Sarga 61

Verse 1

वनं गते धर्मपरे रामे रमयतां वरे।कौसल्या रुदती स्वार्ता भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.61.1।।

When Rāma—devoted to dharma and foremost among those who gladden others—had gone to the forest, Kauśalyā, weeping in bitter anguish, spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 2

यद्यपि त्रिषु लोकेषु प्रथितं ते महद्यशः।सानुक्रोशो वदान्यश्च प्रियवादी च राघवः।।2.61.2।।

Although your great fame is renowned throughout the three worlds—that you, O Rāghava, are compassionate, generous, and sweet of speech—

Verse 3

कथं नरवरश्रेष्ठ पुत्रौ तौ सह सीतया।दुःखितौ सुखसंवृद्धौ वने दुःखं सहिष्यतः।।2.61.3।।

O best of kings, how will those two sons of yours, together with Sita—reared in comfort and now stricken with sorrow—endure suffering in the forest?

Verse 4

सा नूनं तरुणी श्यामा सुकुमारी सुखोचिता।कथमुष्णं च शीतं च मैथिली प्रसहिष्यते।।2.61.4।।

She is surely young, dark-hued, tender, and accustomed to comfort—how will Maithilī endure both heat and cold?

Verse 5

भुक्त्वाऽशनं विशालाक्षी सूपदं शान्वितं शुभम्।वन्यं नैवारमाहारं कथं सीतोपभोक्ष्यते।।2.61.5।।

Sītā, large-eyed and used to fine meals with soups and seasonings—how will she eat forest fare made of wild rice?

Verse 6

गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा शुभमनिन्दिता।कथं क्रव्यादसिंहानां शब्दं श्रोष्यत्यशोभनम्।।2.61.6।।

Accustomed to the auspicious sounds of songs and instruments, how will blameless Sītā bear to hear the inauspicious cries of lions and other flesh-eaters?

Verse 7

महेन्द्रध्वजसङ्काशः क्व नु शेते महाभुजः।भुजं परिघसङ्काशमुपधाय महाबलः।।2.61.7।।

Where now does that mighty, long-armed Rāma—lofty like Indra’s banner—lie down to sleep, using as his pillow an arm like an iron bar?

Verse 8

पद्मवर्णं सुकेशान्तं पद्मनिश्श्वासमुत्तमम्।कदा द्रक्ष्यामि रामस्य वदनं पुष्करेक्षणम्।।2.61.8।।

When shall I again behold Rāma’s excellent face—lotus-hued, framed by beautiful hair, with lotus-fragrant breath, and eyes like blue lotuses?

Verse 9

वज्रसारमयं नूनं हृदयं मे न संशयः।अपश्यन्त्या न तं यद्वै फलतीदं सहस्रधा।।2.61.9।।

Surely my heart is made of vajra—there is no doubt—for though I do not see him, it still does not shatter into a thousand pieces.

Verse 10

यत्त्वयाऽकरुणं कर्म व्यपोह्य मम बान्धवाः।निरस्ताः परिधावन्ति सुखार्हाः कृपणा वने।।2.61.10।।

Because of the heartless deed you have done, my kinsmen—who deserved comfort—have been cast out and now wander pitiably in the forest.

Verse 11

यदि पञ्चदशे वर्षे राघवः पुनरेष्यति।जह्याद्राज्यं च कोषं च भरतो नोपलक्षयते।।2.61.11।।

Even if Rāghava returns in the fifteenth year, it does not seem that Bharata will relinquish the kingdom and the treasury.

Verse 12

भोजयन्ति किल श्राद्धे केचित्स्वानेव बान्धवान्।ततः पश्चात्समीक्षन्ते कृतकार्या द्विजर्षभान्।।2.61.12।।

Some, it is said, at a śrāddha first feed only their own kinsmen; then afterward—thinking their duty fulfilled—they seek out the best of brāhmaṇas.

Verse 13

तत्र ये गुणवन्तश्च विद्वांसश्च द्विजातयः।न पश्चात्तेऽभिमन्यन्ते सुधामपि सुरोपमाः।।2.61.13।।

There, the twice-born who are virtuous and learned—godlike in bearing—do not accept what is offered after others, even if it were amṛta, the nectar of immortality.

Verse 14

ब्राह्मणेष्वपि तृप्तेषु पश्चाद्भोक्तुं द्विजर्षभाः।नाभ्युपैतुमलं प्राज्ञा श्शृङ्गच्छेदमिवर्षभाः।।2.61.14।।

Even when the brāhmaṇas are satisfied, the wise—best among the twice-born—will not consent to eat afterward, like bulls that cannot endure the cutting of their horns.

Verse 15

एवं कनीयसा भ्रात्रा भुक्तं राज्यं विशाम्पते।भ्राता ज्येष्ठो वरिष्ठश्च किमर्थं नावमंस्यते।।2.61.15।।

So too, O lord of men: if the younger brother has already ‘enjoyed’ the kingdom, why should not the elder, worthier brother disdain it?

Verse 16

न परेणाऽहृतं भक्ष्यं व्याघ्रः खादितुमिच्छति।एवमेतन्नरव्याघ्रः परलीढं न मन्यते।।2.61.16।।

A tiger does not wish to eat food procured by another beast; so too Rāma—the tiger among men—will not accept a kingdom already “tasted” and enjoyed by others.

Verse 17

हविराज्यं पुरोडाशाः कुशा यूपाश्च खादिराः।नैतानि यातयामानि कुर्वन्ति पुनरध्वरे।।2.61.17।।

Offerings—ghee, sacrificial cakes, kuśa grass, and khadira-wood posts—once time-worn and already used, are not employed again in a sacrifice.

Verse 18

तथा ह्यात्तमिदं राज्यं हृतसारां सुरामिव।नाभिमन्तुमलं रामो नष्टसोममिवाध्वरम्।।2.61.18।।

So too, this kingdom—already enjoyed by others—would be like liquor whose essence has been drained; Rāma is not fit to accept it, like a sacrifice in which the Soma has been lost.

Verse 19

न चेमां धर्षणां राम सङ्गच्छेदत्यमर्षणः।दारयेन्मन्दरमपि स हि क्रुद्धश्शितैश्शरैः।।2.61.19।।

Rāma, of unyielding resolve, would not submit to such an indignity; if angered, he could even split Mount Mandara with his sharp arrows.

Verse 20

त्वां तु नोत्सहते हन्तुं महात्मा पितृगौरवात्।ससोमार्कग्रहगणं नभस्ताराविचित्रितम्।।2.61.20।।पातयेद्योदिवं क्रुद्धस्सत्वां न व्यतिवर्तते।प्रक्षोभयेद्वारये द्वा महीं शैलशताचिताम्।।2.61.21।।

But the great-souled Rāma cannot bring himself to strike you, out of reverence for his father. Even one who, in anger, could pull down the star-strewn sky with its Sun, Moon, and planets, does not transgress you; he would rather shake—nay, even rend—the earth ringed with hundreds of mountains than violate filial duty.

Verse 21

त्वां तु नोत्सहते हन्तुं महात्मा पितृगौरवात्।ससोमार्कग्रहगणं नभस्ताराविचित्रितम्।।2.61.20।।पातयेद्योदिवं क्रुद्धस्सत्वां न व्यतिवर्तते।प्रक्षोभयेद्वारये द्वा महीं शैलशताचिताम्।।2.61.21।।

But the great-souled Rāma cannot bring himself to strike you, out of reverence for his father. Even one who, in anger, could pull down the star-strewn sky with its Sun, Moon, and planets, does not transgress you; he would rather shake—nay, even rend—the earth ringed with hundreds of mountains than violate filial duty.

Verse 22

नैवं विधमसत्कारं राघवो मर्षयिष्यति।बलवानिव शार्दूलो वालधेरभिमर्शनम्।।2.61.22।।

Rāghava will not endure an insult of this kind—just as a powerful tiger will not tolerate the handling of its tail.

Verse 23

नैतस्य सहिता लोका भयं कुर्युर्महामृथे।अधर्मंत्विह धर्मात्मा लोकं धर्मेण योजयेत्।।2.61.23।।

Even if all the worlds united against him in a great battle, they would not make him afraid. Here, where unrighteousness prevails, that righteous-souled one would set the world back upon dharma through dharma itself.

Verse 24

नन्वसौ काञ्चनैर्बाणैर्महावीर्यो महाभुजः।युगान्त इव भूतानि सागरानपि निर्दहेत्।।2.61.24।।

Indeed, that mighty hero, the great-armed one—by his golden arrows—could burn up beings and even the oceans, as at the world’s end.

Verse 25

स तादृशस्सिंहबलो वृषभाक्षो नरर्षभः।स्वयमेव हतः पित्रा जलजेनात्मजो यथा।।2.61.25।।

Such a Rāma—bull among men, lion-strong, with bull-like eyes—has been slain by his own father, as a fish destroys its own offspring.

Verse 26

द्विजातिचरितो धर्मश्शास्त्रदृष्टस्सनातनः।यदि ते धर्मनिरते त्वया पुत्रे विवासिते।।2.61.26।।

If the eternal dharma—seen in the śāstras and practiced by the twice-born—truly stands with you, how could you have banished your son who is devoted to righteousness?

Verse 27

गतिरेका पतिर्नार्या द्वितीया गतिरात्मजः।तृतीया ज्ञातयो राजंश्चतुर्थी नेह विद्यते।।2.61.27।।

O king, a woman has but one refuge—her husband; her second refuge is her son; her third, her kin. In this world there is no fourth.

Verse 28

Truly, I have no purpose with you any longer. Rama has taken refuge in the forest, and I do not wish to go there. In every way, I have been ruined by you.

Verse 29

वनं गते धर्मपरे रामे रमयतां वरे।कौसल्या रुदती स्वार्ता भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.61.1।।

When Rama—devoted to dharma and foremost in pleasing others—had gone to the forest, Kausalya, sobbing in bitter anguish, spoke these words to her husband.

Verse 30

वनं गते धर्मपरे रामे रमयतां वरे।कौसल्या रुदती स्वार्ता भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.61.1।।

When Rama—devoted to dharma and foremost in pleasing others—had gone to the forest, Kausalya, sobbing in bitter anguish, addressed her husband.