Ayodhya Kanda — Sarga 67

आक्रन्दिता निरानन्दा सास्रकण्ठजनाविला। अयोध्यायामवतता सा व्यतीयाय शर्वरी॥

At length the weary night in Ayodhya rendered cheerless cheerless by lamentations, and populous with men with voice choked with tears, was spent.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.1

व्यतीतायां तु शर्वर्यामादित्यस्योदये ततः। समेत्य राजकर्तारः सभामीयुर्द्विजातयः॥ मार्कण्डेयोऽथ मौद्गल्यो वामदेवश्च कश्यपः। कात्यायनो गौतमश्च जाबालिश्च महायशाः॥ एते द्विजाः सहामात्यैः पृथग्वाचमुदीरयन्। वसिष्ठमेवाभिमुखाः श्रेष्ठं राजपुरोहितम्॥

And when the night had departed and the sun had arisen, those officers of the royal house-hold belonging to the twice-born order, Märkandeya, Maudgalya, Vāmadeva, Kaśyapa, Kātyāyana, Gautama, and the highly famous Jābāli. assembled together along with the counsellors, spoke each on different topics.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.2

अतीता शर्वरी दुःखं या नो वर्षशतोपमा। अस्मिन् पञ्चत्वमापने पुत्रशोकेन पार्थिवे॥

Then facing the royal priest, the eminent Vasistha, they said, "That night that had appeared like to an hundred years has at last been painfully passed.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.3

स्वर्गस्थश्च महाराजो रामश्चारण्यमाश्रितः। लक्ष्मणश्चापि तेजस्वी रामेपैव गतः सह॥ उभौ भरतशत्रुघ्नौ केकयेषु परंतपौ। पुरे राजगृहे रम्ये मातामहनिवेशने॥

The king racked by sorrow for his son having breathed his last, the mighty monarch has ascended heaven, Rāma has taken refuge in the woods, the energetic Lakşmaņa has gone with Rama, and does Bharata and Satrughna, repressors of foes, are staying in Kekaya in pleasant Rājagrha, the abode of their maternal grandfather.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.4

इक्ष्वाकूणामिहाद्यैव कश्चिद् राजा विधीयताम्। अराजकं हि नो राष्ट्र विनाशं समवाप्नुयात् ।।८

Do you select some on this very day from the descendants of Ikşvāku, to be king here. Verily does a kingdom go to ruin, when without a king.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.5

नाराजके जनपदे विद्युन्माली महास्वनः। अभिवर्षति पर्जन्यो महीं दिव्येन वारिणा॥

He that goes garlanded with lightning, and has a mighty voice, even the Cloud, does not with Skye shower drench the Earth in a kingdom without a king.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.6

नाराजके जनपदे बीजमुष्टिः प्रकीर्यते। अराजके पितुः पुत्रो भार्या वा वर्तते वशे॥

In a kingless kingdom no one sows corn. In a kingless kingdom the son does not obey his sire, or the wife her husband.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.7

अराजके धनं नास्ति नास्ति भार्याप्यराजके। इदमत्याहितं चान्यत् कुतः सत्यमराजके॥

A kingless kingdom possesses no wealth, and wives are hard to keep in such a place. This great fear attends a kingless country. And where is other morality (besides that detailed above) to be found at such a place?

Ayodhya Kanda 67.8

नाराजके जनपदे कारयन्ति सभां नराः। उद्यानानि च रम्याणि हृष्टाः पुण्यगृहाणि च॥

In a kingless country men do not form themselves into associations, nor do they, inspired with cheerfulness, make elegant gardens or sacred edifices.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.9

नाराजके जनपदे यज्ञशीला द्विजातयः। सत्राण्यन्वासते दान्ता ब्राह्मणाः संशितव्रताः॥ नाराजके जनपदे महायज्ञेषु यज्वनः। ब्राह्मणा वसुसम्पूर्णा विसृजन्त्याप्तदक्षिणाः॥

In a kingless country, the twice-born ones do not celebrate sacrifices. In a kingless country, in mighty sacrifices wealthy Brāhmaṇas do not confer (on the officiating priests) the Dakșiņās (which they receive according to the ordinance).

Ayodhya Kanda 67.10

नाराजके जनपदे प्रहृष्टनटनर्तकाः। उत्सवाश्च समाजाश्च वर्धन्ते राष्ट्रवर्धनाः॥

In a kingless country, neither neither social gatherings, nor festivities characterised by the presence of merry theatrical managers and performers, increase.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.11

नाराजके जनपदे सिद्धार्था व्यवहारिणः। कथाभिरभिरज्यन्ते कथाशीलाः कथाप्रियैः॥

In a kingless country disputants cannot decide their point; nor are persons given to hearing Puranic recitations pleased by those delighting in the practice.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.12

नाराजके जनपदे तूद्यानानि समागताः। सायाह्ने क्रीडितुं यान्ति कुमार्यो हेमभूषिताः॥

In a kingless country, bevies of virgins decked in gold do not repair to gardens for purposes of sport.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.13

नाराजके जनपदे धनवन्तः सुरक्षिताः। शेरते विवृतद्वाराः कृषिगोरक्षजीविनः॥

In a kingless country, the wealthy are not well protected; nor do shepherds and cultivators sleep with their doors open.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.14

नाराजके जनपदे वाहनैः शीघ्रवाहिभिः। नरा निर्यान्त्यरण्यानि नारीभिः सह कामिनः॥

In a kingless country pleasure-seeking people do not in company with females go to the woods by means of swift vehicles.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.15

नाराजके जनपदे बद्धघण्टा विषाणिनः। अटन्ति राजमार्गेषु कुञ्जराः षष्ठिहायनाः॥

In a kingless country long-tusked elephants sixty years old, bearing bells on their necks, do not walk the high-way.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.16

नाराजके जनपदे शरान् संततमस्यताम्। श्रूयते तलनिर्घोष इष्वस्त्राणामुपासने॥

In a kingless country one hears not the clappings of persons engaged in shooting arrows constantly.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.17

नाराजके जनपदे वणिजो दूरगामिनः। गच्छन्ति क्षेममध्वानं बहुपण्यसमाचिताः॥

In a kingless country traders coming from distant lands, loaded with various kinds of merchandise, do not with safety go along the roads.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.18

नाराजके जनपदे चरत्येकचरो वशी। भावयन्नात्मनात्मानं यत्रसायं गृहो मुनिः॥

In a kingless country the ascetic with his subdued senses, himself his sole protector, who makes his quarters wherever evening overtakes him, cannot walk contemplating the Deity.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.19

नाराजके जनपदे योगक्षेमः प्रवर्तते। न चाप्यराजके सेना शत्रून् विषहते युधि॥

In a kingless country, one cannot protect what one has, or procure what one has not. In a kingless country, the forces cannot bear the onslaught of the foe.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.20

नाराजके जनपदे हृष्टैः परमवाजिभिः। नराः संयान्ति सहसा रथैश्च प्रतिमण्डिताः॥

In a kingless country men cannot at will go on excellent and high-mettled horses and ornamented cars.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.21

नाराजके जनपदे नराः शास्त्रविशारदाः। संवदन्तोपतिष्ठन्ते वनेपूपवनेषु वा॥

In a kingless country persons well versed in learning can not engage in controversy, repairing to woods and groves.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.22

नाराजके जनपदे माल्यमोदकदक्षिणाः। देवताभ्यर्चनार्थाय कल्प्यन्ते नियतैर्जनैः॥ नाराजके जनपदे चन्दनागुरुरुषिताः। राजपुत्रा विराजन्ते वसन्ते इव शाखिनः॥

In a kingless country, persons with intent hearts do not offer garlands, sweets, and Daksinās, for worshipping the gods. In a kingless country princes smeared with sandal and aguru, do not look graceful like trees in spring.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.23

यथा ह्यनुदका नद्यो यथा वाप्यतृणं वनम्। अगोपाला यथा गावस्तथा राष्ट्रमराजकम्॥

Even as a river without water, a wood without grass, a herd of kine without a keeper, is a kingdom without a king.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.24

ध्वजो रथस्य प्रज्ञानं धूमो ज्ञानं विभावसोः। तेषां यो नो ध्वजो राजा स देवत्वमितो गतः॥

The sign of a car is its pennon, of fire is smoke, and our banner the king, has gone to heaven.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.25

नाराजके जनपदे स्वकं भवति कस्यचित्। मत्स्या इव जना नित्यं भक्षयन्ति परस्परम्॥

In a kingless country a person hardly preserves his life; and like fishes people eat up one another.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.26

ये हि सम्भिन्नमर्यादा नास्तिकाश्छिन्नसंशयाः। तेऽपि भावाय कल्पन्ते राजदण्डनिपीडिताः॥

Even those heretics who having disregarded the dignity of social morality had met with chastisement at the hands of the king, their fear removed, give themselves airs.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.27

यथा दृष्टिः शरीरस्य नित्यमेव प्रवर्तते। तथा नरेन्द्रो राष्ट्रस्य प्रभवः सत्यधर्मयोः॥

As the sight is engaged in the welfare of the body, the king, that fountain of truth and religion, is engaged in compassing the good of the kingdom.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.28

राजा सत्यं च धर्मश्च राजा कुलवतां कुलम्। राजा माता पिता चैव राजा हितकारो नृणाम्॥

The king is truth, the king is morality, the king is the racial dignity of those possessed of the same, the king is the father, the king is the ON 68 RĀMĀYAŅAM mother, the king compasses the welfare of men.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.29

यमो वैश्रवणः शक्रो वरुणश्च महाबलः। विशिष्यन्ते नरेन्द्रेण वृत्तेन महता ततः॥

By virtue of magnanimity of character, a king surpasses Yama and Vaiśravaṇa and Śakra and Varuņa endowed with mighty strength.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.30

अहो तम इवेदं स्यान प्रज्ञायेत किंचन। राजा चेन भवेल्लोके विभजन् साध्वसाधुनी॥ जीवत्यपि महाराजे तवैव वचनं वयम्। नातिक्रमामहे सर्वे वेलां प्राप्येव सागः ॥

If there were not a king in this world to adjudge fair and foul, darkness would overspread (the face of the earth) and people could not distinguish anything whatever. As the ocean keeps within its continent, we even while the monarch lived, did not disregard your words.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.31

स नः समीक्ष्य द्विजवर्य वृत्तं नृपं विना राष्ट्रमरण्यभूतम्। कुमारमिक्ष्वाकुसुतं तथान्यं त्वमेव राजानमिहाभिषेचय॥

Do you, O best of Brāhmaṇas, beholding our acts rendered nugatory, and this empire became a wilderness for want of a king, install that descendant of Ikşvāku or any other as king of this realm.

Ayodhya Kanda 67.32