Ayodhya Kanda — Sarga 18
स ददर्शासने रामो विषण्णं पितरं शुभे। कैकेय्या सहितं दीनं मुखेन परिशुष्यता॥
Rāma saw his father, seated on a beautiful sofa with Kaikeyi, looking sorry and poorly and with his countenance dried up.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.1
स पितुश्चरणौ पूर्वमभिवाद्य विनीतवत्। ततो ववन्दे चरणौ कैकेय्याः सुसमाहितः॥
And humbly bowing down at the feet of his father first, he saluted Kaikeyi with due solemnity.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.2
रामेत्युक्त्वा तु वचनं वाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणः। शशाक नृपतिर्दीनो नेक्षितुं नाभिभाषितुम्॥
Uttering the word "Rāma" only, the poor king with his eyes full of tears could not see him nor could he speak to him.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.3
तदपूर्वं नरपते दृष्ट्वा रूपं भयावहम्। रामोऽपि भयमापन्नः पदा स्पृष्ट्वेव पन्नगम्॥
Seeing this unforeseen and terrible appearance of the king, like to a serpent trampled under foot, Rāma was exceedingly terrified.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.4
इन्द्रियैरप्रहष्टैस्तं शोकसंतापकर्शितम्। निःश्वसन्तं महाराजं व्यथिताकुलचेतसम्॥ ऊर्मिमालिनमक्षोभ्यं क्षुभ्यन्तमिव सागरम्। उपप्लुतमिवादित्यमुक्तानृतमृषि यथा॥
He was dejected and pulled down much with sorrow and penitence. He was sighing hot and hard and his heart was greatly pained. His heart was troubled like the wavy ocean agitating though incapable of agitation, and clouded like the Sun possessed by Rahu, and (that of) an ascetic speaking falsehood.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.5
अचिन्त्यकल्पं नृपतेस्तं शोकमुपधारयन्। बभूव संरब्धतरः समुद्र इव पर्वणि।७।।
Thinking of this unthought of sorrow of the king he became agitated like to the ocean during the course of the full-moon.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.6
चिन्तयामास चतुरो रामः पितृहिते रतः। किंस्विदद्यैव नृपतिर्न मां प्रत्यभिनन्दति॥
And clever Rāma, intent on his father's welfare, thought within himself:, Why does not the king display joy on my arrival to-day.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.7
अन्यदा मां पिता दृष्ट्वा कुपितोऽपि प्रसीदति। तस्य मामद्य सम्प्रेक्ष्य किमायासः प्रवर्तते॥
Angry though, he used to express joy whenever he saw me; then why does his sorrow prevail even seeing me to-day?
Ayodhya Kanda 18.8
स दीन इव शोका” विषण्णवदनद्युतिः। कैकेयीमभिवाद्यैव रामो वचनमब्रवीत्।॥
Being pressed with sorrow, Rāma of pale countenance, like one miserable, saluting KaikeyI, spoke to her the following words.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.9
कच्चिन्मया नापराद्धमज्ञानाद् येन मे पिता। कुपितस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व त्वमेवैनं प्रसादय॥
Is it not that I committed some offence through ignorance that I see my father angry? Do you propitiate him therefore.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.10
अप्रसन्नमनाः किं नु सदा मां प्रति वत्सलः। विषण्णवदनो दीनः नहि मां प्रति भाषते॥
Why is his mind so aggrieved who was so kind to me, and why does he look poorly and of pale countenance who used to welcome me always with kind words?
Ayodhya Kanda 18.11
शारीरो मानसो वापि कच्चिदेनं न बाधते। संतापो वाभितापो वा दुर्लभं हि सदा सुखम्॥
Is he subject to any physical or mental disturbance? Oh! happiness uninterrupted is very dear.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.12
कच्चिन किंचित् भरते कुमारे प्रियदर्शने। शत्रुघ्ने वा महासत्त्वे मातृणां वा ममाशुभम्॥
Has any evil befallen the good-looking Bharata or high-souled Śatrughna? Is it not all well with my mothers.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.13
अतोषयन् महाराजमकुर्वन् वा पितुर्वचः। मुहूर्तमपि नेच्छेयं जीवितुं कुपिते नृपे॥
Dissatisfying the king, disregarding his words and offending him, I do not want to breathe for a single moment.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.14
यतोमूलं नरः पश्येत् प्रादुर्भावमिहात्मनः। कथं तस्मिन् न वर्तेत प्रत्यक्षे सति दैवते॥
How can a man disregard him who is god himself seen and felt, and who is looked upon as a cause from whom he has sprung.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.15
कच्चित्ते परुषं किंचिदभिमानात् पिता मम। उक्तो भवत्या रोषेण येनास्य लुलितं मनः॥
Oh mother, have you spoken any harsh word to my father either through anger or through haughtiness for which his mind is thus pulled down?
Ayodhya Kanda 18.16
एतदाचक्ष्व मे देवि तत्त्वेन परिपृच्छतः। किंनिमित्तमपूर्वोऽयं विकारो मनुजाधिपे॥
Oh worshipful one, tell me all this, who am exceedingly anxious to get at the real truth. Why has this unforeseen sorrow overtaken the heart of the lord of men?
Ayodhya Kanda 18.17
एवमुक्ता तु कैकेयी राघवेण महात्मना। उवाचेदं सुनिर्लज्जा धृष्टमात्महितं वचः॥
Being thus addressed by the high-souled Rāghava, that exceedingly shameless Kaikeyī spoke to him the following impudent words, fraught with her self-interest.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.18
न राजा कुपितो राम व्यसनं नास्य किंचन। किंचिन्मनोगतं त्वस्य त्वद्भयात्रानुभाषते॥
Oh Rāma, the monarch is not angry nor has any danger befallen him. He has got something in his mind which he cannot speak out through your fear.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.19
प्रियं त्वामप्रियं वक्तुं वाणी नास्य प्रवर्तते। तदवश्यं त्वया कार्यं यदनेनाश्रुतं मम॥
You are his most beloved son and word does not proceed from his mouth to speak you things unpleasant. But it behoves you to carry out what the monarch has promised to me.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.20
एष मह्यं वरं दत्त्वा पुरा मामभिपूज्य च। स पश्चात् तप्यते राजा यथान्यः प्राकृतस्तथा॥
Formerly regarding me very highly he conferred on me two boons and he now repents for that like a common person.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.21
अतिसृज्य ददानीति वरं मम विशाम्पतिः। स निरर्थं गतजले सेतुं बन्धितुमिच्छति॥
Promising 'I give you the lord of earth granted me these boons; in vain he wishes to set up a dyke when all the water has passed away.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.22
धर्ममूलमिदं राम विदितं च सतामपि। तत् स्त्यं न त्यजेद् राजा कुपितस्त्वत्कृते यथा॥ यदि तद् वक्ष्यते राजा शुभं वा यदि वाशुभम्। करिष्यसि ततः सर्वमाख्यास्यामि पुनस्त्वहम्॥
Oh Rāma, it is known to you that truth is the root of all religion and may he not renounce that for you, being angry with me. If do you carry out all that the king will speak to you, good or evil, then I shall relate to you every thing.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.23
यदि त्वभिहितं राज्ञा त्वयि तन्न विपत्स्यते। ततोऽहमभिधास्यामि न ह्येष त्वयि वक्ष्यति॥
If what I, with the king's permission, speak to you, does not go useless, I shall speak to you all; the king will not speak any thing.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.24
एतत् तु वचनं श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या समुदाहृतम्। उवाच व्यथितो रामस्तां देवी नृपसंनिधौ॥
Hearing these words uttered by Kaikeyī, Rāma, pained at heart, spoke to her in the presence of the king in the following way:
Ayodhya Kanda 18.25
अहो धिङ् नार्हसे देवि वक्तुं मामीदृशं वचः। अहं हि वचनाद् राज्ञः पतेयमपि पावके॥ भक्षयेयं विषं तीक्ष्णं पतेयमपि चार्णवे। नियुक्तो गुरुणा पित्रा नृपेण च हितेन च॥ तद् ब्रूहि वचनं देवि राज्ञो यदभिकाशितम्। करिष्ये प्रतिजाने च रामो द्विर्नाभिभाषते ॥
Oh! shame to me. May it not please you, Oh worshipful lady, to speak such words to me. I can at the king's words jump into the fire. Being ordered by him, who is my father and who is my king especially, I can drink virulent poison and drown into the ocean. Speak you, Oh worshipful lady, what is the desire of the king, and know that I shall carry it out, Rāma does not contradict what he has once spoken.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.26
तमार्जवसमायुक्तमनार्या सत्यवादिनम्। उवाच रामं कैकेयी वचनं भृशदारुणम्॥
Then that wicked Kaikeyi spoke these highly cruel words to Rāma, simple and truthful.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.27
पुरा देवासुरे युद्धे पित्रा ते मम राघव। रक्षितेन वरौ दत्तौ सशल्येन महारणे॥
Foremerly in a great war between the gods and Asuras, your father, being wounded with shafts was tended by me for which he conferred upon me two boons.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.28
तत्र मे याचितो राजा भरतस्याभिषेचनम्। गमनं दण्डकारण्ये तव चाद्यैव राघव॥
Of these two boons I have asked of the king the installation of Bharata, and the departure of Rāghava into the Dandaka forest even this very day.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.29
यदि सत्यप्रतिज्ञं त्वं पितरं कर्तुमिच्छसि। आत्मानं च नर श्रेष्ठ मम वाक्यमिदं शृणु॥
Oh you best among men, if do you wish to keep your father's vows as well as yours, hear what I say.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.30
संनिदेशे पितुस्तिष्ठ यथानेन प्रतिश्रुतम्। त्वयारण्यं प्रवेष्टव्यं नव वर्षाणि पञ्च च॥
Your father is bound to me by promise, obeying therefore your father's mandate, do you repair to the forest for nine years and five.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.31
भरतश्चाभिषिच्येत यदेतदभिषेचनम्। त्वदर्थं विहितं राज्ञा तेन सर्वेण राघव॥
Bharata shall be installed, Ch Rāghava, by all those articles which have been brought by the monarch for your installation.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.32
सप्त सप्त च वर्षाणि दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः। अभिषेकमिदं त्यक्त्वा जटाचीरधरो भव ॥
Forsaking this installation, do you repair to Dandaka forest for seven and seven years and wear bark and matted hair.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.33
भरतः कोसलपतेः प्रशास्तु वसुधामिमाम्। नानारत्नसमाकीर्णां सवाजिरथसंकुलाम्॥
And here in this Kosala let Bharata govern the world, adorned with many pearls and diamonds, with elephants, horses and chariots.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.34
एतेन त्वां नरेन्द्रोऽयं कारुण्येन समाप्लुतः। शोकैः संक्लिष्टवदनो न शक्नोति निरीक्षितुम्॥
The king, filled with pity and having his face marked with the affliction of sorrow, cannot cast a glance upon you.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.35
एतत् कुरु नरेन्द्रस्य वचनं रघुनन्दन । सत्येन महता राम तारयस्व नरेश्वरम्॥
Oh you descendant of Raghu, do you carry out these words of the Lord of men and save him by redeeming these great vows of his.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.36
इतीव तस्यां परुषं वदन्त्यां न चैव रामः प्रविवेश शोकम्। प्रविव्यथे चापि महानुभावो राजां च पुत्रव्यसनाभितप्तः॥
Hearing these cruel words of her, Rāma was not grieved; but the generous king afflicted with the thought of the approaching separation with his son, was greatly pained. out these words of the Lord of men and save him by redeeming these great vows of his.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.37
इतीव तस्यां परुषं वदन्त्यां न चैव रामः प्रविवेश शोकम्। प्रविव्यथे चापि महानुभावो राजां च पुत्रव्यसनाभितप्तः॥
Hearing these cruel words of her, Rāma was not grieved; but the generous king afflicted with the thought of the approaching separation with his son, was greatly pained.
Ayodhya Kanda 18.38