← 2.35 The chariot departs · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.37 Daśaratha loses sight of Rāma and rejects Kaikeyī →

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 36: Ayodhyā falls into mourning

Summary. Palace women lament, offerings and daily activity cease, animals refuse food and the city loses its joy

Sequence

  1. The palace women lament the departure of the person who protected them and treated them kindly (2.36.1–6)
  2. their cries deepen Daśaratha's grief → normal activity breaks down: offerings are neglected, animals refuse food or fail to nurse their young, and ominous changes appear in the sky (2.36.7–11)
  3. the people lose interest in food and pleasure, and no cheerful faces remain on the streets (2.36.12–13)
  4. the narrative extends the disturbance to wind, moon, and sun, while families think only of Rāma (2.36.14–15)
  5. his friends remain overcome in their beds, and fear settles over Ayodhyā. (2.36.16–17)

Verses 2.36.1–17

2.36.1

tasmiṃs tu puruṣavyāghre niṣkrāmati kṛtāñjalau
ārtaśabdo hi saṃjajñe strīṇām antaḥpure mahān

As that tiger among men went forth with palms joined, a great cry of distress arose among the women in the inner apartments.

Words: tasmiṃs — him (loc. abs.); tu — but, and; puruṣavyāghre — the tiger among men (loc.); niṣkrāmati — going forth (loc. abs.); kṛtāñjalau — with palms joined; ārtaśabdo — cry of distress; hi — indeed; saṃjajñe — arose, was produced; strīṇām — of the women; antaḥpure — in the inner apartments; mahān — great

2.36.2

anāthasya janasyāsya durbalasya tapasvinaḥ
yo gatiṃ śaraṇaṃ cāsīt sa nāthaḥ kva nu gacchati

Of this defenceless, weak and wretched people, he who was their resort and refuge — where indeed does that protector go?

Words: anāthasya — of the protectorless; janasyāsya — of this people; durbalasya — of the weak; tapasvinaḥ — of the wretched, poor; yo — who; gatiṃ — resort, recourse; śaraṇaṃ — refuge, shelter; cāsīt — and was; sa — that; nāthaḥ — protector, lord; kva — where; nu — indeed, pray; gacchati — goes

2.36.3

na krudhyaty abhiśasto 'pi krodhanīyāni varjayan
kruddhān prasādayan sarvān samaduḥkhaḥ kva gacchati

He does not grow angry even when reviled, shunning all that provokes anger, conciliating all who are angered, and sharing their sorrows — where does he go?

Words: na krudhyaty — does not grow angry; abhiśasto 'pi — even when accused, reviled; krodhanīyāni — things that cause anger; varjayan — avoiding, shunning; kruddhān — the angered ones; prasādayan — conciliating, appeasing; sarvān — all; samaduḥkhaḥ — sharing (their) sorrow; kva — where; gacchati — goes

2.36.4

kausalyāyāṃ mahātejā yathā mātari vartate
tathā yo vartate 'smāsu mahātmā kva nu gacchati

The mighty and great-souled one who behaves toward us just as he behaves toward his mother Kausalyā — where indeed does he go?

Words: kausalyāyāṃ — toward Kausalyā; mahātejā — the mighty, of great splendour; yathā — as, just as; mātari — toward the mother; vartate — behaves, acts; tathā — so, thus; yo — who; vartate — behaves; 'smāsu — toward us; mahātmā — the great-souled; kva — where; nu — indeed; gacchati — goes

2.36.5

kaikeyyā kliśyamānena rājñā saṃcodito vanam
paritrātā janasyāsya jagataḥ kva nu gacchati

Driven to the forest by the king who is tormented by Kaikeyī, the deliverer of this people, of this world — where indeed does he go?

Words: kaikeyyā — by Kaikeyī; kliśyamānena — by (the king) being tormented; rājñā — by the king; saṃcodito — driven, urged; vanam — to the forest; paritrātā — the deliverer, protector; janasyāsya — of this people; jagataḥ — of the world; kva — where; nu — indeed; gacchati — goes

2.36.6

aho niścetano rājā jīvalokasya saṃpriyam
dharmyaṃ satyavrataṃ rāmaṃ vanavāso pravatsyati

Alas, the king is senseless, that Rāma — beloved of the world of the living, righteous, true to his vows — shall dwell in the forest!

Words: aho — alas!; niścetano — senseless, without feeling; rājā — the king; jīvalokasya — of the world of the living; saṃpriyam — dearly beloved; dharmyaṃ — righteous, lawful; satyavrataṃ — true to his vows; rāmaṃ — Rāma; vanavāso — forest-dwelling; pravatsyati — (that he) shall go to dwell

2.36.7

iti sarvā mahiṣyas tā vivatsā iva dhenavaḥ
ruruduś caiva duḥkhārtāḥ sasvaraṃ ca vicukruśuḥ

Thus all those queens, like cows bereft of their calves, wept and, stricken with grief, cried aloud with one voice.

Words: iti — thus; sarvā — all; mahiṣyas — the queens; tā — those; vivatsā — bereft of calves; iva — like, as; dhenavaḥ — cows; ruruduś caiva — and wept; duḥkhārtāḥ — stricken with grief; sasvaraṃ — with one voice, aloud; ca — and; vicukruśuḥ — cried out, wailed

2.36.8

sa tam antaḥpure ghoram ārtaśabdaṃ mahīpatiḥ
putraśokābhisaṃtaptaḥ śrutvā cāsīt suduḥkhitaḥ

And that lord of the earth, hearing that terrible cry of distress in the inner apartments, burning with grief for his son, became sorely afflicted.

Words: sa — he; tam — that; antaḥpure — in the inner apartments; ghoram — terrible; ārtaśabdaṃ — cry of distress; mahīpatiḥ — lord of the earth (king); putraśokābhisaṃtaptaḥ — burning with grief for his son; śrutvā — having heard; cāsīt — and became; suduḥkhitaḥ — sorely grieved

2.36.9

nāgnihotrāṇy ahūyanta sūryaś cāntaradhīyata
vyasṛjan kavalān nāgā gāvo vatsān na pāyayan

The fire-oblations were not offered, and the sun was hidden away; the elephants let fall their mouthfuls, and the cows did not suckle their calves.

Words: nāgnihotrāṇy — the fire-oblations not; ahūyanta — were offered, invoked; sūryaś cāntaradhīyata — and the sun vanished; vyasṛjan — let fall, released; kavalān — mouthfuls, morsels; nāgā — the elephants; gāvo — the cows; vatsān — the calves; na pāyayan — did not suckle, give to drink

2.36.10

triśaṅkur lohitāṅgaś ca bṛhaspatibudhāv api
dāruṇāḥ somam abhyetya grahāḥ sarve vyavasthitāḥ

Triśaṅku (a constellation), Mars, and Jupiter and Mercury too — all the planets, grown baleful, came near the moon and stood there.

Words: triśaṅkur — Triśaṅku (a constellation); lohitāṅgaś ca — and Mars (the red-bodied); bṛhaspatibudhāv api — Jupiter and Mercury too; dāruṇāḥ — fierce, baleful; somam — the moon; abhyetya — having approached; grahāḥ — the planets; sarve — all; vyavasthitāḥ — stationed, standing

2.36.11

nakṣatrāṇi gatārcīṃṣi grahāś ca gatatejasaḥ
viśākhāś ca sadhūmāś ca nabhasi pracakāśire

The lunar mansions with their rays gone dim, and the planets robbed of their brilliance, and the Viśākhā stars veiled in smoke, showed themselves in the sky.

Words: nakṣatrāṇi — the lunar mansions, stars; gatārcīṃṣi — with rays gone; grahāś ca — and the planets; gatatejasaḥ — of vanished splendour; viśākhāś ca — and the Viśākhā stars; sadhūmāś ca — and smoky, veiled in smoke; nabhasi — in the sky; pracakāśire — shone, appeared

2.36.12

akasmān nāgaraḥ sarvo jano dainyam upāgamat
āhāre vā vihāre vā na kaś cid akaron manaḥ

All at once every townsman fell into wretchedness, and no one set his mind on food or on pleasure.

Words: akasmān — suddenly, all at once; nāgaraḥ — of the city, townsman; sarvo — all, every; jano — the people; dainyam — wretchedness, dejection; upāgamat — came to, fell into; āhāre — in food; vā — or; vihāre — in pleasure, recreation; vā — or; na kaś cid — no one; akaron — set, made; manaḥ — mind

2.36.13

bāṣpaparyākulamukho rājamārgagato janaḥ
na hṛṣṭo lakṣyate kaś cit sarvaḥ śokaparāyaṇaḥ

With faces bewildered by tears, the people thronging the royal highway — not one is seen glad; all are given over to grief.

Words: bāṣpaparyākulamukho — with face confused by tears; rājamārgagato — gone to the royal road; janaḥ — the people; na hṛṣṭo — not glad; lakṣyate — is seen, observed; kaś cit — anyone; sarvaḥ — all, everyone; śokaparāyaṇaḥ — devoted to, given over to grief

2.36.14

na vāti pavanaḥ śīto na śaśī saumyadarśanaḥ
na sūryas tapate lokaṃ sarvaṃ paryākulaṃ jagat

The cool wind does not blow, the moon is not pleasant to look upon, the sun does not warm the world; the whole world is in turmoil.

Words: na vāti — does not blow; pavanaḥ — the wind; śīto — cool; na śaśī — the moon not; saumyadarśanaḥ — gentle to behold; na sūryas — the sun not; tapate — warms, heats; lokaṃ — the world; sarvaṃ — all, whole; paryākulaṃ — confused, in turmoil; jagat — the world

2.36.15

anarthinaḥ sutāḥ strīṇāṃ bhartāro bhrātaras tathā
sarve sarvaṃ parityajya rāmam evānvacintayan

The women's sons had no wants, and so their husbands and brothers; all of them, abandoning everything, thought only of Rāma.

Words: anarthinaḥ — without wants, indifferent; sutāḥ — sons; strīṇāṃ — of the women; bhartāro — husbands; bhrātaras tathā — and brothers likewise; sarve — all; sarvaṃ — everything; parityajya — having abandoned; rāmam — Rāma; evānvacintayan — thought only of

2.36.16

ye tu rāmasya suhṛdaḥ sarve te mūḍhacetasaḥ
śokabhāreṇa cākrāntāḥ śayanaṃ na juhus tadā

But those who were Rāma's friends, all of them, dazed in mind and overwhelmed by the weight of grief, did not forsake their beds that day.

Words: ye — who; tu — but; rāmasya — of Rāma; suhṛdaḥ — friends; sarve — all; te — they; mūḍhacetasaḥ — dazed in mind; śokabhāreṇa — by the burden of grief; cākrāntāḥ — and oppressed, overwhelmed; śayanaṃ — the bed, couch; na juhus — did not forsake, leave; tadā — then, that day

2.36.17

tatas tv ayodhyā rahitā mahātmanā puraṃdareṇeva mahī saparvatā
cacāla ghoraṃ bhayabhārapīḍitā sanāgayodhāśvagaṇā nanāda ca

Then Ayodhyā, bereft of the great-souled one, like the earth with its mountains bereft of Indra, trembled dreadfully, oppressed by a burden of fear, and its hosts of elephants, warriors and horses cried aloud.

Words: tatas tv — then indeed; ayodhyā — Ayodhyā; rahitā — deprived, bereft; mahātmanā — of the great-souled one; puraṃdareṇeva — as if by Indra (the fort-breaker); mahī — the earth; saparvatā — with its mountains; cacāla — trembled, shook; ghoraṃ — dreadfully, terribly; bhayabhārapīḍitā — oppressed by a burden of fear; sanāgayodhāśvagaṇā — with its hosts of elephants, warriors and horses; nanāda — roared, cried out; ca — and

← 2.35 The chariot departs · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.37 Daśaratha loses sight of Rāma and rejects Kaikeyī →

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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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