a fool, all of us are virtually killed.
"Hearing those pitiable words and since I was always intent on righteousness, I felt distressed. The bow and arrow fell down from my hands to the ground. Hearing his pathetic cry, weeping profusely during the night, I became unconscious frequently, utterly bewildered as I was, due to flare-up of my grief. Distressed in mind and with much sorrowful feeling, I reached that place and saw the ascetic, hit by the arrow at the bank of Sarayu River, with his tresses of hair scattered, his pitcher of water thrown asunder, having his limbs anointed with sand and blood lying down as he was, hurt by the arrow."
Looking up with his eyes, as if going to scorch with his glory, at me who stood terrified and sick in mind, he spoke those harsh words then: 'O, king! I, who was carrying water for my parents, was hit by you. What was the harm done to you by me who is residing in a forest? Being hit on my secret part by a single arrow, you virtually killed both my mother and father, who are blind and aged. Both of them, weak blind and thirsty, might have refrained their thirst with difficulty and waited with expectation of my arrival since long. I am sure. Surely, our (mine or father's) religious austerity or sacred knowledge have not borne fruit because my father does not have information about me, having fallen down and lying on the ground. What my disabled father, unable to walk around can do, even if he knows like a tree unable to protect another tree which is being cut off? O, Dasaratha! Going there soon, you alone tell my father; so that he will not scorch you by his anger, as a forest is scorched by a flared-up fire. This foot-path will lead you to my father's hermitage. After going there, seek his graciousness, lest he should get angry and execrate you. Extract this arrow-head from my body. This sharp arrow torments my delicate vital part in the same way as a river-current corrodes the sandy bank, which is at a height.’
“While extracting the arrow-head from him, this thought entered my mind. With arrow-head in his body he will suffer, even though surviving. But after extracting the arrow-head, he will die. Then, the son of the sage perceived worry in the heart of myself, who was lamenting pitiably, suffering from anguish.”
Sinking into despondency with distress, distorting his limbs in agony, coiling round himself on the floor with extreme pain and having approached the end of his life, he spoke to me (as follows) with great difficulty. 'Suppressing my grief with firmness, I am becoming stable-minded. Let the torment in your heart, caused by the thought of your having killed Brahmana be removed. O, king the ruler of the country! I am not a Brahmana. Let there be no agony in your mind. I am born through a Sudra woman by a Vysya.’
"While he was speaking in that manner with great difficulty, his vital part having been hit by an arrow and was rolling on the ground, now exerting himself, now trembling and sinking, I drew out that arrow from him. That sage looked up towards me in fear and relinquished his life. O, my dear Kausalya! Seeing him, with his body drenched in water, weeping with anguish, unceasingly sighing his breath, with injury in his vital part and lying down in River Sarayu as he was, I became very much grief-stricken.”
"O, blessed lady! O gracious one! A doer reaps surely the fruit of his own deeds corresponding to the nature of work either good or bad, of that which he does! He who does not consider, while undertaking actions, the relative value of their fruits as well as the utilities or defects accruing from them, is surely called a fool. Anyone, who after seeing their (charming and big) flowers, greedily desires their (large and luscious) fruits and nourishes Palasa trees, by cutting off a mongo grove, he will come to grief after bearing of their fruit. He who without knowing the result goes running towards action, will come to grief as a nourisher of Kimsuka trees coming to grief at the time of their fruit-bearing. I nourished Palasa trees, by cutting off mango grove. Being wicked-minded in abandoning Rama at the time of arrival of fruit, I am lamenting thereafter. This sin was done by me while I was young and wielding a bow. At that time, I was famous as a young man, who can shoot heard (but unseen) object by an arrow, O Kausalya! This grief, obtained by my own accord, has befallen me, as by a boy in ignorance eating poison in the world. How the other man became disillusioned by Palasa trees, I also became disillusioned in the same manner, without knowing accurately the correct result of hitting a target by means of sound only. You were unmarried till then and I was the Prince Regent. Then came the rainy season which enhanced excitement and desire (for hunting). The sun, partaking fluids from earth and warming the world with its rays, entered the terrible southern quarter haunted by spirits. Heat disappeared suddenly. Resplendent clouds appeared in the sky. All frogs, cuckoos and peacocks were full of joy. Birds with moistened top of their wings as if they bathed, reached with great difficulty the trees, the tops of which were shaken off by rain and wind. Enveloped by water falling again and again on the water already fallen, the mountain with its antelopes in rut, glowed like an ocean. Although the water-streams were crystal clear, they flowed in serpentine courses, with white and red colours because of their admixture with ashes and mountain-minerals on the way. The water-streams, which were crystal-clear till then, became churned with reddish waters, carrying water by a wrong way, after the onset of rain. With a wish to do hunting as an exercise in that most comfortable season, I went along Sarayu River, in a chariot, wearing bow and arrows. Without my senses under control and with an intent to kill there a (wild) buffalo or an elephant or any other wild animal coming in the night at that place for the purpose of drinking water, I was ready with my bow at a solitary place. Hearing the sound, I killed turning towards it, a wild animal, which came to the bank of Sarayu River and another violent beast too which came there. Meanwhile, in that darkness and not within the reach of the eye, I heard the sound of a pitcher being filled up, the sound of which appeared like that of an elephant. With an intent to hit that elephant, I drew out a shining arrow resembling a serpent, targeted towards the direction of sound and discharged it. I released a sharp arrow, resembling a serpent.”
“There, at dawn, arose a distinct voice uttering 'Ah! Ah!' of a forest-inhabitant, dropping down in water after his vital part was hit by an arrow. While that arrow was attacking a human voice there was heard, saying, 'Oh, how a weapon did rush upon an ascetic like me?' I came to the river, which was away from habitation, in the night to fetch water. By whom I was hit by an arrow? On the other hand what wrong have I done to anyone? To a seer like me, of having laid down violence and living on fruits and roots of wild plants in the forest, how a killing by an arrow is enjoined? Who is desirous of killing me, wearing a mass of locks of hair and clad with bark of trees and deer-skin? What harm was done to him by me? A vain act concerning only with a useless objective is undertaken in this manner. No one will admire him, as for instance like any man seeking the bed of his preceptor's wife, as good. I do not worry that much of my death. I worry both for my mother and father, in the case of my death. By what means of livelihood this elderly couple, maintained since a long time by me, support themselves when I obtain my death? I and my aged parents are killed by a single arrow. By a man without self control and being very much a fool, all of us are virtually killed.
"Hearing those pitiable words and since I was always intent on righteousness, I felt distressed. The bow and arrow fell down from my hands to the ground. Hearing his pathetic cry, weeping profusely during the night, I became unconscious frequently, utterly bewildered as I was, due to flare-up of my grief. Distressed in mind and with much sorrowful feeling, I reached that place and saw the ascetic, hit by the arrow at the bank of Sarayu River, with his tresses of hair scattered, his pitcher of water thrown asunder, having his limbs anointed with sand and blood lying down as he was, hurt by the arrow."
Looking up with his eyes, as if going to scorch with his glory, at me who stood terrified and sick in mind, he spoke those harsh words then: 'O, king! I, who was carrying water for my parents, was hit by you. What was the harm done to you by me who is residing in a forest? Being hit on my secret part by a single arrow, you virtually killed both my mother and father, who are blind and aged. Both of them, weak blind and thirsty, might have refrained their thirst with difficulty and waited with expectation of my arrival since long. I am sure. Surely, our (mine or father's) religious austerity or sacred knowledge have not borne fruit because my father does not have information about me, having fallen down and lying on the ground. What my disabled father, unable to walk around can do, even if he knows like a tree unable to protect another tree which is being cut off? O, Dasaratha! Going there soon, you alone tell my father; so that he will not scorch you by his anger, as a forest is scorched by a flared-up fire. This foot-path will lead you to my father's hermitage. After going there, seek his graciousness, lest he should get angry and execrate you. Extract this arrow-head from my body. This sharp arrow torments my delicate vital part in the same way as a river-current corrodes the sandy bank, which is at a height.’
“While extracting the arrow-head from him, this thought entered my mind. With arrow-head in his body he will suffer, even though surviving. But after extracting the arrow-head, he will die. Then, the son of the sage perceived worry in the heart of myself, who was lamenting pitiably, suffering from anguish.”
Sinking into despondency with distress, distorting his limbs in agony, coiling round himself on the floor with extreme pain and having approached the end of his life, he spoke to me (as follows) with great difficulty. 'Suppressing my grief with firmness, I am becoming stable-minded. Let the torment in your heart, caused by the thought of your having killed Brahmana be removed. O, king the ruler of the country! I am not a Brahmana. Let there be no agony in your mind. I am born through a Sudra woman by a Vysya.’
"While he was speaking in that manner with great difficulty, his vital part having been hit by an arrow and was rolling on the ground, now exerting himself, now trembling and sinking, I drew out that arrow from him. That sage looked up towards me in fear and relinquished his life. O, my dear Kausalya! Seeing him, with his body drenched in water, weeping with anguish, unceasingly sighing his breath, with injury in his vital part and lying down in River Sarayu as he was, I became very much grief-stricken.”
Thus completes 63rd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 64
| King Dasaratha continued to narrate to Kausalya how he went to the aged parents of the deceased sage and informed about the death of their son and its cause, how he escorted them to their son to the river where he was lying dead, how embracing the boy they wept and offered libations of water to his spirit, how invested with an ethereal body, the spirit ascended to heaven while consoling the aged couple and finally how, having cursed the king that he too would die of agony caused by the separation from his son, the aged couple gave up their lives. Having thus narrated the story of his getting the curse long back and loudly weeping, king Dasaratha dies of grief. |
The high souled Dasaratha, while lamenting about the unworthy killing of that sage, spoke further to Kausalya as follows: "Having done that great sin inadvertently, having my senses confounded and I being alone, I thought of using my reason of what best can be done. Taking the best water fully in that pitcher, I went to that hermitage by the path as directed by the young sage. There I saw the frail, blind and aged parents of the young sage. They were without a guide to support them, as birds whose wings were cut-off. Without any other occupation, they were narrating words only about their son. Having no protector and being immobile they lost the hope of their son, because of me. With my mind afflicted by grief and worried about the impending peril, I fell a prey to further grief after reaching the hermitage. Hearing the sound of my foot-steps, that sage spoke as follows: 'O, son! Why are you late? Give me the water soon. Your mother is regretting why you are playing in water in this manner. Enter the hermitage quickly. If any disagreeable thing has been done by your mother, or me, you, as a sage ought not have kept it in your mind. We being helpless, you are our refuge. We being blind, you are our eyes. Our lives are encircled around you. Why are you not talking with us?' As though fearful in mind to behold the ascetic, I spoke to him in a tone which was indistinct inarticulate and without some consonants? Having strengthened the firmness in my speech and having abandoned fear in my mind by deliberate efforts, I told him of the alarm that awaited him of his son’s death. I am Dasaratha, belonging to warrior- class. I am not your high-souled son. This calamity created by my own act, despised by noble men, befell upon me."
“O, venerable sage! Wearing a bow in hand, I came to the bank of Sarayu River with an intent to kill an elephant arrived to a ford (for drinking water) or any other wild animal. Then by me was heard the sound of a pitcher being filled with water. Guessing it as an elephant, I killed it with an arrow. Thereafter, reaching the bank of the river there, I saw an ascetic lying dead on the ground, with the arrow pierced into his heart. O, honorable sage! With a desire to kill an elephant by targeting the sound, I released an iron arrow, and thus your son was killed (hit). Approaching as per his request, closer to him who was suffering from pain, I took out the arrow soon from his vital part. Soon after taking out the arrow, he worried about both of you the parents, lamenting that you were blind and there itself he attained Heaven. Unknowingly and unexpectedly your son was killed by me. It has happened like that. Let the honorable sage command me what to do in this matter. Hearing that cruel news pronounced by me, confessing my sin, that venerable sage could not resist his severe anger. That sage with great splendor, whose face was filled with tears and troubled by sorrow, spoke with a sigh to me who came near him with joined palms."
“ 'If you have not told me about this shameful deed yourself, O. king, your head would have burst instantly into a hundred thousand pieces. A killing brought about by a warrior premeditatedly and in particular to a hermit, would expel even Indra from his post. The head of a dispatcher of a weapon with a knowledge of the matter on a sage established in austerity or such an unmarried student practicing sacred study, gets burst into seven pieces. You are still surviving because you have done it unknowingly. Not even you, but today the whole of Ikshvaaku dynasty would have been no more, if it is not the case.' "
“He spoke to me thus: "O, king! Now we want to see, as our last look, our son whose body is drenched in blood, with his garment of deer-skin scattered from him, lying unconscious on the ground and who is subjected to the dominion of Yama (god of death) . Take both of us to that place. Thereafter, taking both of them, who were weeping profusely, to that place, I for one made that sage and his wife to touch their son. Approaching their son, that miserable couple touched their son’s body and fell on it . Then, his father spoke as follows.”
“My dear boy! You are not offering salutation to me, nor do you talk to me. Why are you sleeping on the floor? Are you angry? I am beloved to you. Otherwise, see your mother. Why are you not embracing, my son? Utter some words. Whose sweet and heart touching voice, reciting one sacred text or the other in particular at the end of the night, shall I hear from now? O, son! Who after taking bath, worshipping the goddess of dawn, and offering oblations in fire, will be sitting beside me and talking confidently looking at me, as I was afflicted with grief and fear? Who will feed me, like a beloved guest is fed, with roots and fruits while I am sitting without any work, without fetching anything and without having any guide making me to walk? How can I support your mother, who is blind, aged and a poor woman in a pitiable condition, longing for her son? O, son! Come to a halt. Do not go to Yama’s abode. You can proceed tomorrow with me and with your mother. Bereft of you, afflicted with grief, without any protection in the forest and poor, both of us also will come soon along with you to Yama’s abode.
“Thereafter, seeing Yama, I shall tell these words to him. ‘O, Yama! Excuse me. Let this boy nourish his parents. The most glorious and high souled Yama, the guardian of the world will be obliged to give this solitary imperishable boon in the form of fearlessness to me, who is in such a condition. O, son! This criminal killed you. As it is true that you were sinless, you will soon obtain the realms as reached by those who die fighting with weapons. Move on to that which is the highest state, which is obtained by the warriors, who do not return even while being killed, from the direction facing their enemies in battles. Obtain the destiny which was obtained by Sagara, Saibya, Dilipa, Janamejeya, Nahusha and Dundumara. Obtain that destiny, which is obtained by all the sages, by those who studied scriptures, by an act of austerity, by a gift of the land, by him who has maintained sacred fire, who has taken a vow of marrying a single wife, who gifts a thousand cows, who are owed to the service of the preceptor and that which is obtained by those who have abandoned their body (by journeying to Himalayan Mountains, or drowning themselves in water or leaping into the flames). The one born in the race of sages will not obtain an unsafe destiny. The person, who killed you, my son, will obtain that bad destiny."
“Thus, that sage repeatedly wept there pitiably. Then he, along with his wife, started doing the ceremony of offering water to his demised son. The pious son of the sage on his part, soon ascended the Heaven, wearing a wonderful form along with Indra (the king of celestials) as a result of his own pious acts. That son of the sage who was together with Indra, talked to his parents. Consoling his parents for a while, he spoke the following words. I obtained the supreme state because of my service to both of you. You will also obtain soon my vicinity. The son of the sage, whose senses were subdued, thus spoke and by a wonderful aero plane with beautiful form, quickly reached Heaven. That ascetic with great splendor along with his wife soon performed the ceremony offering water to his dead son and spoke to me, who was standing near him with folded hands. "
O, king! You have made me, without a son, by killing my one and the only one son, by an arrow. You kill me also now. I am not frightened about death. Since you have killed my holy son through ignorance, I shall pronounce a most painful and very cruel curse on you. Even as I am suffering from agony now because of the loss of my son, in the same manner; you will also die due to agony caused by the loss of your son. Since the sage was killed by you, belonging to the warrior class, through ignorance, the son of killing a Brahmin will not take possession of you. A feeling similar to this, which makes the life awful and extinct, will indeed quickly come to you, even as a merit accrues to the donor of a donation to the priest."
“Pronouncing the curse thus on me, that couple wept many times pitiably, placed their body on the funeral pile and proceeded to heaven. O, Kausalya! The sin I myself committed through ignorance on that day, by invoking an arrow and hitting an invisible object the sound of which was heard, I remember it now on reflection over it. As a disease comes sometime after eating a nutriment mixed with forbidden things, this present occurrence came as a result of the sinful act by me long ago. O, my dear lady! Those words of that noble sage, saying that I shall give up my life due to grief for the loss of my son, have come true to me now. I am not able to see you with my eyes. Touch me well.”
Thus speaking, King Dasaratha, terribly weeping said to his wife as follows: “O, queen! The wrong that was done by me in respect of Rama was not befitting of me. But the good that was done by Rama in my case was worthy only of him. Which wise man on this earth can abandon his son, even if he is of a bad conduct? Which son, even if he is sent to an exile, cannot become angry with his father? Can Rama now touch me or approach me forth with? Men who attained the world of Yama (god of death) cannot even see their kith and kin. I am not able to see you with my eyes. My memory- power is fading away. Messengers of Yama (god of death) are hastening me to come. What can be more sorrowful than the fact I am not able to see Rama, who knows righteousness and who is a truly brave man, at the time of my death? The grief arising out of non-appearance of that son, who performs unparalleled actions, is parching up my life, as sun- shine dries up a water drop. They are not humans but celestials, who will be able to see again in the fifteenth year, the beautiful face of Rama, wearing his handsome ear-rings. The fortunate can see the face of Rama, looking like a moon, with its eyes resembling lotus leaves, with beautiful eye brows, with a comely row of teeth and a charming nose. Fortunate are they, who can see the sweat smelling face of Rama, resembling the autumnal moon and also a full- blown lotus. Happy ones can see Rama, who having finished his exile, will come to Ayodhya like the planet Venus coming from a journey. O, Kausalya! My heart is sinking down by delusion of mind. I am not able to grasp the related sound, touch and the smell. All of my senses are getting scared away due to mental break down, as rays of light of a lamp whose oil is exhausted, starts splattering. This grief caused by my own self is collapsing me, who am helpless and insensible, like a river bank being collapsed by the floods of a river stream. O, mighty armed! O, Rama! O, annihilator of my grief! Alas! O, darling of your father! O, my protector! O, my son! Where have you gone? O, Kausalya! O, Sumitra, the miserable! Alas! O, Kaikeyi, the cruel one! My enemy! The disgrace of my family! I am going to die."
In this manner, King Dasaratha weeping as aforesaid, reached the end of his life in the presence of Kausalya and Sumitra. King Dasaratha of noble appearance, thus speaking, who was already miserable and distressed for sending his son to exile, felt afflicted with extreme grief by the time the mid- night passed and forthwith abandoned his life.
Thus completes 64th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 65
| At the dawn of the next day, panergysts and servants arrived at the palace to serve the king. Some women, who were empowered to go near the bed, detected the king’s death and started crying loudly. Kausalya and Sumitra suddenly woke up from their slumber and came to know of the king’s death. All the wives of Dasaratha wept miserably. The gynaecium was filled with men and women who felt bewildered with fear and restlessness; when the king met with his appointed end. |
While the night passed away, there arrived at the residence of the emperor, at the dawn of the next day, highly cultured and excellently learned bards who were pronouncers of benedictions and whose custom was to eulogize the king, as well as singers and panegyrists uttering recitations in different styles. Their sounds of praises, uttering benedictions in a loud voice and pronouncing accolades of the king, pervaded in full the interior area of the palace. While those bards are uttering praises, others who make a bang of claps, patted the claps, eulogizing the previous glorious acts of Dasaratha. The birds dwelling in royal palaces perched on the branches of trees and others in cages were awakened by that sound and began to twitter. The auspicious words uttered by bards parrots etc and the notes of Vina as well as blissful songs of the metric verses filled that palace. Then, as before, persons who maintain pure practices and those who were skilled in the services to the king, most of whom were women and eunuchs, arrived there to serve the king. Those who took care of royal ablutions brought water sprinkled with yellow sandal in golden pitchers in accordance with appropriate time and the set procedures. In that manner, women too most of whom were virgins brought all that were pleasing to the touch, eatables, decorative clothing and ornaments.
All that was brought near him was endowed with all auspicious characteristics offered with reverence as per prescribed scriptures. All that was extremely graceful. All that retinue, greatly excited as they were, without coming near to the king and with a suspicion as to what was it, stayed thus till sunrise. The women who were empowered to go near the bed of Dasaratha went in proximity to him and woke him up. Even so, those modest and prudent women with proper conduct, touched Dasaratha’s bed and could not detect any sign of life whatsoever in him.
Those women knew the condition of a body in sleep, by its gestures, movements and others. As such, they were possessed of tremor apprehensive as they were about the king’s life and they resembled like tips of reeds standing against a stream. Now, seeing the king, certainty arose in the minds of those doubting women about the calamity (of death) that was apprehended. Overpowered by grief for their sons, the slumbering Kausalya and Sumitra did not wake up, as though they were completely overtaken by death. Kausalya bereft of luster, pale faced, emaciated with grief and dispirited, did not shine brightly (as before) like a star hidden away in darkness. The queen Kausalya, immediately close to the king and with Sumitra on her side, was not shining as before with her face ruffled by tears of grief. The persons in the gynaecium, having seen those distinguished queens in slumber and also the king in that manner, thought that the king had lost his life while just sleeping. Then, those beautiful women miserably cried loudly with their voice, like female elephants crying when their group leader an elephant was removed from their place in the forest.
Kausalya and Sumitra suddenly obtained consciousness by the sound of their cries and woke up from sleep. Then they on seeing and touching king Dasaratha, cried ‘O, Lord!’ and fell on the ground. Rolling on the floor and covered by dust, Kausalya the daughter of Kosala king was not shining as before and resembled a star falling down from the sky. While the king was deceased, all the women saw Kausalya who fell on the floor appearing as a female elephant, which was killed and felled on the ground. Kaikeyi and all other wives of king Dasaratha were weeping afflicted by grief and fell unconscious. That great noise was supplemented by those wailing women, bloated by which, it rendered the house all the more noisy.
That gynaecium of the king who met his appointed end was filled with people who felt bewildered with fear and restlessness, with tumultuous wail all around, and crowded with relatives disturbed by sorrow, with happiness withered away in it suddenly and became a sight of misery and despondency. Knowing that the glorious king of excellence had passed away, the king’s wives surrounded him with great sorrow; pitiably wailing profusely and lamented, grasping their hands one another, like orphans.
Thus completes 65th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 66
| Kausalya reproaches Kaikeyi for her wrong deeds, while weeping profusely for her husband’s death. The chamberlains reverently remove Kausalya from the place of the king’s body, which they later keep in a trough filled with oil. The ministers and other functionaries return to their abodes, when the night fell in darkness. |
Seeing the aforesaid deceased king, who looked like a fully extinguished fire, a waterless ocean and a lusterless sun, Kausalya holding the king’s head on her lap with her eyes full of tears and who was stricken with grief of various sorts, spoke to Kausalya as follows: “O Kaikeyi the cruel one and the doer of evils! You be there, having fulfilled your desires. Deserting the king, you can enjoy the kingdom undisturbed and without any hindrance. Rama has left me and gone to the forest. My husband too has left for heaven. I do not wish to live, as one left behind by a caravan in a wrong road. Which woman would wish to survive, leaving her husband who was divine, except Kaikeyi who kicked off righteousness? A greedy person cannot understand one’s faults, like one who eats a forbidden dish. Due to that hump- backed woman, Kaikeyi has ruined the race of Raghu dynasty. Hearing Rama along with his wife have been sent to exile by the king as he was coerced as he was (Kaikeyi) to do an unworthy act, Janaka will profusely lament as I do. Rama the pious man who is possessed of like lotus leaves, and who has disappeared from here even though living, now does not know me to have because a support –less widow. Even so, Seetha, the daughter of king of Videha, the pitiable lady and who is unworthy of lamentation, will get frightened with grief in the forest. Greatly alarmed to hear the fearful cries of wild animals and birds making their noises in nights, surely she will cling herself to Rama. Janaka too who is aged, and who is not having sons, will be thinking of Seetha, over whelmed with grief and will surely abandon his life. Today itself, I too in devotion to my husband, will meet my appointed end. I shall enter the fire, duly embracing this body of my husband."
The chamberlains reverently removed from that place that unfortunate Kausalya, who was in excess of her grief and was closely embracing her dead husband. The ministers assigned for the job kept the king in an oil trough and did all the acts that were to be done thereafter. The ministers who were knowing all such matters were not willing to do cremation for the king in the absence of his sons and that is why preserved the king’s body .(in an oil through). Seeing that the king was laid down in an oil through by the ministers those women in the gynaacium cried “Alas! He is dead!”
Crying their faces with eyes flowing with tears, the miserable women through up their arms, stricken with grief as they were and pitiably lamented as follows: “Alas! Great king! When we are already deprived of Rama who speaks lovingly and who always keeps up his promise, why have you left us? Far in distance from Rama, how shall we without our husband, live in proximity to Kaikeyi of wretched nature, who killed her husband? Rama, a protector to you and all of us as well as a capable, prudent and an eminent man, has indeed gone on exile to the forest, leaving this lovely kingdom. How can we, being disgraced by Kaikeyi, and stupefied by evil passion, live without you and the heroic Rama. Whom else will Kaikeyi by whom have been abandoned the king as well as Rama along with Lakshmana great strength and Seetha- not abandon? With tears and excessive agony, those excellent Dasaratha’s wives together in a row, rolled on the ground, sorrowful as they were."
The city of Ayodhya, bereft of the high-soled king Dasaratha, was splendour-less, as a night without moon and as a woman without husband. With people disturbed with tears, with virtuous women raising cries of distress and with its cross –roads and entrances of houses looking desolate, the city of Ayodhya did not shine as before. While the king has gone to heaven due to grief and while the king’s wives were lying on the ground , the sun suddenly went away retreating its movement. The night approached, with its darkness having proceeded to spread throughout. The friends and relatives who came there, did not like the king’s cremation in the absence of his sons. Thus thinking, they kept the king of inconceivable sight in that resting place (oil- trough). Deserted by the high-soled Dasaratha, with its roads and cross roads filled with people choked with tears in their throats, the city of Ayodhya, looking like sky without sun and night with its multitude of stars disappeared, did not shine with its light having gone away. After the king’s death, men and women in the city converged in groups, abusing Bharata’s mother, became disturbed and did not obtain happiness.
Thus completes 66th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 67
| That night in Ayodhya passed over with agony. At sunrise the Brahmins who enthrone a person as a king, assembled and requested Vasista the family priest of Ikshvakus to select a youth to be crowned as a king of Ayodhya. They enunciated the various evil consequences of allowing the country without a king and leaving it in anarchy. |
That night in Ayodhya, which was joyless in a weeping tone and thronged with people with tears in their throats, slowly passed over. At sunrise, when the night had passed over, the Brahmins who place a king on the throne, together gathered at the assembly.
Markandeya, Moudgalya, Vamadeva, Kasyapa,Katyayana, Goutama and the greatly famous Jabali-all these Brahmans together with the ministers turned towards the excellent royal priest Vasishta and one by one spoke as follows: “King Dasaratha having obtained death due to grief born of separation from his sons (Rama and Lakshmana), the night which burdened like a hundred years, has passed over with great difficulty. The monarch has gone to heaven. Rama took retreat in a forest. The brilliant Lakshmana followed suit and went along with Rama. Both Bharata and Satrughna, the annihilator of enemies, are encamped in the beautiful house of their maternal uncle in the city of Rajagriha in the kingdom of Kekaya. Hence, let anyone here in Ikshvaku dynasty be made a king today itself lest our nation without a king should result in a collapse indeed. Lightning clouds in the sky with a great noise of thunder, will not yield rain on the land in a country without a king. Even a fist of seeds are not disbursed in a ruler-less land. In anarchy, even a son is not amenable to the control of a father nor a wife in the authority of her husband. In a ruler-less land, there is no wealth. Where there is no king, there is no (faithful) wife. Another very dangerous thing is there. In a ruler less territory, how can there be truth? In a ruler-less country, people do not cause to make a delightful assembly nor erect beautiful parks or temples. In a ruler-less territory, those who frequently perform sacrificial rites, those who have self-restraint, those who firmly adhere to a vow as well as Brahmins do not carry out Soma sacrifices. In a ruler-less land, Brahmans who obtained wealth and sacrificers in great sacrificial rites do not bestow proper gifts. In such territory, festivals and gatherings exalting the kingdom in which actors, and dancers exhibit their talents are not frequently arranged. Litigants do not get their disputes settled and persons who have a knack for narrating stories do not gratify story- lovers with their tales. Girls adorned in gold do not go together to parks to play there in the evening. In a lord less land, lustful men do not go out to woods with ladies in speedily moving vehicles."
“In a lord less land, rich people living on agriculture and cattle rearing do not sleep in their abodes well protected, with their doors open. In a land without emperor, sixty year old elephants with bells tied around their tusks, do not roam around on royal high ways. In a ruler less land, the noise of plucking the bow string with the palm, produced by archers continuously discharging arrows while practicing the use of their bows, is not heard. Where, traders who go to distant places, carrying with them several merchandises, cannot travel safely in their voyages. A monk who wanders alone, who has subdued his senses, who mediates himself on the soul and who takes up an abode wherever evening overtakes him, cannot roam around the city. Where gain and security are not duly established. In anarchy, army cannot conquer enemies in battle. In a ruler-less land, people beautifully adorned, cannot go fast cheerfully in excellent horses and chariots. Where persons skilled in sacred treatises cannot sit speaking together in forests and groves. In such land, floral garlands, sweet-meats and gifts for the sake of offering to the deities, are not arranged by the appointed persons. Royal princes smeared with paste of sandal and aloe-wood do not figure brilliantly like trees in a spring time. “A ruler-less country is like the water less rivers, like the lawn less garden and like the cowherd less cows. A flag is an identity for a chariot. A smoke is an identity for a fire. King Dasaratha, like a flag, was an identity for us and he has left the world for a heavenly abode. In a ruler-less land, there is no one’s own property for any one. Like fishes, persons always eat away each other. The atheists, who were separated from their right path and who had been tormented; with punishment earlier by the king, are now without fear and are able to exercise their old temperament (due to anarchy) As the eye sight is helpful regularly for a proper setting -in-motion of the body, so also a king is the cause of existence for truth and righteousness of a country. The king is truthfulness and righteousness personified in him. In a race, he belongs to a noble family. The king is a mother and a father. The king is a benefactor to people. Hence, Yama (the god of Death); Kubera (the god of riches), Indra (the ruler of celestials) and the very mighty Varuna (the Lord of Waters) are outstretched by the a high and eminent conduct. Alas! If a king is not there in the world, with his power of discrimination between good and evil, this world will be dark and nothing will be clearly perceived. Even when the emperor was alive, we all of us did not transgress your words, only any more than an ocean transgresses its coast. O, the excellent Brahmana! After renewing the circumstances here and seeing that the kingdom is becoming a jungle without a king, you yourself anoint a youth born in Ikshvaku race or anyone here as a king.”
Thus completes 67th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 68
| With the concurrence of Markandeya and other sages, Vasistha instructs messengers to call back Bharata and Satrughna from their maternal uncle’s house. The messengers leave immediately for the capital of Kekaya, riding their fast horses. They cross Ganga River at Hastinapura, then Saranda River and reach Abhikala village. Then, they cross the holy river of Ikshumati and proceed through Bahlika kingdom in Sudama mountain range to Vishnupada and finally reach the city of Girivraja. |
Hearing their words, Vasistha replied thus to that group of friends as well as ministers and to all the Brahmans (assembled there): “Bharata, who was given kingdom (by Dasaratha) is staying very happily in his maternal uncle’s home, along with Satrughna. Hence messengers in fast running horses are to be sent quickly to bring back those heroic brothers. What are we to think of further in this matter?”
Then all of them uttered words agreeing to send the messengers quickly. Hearing their words, Vasistha spoke as follows: “O, Siddhartha! O, Jay anta! O, Vijaya! O, Ashoka! O, Nandana! Please come. I am telling you all. Hear that which is to be done: After starting quickly from here by traveling in rapidly running horses, you reach the city of Rajagriha. After relieving yourself of the grief, you have to tell Bharata these words as my orders: 'The royal priest and other ministers are asking about your welfare. Come forth, by starting quickly. There is a very urgent work with you.' After going there, do not tell him that Rama has gone to exile or that his father is dead or about this calamity occurred to the descendents of Raghu dynasty. Go quickly, taking silk clothes and excellent ornaments to the king and to Bharata."
The messengers, who are going to leave for the land of Kekayas, took sufficient eatables required on their way and went to their respective houses, by riding on their admirable horses. Having completed all the remaining preparations for the journey and having been permitted by Vasistha, the messengers quickly proceeded (to the destination). Those messengers went on touching Malini River, flowing between the passing Aparatala Mountain and the northern end of Pralamba Mountain. Having crossed Ganga River at Hastinapura, they proceeded towards west and, reaching Panchala kingdom through Kuru Jangala and observing well filled lakes and rivers with clear water, the aforesaid messengers went briskly, due to the pressing nature of their mission. They speedily moved on, crossing the beautiful Saradanda River, containing clear water frequented by various kinds of birds. Reaching a holy coastal tree called Satyopayaachana (so called because prayers made to it become fulfilled); which was worthy of salutation and going round it clockwise (as a mark of respect) the messengers entered the city of Kulinga. From there having reached a village named Abhikala, they crossed the holy Ikshumati River, which was flowing down from Bodhibhavana Mountain. This region was associated with the father and grandfather of Dasaratha.
Seeing Brahmans skilled in Vedas who survived by only drinking water through hollows of their palms, they proceeded through Bahlika kingdom towards a mountain called Sudama. Perceiving a locality called Vishnu padam, Vipasa river, Salmali trees, rivers, ponds, tanks, pools and lakes, as well as seeing many kinds of lions, tigers, antelopes and elephants, they proceeded by that broad lofty high way desirous as they were to execute the command of their master. Those messengers, though riding on tired horses on a long route, reached quickly and safely to the excellent city of Girivraja. For the sake of fulfilling the beloved object of their master (Vasistha), for the sake of preserving the royal family and for keeping up the prestige of the sovereign race, those messengers quickly and respectfully reached that city in the night.
Thus completes 68th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 69
| Bharata experiences a bad dream on that very night in which the messengers entered the city of Girivraja. His friends in the palace arranged entertainment like recitation of stories, playing of musical instruments, stage plays and jokes to make him cheerful. Even then, his depression was not gone. Bharata explains in detail his unpleasant dream in its different forms to his friends. |
On that very night those messengers entered the city; Bharata also had experienced an unpleasant dream. Bharata, the son of Dasaratha the paramount sovereign, after seeing that unpleasant dream just at the dawn of that night, felt very much anguished. Knowing Bharata to have been in anguish, his graceful speaking friends arranged recitation of stories in the palace; so as to erase his anguish. Some played musical instruments for bringing about peacefulness. Likewise some others arranged for exhibition of dramas and some others told various types of jokes. That high-soled Bharata born in Raghu Dynasty could not be made cheerful by his gently speaking friends by stage-plays or jokes. A close friend spoke to Bharata, who was surrounded by his companions, as follows, “O, friend! Why are you not rejoicing, even when entertained by your friends?”
Bharata replied to the friend who spoke thus, as follows “You listen to me the reason for which this depression came to me. I have seen a dream in which my father with his soiled body and with his hair disheveled, was falling from the top of a mountain into a polluted pond defiled with cow dung. He was seen by me, as he was floating in that pond defiled with cow dung, drinking an oil through his hollowed palms and laughing again and again. Thereafter, having eaten cooked rice mixed with gingelly seeds repeatedly, with his head bent down and with his whole body smeared with oil, he plunged into the oil itself. I saw in the dream, the ocean dry up, the moon fall on the ground, the earth molested as if covered by darkness, a tusk of an elephant (on which the monarch rode) broken to pieces, a blazing fire suddenly extinguished, the earth riven, the various trees dry up, and the mountains whirl up into a mist. I saw my father in the dream, wearing black clothes, sitting on a stool made of iron and women with black and reddish brown complexion deriding the king. My father, the virtuous man, adorned with red garlands and his body besmeared with sandal paste and seated in a chariot drawn by asses, proceeded hurriedly towards the south. I saw an ugly faced female demon, wearing red colored clothes, laughingly dragging away the king. This fearful dream was seen thus by me during that night. I myself or the king or Lakshmana may die. If in a dream, a person sees a man going in a chariot, yoked with donkeys, the smoke of a funeral pyre will soon be seen ascending him. For this reason, I have become broken hearted. Hence, I am not able to treat you properly. My throat seems to be drying up. My mind is not at ease. I do not see the root cause of this fear. But I am experiencing a fear indeed. My voice is choked. My luster is affected. I abhor me myself and I do not see a reason for it. That great fear is not going away from my heart, having seen such a course of this bad dream in varied forms and which dream was not imagined by me earlier and also reflecting on that inconceivable sight of the king.”
Thus completes 69th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 70
| The messengers entered the city of Rajagriha and meet the king Kekeya and prince Yudhajit. They request Bharata to start for Ayodhya urgently. Bharata seeks permission from king Kekeya his maternal uncle. King Kekeya gives permission to Bharata to leave for Ayodhya and bestows him various gifts. Bharata and Satrughna along with men. elephants and horses start his journey for Ayodhya. |
While Bharata was narrating his dream, the messengers whose horses were tired, entered the beautiful city called Rajagriha, which has too big a palace-gate and met the king Kekeya and the prince Yudhajit, who received them hospitably. They saluted the feet of the king Kekeya and spoke the following words to Bharata: “Vasistha, the family-priest and all the ministers were asking about your welfare. Come forth indeed quickly. There is an urgent work with you. O, Bharata! Take these very valuable clothes and jewels and give them to your maternal uncle. In these jewels and clothes, a worth of hundred crores is to be given to the king Kekeya and likewise a worth of ten crores in full to your maternal uncle."
Bharata, who had a great affection towards his kind hearted relatives, took all that, honored these messengers profusely with gifts of their liking and spoke(as follows) : “I hope that king Dasaratha, my father is quite safe. I also hope that Rama and the high-soled Lakshmana are well. Is Kausalya, the venerable lady, who is intent on virtue, who knows righteousness, who visualizes goodness and who is the mother of the wise Rama, also well? I hope that Sumitra, who knows righteousness, who is the mother of Lakshmana as well as the heroic Satrughna and our middle mother, is well. As Kaikeyi, who loves herself, a forever fiery lady of wrathful nature, who prides herself to be highly intelligent and my mother, also well? What did she say?"
On hearing the words of the high soled Bharata, those messengers then respectfully spoke to Bharata as follows: “O, prince! Those, of whom you do enquire, are all well. The goddess of prosperity, holding a lotus in her hand, awaits you. Let your chariot be made ready."
Hearing the words Bharata spoke to the messengers as follows: “I will get permission from the monarch(to leave for Ayodhya) saying that the messengers are hastening me up." Bharata the prince having been asked to move quickly (to Ayodhya) by the messengers, spoke as aforesaid to those messengers and uttered the following words to his maternal uncle: “O, king! Requested by the messengers to come to Ayodhya urgently, I am going to my father’s presence. I shall again come, whenever you recall me.” Hearing the words of Bharata, the king Kekeya, his maternal uncle smelled (as a token of affection) the head of Bharata and spoke the following auspicious words: “Go, my dear child! I am permitting you. Kaikeyi is fortunate to have a good son like you. Bear my greetings to your mother and father. Pay obeisance to your family priest, the other illustrious Brahmins and your brothers Rama and Lakshmana the wielders of bows."
The king Kekaya, treating him hospitably gave that Bharata the best of elephants, woolen clothes of varied colors, antelope skins and riches (gold and silver vessels etc). The king Kekeya generously gave as gifts to Bharata, two thousands coins of gold and sixteen hundred horses. Likewise, Aswapati sent some attendants, who were dear, reliable, endowed with virtues and inmates of his palace with Bharata (to accompany him on the return journey). Yuddhajit, his maternal uncle gave him as gifts, elephants of Airavata race born in Indrasira mountain-range and which were charming to behold as well as mules which could walk quickly and were well trained. He gave as a gift, large bodied dogs, which were well nourished in the gynoecium, possessing strength and vitality of a tiger and which were using their tusks as weapons. The wealth of gifts bestowed by the king Kekeya did not rejoice Bharata, Kaikeyi’s son, who was then in a hurry to go. Due to goading of messengers and visualization of the dream, a very big worry was formed at that time in his heart. The glorious Bharata crossed his very big palace, augmented with men elephants and horses and entered the excellent royal high way. The sagacious Bharata crossed the royal high way and perceived the gynoecia. Then, the glorious Bharata entered those gynoecia. Bharata took leave of his maternal grandfather and also Yudhajit, his maternal uncle and set out on a chariot (for Ayodhya) along with Satrughna. With more than hundred chariots variegated with jewels yoked to camels, bullocks, horses and mules as also servants followed Bharata as he departed.
Instead of “rathaan maNdalachakraamshcha”, “rathaan ratnavichitraamshcha” in the old version is taken –as the clause “chariots with round wheels" appears to be meaningless.
Being protected by the army, the high soled Bharata, who was free from enemies, taking Shatrughna along with other companions good enough to him, started from the palace of his venerable maternal uncle, as a Siddha(a semi- divine being of great purity and perfection and said to possess supernatural faculties) would start from Indraloka( the world of celestials).
Thus completes 70th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 71
| Spending seven nights in his journey, crossing various streams and rivers and passing through many woods and territories, Bharata reaches the city of Ayodhya, from there ,he finds the city of Ayodhya in a forlorn mood and discusses this situation with the charioteer. With an apprehensive and gloomy mind, he enters his father’s house. |
That brilliant and glorious Bharata, who was a rejoice to Ikshvaku dynasty marching in easterly direction from the city of Rajagriha, thereafter observing and crossing Sudama* river as well as the wide Hladini river, whose stream flowed towards eastern direction. The route Bharata drove was a different one from the route the messengers had taken from Ayodhya to Rajagriha. This is a longer route and it took a complete week for Bharata to reach Ayodhya. The pure and illustrious Bharata, who kept up his promise, crossing shatradru river at Eladhana village, reaching the region of Apara parpata, crossing a rocky hill called akurvati, seeing the villages of Agneyam and salyakartana as well as Silavaha river, crossed huge mountains and traveled towards the woods of Chitraratha. Arriving at the confluence of Saraswati and Ganga rivers, Bharata entered the woods of Bharmuda, the north of Viramatsaya region. Reaching and crossing a refreshing river named Kulinga, which is swift and surrounded by mountains as well as Yamuna river, the army was then made to rest there. Making cool the limbs of the tired horses by bathing there and cheering up them, nay, taking a bath himself, drinking some water and carrying it for future use, Bharata proceeded further.
The blessed prince Bharata traversed that rarely frequented huge forest by his excellent chariot as the wind glides through an atmosphere. He soon reached the great river, Bharathi, which is difficult to be crossed, at the city of pragvata in the region of Amsudhana. Crossing the River Ganga at the city of Pragvata, he reached the river Kulikoshthika, traversed it along with his army and then arrived at the region of Dharmavardhana. Bharata reached Jambuprasta village, which is located at the southern part of Torana region and from there he arrived at a beautiful village too, named Varutha. Making a camp in that beautiful forest there, he traveled towards the east and reached a garden in the city of Ujjihana, in which there are a number of Kadamba trees. Having reached Sala and Kadamba trees, Bharata yoked swifter horses to his chariot, allowed his army to come after him and quickly went ahead.
Having halted min Sarvatirtha village and having crossed Uttamika river and various other rivers by mountain -ponies and reaching Hast prasthaka village, Bharata crossed Kutika river and traversed kapivati river at Lohitya village. After crossing Sthanumati river at Ekasala village and Gomati river at Vinata village, he took rest at a grove of Sala trees at Kalinga city as the horses were very much tired and then proceeded quickly.
Driving through grove quickly in the night, Bharata at the dawn saw the city of Ayodhya, which was earlier built by King Manu. Seeing the city of Ayodhya in front, after spending seven nights on his way, Bharata the tiger among men, spoke the following words to his charioteer: “O, Charioteer! The famous city of Ayodhya comes into view vaguely to me from a distance, as a heap of white clay. It has beautiful gardens. It is filled with performers of sacrifices and with people endowed with good qualities as well as well versed in the Vedas and with Brahmins inmost abundant reaches , It is being ruled by a royal sage. Earlier, a big clattering voice of men and women used to be heard all round in Ayodhya. Now, I am not hearing that voice. The parks which used to beam with men streaming forth on all sides, having given up sporting in the morning after entering them in thee evening having spent the whole night in sport, now appear to me otherwise. These parks deserted by the lovers now turn out to be dejected . O, charioteer! To me, the city appears to have changed into a forest. Here, as before, important persons indeed are not seen going into the city or coming out it in carriages or on horses or on elephants. Earlier parks used to be conspicuously excited with joy and gaiety and were most congenial for love contacts of men. I am seeing the same parks., today with lack of enjoyments on all sides and with trees having their leaves fallen along the road, looking like picture of dismay. Even now at dawn, charming sounds with sweet and much melodious tone of animals and birds intoxicated with happiness are not being heard. Why does, as before, pure and auspicious breeze laden with aloes and sandal wood intensified with the fume of burnt incense, not blow today.? Why today have the sounds of kettledrums, clay tomtoms and Vinas played upon with drum-sticks or palms or fingers stopped which formerly never ceased at any time. I perceive various kinds of evil sinful and silly omens and by this, my mind is dejected. O, charioteer! It is not possible that all sounds be well with my kinsfolk, as indeed, even without any cause for a grievance, my spirit is cast down."
Despondent, distressed in mind, frightened and extremely entered the city, which was ruled by the descendents of Ikshvaku. Bharata, with his tiered horses entered the city through Vaijayanta gate. Greeted with slogans of victory by the standing gatekeepers, he went inside, along with others. He, with a distracted mind, responded to the salutations of those porters at the gate and those porters at the gate and spoke to the charioteer who was beloved to Asvapati as follows: “O, the faultless charioteer! Why was I brought so quickly without any reason? My mind is apprehending some evil. I lost my all energy. Whatever things were heard by us formerly in the same case of ruin of kings, I am seeing here all those signs. I am seeing the family horses in which dirt is not swept away, with their doors wide open, bereft of splendor on all sides without any offerings being made, and with no incense burned . Families are starving and people look miserably without any charming appearance. The temples of gods are deserted and have lost their radiance, with their splendor of floral decorations lost, nor are there any assembling to perform sacrifices as before. Worships of the deities were placed aside. Assemblies of prayers are also not adorned with saleable flowers and garlands today. Even traders lost interest in trading tie-ups and their minds are tied up in thoughts. They are not being seen here today, as before. Clusters of birds in temples and large trees in the city are looking desolate. The population of men and women in the city look thoughtful anguished weak messy and despondent with their eyes held in tears."
After seeing those bad omens in Ayodhya, the broken hearted Bharata spoke to the charioteer as aforesaid and went to the royal palace. Beholding the city of Ayodhya, that formerly possessed the splendor of the capital city of Indra, now with its squares houses and high ways deserted, the doors and hinges covered with rust , Bharata was overcome with grief. Seeing many things disenchanted to mind which did not occur at any time before in the city, the high soled Bharata with his head bent down and with his mind miserable gloomily entered his father’s house.
Thus completes 71th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 72
| Bharata does not find his father in the royal palace and goes to meet his mother. He asks his mother about the whereabouts his father. Kaikeyi informs Bharata about the death of Dasaratha. When Bharata enquired about Rama, Kaikeyi also discloses Rama’s exile to the forest along with Sita and Lakshmana. She also narrates about the two boons she asked the king Dasaratha as well as how the king accepted her boons and sent Rama to exile. She further advises Bharata to meet the chief of Brahmans like Vasista and others to get himself crowned for the kingdom. |
Not finding his father there in his father’s palace, Bharata went to his mother’s apartment to see his mother. Beholding his son who was absent from home for long and returned, Kaikeyi was delighted and then sprang up, leaving her golden seat to receive him. Soon after entering his house, which was devoid of any splendor, Bharata the righteous man, grasped the auspicious feet of his mother in obeisance. Kaikeyi smelled (as mark of affection) the head of the illustrious Bharata, embraced him, made him to ascend on her lap and started questions: “How many days passed since you have left your maternal grand father’s house? Is there no travel fatigue to you, who have come speedily in a chariot? O,son! Is your grand father doing well? Is Yudhajit, your maternal uncle doing well? Were you happy in being absent from home ? Be good enough to tell me all?"
Affectionately enquired thus by Kaikeyi, the lotus eyed Bharata, the prince, narrated all to his mother. “It is seventh day to me today since I left the grand father’s house. Yudhajit, your father as well as my maternal uncle are doing well. Carrying the gifts and jewels, given to me by the king who annihilates enemies my followers became tired on the way and I arrived ahead of them. I came soon because of the horridness communicated by royal messengers. Let my mother be good enough to tell that which I desire to ask her. This couch of yours, which is fit for rest and decorated with gold, is empty. These men and women of Ikshvaku race do not appear to me to be cheerful. King Dasaratha mostly used to here in your house. Now, I am not seeing him. I came here, desirous of seeing him. O, mother! I will grasp in obeisance my father’s feet. Tell about him, as I ask you. Or is he in the house of Kausalya the senior most of my mothers?"
Deluded by the greed for kingdom, Kaikeyi who knew everything closely, told the terribly unpleasant news to Bharata, who did not know anything, as though the news was delightful. “King Dasaratha, your father who was having a noble nature, who was respect and performing frequent sacrifices as well as a refuge to good men followed that path which all beings follow.”
Bharata, a righteous man with a noble descent and an honest man, hearing that news , immediately fell down on the ground, being exceedingly tormented by the grief for his father. The mighty armed and heroic Bharata, raising his grievous and depressed voice, cried, “Alas, I am undone’ and lifting up his arms, fell down. Then, Bharata of great majesty, who was enveloped in grief and whose mind was troubled by reeling under the death of his father, lamented profusely. “These beautiful couch of my father earlier used to enhance its charm with his splendor, as the moon irradiates the stainless sky in the night at the end of a rainy season. Being unoccupied by my virtuous father, the same couch now is bereft of its glory, like the sky without the moon or like the sea with its water dried up."
Covering his lovely face with a raiment, Bharata the first of those who are victorious, with a profound distress in his mind shed tears in lamentation. Kaikeyi lifted up from the floor, her son Bharata, who was pained with sorrow, looking like a god, who fell on the ground like a sala tree, cut off by an axe, appearing like an elephant in rut, looking like the moon and sun, afflicted with grief as he was and spoke the following words: “O, the highly illustrious prince! Arise,arise! Why are you lying down? Gentlemen, like you, respected in the assembly of men, do not grieve indeed. O, Bharata endowed with understanding! Your intellect, which follows good character as well as sacred scriptures, has an authority to donate and sacrifice, ever shining as such like a splendor in the abode of the sun."
Encircled by numerous afflictions, Bharata weeping for a long time , rolled over the floor and replied to his mother as follows: “Making up my mind that the king was either going to anoint Rama as a prince regent or to perform a sacrifice, I cheerfully got into the journey. All this turned to be otherwise. By not beholding my father, who was forever interested in my wishes and welfare, my heart is broken to pieces. O, mother! On what ailment did the king die, when I was not here? Rama and others who performed purificatory rites by themselves for our father indeed fortunate. It is sure that the illustrious monarch does not know the fact of my arrival. Otherwise, my father quickly would have indeed smelled my head, by bending me in affection. Where is the caressing hand of my dear father of unwearied action wipe away the dust with which I am covered? Announce soon about my arrival to Rama of immortal exploits, he who is a wise brother to me, my father, my friend and to whom Iam a servant. An elder brother indeed becomes a father for a faithful man who knows righteousness. I will grasp his feet in obeisance. He is indeed the refuge for me now. What did my father the king, who know virtue , who was forever pious, who was true to his promise, who was strictly truthful, who was truly valiant and who was honorable, say? I want to hear exactly the last message of my father to me.” Thus requested by Bharata, Kaikeyi spoke the following words in accordance with truth.
That high soled king, who was excellent in understanding the Universal spirit, departed to the world, crying ‘O, Rama, O, Seetha, O, Lakshmana!’ “Your father spoke the following last words also, when he was abandoned by the operation of time , like a huge elephant surrendered into a trap. Those men who are able to see Rama returning Seetha and the mighty armed Lakshmana are those who are fortunate enough.”
Hearing the aforesaid pronouncement, which disclosed second unpleasant news, Bharata was dejected. Becoming gloomy faced, he once again asked his mother as follows: “Where did the virtuous Rama, who augments Kausalya’ s delight go now along with my brother Lakshmana and with Seetha?”
Asked by Bharata in this manner, his mother started telling so greatly unpleasant words, exactly as it had happened, as though they were very pleasant words: “O, son! He, that prince Rama, wearing long narrow pieces of bark, went indeed to the great forest of Dandaka, followed by Lakshmana and also seetha.”
Hearing these words, Bharata being aware of the glory of his race, doubted and feared whether Rama was sent to exile because of his unrighteous conduct, if any and again asked his mother as follows: “Has not Rama indeed stolen the wealth of some Brahmana? Has not he done any harm either to a rich or to a poor virtuous man? Has the prince indeed not longed for the wife of another? Why was my brother Rama expelled to the forest of Dandaka?”
Thereafter his mother, an unsteady woman, on account of her feminine nature began to narrate her act which was the exact state of the case. Kaikeyi, a fool thing herself to be learned, after hearing the queries of the virtuous Bharata, delightfully spoke the following words: “Not even a little of belonging to a Brahman was stolen by Rama, no harm was done by him either to a rich or to a poor virtuous man. Rama does not even look with his eyes, the wives of others. O, son! Immediately on hearing decidedly about the coronation ceremony of Rama by me then, I asked your father to bestow kingdom to you and for banishment of Rama to the forest. Submitting to his own decree, King Dasaratha, your father has done all that was requested by me. Rama along with Lakshmana and Seetha too were sent into exile. That beloved son having not been seen, the very celebrated monarch was made miserable by the grief for his son and obtained death. O, Bharata knowing righteousness! The king- ship may be taken charge by you now. All this was indeed done for your sake in this manner by me. O, son! Do not dwell in grief and anguish. Dwell in courage. This city along with the salubrious kingdom indeed is subservient to you. Hence, meet the chiefs of Brahmanas like Vasishta and others who know the rituals, perform soon the sacred rites to the king and become crowned as a king yourself to the earth, being not depressed in spirit."
Thus completes 72nd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 73
| Bharata reproached Kaikeyi in many ways. Pricking with his unpleasant remarks, Bharata tells her that he will bring back Rama from the forest, install him on the throne of Ayodhya and become his attendant. |
Hearing that his father was dead and both his brothers were exiled, Bharata was tormented with grief and spoke the following words: "Bereft of my father as well as my brother too, who is exactly like my father, what is the use of a kingdom now to me, lamenting as I am with despair? Making Dasaratha to die and turning Rama to be an ascetic, you brought one calamity after another like sprinkling salt on a wound. You came for destruction of our race, like the night of destruction coming at the end of the world. My father could not be aware of his embracing a live char-coal to his bosom. O, the malevolent woman! You caused the death of my father. O, the one who made our race unchaste! In this race, happiness is deserted through your ignorance. My father, king Dasaratha, who was true to his promise and immensely famous, now died, tormented as he was with bitter grief, because of you. Why did you kill my father the monarch, who was intent on righteousness? Why did you send Rama on exile to the forest? It is impossible that Kausalya and Sumitra, who are afflicted with grief for their sons, will live in fellowship with you, my mother. Even Rama my elder brother, a pious man who knows how to behave with elders, used to act with the best behavior in your case, exactly as how he was behaving with his own mother. In the same manner, Kausalya, my elder mother having far sightedness and established in piety, indeed used to behave with you as your sister. Why are you not lamenting, after sending Rama, the disciplined Kausalya ’s son, clothed in a bark dress, to live in a forest? O, sinful one! You indeed sent into exile, clad in a bark dress, Rama having a virtuous disposition, a valiant man, a self controlled and illustrious man as he was. What reason do you gather for it? I think it is not known to you, a greedy woman, about my devotion towards Rama. It is exactly so. You have brought in this great calamity for the sake of a kingdom. By which source of strength can I be able to protect the kingdom, without those lions among men, Rama and Lakshmana in proximity to me? Dasaratha the monarch, having great strength and a pious mind always indeed used to take refuge in that strong man Rama as the Meru mountain takes refuge in a forest surrounding the mountain. By what stamina, shall I sustain this burden of kingship any more than a young bullock that is yet to be tamed, would stand the strain on getting a load, lifted up with ease by a giant bullock. Or even if a strength can be brought into existence in me by following certain suitable methods or by strength of intelligence, I will not allow you, who are greedy in fetching of kingdom for your son, to fulfill your desire. No aversion would be felt by me even to desert you, a woman of evil designs, if Rama did not treat you like a mother at all times.”
“O, malevolent woman with your good conduct disappeared! How this idea forbidden by our ancestors, has arisen in your mind at all? The eldest of all in this race should be indeed anointed as a king. The rest of his brothers are to behave reverently towards their elder brother. O, cruel woman! I feel that you are not catching even a glimpse of the rules relating to kings or not even aware of a permanent procedure prevailing in the administration of kings. According to the administration of kings the eldest son always indeed gets inaugurated in kingdom. This procedure is similar to all kings; especially so in the case of Ikshvaku kings. The pride of reputation of those belonging to Ikshvaku race, who protect righteousness alone and who possessed good family conduct, is turned away by you today. Even kings belonging to your ancestral race were great people. How has this contemptible stupidity of mind born in you? O, woman with evil designs! I for one will not fulfill your desire. A criminal act, which will cause even an end to my life, has been undertaken by you. Now itself at the cause of your dislike, I for one will bring back from the forest, my brother, who is a faultless man and a beloved man of his people. Bringing back Rama with a very firm mind, I will become a servant to him, who is radiant with glory.”
Speaking as aforesaid, the high soled Bharata, pricking her with a multitude of unpleasant words, roared again like a lion stationed in a mountain cave.
Thus completes 73rd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 74
| Bharata censures Kaikeyi saying that because of her, Dasaratha is dead and Rama is sent to exile. He abuses his mother of her greed for the kingdom and the misfortune thus brought to Kausalya, Sumitra and other mothers because of his father’s death and brother’s exile to the forest. He compares the grief of the Kausalya with the grief of Kamadhenu the mythical cow who was aggrieved of a pair of bullocks (her sons) being harassed by a plough –man. Bharata then promises that he would bring Rama back to Ayodhya and make him as a king. |
Reproaching Kaikeyi in that manner, Bharata again spoke the following words, wrapped as he was in great anger. “O, Kaikeyi! The cruel and evil–mannered woman! Get lost from this kingdom. You having abandoned righteousness, remain lamenting about me, who will be dead soon. What harm king Dasaratha or the highly righteous Rama have done to you so harshly that Dasaratha’s death and Rama’s exile have occurred at one and the same time because of you? You got the sin of killing an embryo because of the destruction of this race. O, Kaikeyi! Go to hell. Do not get the residence in the same heaven as your husband. You have done this terrific act and committed such a great sin. By forsaking the persons beloved by all, an alarm has been created in me also. My father died and Rama is dwelling in a forest, because of you. You got me ill fame in this world of beings. Though in appearance you are my mother, you are inimical to me. You are a cruel woman, greedy of kingdom. With evil conduct, you killed your husband. I should never speak to you. Kausalya, Sumitra and my other mothers are engrossed in a great misfortune, by falling victim to you, who brought disgrace to our family. The righteous Rama, who is forever devoted to truth, was sent to the forest. Due to grief for his son, my father went to heaven. You do not seem to be the daughter of Asvapati, the pious and sensible king. You were born there as a demo ness, to destroy the house of my father. The aforesaid sin you have committed has made me father less. Besides, I have been abandoned by my brothers and all the people dislike me now. O, woman having evil desires, moving towards hell! Which world will you attain now, after making Kausalya endowed with righteousness, deprived of her son? Don’t you know that Rama the son of Kausalya is a subdued man, who is devoted to his relatives and as an eldest brother, equal to a father? A son is the most beloved to his mother as he is born from the primary and secondary limbs of her body and also from her heart. The other relatives are only like friends. Once upon a time, Kamadhenu the mythical cow of Vasista, who knew righteousness and was worshipped by celestials, is said to have seen her sons, drawing a heavy burden on earth and became unconscious. Seeing her sons (a pair of bullocks) fatigued, after toiling for half a part of their day on earth, Kamadhenu the mythical cow cried with her eyes full of tears in grief for the fate of her sons. Small and sweet smelling tear drops of that mythical cow fell on the limbs of the high soled Indra the lord of celestials, who was traveling below in a lower region. Seeing those sweet- scented tears falling on his limbs, Indra the Lord of celestials identified the tears to be those of the great Kamadhenu the mythical cow. Looking into the sky, Indra saw that Kamadhenu standing there with anguish and pitiably weeping with great grief."
“Indra the lord of celestials with a thunder bolt in his hand, seeing that beautiful Kamadhenu the mythical cow, tormented with grief, spoke eagerly with joined palms to her, as follows: 'O, cow the well wisher of all! I hope there is no great panic from any quarter to us. For what occasion is your sorrow?' “Hearing the words of the intelligent Indra the god of celestials, the prudent Kamadhenu who was skilled in expressing words, replied as follows: 'Heaven forefend that evil! O, Indra the lord of celestials! There is no danger whatsoever to you from any quarter. Seeing these pair of bullocks, my sons, who are in hardship, being scorched by sun’s rays, becoming weak, being troubled by the man who ploughs the land and being immersed in grief, I am pitiably weeping O, Indra!' “By seeing them who are afflicted with the burden and aggrieved, I am greatly anguished. They are indeed born of my body. There is no dearest one equal to a son indeed!”
Seeing such a sacred cow weeping, whose hundreds of sons pervaded the entire world, Indra reckoned none whosoever as more than a son (to a mother). “Such a Kamadhenu the sacred cow, which is desirous of maintaining the world always having unequalled behavior, the venerable one, by its very nature functioning forever with good qualities and to whom there are thousands of sons, is lamenting, how much more indeed Kausalya will drag her existence, without Rama? She, who has only one son and who is a holy woman, has been made without a child by you. Thereafter, you will obtain grief forever after your death or even here while living. I for my part, shall toil for the complete reinstatement of my brother and complete the obsequial rites due to my father as well as for their prosperity and glory. There is no doubt. Rama the son of Kausalya, of great prowess will be brought back to Ayodhya and I, myself will go to the forest inhabited by the sages. O, wretched and evil minded woman! By seeing the sorrow stricken citizens, I am indeed not able to bear the inequity done by you. As for you, enter the fire or you yourself go to forest of Dandaka or fasten a rope around your neck. There is no other recourse for you. After Rama the truly mighty man, obtains his native land, I will even become an accomplished man, with my sins duly washed away."
As an elephant in a forest pricked with a javelin and a goad and as a hissing serpent, Bharata was enraged and fell on the ground. His eyes inflamed, his clothes in disarray, and his all ornaments discarded, Bharata the prince and the tormentor of foes, lay on the earth, like a banner of Indra raised at the end of a ceremony**
Thus completes 74nd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Valmiki Ramayana - Ayodhya Kanda in Prose
Sarga 75
| Bharata asserts that he does not know how the exile of Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana has occurred. Bharata and Satrughna go to Kausalya’s place. Kausalya speaks harsh words to Bharata, saying that Kaikeyi his mother procured for him the kingdom as desired by him the kingdom as desired by him. Bharata politely explains, on a number of oaths, his own innocence over the matter, Kausalya comes to know Bharata’s heart, fondly takes him to her lap and weeps distressfully. |
That valiant Bharata, having come to himself a long time on obtaining consciousness, saw his mother whose eyes were filled pitiably with tears, reproached her mother in the midst of the ministers and said as follows:- “I never desired for the kingdom nor consulted about this matter with even my mother. I was not aware of the proposed coronation, which has of the been contemplated by king Dasaratha; since I was staying indeed in a distant land, along with Satrughna. I was neither aware of the banishment of Rama to the forest nor about how the exile of Lakshmana and Seetha have occurred."
Recognising the voice of Bharata the noble man, crying out in that manner, Kausalya spoke the following words to Sumitra: “Bharata, the son of Kaikeyi, the doer terrific deeds arrived. I went to see that far-sighted Bharata." That Kausalya who became pale with her demeanor, dirty and emaciated, speaking to Sumitra as aforesaid, became agitated and absent minded and proceeded to his place. Bharata, the younger brother of Rama on his part, along with Shatrughna started out to Kausalya’s place. Seeing Kausalya who was afflicted with grief, who fell unconscious (on the way) who was crying and who was an honorable woman with a noble mind. Shatrughna and Bharata wept in sorrow, approached her painfully and embraced her. Kausalya who was very much in sorrow , spoke the following words to Bharata: “you, who have a desire for kingdom, have got this invincible kingdom .”Alas! By the cruel deed of Kaikeyi, it was obtained by you soon! The ruthless Kaikeyi condemned my son to wear garments of bark and sent him to dwell in the forest: What merit has she gained from this? Kaikeyi ought to send me too without delay to the place where my illustrious son with a golden novel (the distinguished mark of Vishnu the god of creation) is there. Otherwise, I for my own satisfaction accompanied by Sumitra, placing in front (carried by Brahmana) the sacred fire*** will happily set out to the place Raghava has gone.”
The king’s senior most wife alone is entitled to preserve and worship the sacred fire in the absence or on the death of her husband.
“Otherwise, you yourself ought to conduct me now, if you so desire, to the place where my son, the tiger among men, is living as an ascetic. This vast kingdom, endowed with elephants, horses and chariots and stock piled with grains and riches, has been made over to you by her." Derided with these and other harsh words that he had not merited, Bharata was extremely perturbed, as if a needle was thrust into an open wound. His mind being perplexed and having lost his consciousness, Bharata then coming his senses, wailed in many ways and fell at the feet of the queen.
Then, Bharata with folded hands, replied as follows to Kausalya who was encircled by afflictions and weeping as aforesaid in many ways: “O, noble woman! Why do you reproach me, sinless as I am, for those things that I do not know anything? Nay, you know well of the greatest affection I have for Rama. May the mind of the one who in any way whatsoever allowed for the departure of my elder brother the best of men who keeps up his promise, be closed to all the seriptures. May he who counseled the banishment of my noble brother become the slave of the vilest scoundrels, may he answer the calls of nature in the face of the sun and may he kick with his foot, a sleeping cow. With whose counsel my elder brother went to exile, to him let that sin incur, as to a master who imposes the heaviest labour on his servant without remunerating him. With whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, to him let that sin incur as to those who seek to harm a king who protects his people as if they are his own children. May the guilt of a king, who taking the sixth part of the revenue of his people fails to protect them, be fallen on them with whose counsel my elder brother went to exile. May the sin of those having given the promise for certain sacrificial fees to priests in a sacrifice, breaks that promise, to be his with whose counsel my elder brother went to exile. May the sin of him, who fails to observe the code of warfare followed by the virtuous in a battle abundantly provided with elephants horses chariots weapons and men, be his with whose counsel my elder brother went to exile. May that perverse wretch, with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, forget the subtle meanings of the scriptures taught with care by a wise teacher. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, never behold that Rama having large arms and broad shoulders radiant as the sun and the moon and seated as he will be on a throne. May that pitiless one with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of partaking milk boiled with rice and sugar a cooked mixture of rice and peas with a few species and a goat flesh without offering them to the gods and be lacking in reverence towards teachers. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sins of kicking the cows, of personally abusing the elders and of deceiving a friend too much. May that perverse wretch with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile incur the sin of divulging a little abusing words about others spoken occasionally in secret and in confidence, to him. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, become a non doer, an ungrateful person; a desperate man, the one who has abandoned shame and the one who is worthy of hate. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of eating delicious food for himself alone when he is surrounded by his sons , wife and servants in his house. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has departed; die issueless, failing to secure a wife suitable for him and thus not fulfilling his religious duties. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has departed, not see a child through his wife and in distress, may not get a full long life. That sin which was proclaimed in killing a king a woman, a child or an aged person or in abandoning one’s dependents let him (with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile) obtain the same sin. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, obtain, the sin of nurturing his wife children and other dependents through sale of lacquer, liquor, flesh, iron or poison. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, obtain the sin of being killed while fleeing, at a time when a battle inspiring fear upon enemy’s side has commanded. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, wander about the world, as a mad man with a wooden bowl in his hand, dressed in rags and begging for alms. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has departed, be given over to infatuation and anger and be constantly involved in wine women and dice. May the mind of man with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, never take delight in righteousness? Let him indulge in un righteousness and become a distributor of gifts for the undeserving. With whose counsel , my elder brother has gone to exile, let his various kinds of riches got accumulated in thousands , be snatched away by robbers. That sin which was proclaimed on him who sleeps during both the twilights, let that sin be obtained by him, with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile. Let him obtains that sin, which attaches to a man who practices arson, to a man who violets his teacher’s bed and to a man who cheats his friend. May he, with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur that sin of not doing service to be god, to the manes and likewise to his mother and father. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, forfeit soon and now from the region obtained by virtuous man, forfeit the illustriousness enjoyed by good men and the righteous actions. May he with whose counsel, that long armed and broad chested elder brother has gone to exile, fail to give due reverence to his mother and be condemned to idleness. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, possess many dependents be without resources, be undermined with fever and disease and be forever in distress. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of falsifying the hopes of highly miserable destitute, who having their eyes looking up seek for alms. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of staying in fear of the king forever as a cunning man, a cruel man, a back biter, a dishonest man and an unrighteous man. May the evil minded man, with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of ignoring his chaste wife, who having bathed after her course of menstruation. approaches him for union having regard for the season favorable for procreation. May that stupid with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin of courting the consort of another disdaining his lawful wife and having forsaken his love for piety. May he, with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur that sin, which is obtained by a Brahmana who is issue less. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin that is attached to a person polluting the drinking water and likewise to a person who administers poison. May he with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, incur the sin attached to a person disturbing the worship going to be offered to a Brahmana (by another) and to milking a cow having a young calf (of age less than ten days)."
" To him, with whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, let that sin be obtained of disappointing a person oppressed with thirst, even though water was available. With whose counsel my elder brother has gone to exile, let the sin be accorded to him, who while standing on the road, merely witnesses a dispute between two divided groups without trying to make peace between them. While thus counseling Kausalya, who was bereft of her husband and son, the prince Bharata fell down, depressed as he was with anguish."
Kausalya spoke the following words to Bharata who was tormented with grief, was quite distraught and who just uttered formidable imprecations in the aforesaid manner: “O, son! My grief is further enhanced. By uttering the curses, you are indeed racking my spirits. Fortunately, your mind as it is endowed with nobility, has not swerved from righteous path. You will obtain the world of the blessed, along with Lakshmana."
Thus speaking to Bharata who was devoted to his brother Rama, she took the valiant Bharata to her lap, embraced him and wept aloud , as she was very much afflicted with grief. Lamenting thus, the great soled Bharata distraught on account of grief, felt himself about to swoon, with his mind crushed by the burden of grief. To Bharata that night passed with grief in lamenting thus laying fallen unconscious on the ground, sighing warmly again and again with his power of discernment having been lost.
Thus completes 75th Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sree Valmiki Ramayana
courtesy from
Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji
and Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji
I Humbly bow to the lotus feet of both of them
for the collection
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