Sarga 18

स ददर्शासने रामो निषण्णं पितरं शुभे। कैकेयीसहितं दीनं मुखेन परिशुष्यता।।2.18.1।।

Rama beheld his father reclined on an auspicious couch and by his side was seated Kaikeyi. He looked...

स पितुश्चरणौ पूर्वमभिवाद्य विनीतवत्। ततो ववन्दे चरणौ कैकेय्या स्सुसमाहितः।।2.18.2।।

With all humility and wellcomposed mind, he made reverential salutation first at his father's feet a...

रामेत्युक्त्वा तु वचनं बाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणः। शशाक नृपतिर्दीनो नेक्षितुं नाभिभाषितुम्।।2.18.3।।

Dasaratha uttered the word 'Rama', but thereafter could neither say any more in distress nor look a...

तदपूर्वं नरपतेर्दृष्ट्वा रूपं भयावहम्। रामोऽपि भयमापन्नः पदा स्पृष्ट्वेव पन्नगम्।।2.18.4।।

Never before did Rama see such frightful appearance of his father. He was seized with fear as if he...

इन्द्रियैरप्रहृष्टैस्तं शोकसन्तापकर्शितम्। निश्श्वसन्तं महाराजं व्यथिताकुलचेतसम्।।2.18.5।। ऊर्मिमालि...

Maharaja (Dasaratha) with his senses dulled had become emaciated due to sorrow and suffering. With a...

इन्द्रियैरप्रहृष्टैस्तं शोकसन्तापकर्शितम्। निश्श्वसन्तं महाराजं व्यथिताकुलचेतसम्।।2.18.5।। ऊर्मिमालि...

Maharaja (Dasaratha) with his senses dulled had become emaciated due to sorrow and suffering. With a...

अचिन्त्यकल्पं हि पितुस्तं शोकमुपधारयन्। बभूव संरब्धतर स्समुद्र इव पर्वणि।।2.18.7।।

The more Rama reflected on the incomprehensible sorrow of the king, the more he became perturbed lik...

चिन्तयामास च तदा रामः पितृहिते रतः। किं स्विदद्यैव नृपतिर्न मां प्रत्यभिनन्दति।।2.18.8।।

Devoted to his father's wellbeing, Rama reflected, Why does not father reciprocate my greeting (like...

अन्यदा मां पिता दृष्ट्वा कुपितोऽपि प्रसीदति। तस्य मामद्य संप्रेक्ष्य किमायासः प्रवर्तते।।2.18.9।।

On other occasions even though angry he would feel pleased. But today why does he feel sad even aft...

स दीन इव शोकार्तो विषण्णवदनद्युतिः। कैकेयीमभिवाद्यैव रामो वचनमब्रवीत्।।2.18.10।।

With a sorrowful countenance Rama made salutation to Kaikeyi and said like a wretch tormented with g...

कच्चिन्मया नापराद्धमज्ञानाद्येन मे पिता। कुपितस्तन्ममाचक्ष्व त्वं चैवैनं प्रसादय।।2.18.11।।

Have I committed any offence unknowingly? Please tell me why my father is angry with me. You alone c...

अप्रसन्नमनाः किन्नु सदा मां प्रति वत्सलः। विवर्णवदनो दीनो न हि मामभिभाषते।।2.18.12।।

Father has always been affectionate to me but today why is he in a dejected mood? Why does his coun...

शरीरो मानसो वापि कच्चिदेनं न बाधते। सन्तापोवाऽभितापो वा दुर्लभं हि सदा सुखम्।।2.18.13।।

Is he suffering from any physical ailment or mental agony? It is affliction of either the body or th...

कच्चिन्न किञ्चिद्भरते कुमारे प्रियदर्शने। शत्रुघ्ने वा महासत्त्वे मात्रूणां वा ममाशुभम्।।2.18.14।।

Has any misfortune befallen the handsome Bharata or the mighty Satrughna or any of my mothers?

अतोषयन्महाराजमकुर्वन्वा पितुर्वचः। मुहूर्तमपि नेच्छेयं जीवितुं कुपिते नृपे।।2.18.15।।

If I have (ever) displeased the maharaja, my father or disobeyed his command which has angered him, ...

यतोमूलं नरः पश्येत्प्रादुर्भावमिहात्मनः। कथं तस्मिन्नवर्तेत प्रत्यक्षे सति दैवते।।2.18.16।।

How can a man who owes his origin (birth) in this world to him (father) who still exists as a visibl...

कच्चित्ते परुषं किञ्चिदभिमानात्पतिता मम। उक्तो भवत्या कोपेन यत्रास्य लुलितं मनः।।2.18.17।।

Have you said anything harsh to my father out of anger or (injured) selfrespect for which his mind h...

एतदाचक्ष्व मे देवि तत्त्वेन परिपृच्छतः। किं निमित्तमपूर्वोयं विकारो मनुजाधिपे।।2.18.18।।

O Devi I am repeatedly asking you the cause of this unprecedented change in the king please tell me ...

एवमुक्ता तु कैकेयी राघवेण महात्मना। उवाचेदं सुनिर्लज्जा धृष्टमात्महितं वचः।।2.18.19।।

When Kaikeyi was thus asked by the magnanimous scion of the Raghus (Rama) she uttered unashamed thes...

न राजा कुपितो राम व्यसनं नास्य किञ्चन। किञ्चिन्मनोगतंत्वस्य त्वद्भयान्नाभिभाषते।।2.18.20।।

O Rama, the king is neither angry, nor has any misforturne befallen him. But out of fear for you he ...

प्रियं त्वामप्रियं वक्तुं वाणी नास्योपवर्तते। तदवश्यं त्वया कार्यं यदनेनाश्रुतं मम।।2.18.21।।

The goddess of speech does not permit him to say an unpleasant thing to you for you are his beloved ...

एष मह्यं वरं दत्त्वा पुरा मामभिपूज्य च। स पश्चात्तप्यते राजा यथाऽन्यः प्राकृतस्तथा।।2.18.22।।

In the past the king had honoured me with (two) boons. Now like any other common man he is repenting...

अतिसृज्य ददानीति वरं मम विशांपतिः। स निरर्थं गतजले सेतुं बन्धितुमिच्छति।।2.18.23।।

The king bestowed on me boons saying, 'I shall grant you two boons'. But now he wishes in vain to bu...

धर्ममूलमिदं राम विदितं च सतामपि। तत्सत्यं न त्यजेद्राजा कुपितस्त्वत्कृते यथा।।2.18.24।।

O Rama, this (truth) is the basis of righteousness. The virtuous also know this. The king being angr...

यदि तद्वक्ष्यते राजा शुभं वा यदि वाऽशुभम्। करिष्यसि ततस्सर्वमाख्यास्यामि पुनस्त्वहम्।।2.18.25।।

If you fulfil whatever the king says, pleasant or unpleasant, I shall relate to you everything.

यदि त्वभिहितं राज्ञा त्वयि तन्न विपत्स्यते। ततोऽहमभिधास्यामि न ह्येष त्वयि वक्ष्यति।।2.18.26।।

If you do not transgress the word given by the king I shall tell you everything. The king on his own...

एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा कैकेय्या समुदाहृतम्। उवाच व्यथितो रामस्तां देवीं नृपसन्निधौ।।2.18.27।।

Very much depressed on hearing the words of Kaikeyi, Rama thus said to her in the presence of the ki...

अहो धिङ्नार्हसे देवि वक्तुं मामीदृशं वचः। अहं हि वचनाद्राज्ञः पतेयमपि पावके।।2.18.28।। भक्षयेयं विषं...

Alas, what a pity, O queen, it does not behove you to speak to me such words. I can jump into fire. ...

अहो धिङ्नार्हसे देवि वक्तुं मामीदृशं वचः। अहं हि वचनाद्राज्ञः पतेयमपि पावके।।2.18.28।। भक्षयेयं विषं...

Alas, what a pity, O queen, it does not behove you to speak to me such words. I can jump into fire. ...

तद्ब्रूहि वचनं देवि राज्ञो यदभिकाङ्क्षितम्। करिष्ये प्रतिजाने च रामो द्विर्नाभिभाषते।।2.18.30।।

Hence tell me, O Devi Whatever be the desire of the king: I promise I shall carry out, Rama does not...

तमार्जवसमायुक्तमनार्या सत्यवादिनम्। उवाच रामं कैकेयी वचनं भृशदारुणम्।।2.18.31।।

To Rama who was devoted to truth and to rectitude of conduct the ignobale Kaikeyi said:

पुरा दैवासुरे युद्धे पित्रा ते मम राघव। रक्षितेन वरौ दत्तौ सशल्येन महारणे।।2.18.32।।

O descendant of Raghu in the great war between gods and demons in the past your father had granted m...

तत्र मे याचितो राजा भरतस्याभिषेचनम्। गमनं दण्डकारण्ये तव चाद्यैव राघव।।2.18.33।।

O scion of the Raghus, hence I have asked the king for consecration of Bharata and your departure to...

यदि सत्यप्रतिज्ञं त्वं पितरं कर्तुमिच्छसि। आत्मानं च नरश्रेष्ठ मम वाक्यमिदं शृणु।।2.18.34।।

O the best of men if you want to be true to the word given by you and your father, listen to what I ...

सन्निदेशे पितुस्तिष्ठ यथा तेन प्रतिश्रुतम्। त्वयाऽरण्यं प्रवेष्टव्यं नव वर्षाणि पञ्च च।।2.18.35।।

Abide by your father's command. As promised by him go to the forest for fourteen years.

भरतस्त्वभिषिच्येत यदेतदभिषेचनम्। त्वदर्थे विहितं राज्ञा तेन सर्वेण राघव।।2.18.36।।

Bharata shall be consecrated, O descendant of the Raghu dynasty with all these preparations made by ...

सप्त सप्त च वर्षाणि दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः। अभिषेकमिमं त्यक्त्वा जटाजिनधरो वस।।2.18.37।।

Forsake this consecration, wear matted locks and deerskin and take refuge in Dandaka forest for four...

भरतः कोसलपुरे प्रशास्तु वसुधामिमाम्। नानारत्न समाकीर्णां सवाजिरथकुञ्जराम्।।2.18.38।।

Let Bharata live in Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala and rule this kingdom rich in gems of different k...

एतेन त्वां नरेन्द्रोऽयं कारुण्येन समाप्लुतः। शोकसंक्लिष्ट वदनो न शक्नोति निरीक्षितुम्।।2.18.39।।

This is why the king with his face tortured by tears and (his heart) overwhelmed with compassion for...

एतत्कुरु नरेन्द्रस्य वचनं रघुनन्दन। सत्येन महता राम तारयस्व नरेश्वरम्।।2.18.40।।

O Joy of the Raghus, O son of the Raghu race, carry out the word of promise given by the king and sa...

इतीव तस्यां परुषं वदन्त्यां न चैव रामः प्रविवेश शोकम्। प्रविव्यथे चापि महानुभावो राजा तु पुत्रव्यसना...

Even though she was speaking harsh words, Rama did not come to grief. But the magnanimous king was g...