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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 59
In this Sarga, Sumantra describes to King Daṡaratha, the gloomy and lifeless state of everything that he has seen, as he returned from the Vana without Rāma in the chariot, starting from the Vana, to the city and to the palace.
Daṡaratha feels extremely distressed. He regrets not consulting anyone including his ministers, before letting Rāma go to Vana. He says that if it is in his power, he would immediately order Rāma to come back. He pleads pitifully with Sumantra to take him where Rāma is.
2.59.1 மமத்வஸ்வா நிவ்ருத்தஸ்ய ந ப்ராவர்தந்த வர்த்மநி ।
உஷ்ணமஸ்ரு ப்ரமுஞ்சந்தோ ராமே ஸம்ப்ரஸ்திதே வநம் ॥
mamatvaṡvā nivṛttasya na prāvartanta vartmani ।
uṣṇamaṡru pramuńcantō rāmē samprasthitē vanam ॥
When I wished to return, on Rāma’s leaving for the Vana,
the horses, shedding warm tears, would not move.
2.59.2 உபாப்யாம் ராஜபுத்ராப்யாமத க்ருத்வாஹமஞ்ஜலிம் ।
ப்ரஸ்திதோ ரதமாஸ்தாய தத்து:கமபி தாரயந் ॥
ubhābhyāṃ rājaputrābhyāmatha kṛtvāhamańjalim ।
prasthitō rathamāsthāya tadduḥkhamapi dhārayan ॥
After bidding farewell with joined palms to the two princes,
I got onto the chariot and managed to leave, holding my grief.
2.59.3 குஹேந ஸார்தம் தத்ரைவ ஸ்திதோऽஸ்மி திவஸாந்பஹூந் ।
ஆஸயா யதி மாம் ராம: புநஸ்ஸப்தாபயேதிதி ॥
guhēna sārdhaṃ tatraiva sthitō'smi divasānbahūn ।
āṡayā yadi māṃ rāmaḥ punaṡṡabdāpayēditi ॥
I tarried for many days with Guha
in the hope that I might hear from Rāma again.
2.59.4 விஷயே தே மஹாராஜ! ராமவ்யஸநகர்ஸிதா: ।
அபி வ்ருக்ஷா: பரிம்லாநாஸ்ஸபுஷ்பாங்குரகோரகா: ॥
viṣayē tē mahārāja! rāmavyasanakarṡitāḥ ।
api vṛkṣāḥ parimlānāssapuṣpāṅkurakōrakāḥ ॥
In your country, O supreme King,
even the trees that are full of flowers, shoots and buds,
are withering, drained of their vitals
by the thought of Rāma’s woes.
2.59.5 உபதப்தோதகா நத்ய: பல்வலாநி ஸராம்ஸி ச ।
பரிஸுஷ்கபலாஸாநி வநாந்யுபவநாநி ச ॥
upataptōdakā nadyaḥ palvalāni sarāṃsi ca ।
pariṡuṣkapalāṡāni vanānyupavanāni ca ॥
The water in the rivers, ponds and lakes is boiling.
The leaves in the forests and parks have dried up.
2.59.6 ந ச ஸர்பந்தி ஸத்த்வாநி வ்யாஸா ந ப்ரசரந்தி ச ।
ராமஸோகாபிபூதம் தந்நிஷ்கூஜமபவத்வநம் ॥
na ca sarpanti sattvāni vyāsā na pracaranti ca ।
rāmaṡōkābhibhūtaṃ tanniṣkūjamabhavadvanam ॥
No creature shows any sign of life.
Wild beasts stopped roaming about.
Overwhelmed by grief for Rama,
the Vana lies still.
2.59.7 லீநபுஷ்கரபத்ராஸ்ச நரேந்த்ர! கலுஷோதகா: ।
ஸந்தப்தபத்மா: பத்மிந்யோ லீநமீநவிஹங்கமா: ॥
līnapuṣkarapatrāṡca narēndra! kaluṣōdakāḥ ।
santaptapadmāḥ padminyō līnamīnavihaṅgamāḥ ॥
O lord of peoples!
The waters of lotus pools have become turbid.
The lotuses in them are parched.
Their petals are not to be seen.
And the fish and birds are nowhere in sight.
2.59.8 ஜலஜாநி ச புஷ்பாணி மால்யாநி ஸ்தலஜாநி ச ।
நாத்ய பாந்த்யல்பகந்தீநி பலாநி ச யதாபுரம் ॥
jalajāni ca puṣpāṇi mālyāni sthalajāni ca ।
nādya bhāntyalpagandhīni phalāni ca yathāpuram ॥
The flowers in the water, and the festoons on land
and also the fruits, have lost their wonted luster and
are left with but little of their former fragrance.
2.59.9 அத்ரோத்யாநாநி ஸூந்யாநி ப்ரலீநவிஹகாநி ச ।
ந சாபிராமா நாராமாந்பஸ்யாமி மநுஜர்ஷப! ॥
atrōdyānāni ṡūnyāni pralīnavihagāni ca ।
na cābhirāmā nārāmānpaṡyāmi manujarṣabha! ॥
O bull among men!
Here in the city, I find the parks empty,
the birds sunk from sight,
the gardens anything but a pleasure to the eye!
2.59.10 ப்ரவிஸந்தமயோத்யாம் மாம் ந கஸ்சிதபிநந்ததி ।
நரா ராமமபஸ்யந்தோ நிஸ்ஸ்வஸந்தி முஹுர்முஹு: ॥
praviṡantamayōdhyāṃ māṃ na kaṡcidabhinandati ।
narā rāmamapaṡyantō niṡṡvasanti muhurmuhuḥ ॥
No one greeted me when I entered Ayōdhyā;
People were heaving sighs repeatedly, not seeing Rāma.
2.59.11 தேவ! ராஜரதம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா விநா ராமமிஹாகதம் ।
து:காதஸ்ருமுகஸ்ஸர்வோ ராஜமார்ககதோ ஜந: ॥
dēva! rājarathaṃ dṛṣṭvā vinā rāmamihāgatam ।
duḥkhādaṡrumukhassarvō rājamārgagatō janaḥ ॥
My lord! Seeing the royal chariot returning without Rāma
the faces of everyone on the royal pathway
were bedewed with tears, out of grief.
2.59.12 ஹர்ம்யைர்விமாநை: ப்ராஸாதைரவேக்ஷ்யரதமாகதம் ।
ஹாஹாகாரக்ருதாநார்யோ ராமாதர்ஸநகர்ஸிதா: ॥
harmyairvimānaiḥ prāsādairavēkṣyarathamāgatam ।
hāhākārakṛtānāryō rāmādarṡanakarṡitāḥ ॥
On seeing me return (without Rāma)
the women, from their mansions, high towers and palaces,
wailed, “Alas, alas!’, pining for the sight of Rāma’s face. This Ṡlōka is the same as 2.57.18
2.59.13 ஆயதைர்விமலைர்நேத்ரைரஸ்ருவேகபரிப்லுதை: ।
அந்யோந்யமபிவீக்ஷந்தேऽவ்யக்தமார்ததரா: ஸ்த்ரிய: ॥
āyatairvimalairnētrairaṡruvēgapariplutaiḥ ।
anyōnyamabhivīkṣantē'vyaktamārtatarāḥ striyaḥ ॥
With their wide and lustrous eyes
blurred by swift-flowing tears,
the sorely distressed women
looked at each other, feeling at a loss. This Ṡlōka is the same as 2.57.19
2.59.14 நாமித்ராணாம் ந மித்ராணாமுதாஸீநஜநஸ்ய ச ।
அஹமார்ததயா கிஞ்சித்விஸேஷமுபலக்ஷயே ॥
nāmitrāṇāṃ na mitrāṇāmudāsīnajanasya ca ।
ahamārtatayā kińcidviṡēṣamupalakṣayē ॥
I could find no difference in their agony,
be they friends, foes or unconcerned.
2.59.15-16 அப்ரஹ்ருஷ்டமநுஷ்யா ச தீநநாகதுரங்கமா ।
ஆர்தஸ்வரபரிம்லாநா விநிஸ்ஸ்வஸிதநிஸ்ஸ்வநா ॥
நிராநந்தா மஹாராஜ! ராமப்ரவ்ராஜநாதுரா ।
கௌஸல்யா புத்ரஹீநேவ அயோத்யா ப்ரதிபாதி மா ॥
aprahṛṣṭamanuṣyā ca dīnanāgaturaṅgamā ।
ārtasvaraparimlānā viniṡṡvasitanissvanā ॥
nirānandā mahārāja! rāmapravrājanāturā ।
kausalyā putrahīnēva ayōdhyā pratibhāti mā ॥
Ayōdhyā, with its joyless people,
and its dispirited elephants and horses,
exhausted by cries of distress and long sighs,
lost all its glee, agonized by the exile of Rāma.
To me, Ayōdhyā seems to mirror, in its gloom,
Kousalyā, who is now without her son. The last sentence of Ṡlōka 16 is poignant. The entire city of Ayōdhyā grieves like a mother who has lost her own son.
Just as the entire community of Mathura considered that Krishna belonged to everyone of them, the entire city of Ayōdhyā feels that Rāma is her own son.
History, now and then, produces such darlings, who earn the affection and love of an entire community, city and even country.
Rāmāyaṇa is a song to celebrate all such blessed souls, and show life as seen from their trajectory of life.
2.59.17 ஸூதஸ்ய வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா வாசா பரமதீநயா ।
பாஷ்போபஹதயா ராஜா தம் ஸூதமிதமப்ரவீத் ॥
sūtasya vacanaṃ ṡrutvā vācā paramadīnayā ।
bāṣpōpahatayā rājā taṃ sūtamidamabravīt ॥
Hearing those words of the charioteer,
the king, convulsing in sobs and feeling despondent,
said these words to the charioteer:
2.59.18 கைகேய்யா விநியுக்தேந பாபாபிஜநபாவயா ।
மயா ந மந்த்ரகுஸலைர்வ்ருத்தைஸ்ஸஹ ஸமர்திதம் ॥
kaikēyyā viniyuktēna pāpābhijanabhāvayā ।
mayā na mantrakuṡalairvṛddhaissaha samarthitam ॥
After being incited by Kaikēyee,
who harbored evil thoughts
and was surrounded by evil people,
I have not thought it through along with
strategists and wise counsel.
2.59.19 ந ஸுஹ்ருத்பிர்நசாமாத்யைர்மந்த்ரயித்வா ந நைகமை: ।
மயாயமர்தஸ்ஸம்மோஹாத் ஸ்த்ரீஹேதோஸ்ஸஹஸா க்ருத: ॥
na suhṛdbhirnacāmātyairmantrayitvā na naigamaiḥ ।
mayāyamarthassammōhāt strīhētōssahasā kṛtaḥ ॥
Without discussing the matter with
friends, ministers or the chief citizens,
I foolishly and in undue haste decided
upon this course for a woman’s sake.
2.59.20 பவிதவ்யதயா நூநமிதம் வா வ்யஸநம் மஹத் ।
குலஸ்யாஸ்ய விநாஸாய ப்ராப்தம் ஸூத! யத்ருச்சயா ॥
bhavitavyatayā nūnamidaṃ vā vyasanaṃ mahat ।
kulasyāsya vināṡāya prāptaṃ sūta! yadṛcchayā ॥
Perhaps this great calamity is nothing but imminent ,
a work of Providence, for the undoing of this family.
2.59.21 ஸூத! யத்யஸ்தி தே கிஞ்சிந்மயா து ஸுக்ருதம் க்ருதம் ।
த்வம் ப்ராபயாऽऽஸு மாம் ராமம் ப்ராணாஸ்ஸந்த்வரயந்திமாம் ॥
sūta! yadyasti tē kińcinmayā tu sukṛtaṃ kṛtam ।
tvaṃ prāpayā''ṡu māṃ rāmaṃ prāṇāssantvarayantimām ॥
Charioteer, if there is anything worthy
that I have done for you ever,
please take me to Rāma immediately.
My fast-ebbing life gives me no rest!
2.59.22 யத்யத்யாபி மமைவாஜ்ஞா நிவர்தயது ராகவம் ।
ந ஸக்ஷ்யாமி விநா ராமம் முஹூர்தமபி ஜீவிதும் ॥
yadyadyāpi mamaivājńā nivartayatu rāghavam ।
na ṡakṣyāmi vinā rāmaṃ muhūrtamapi jīvitum ॥
If I can have my way even now,
may Rāghava be brought back!
I cannot afford to live
even for a moment without Rāma.
2.59.23 அதவாऽபி மஹாபாஹுர்கதோ தூரம் பவிஷ்யதி ।
மாமேவ ரதமாரோப்ய ஸீக்ரம் ராமாய தர்ஸய ॥
athavā'pi mahābāhurgatō dūraṃ bhaviṣyati ।
māmēva rathamārōpya ṡīghraṃ rāmāya darṡaya ॥
Or, if he of the mighty arm
might have gone a long way by this time,
take me on the chariot and show to Rāma.
2.59.24 வ்ருத்ததம்ஷ்ட்ரோ மஹேஷ்வாஸ: க்வாஸௌ லக்ஷ்மணபூர்வஜ: ।
யதி ஜீவாமி ஸாத்வேநம் பஸ்யேயம் ஸீதயா ஸஹ ॥
vṛttadaṃṣṭrō mahēṣvāsaḥ kvāsau lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ ।
yadi jīvāmi sādhvēnaṃ paṡyēyaṃ sītayā saha ॥
Where is that elder brother of Lakshmaṇa,
who holds the great bow, and
whose teeth are beautifully rounded?
If I can have a good look at him and Seetā,
I will be able to hold on to this life.
2.59.25 லோஹிதாக்ஷம் மஹாபாஹுமாமுக்தமணிகுண்டலம் ।
ராமம் யதி ந பஸ்யேயம் கமிஷ்யாமி யமக்ஷயம் ॥
lōhitākṣaṃ mahābāhumāmuktamaṇikuṇḍalam ।
rāmaṃ yadi na paṡyēyaṃ gamiṣyāmi yamakṣayam ॥
If I cannot see him of the red-tinged eyes and the great arms,
wearing the ear-pendants of pearl and gem,
I cannot but head to the abode of Yama.
2.59.26 அதோ நு கிம் து:கதரம் ஸோऽஹமிக்ஷ்வாகுநந்தநம் ।
இமாமவஸ்தாமாபந்நோ நேஹ பஸ்யாமி ராகவம் ॥
atō nu kiṃ duḥkhataraṃ sō'hamikṣvākunandanam ।
imāmavasthāmāpannō nēha paṡyāmi rāghavam ॥
What else could be of greater grief, than
not being able to Rāghava,
the delight of Ikshwāku dynasty, right here!
2.59.27 ஹா ராம! ராமாநுஜ! ஹா! ஹா வைதேஹி! தபஸ்விநி ।
ந மாம் ஜாநீத து:கேந ம்ரியமாணதமநாதவத் ॥
hā rāma! rāmānuja! hā! hā vaidēhi! tapasvini ।
na māṃ jānīta duḥkhēna mriyamāṇatamanāthavat ॥
Alas, Rāma, alas, Rāma’s younger brother,
alas, the princess of Vidēha the poor sufferer,
you do not know that I am dying of grief
like a forlorn creature !
2.59.28 ஸ தேந ராஜா து:கேந ப்ருஸமர்பிதசேதந: ।
அவகாடஸ்ஸுதுஷ்பாரம் ஸோகஸாகரமப்ரவீத் ॥
sa tēna rājā duḥkhēna bhṛṡamarpitacētanaḥ ।
avagāḍhassuduṣpāraṃ ṡōkasāgaramabravīt ॥
And the King, with his heart sunk in an abyss of grief,
bogged down in an impassable ocean of misery, said:
2.59.29-32 ராமஸோகமஹாபோகஸ்ஸீதாவிரஹபாரக: ।
ஸ்வஸிதோர்மி மஹாவர்தோ பாஷ்பபேநஜாலாவில: ॥
பாஹுவிக்ஷேபமீநௌகோ விக்ரந்தித மஹாஸ்வந: ।
ப்ரகீர்ணகேஸஸைவால: கைகேயீபடபாமுக: ॥
மமாஸ்ருவேகப்ரபவ: குப்ஜாவாக்யமஹாக்ரஹ: ।
வரவேலோ ந்ருஸம்ஸாயா ராமப்ரவ்ராஜநாயத: ॥
யஸ்மிந்பத நிமக்நோऽஹம் கௌஸல்யே! ராகவம் விநா ।
துஸ்தரோ ஜீவதா தேவி! மயாऽயம் ஸோகஸாகர: ॥
rāmaṡōkamahābhōgassītāvirahapāragaḥ ।
ṡvasitōrmi mahāvartō bāṣpaphēnajālāvilaḥ ॥
bāhuvikṣēpamīnaughō vikrandita mahāsvanaḥ ।
prakīrṇakēṡaṡaivālaḥ kaikēyībaḍabāmukhaḥ ॥
mamāṡruvēgaprabhavaḥ kubjāvākyamahāgrahaḥ ।
varavēlō nṛṡaṃsāyā rāmapravrājanāyataḥ ॥
yasminbata nimagnō'haṃ kausalyē! rāghavaṃ vinā ।
dustarō jīvatā dēvi! mayā'yaṃ ṡōkasāgaraḥ ॥
O Kousalyā, good lady!
Alas! There is no crossing for me, in this life,
of the ocean of sorrow in which I lie submerged.
The only luxury that there is in it, is the grief for Rāma.
It is as wide as my yearning to see Seetā.
My sighs are its tides and swirls.
My tears are its clashing waters that bear froth.
The flinging of my arms is its shoal of fish.
My cries are its roar.
It is filled with my flowing tears.
My disheveled hair is the moss that is spread on it.
Kaikēyee is the volcano burning underneath it.
The words of the humpback are its crocodiles.
Its shores are marked by the boons granted to a cruel woman.
It is as wide as the exile of Rāma. For the first time, Vālmeeki makes it explicit that Daṡaratha knows about the hand of Manthara behind this entire chain of events.
2.59.33 அஸோபநம் யோऽஹமிஹாத்ய ராகவம்
தித்ருக்ஷமாணோ ந லபே ஸலக்ஷ்மணம் ।
இதீவ ராஜா விலபந்மஹாயஸா:
பபாத தூர்ணம் ஸயநே ஸமூர்சித: ॥
aṡōbhanaṃ yō'hamihādya rāghavaṃ
didṛkṣamāṇō na labhē salakṣmaṇam ।
itīva rājā vilapanmahāyaṡāḥ
papāta tūrṇaṃ ṡayanē samūrchitaḥ ॥
Nothing could be worse than my inability at this time
to have the sight of Rāghava and Lakshmaṇa.
Lamenting thus, that King of great renown
fell down on his bed in a swoon instantly.
2.59.34 இதி விலபதி பார்திவே ப்ரணஷ்டே
கருணதரம் த்விகுணம் ச ராமஹேதோ: ।
வசநமநுநிஸம்ய தஸ்ய தேவீ
பயமகமத்புநரேவ ராமமாதா ॥
iti vilapati pārthivē praṇaṣṭē
karuṇataraṃ dviguṇaṃ ca rāmahētōḥ ।
vacanamanuniṡamya tasya dēvī
bhayamagamatpunarēva rāmamātā ॥
And as the King, thus wailing fell into a faint,
in a doubly pitiful state on account of Rāma,
his queen, the mother of Rāma,
shuddered with fear again, hearing his words.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே ஏகோநஷஷ்டிதமஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē ēkōnaṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the fifty ninth Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.