← 2.31 A throne or one more night · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.33 Bark garments over Sītā’s silk →
Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 32: Kaikeyī opposes Rāma’s escort
Summary. Daśaratha offers troops and supplies, Kaikeyī cites Asamañja’s exile, Siddhārtha distinguishes Rāma’s innocence
Sequence
- Daśaratha orders Sumantra to prepare an army, attendants, merchants, companions, and abundant supplies to accompany Rāma (2.32.1–4)
- he wants the granary and treasury sent too, so that Rāma can live comfortably and perform religious rites while Bharata governs Ayodhyā (2.32.5–8)
- Kaikeyī objects that Bharata will not accept a Kingdom drained of its people and resources → Daśaratha rebukes her for adding to the burden she has already imposed (2.32.9–11)
- she cites their ancestor Sagara's banishment of his son Asamañja as a precedent (2.32.12–13)
- the minister Siddhārtha explains that Asamañja used to throw children into the Sarayū and was expelled after their parents protested → he asks what comparable offense Rāma has committed (2.32.14–20)
- Daśaratha declares that he too will leave the Kingdom and follow Rāma. (2.32.21–22)
Verses 2.32.1–22
2.32.1
tataḥ sumantram aikṣvākaḥ pīḍito 'tra pratijñayā
sabāṣpam atiniḥśvasya jagādedaṃ punaḥ punaḥ
Then the descendant of Ikṣvāku, tormented here by his promise, sighing deeply and in tears, said this to Sumantra again and again:
Words: tataḥ — then; sumantram — to Sumantra; aikṣvākaḥ — the descendant of Ikṣvāku (Daśaratha); pīḍito — tormented; 'tra — here; pratijñayā — by the promise, vow; sabāṣpam — tearfully, with tears; atiniḥśvasya — sighing deeply; jagādedaṃ — said this; punaḥ punaḥ — again and again
2.32.2
sūta ratnasusaṃpūrṇā caturvidhabalā camūḥ
rāgavasyānuyātrārthaṃ kṣipraṃ pratividhīyatām
“Charioteer, let an army well filled with treasures and of fourfold strength be swiftly made ready to escort Rāghava.
Words: sūta — O charioteer; ratnasusaṃpūrṇā — well filled with jewels; caturvidhabalā — having a fourfold army; camūḥ — host, army; rāgavasyānuyātrārthaṃ — for the purpose of escorting Rāghava; kṣipraṃ — quickly; pratividhīyatām — let it be arranged, provided
2.32.3
rūpājīvā ca śālinyo vaṇijaś ca mahādhanāḥ
śobhayantu kumārasya vāhinīṃ suprasāritāḥ
Let courtesans who live by their beauty, and richly adorned women, and merchants of great wealth, well arrayed, grace the prince's marching train.
Words: rūpājīvā — courtesans (living by their beauty); ca — and; śālinyo — graceful, richly adorned women; vaṇijaś — merchants; ca — and; mahādhanāḥ — of great wealth; śobhayantu — let them adorn, grace; kumārasya — of the prince; vāhinīṃ — the marching train, host; suprasāritāḥ — well arrayed, spread out
2.32.4
ye cainam upajīvanti ramate yaiś ca vīryataḥ
teṣāṃ bahuvidhaṃ dattvā tān apy atra niyojaya
And those who live in his service, and those in whose company he delights for their valour—having given them manifold gifts, appoint them too to this retinue.
Words: ye — who (pl.); cainam — and him; upajīvanti — live upon, depend on; ramate — he delights; yaiś — by whom; ca — and; vīryataḥ — for valour, by prowess; teṣāṃ — to them; bahuvidhaṃ — manifold (wealth); dattvā — having given; tān — them; apy — also; atra — here, to this; niyojaya — appoint, engage
2.32.5
nighnan mṛgān kuñjarāṃś ca pibaṃś cāraṇyakaṃ madhu
nadīś ca vividhāḥ paśyan na rājyaṃ saṃsmariṣyati
Slaying deer and elephants, drinking wild forest honey, and gazing on rivers of many kinds, he will not remember the kingdom.
Words: nighnan — slaying; mṛgān — deer, game; kuñjarāṃś — elephants; ca — and; pibaṃś — drinking; cāraṇyakaṃ — and forest-(honey); madhu — honey; nadīś — rivers; ca — and; vividhāḥ — various, of many kinds; paśyan — seeing; na — not; rājyaṃ — the kingdom; saṃsmariṣyati — will remember
2.32.6
dhānyakośaś ca yaḥ kaś cid dhanakośaś ca māmakaḥ
tau rāmam anugacchetāṃ vasantaṃ nirjane vane
Whatever granary and whatever treasury of mine there is—let those two follow Rāma as he dwells in the desolate forest.
Words: dhānyakośaś — granary, store of grain; ca — and; yaḥ kaś cid — whatever there is; dhanakośaś — treasury, store of wealth; ca — and; māmakaḥ — my, mine; tau — those two; rāmam — Rāma; anugacchetāṃ — let the two follow; vasantaṃ — dwelling; nirjane — in the uninhabited, lonely; vane — forest
2.32.7
yajan puṇyeṣu deśeṣu visṛjaṃś cāptadakṣiṇāḥ
ṛṣibhiś ca samāgamya pravatsyati sukhaṃ vane
Sacrificing in holy places, bestowing ample sacrificial fees, and consorting with the sages, he will dwell happily in the forest.
Words: yajan — sacrificing; puṇyeṣu — in holy; deśeṣu — places; visṛjaṃś — bestowing, distributing; cāptadakṣiṇāḥ — and ample sacrificial fees; ṛṣibhiś — with the sages; ca — and; samāgamya — having met, consorted; pravatsyati — he will dwell; sukhaṃ — happily; vane — in the forest
2.32.8
bharataś ca mahābāhur ayodhyāṃ pālayiṣyati
sarvakāmaiḥ punaḥ śrīmān rāmaḥ saṃsādhyatām iti
And mighty-armed Bharata will govern Ayodhyā; furthermore, let the illustrious Rāma be furnished with every object of desire.”
Words: bharataś — Bharata; ca — and; mahābāhur — mighty-armed; ayodhyāṃ — Ayodhyā; pālayiṣyati — will protect, govern; sarvakāmaiḥ — with all objects of desire; punaḥ — furthermore, moreover; śrīmān — the illustrious, glorious; rāmaḥ — Rāma; saṃsādhyatām — let (him) be furnished, provided; iti — thus
2.32.9
evaṃ bruvati kākutsthe kaikeyyā bhayam āgatam
mukhaṃ cāpy agamāc cheṣaṃ svaraś cāpi nyarudhyata
As Kākutstha spoke thus, fear came upon Kaikeyī; her face too lost its colour, and her voice was choked.
Words: evaṃ — thus; bruvati — speaking (loc. abs.); kākutsthe — Kākutstha (Daśaratha) (loc. abs.); kaikeyyā — upon Kaikeyī; bhayam — fear; āgatam — came; mukhaṃ — face; cāpy — and also; agamāc — went to; cheṣaṃ — a wan remnant, pallor; svaraś — voice; cāpi — and also; nyarudhyata — was choked, stopped
2.32.10
sā viṣaṇṇā ca saṃtrastā kaikeyī vākyam abravīt
rājyaṃ gatajanaṃ sādho pītamaṇḍāṃ surām iva
nirāsvādyatamaṃ śūnyaṃ bharato nābhipatsyate
Dejected and alarmed, Kaikeyī said: “A realm emptied of its people, O good sir—like liquor whose froth has been drained off, utterly savourless and hollow—Bharata will not accept.”
Words: sā — she; viṣaṇṇā — dejected; ca — and; saṃtrastā — alarmed, terrified; kaikeyī — Kaikeyī; vākyam — words; abravīt — said; rājyaṃ — kingdom, realm; gatajanaṃ — with its people gone, depopulated; sādho — O good one; pītamaṇḍāṃ — whose froth is drained off; surām — liquor, wine; iva — like; nirāsvādyatamaṃ — utterly tasteless; śūnyaṃ — empty, hollow; bharato — Bharata; nābhipatsyate — will not accept, take
2.32.11
kaikeyyāṃ muktalajjāyāṃ vadantyām atidāruṇam
rājā daśaratho vākyam uvācāyatalocanām
vahantaṃ kiṃ tudasi māṃ niyujya dhuri māhite
While shameless Kaikeyī was speaking these most cruel words, King Daśaratha said to the wide-eyed woman: “Why, O malevolent one, having yoked me to the burden, do you goad me who already bear it?”
Words: kaikeyyāṃ — when Kaikeyī (loc.); muktalajjāyāṃ — shameless (with shame cast off); vadantyām — speaking (loc.); atidāruṇam — most cruel, terrible; rājā — the king; daśaratho — Daśaratha; vākyam — words; uvācāyatalocanām — said to the wide-eyed (woman); vahantaṃ — (me) bearing (the load); kiṃ — why; tudasi — do you goad, prick; māṃ — me; niyujya — having yoked, harnessed; dhuri — to the yoke, burden; māhite — me, O malevolent one
2.32.12
kaikeyī dviguṇaṃ kruddhā rājānam idam abravīt
tavaiva vaṃśe sagaro jyeṣṭhaṃ putram upārudhat
asamañja iti khyātaṃ tathāyaṃ gantum arhati
Doubly enraged, Kaikeyī said this to the king: “In your own very line Sagara drove out his eldest son, the one known as Asamañja; just so, this one too ought to go.”
Words: kaikeyī — Kaikeyī; dviguṇaṃ — doubly, twofold; kruddhā — enraged; rājānam — to the king; idam — this; abravīt — said; tavaiva — in your very; vaṃśe — lineage, line; sagaro — Sagara; jyeṣṭhaṃ — eldest; putram — son; upārudhat — drove out, banished; asamañja — Asamañja; iti — thus; khyātaṃ — known, named; tathāyaṃ — so this one; gantum — to go; arhati — ought, deserves
2.32.13
evam ukto dhig ity eva rājā daśaratho 'bravīt
vrīḍitaś ca janaḥ sarvaḥ sā ca tan nāvabudhyata
So addressed, King Daśaratha said only “Shame!”; all the people were abashed, but she took no heed of it.
Words: evam — thus; ukto — addressed; dhig — “Shame!”; ity — thus; eva — only, indeed; rājā — the king; daśaratho — Daśaratha; 'bravīt — said; vrīḍitaś — ashamed, abashed; ca — and; janaḥ — the people; sarvaḥ — all; sā — she; ca — but; tan — that; nāvabudhyata — took no heed, did not understand
2.32.14
tatra vṛddho mahāmātraḥ siddhārtho nāma nāmataḥ
śucir bahumato rājñaḥ kaikeyīm idam abravīt
There an aged minister, Siddhārtha by name, pure and highly esteemed by the king, said this to Kaikeyī:
Words: tatra — there; vṛddho — aged; mahāmātraḥ — great minister, high official; siddhārtho — Siddhārtha; nāma — by name; nāmataḥ — by name (indeed); śucir — pure; bahumato — highly esteemed; rājñaḥ — by the king; kaikeyīm — to Kaikeyī; idam — this; abravīt — said
2.32.15
asamañjo gṛhītvā tu krīḍitaḥ pathi dārakān
sarayvāḥ prakṣipann apsu ramate tena durmatiḥ
Asamañja, in his wanton sport, would seize children on the road and fling them into the waters of the Sarayū, and that evil-minded one delighted in it.
Words: asamañjo — Asamañja; gṛhītvā — having seized; tu — indeed; krīḍitaḥ — in his sport, wanton play; pathi — on the road; dārakān — children, boys; sarayvāḥ — of the Sarayū; prakṣipann — throwing, casting; apsu — in the waters; ramate — delights; tena — in that, thereby; durmatiḥ — the evil-minded one
2.32.16
taṃ dṛṣṭvā nāgaraḥ sarve kruddhā rājānam abruvan
asamañjaṃ vṛṣīṇvaikam asmān vā rāṣṭravardhana
Seeing him, all the citizens, enraged, said to the king: “Choose either Asamañja alone, or us, O enlarger of the realm!”
Words: taṃ — him; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; nāgaraḥ — the citizens, townsfolk; sarve — all; kruddhā — enraged; rājānam — to the king; abruvan — said; asamañjaṃ — Asamañja; vṛṣīṇvaikam — choose one!; asmān — us; vā — or; rāṣṭravardhana — O enlarger of the realm
2.32.17
tān uvāca tato rājā kiṃnimittam idaṃ bhayam
tāś cāpi rājñā saṃpṛṣṭā vākyaṃ prakṛtayo 'bruvan
Then the king said to them: “From what cause is this alarm?” And the subjects, thus questioned by the king, spoke these words:
Words: tān — to them; uvāca — said; tato — then; rājā — the king; kiṃnimittam — from what cause; idaṃ — this; bhayam — fear, alarm; tāś — they (fem.); cāpi — and also; rājñā — by the king; saṃpṛṣṭā — questioned; vākyaṃ — words; prakṛtayo — the subjects; 'bruvan — said
2.32.18
krīḍitas tv eṣa naḥ putrān bālān udbhrāntacetanaḥ
sarayvāṃ prakṣipan maurkhyād atulāṃ prītim aśnute
“This man, his mind deranged, in wanton sport flings our young sons into the Sarayū, and out of sheer folly derives from it a matchless delight.”
Words: krīḍitas — in wanton sport, at play; tv — indeed; eṣa — this one; naḥ — our; putrān — sons; bālān — young, children; udbhrāntacetanaḥ — of frenzied, deranged mind; sarayvāṃ — into the Sarayū; prakṣipan — throwing, casting; maurkhyād — out of folly; atulāṃ — incomparable, matchless; prītim — pleasure, delight; aśnute — obtains, enjoys
2.32.19
sa tāsāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā prakṛtīnāṃ narādhipa
taṃ tatyājāhitaṃ putraṃ tāsāṃ priyacikīrṣayā
Having heard the words of his subjects, O lord of men, he cast out that pernicious son, wishing to do them a kindness.
Words: sa — he; tāsāṃ — their; vacanaṃ — words; śrutvā — having heard; prakṛtīnāṃ — of the subjects; narādhipa — O lord of men; taṃ — him, that; tatyājāhitaṃ — cast out the harmful (son); putraṃ — son; tāsāṃ — their; priyacikīrṣayā — out of a wish to do (them) a kindness
2.32.20
ity evam atyajad rājā sagaro vai sudhārmikaḥ
rāmaḥ kim akarot pāpaṃ yenaivam uparudhyate
“Thus did the righteous King Sagara cast him out. But what sin has Rāma done, that he should be banished in this way?”
Words: ity — thus; evam — so; atyajad — abandoned, cast out; rājā — the king; sagaro — Sagara; vai — indeed; sudhārmikaḥ — most righteous; rāmaḥ — Rāma; kim — what; akarot — did; pāpaṃ — sin, evil; yenaivam — by which, so that thus; uparudhyate — is being banished, restrained
2.32.21
śrutvā tu siddhārthavaco rājā śrāntatarasvanaḥ
śokopahatayā vācā kaikeyīm idam abravīt
But hearing Siddhārtha's words, the king, his voice grown utterly faint, said this to Kaikeyī with grief-stricken speech:
Words: śrutvā — having heard; tu — but; siddhārthavaco — Siddhārtha's words; rājā — the king; śrāntatarasvanaḥ — with very faint voice; śokopahatayā — stricken with grief; vācā — with voice, speech; kaikeyīm — to Kaikeyī; idam — this; abravīt — said
2.32.22
anuvrajiṣyāmy aham adya rāmaṃ rājyaṃ parityajya sukhaṃ dhanaṃ ca
sahaiva rājñā bharatena ca tvaṃ yathā sukhaṃ bhuṅkṣva cirāya rājyam
“This very day I shall follow Rāma, renouncing kingdom, comfort, and wealth. You, together with King Bharata, enjoy the kingdom at your pleasure for long years to come.”
Words: anuvrajiṣyāmy — I shall follow; aham — I; adya — today, this very day; rāmaṃ — Rāma; rājyaṃ — the kingdom; parityajya — having renounced, given up; sukhaṃ — comfort, happiness; dhanaṃ — wealth; ca — and; sahaiva — together with; rājñā — the king; bharatena — Bharata; ca — and; tvaṃ — you; yathā sukhaṃ — at your pleasure, at ease; bhuṅkṣva — enjoy!; cirāya — for a long time; rājyam — the kingdom
← 2.31 A throne or one more night · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.33 Bark garments over Sītā’s silk →
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.
Plain text: /text/2/32.md · JSON: /data/2/32.json