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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 28: Lakṣmaṇa joins the exile
Summary. He promises service to Rāma & Sītā and retrieves the paired bows, armour, quivers and swords from their teacher
Sequence
- When Lakṣmaṇa asks to accompany them, Rāma asks who will care for Kausalyā and Sumitrā: their father is overwhelmed, and Kaikeyī may not help them (2.28.1–4)
- Lakṣmaṇa replies that Bharata will honor both women and that Kausalyā has a thousand villages for her support—enough, he says, to maintain a thousand men like himself (2.28.5–7)
- he offers to walk ahead with his bow, spade, and basket, find the route, gather food, and attend to Rāma and Sītā whether they are awake or asleep (2.28.8–10)
- Rāma agrees and sends him to take leave of their friends and fetch the weapons kept at their teacher's house: two divine bows given by Varuṇa at Janaka's sacrifice, two suits of armor, two inexhaustible quivers, and two swords (2.28.11–14)
- Lakṣmaṇa returns with them (2.28.15–16)
- Rāma asks his help in distributing their possessions among brāhmaṇas, tapasvins, and dependents → first, he is to bring Vasiṣṭha's son Suyajña. (2.28.17–20)
Verses 2.28.1–20
2.28.1
tato 'bravīn mahātejā rāmo lakṣmaṇam agrataḥ
sthitaṃ prāggāminaṃ vīraṃ yācamānaṃ kṛtāñjalim
Then the mighty Rāma spoke to Lakṣmaṇa, who stood before him, the hero eager to go ahead, entreating him with palms joined.
Words: tato — then; 'bravīn — spoke; mahātejā — the mighty one; rāmo — Rāma; lakṣmaṇam — to Lakṣmaṇa; agrataḥ — in front; sthitaṃ — standing; prāggāminaṃ — eager to go ahead; vīraṃ — the hero; yācamānaṃ — entreating; kṛtāñjalim — with palms joined
2.28.2
mayādya saha saumitre tvayi gacchati tad vanam
ko bhariṣyati kausalyāṃ sumitrāṃ vā yaśasvinīm
“O Saumitri, if today you too go to that forest along with me, who will support Kausalyā, or the illustrious Sumitrā?
Words: mayādya — with me today; saha — together; saumitre — O Saumitri; tvayi gacchati — when you go; tad vanam — to that forest; ko — who; bhariṣyati — will support, maintain; kausalyāṃ — Kausalyā; sumitrāṃ vā — or Sumitrā; yaśasvinīm — the illustrious
2.28.3
abhivarṣati kāmair yaḥ parjanyaḥ pṛthivīm iva
sa kāmapāśaparyasto mahātejā mahīpatiḥ
The mighty lord of the earth, who showers his people with all they desire as the rain-cloud showers the earth, is now caught fast in the noose of love.
Words: abhivarṣati — showers upon; kāmair — with desired things; yaḥ — who; parjanyaḥ — the rain-cloud; pṛthivīm iva — like the earth; sa — he; kāmapāśaparyasto — caught in the noose of love; mahātejā — the mighty one; mahīpatiḥ — the lord of the earth
2.28.4
sā hi rājyam idaṃ prāpya nṛpasyāśvapateḥ sutā
duḥkhitānāṃ sapatnīnāṃ na kariṣyati śobhanam
For she, the daughter of King Aśvapati, having gained this kingdom, will do nothing kind for her grieving co-wives.
Words: sā hi — for she; rājyam idaṃ — this kingdom; prāpya — having gained; nṛpasyāśvapateḥ — of King Aśvapati; sutā — the daughter; duḥkhitānāṃ — of the grieving; sapatnīnāṃ — co-wives; na — not; kariṣyati — will do; śobhanam — anything good, kindness
2.28.5
evam uktas tu rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇaḥ ślakṣṇayā girā
pratyuvāca tadā rāmaṃ vākyajño vākyakovidam
Thus addressed by Rāma with gentle words, Lakṣmaṇa, skilled in speech, then replied to Rāma, who was himself expert in speech:
Words: evam uktas — thus addressed; tu — and; rāmeṇa — by Rāma; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; ślakṣṇayā — gentle, soft; girā — with speech; pratyuvāca — replied; tadā — then; rāmaṃ — to Rāma; vākyajño — knower of speech; vākyakovidam — expert in speech
2.28.6
tavaiva tejasā vīra bharataḥ pūjayiṣyati
kausalyāṃ ca sumitrāṃ ca prayato nātra saṃśayaḥ
“By your very majesty, O hero, Bharata, being dutiful, will honour Kausalyā and Sumitrā; of this there is no doubt.
Words: tavaiva — by your very; tejasā — majesty, power; vīra — O hero; bharataḥ — Bharata; pūjayiṣyati — will honour; kausalyāṃ ca — and Kausalyā; sumitrāṃ ca — and Sumitrā; prayato — dutiful, reverent; nātra — not in this; saṃśayaḥ — doubt
2.28.7
kausalyā bibhṛyād āryā sahasram api madvidhān
yasyāḥ sahasraṃ grāmāṇāṃ saṃprāptam upajīvanam
The noble Kausalyā could support even a thousand men such as me, she to whom a thousand villages have come as her means of livelihood.
Words: kausalyā — Kausalyā; bibhṛyād — could support; āryā — the noble one; sahasram api — even a thousand; madvidhān — men such as me; yasyāḥ — of whom, to whom; sahasraṃ — a thousand; grāmāṇāṃ — of villages; saṃprāptam — obtained, come; upajīvanam — means of livelihood
2.28.8
dhanur ādāya saśaraṃ khanitrapiṭakādharaḥ
agratas te gamiṣyāmi panthānam anudarśayan
Taking up my bow with arrows, bearing a spade and a basket, I shall walk ahead of you, showing the path.
Words: dhanur — the bow; ādāya — having taken; saśaraṃ — with arrows; khanitrapiṭakādharaḥ — bearing a spade and a basket; agratas — in front; te — of you; gamiṣyāmi — I shall go; panthānam — the path; anudarśayan — showing, pointing out
2.28.9
āhariṣyāmi te nityaṃ mūlāni ca phalāni ca
vanyāni yāni cānyāni svāhārāṇi tapasvinām
I shall always fetch for you roots and fruits, and whatever other wild things are the fitting food of ascetics.
Words: āhariṣyāmi — I shall fetch; te — for you; nityaṃ — always; mūlāni ca — and roots; phalāni ca — and fruits; vanyāni — wild, forest-grown; yāni cānyāni — and whatever other; svāhārāṇi — good foods; tapasvinām — of ascetics
2.28.10
bhavāṃs tu saha vaidehyā girisānuṣu raṃsyate
ahaṃ sarvaṃ kariṣyāmi jāgrataḥ svapataś ca te
You, together with Vaidehī, will take your ease on the mountain slopes; I shall do everything, whether you wake or sleep.
Words: bhavāṃs tu — and you, sir; saha vaidehyā — together with Vaidehī; girisānuṣu — on the mountain slopes; raṃsyate — will take pleasure, ease; ahaṃ — I; sarvaṃ — everything; kariṣyāmi — shall do; jāgrataḥ — of you waking; svapataś ca — and of you sleeping; te — for you
2.28.11
rāmas tv anena vākyena suprītaḥ pratyuvāca tam
vrajāpṛcchasva saumitre sarvam eva suhṛjjanam
Rāma, well pleased by this speech, replied to him: “Go, Saumitri, and take leave of all the circle of friends.
Words: rāmas tv — and Rāma; anena vākyena — by this speech; suprītaḥ — well pleased; pratyuvāca — replied; tam — to him; vrajāpṛcchasva — go and take leave; saumitre — O Saumitri; sarvam eva — all; suhṛjjanam — the folk of friends
2.28.12
ye ca rājño dadau divye mahātmā varuṇaḥ svayam
janakasya mahāyajñe dhanuṣī raudradarśane
And take too the two divine bows, terrible to behold, which the great-souled Varuṇa himself gave to the king at Janaka's great sacrifice,
Words: ye ca — and which; rājño — to the king; dadau — gave; divye — the two divine; mahātmā — the great-souled; varuṇaḥ — Varuṇa; svayam — himself; janakasya — of Janaka; mahāyajñe — at the great sacrifice; dhanuṣī — the two bows; raudradarśane — terrible to behold
2.28.13
abhedyakavace divye tūṇī cākṣayasāyakau
ādityavimalau cobhau khaḍgau hemapariṣkṛtau
and the two divine impenetrable coats of mail, and two quivers with inexhaustible arrows, and both swords bright as the sun and adorned with gold.
Words: abhedyakavace — the two impenetrable coats of mail; divye — the two divine; tūṇī — the two quivers; cākṣayasāyakau — and with inexhaustible arrows; ādityavimalau — the two bright as the sun; cobhau — and both; khaḍgau — the two swords; hemapariṣkṛtau — adorned with gold
2.28.14
satkṛtya nihitaṃ sarvam etad ācāryasadmani
sa tvam āyudham ādāya kṣipram āvraja lakṣmaṇa
All this, reverently deposited, rests in the house of our preceptor; so you, taking up the weapons, come back quickly, Lakṣmaṇa.”
Words: satkṛtya — having honoured, reverently; nihitaṃ — deposited, laid up; sarvam etad — all this; ācāryasadmani — in the preceptor's house; sa tvam — you; āyudham — the weapons; ādāya — having taken; kṣipram — quickly; āvraja — come back; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa
2.28.15
sa suhṛjjanam āmantrya vanavāsāya niścitaḥ
ikṣvākugurum āmantrya jagrāhāyudham uttamam
He, resolved on dwelling in the forest, took leave of the circle of friends, and taking leave of the preceptor of the Ikṣvākus, took up the excellent weapons.
Words: sa — he; suhṛjjanam — the circle of friends; āmantrya — having taken leave of; vanavāsāya — for dwelling in the forest; niścitaḥ — resolved, determined; ikṣvākugurum — the preceptor of the Ikṣvākus; āmantrya — having taken leave of; jagrāhāyudham — took up the weapons; uttamam — excellent
2.28.16
tad divyaṃ rājaśārdūlaḥ satkṛtaṃ mālyabhūṣitam
rāmāya darśayām āsa saumitriḥ sarvam āyudham
That divine array of weapons, honoured and adorned with garlands, Saumitri, a tiger among princes, showed in full to Rāma.
Words: tad divyaṃ — that divine; rājaśārdūlaḥ — a tiger among princes; satkṛtaṃ — honoured; mālyabhūṣitam — adorned with garlands; rāmāya — to Rāma; darśayām āsa — showed; saumitriḥ — Saumitri; sarvam āyudham — all the weaponry
2.28.17
tam uvācātmavān rāmaḥ prītyā lakṣmaṇam āgatam
kāle tvam āgataḥ saumya kāṅkṣite mama lakṣmaṇa
Self-possessed Rāma said with affection to Lakṣmaṇa, who had come: “You have arrived at the very time I longed for, gentle Lakṣmaṇa.
Words: tam — to him; uvācātmavān — the self-possessed one said; rāmaḥ — Rāma; prītyā — with affection; lakṣmaṇam — Lakṣmaṇa; āgatam — who had come; kāle — at the time; tvam — you; āgataḥ — have come; saumya — O gentle one; kāṅkṣite — longed-for; mama — by me; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa
2.28.18
ahaṃ pradātum icchāmi yad idaṃ māmakaṃ dhanam
brāhmaṇebhyas tapasvibhyas tvayā saha paraṃtapa
Together with you, O scorcher of foes, I wish to give away all this wealth of mine to the brahmins and the ascetics —
Words: ahaṃ — I; pradātum — to give away; icchāmi — wish; yad idaṃ — whatever this; māmakaṃ — my own; dhanam — wealth; brāhmaṇebhyas — to the brahmins; tapasvibhyas — to the ascetics; tvayā saha — together with you; paraṃtapa — O scorcher of foes
2.28.19
vasantīha dṛḍhaṃ bhaktyā guruṣu dvijasattamāḥ
teṣām api ca me bhūyaḥ sarveṣāṃ copajīvinām
the finest of brahmins who dwell here with firm devotion to their teachers — to all of them, and further to all my dependents.
Words: vasantīha — dwell here; dṛḍhaṃ — firmly; bhaktyā — with devotion; guruṣu — to the teachers; dvijasattamāḥ — the finest of brahmins; teṣām api ca — and to them too; me — my; bhūyaḥ — further, moreover; sarveṣāṃ — to all; copajīvinām — and of the dependents
2.28.20
vasiṣṭhaputraṃ tu suyajñam āryaṃ tvam ānayāśu pravaraṃ dvijānām
abhiprayāsyāmi vanaṃ samastān abhyarcya śiṣṭān aparān dvijātīn
But bring quickly the noble Suyajña, son of Vasiṣṭha, foremost of the brahmins; and after honouring all the other worthy twice-born, I shall set out for the forest.
Words: vasiṣṭhaputraṃ — the son of Vasiṣṭha; tu — but; suyajñam — Suyajña; āryaṃ — the noble; tvam — you; ānayāśu — bring quickly; pravaraṃ — the foremost; dvijānām — of the brahmins; abhiprayāsyāmi — I shall set out for; vanaṃ — the forest; samastān — all; abhyarcya — having honoured; śiṣṭān — the worthy, learned; aparān — the other; dvijātīn — twice-born
← 2.27 Rāma agrees that Sītā will accompany him · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.29 Rāma’s gifts and Trijaṭa’s staff →
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.
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