← 2.36 Ayodhyā falls into mourning · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.38 Kausalyā imagines Rāma’s return →

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 37: Daśaratha loses sight of Rāma and rejects Kaikeyī

Summary. The chariot’s dust disappears, Daśaratha falls, rejects Kaikeyī’s touch and returns to Kausalyā as his sight fails

Sequence

  1. Daśaratha watches until even the dust from Rāma's chariot disappears, then falls to the ground (2.37.1–3)
  2. when Kaikeyī tries to help him, he rejects her touch and renounces their relationship → he adds that if Bharata welcomes the Kingdom, he does not want Bharata's offerings after his death (2.37.4–9)
  3. Kausalyā helps him up and leads him back as he stops along the chariot tracks (2.37.10–13)
  4. seeing the hoofprints but no longer his son, he imagines Rāma sleeping on the ground beneath a tree (2.37.14–17)
  5. he returns through the city's deserted streets, saying he cannot live without him (2.37.18–21)
  6. he asks to be taken to Kausalyā's rooms (2.37.22–24)
  7. on her couch he calls for Rāma and asks her to touch him because he can no longer see her clearly → she sits beside him and weeps. (2.37.25–28)

Verses 2.37.1–28

2.37.1

yāvat tu niryatas tasya rajorūpam adṛśyata
naivekṣvākuvaras tāvat saṃjahārātmacakṣuṣī

As long as the dust-cloud of his departing was still seen, so long did the best of the Ikṣvākus not withdraw his eyes.

Words: yāvat — as long as; tu — but; niryatas — of him going forth; tasya — of him, his; rajorūpam — the form of dust, dust-cloud; adṛśyata — was seen, appeared; naivekṣvākuvaras — the best of the Ikṣvākus not; tāvat — so long; saṃjahārātmacakṣuṣī — withdrew his own two eyes

2.37.2

yāvad rājā priyaṃ putraṃ paśyaty atyantadhārmikam
tāvad vyavardhatevāsya dharaṇyāṃ putradarśane

As long as the king could see his dear and utterly righteous son, so long did his longing for the sight of his son seem to grow ever greater upon the earth.

Words: yāvad — as long as; rājā — the king; priyaṃ — dear; putraṃ — son; paśyaty — sees; atyantadhārmikam — utterly righteous; tāvad — so long; vyavardhatevāsya — seemed to grow for him; dharaṇyāṃ — on the earth; putradarśane — in the sight of his son

2.37.3

na paśyati rajo 'py asya yadā rāmasya bhūmipaḥ
tadārtaś ca viṣaṇṇaś ca papāta dharaṇītale

When the lord of the earth could no longer see even the dust of Rāma, then, afflicted and dejected, he fell to the ground.

Words: na paśyati — does not see; rajo 'py — even the dust; asya — of him, his; yadā — when; rāmasya — of Rāma; bhūmipaḥ — the lord of the earth (king); tadārtaś ca — then afflicted and; viṣaṇṇaś ca — and dejected; papāta — fell; dharaṇītale — on the surface of the earth

2.37.4

tasya dakṣiṇam anvagāt kausalyā bāhum aṅganā
vāmaṃ cāsyānvagāt pārśvaṃ kaikeyī bharatapriyā

The lady Kausalyā went to his right arm, and Kaikeyī, fond of Bharata, went to his left side.

Words: tasya — of him, his; dakṣiṇam — right; anvagāt — went to, approached; kausalyā — Kausalyā; bāhum — arm; aṅganā — the woman, lady; vāmaṃ — left; cāsyānvagāt — and went to his; pārśvaṃ — side; kaikeyī — Kaikeyī; bharatapriyā — fond of Bharata

2.37.5

tāṃ nayena ca saṃpanno dharmeṇa nivayena ca
uvāca rājā kaikeyīṃ samīkṣya vyathitendriyaḥ

The king, endowed with statecraft, righteousness and modesty, looking at her with his senses shaken, said to Kaikeyī:

Words: tāṃ — her; nayena — with statecraft, prudence; ca — and; saṃpanno — endowed, furnished; dharmeṇa — with righteousness; nivayena — with modesty, discipline (var. vinaya); ca — and; uvāca — said; rājā — the king; kaikeyīṃ — to Kaikeyī; samīkṣya — having looked at; vyathitendriyaḥ — with senses agitated

2.37.6

kaikeyi mā mamāṅgāni sprākṣīs tvaṃ duṣṭacāriṇī
na hi tvāṃ draṣṭum icchāmi na bhāryā na ca bāndhavī

Kaikeyī, do not touch my limbs, you of wicked conduct; for I do not wish to see you — you are no wife of mine, nor kinswoman.

Words: kaikeyi — O Kaikeyī; mā — do not; mamāṅgāni — my limbs; sprākṣīs — touch; tvaṃ — you; duṣṭacāriṇī — of wicked conduct; na hi — for not; tvāṃ — you; draṣṭum — to see; icchāmi — I wish; na bhāryā — no wife; na ca bāndhavī — nor kinswoman

2.37.7

ye ca tvām upajīvanti nāhaṃ teṣāṃ na te mama
kevalārthaparāṃ hi tvāṃ tyaktadharmāṃ tyajāmy aham

And those who live off you — I am not theirs, nor are they mine; for I renounce you, intent only on your own ends, having cast off all righteousness.

Words: ye — who; ca — and; tvām — you; upajīvanti — live off, depend upon; nāhaṃ — not I; teṣāṃ — of them, theirs; na te mama — nor are they mine; kevalārthaparāṃ — intent solely on (your own) ends; hi — for, indeed; tvāṃ — you; tyaktadharmāṃ — who have cast off righteousness; tyajāmy aham — I abandon

2.37.8

agṛhṇāṃ yac ca te pāṇim agniṃ paryaṇayaṃ ca yat
anujānāmi tat sarvam asmiṃl loke paratra ca

That I took your hand and that I led you round the fire — all that I disavow, both in this world and in the next.

Words: agṛhṇāṃ — I took, grasped; yac ca — and that; te — your; pāṇim — hand; agniṃ — the fire; paryaṇayaṃ — I led round (in the wedding); ca yat — and that; anujānāmi — I renounce, take leave of; tat sarvam — all that; asmiṃl loke — in this world; paratra ca — and in the next

2.37.9

bharataś cet pratītaḥ syād rājyaṃ prāpyedam avyayam
yan me sa dadyāt pitrarthaṃ mā mā tad dattam āgamat

If Bharata should be well pleased on gaining this imperishable kingdom, then whatever he might give me as a father's due — let that gift never reach me.

Words: bharataś cet — if Bharata; pratītaḥ — pleased, satisfied; syād — should be; rājyaṃ — kingdom; prāpyedam — having obtained this; avyayam — imperishable, unfailing; yan — which, whatever; me — to me; sa — he; dadyāt — might give; pitrarthaṃ — for a father's sake, as a father's due; mā mā — let not to me; tad — that; dattam — the gift, given; āgamat — may it come, reach

2.37.10

atha reṇusamudhvastaṃ tam utthāpya narādhipam
nyavartata tadā devī kausalyā śokakarśitā

Then, having raised up that lord of men who was covered with dust, the queen Kausalyā, wasted with grief, turned back.

Words: atha — then; reṇusamudhvastaṃ — covered over with dust; tam — him; utthāpya — having raised up; narādhipam — the lord of men (king); nyavartata — turned back; tadā — then; devī — the queen; kausalyā — Kausalyā; śokakarśitā — wasted, emaciated with grief

2.37.11

hatveva brāhmaṇaṃ kāmāt spṛṣṭvāgnim iva pāṇinā
anvatapyata dharmātmā putraṃ saṃcintya tāpasaṃ

Like one who has wantonly slain a brahmin, like one who has touched fire with his hand, the righteous king burned with remorse, brooding on his son turned ascetic.

Words: hatveva — as if having slain; brāhmaṇaṃ — a brahmin; kāmāt — wilfully, out of desire; spṛṣṭvāgnim — having touched fire; iva — as if, like; pāṇinā — with the hand; anvatapyata — burned with remorse, was tormented; dharmātmā — the righteous-souled; putraṃ — son; saṃcintya — having brooded on, thinking of; tāpasaṃ — (as) an ascetic

2.37.12

nivṛtyaiva nivṛtyaiva sīdato rathavartmasu
rājño nātibabhau rūpaṃ grastasyāṃśumato yathā

Turning back again and again, sinking down upon the chariot-tracks, the king's appearance shone but dimly, like that of the eclipsed sun.

Words: nivṛtyaiva — turning back, indeed; nivṛtyaiva — again turning back; sīdato — of him sinking down; rathavartmasu — on the chariot-tracks; rājño — of the king; nātibabhau — did not shine much, shone dimly; rūpaṃ — form, appearance; grastasyāṃśumato — of the seized (eclipsed) sun; yathā — as, like

2.37.13

vilalāpa ca duḥkhārtaḥ priyaṃ putram anusmaran
nagarāntam anuprāptaṃ buddhvā putram athābravīt

And, stricken with grief, he lamented, remembering his dear son; realizing that his son had reached the city's edge, he then said:

Words: vilalāpa — lamented, wailed; ca — and; duḥkhārtaḥ — stricken with grief; priyaṃ — dear; putram — son; anusmaran — remembering; nagarāntam — the edge of the city; anuprāptaṃ — having reached, arrived at; buddhvā — having realized, perceived; putram — son; athābravīt — then said

2.37.14

vāhanānāṃ ca mukhyānāṃ vahatāṃ taṃ mamātmajam
padāni pathi dṛśyante sa mahātmā na dṛśyate

The hoofprints of the finest steeds that bore that son of mine are seen upon the road, but that great one is seen no more.

Words: vāhanānāṃ — of the draught-animals, steeds; ca — and; mukhyānāṃ — of the foremost, finest; vahatāṃ — carrying, bearing; taṃ — that; mamātmajam — my son; padāni — footprints, tracks; pathi — on the road; dṛśyante — are seen; sa — that; mahātmā — great-souled one; na dṛśyate — is not seen

2.37.15

sa nūnaṃ kva cid evādya vṛkṣamūlam upāśritaḥ
kāṣṭhaṃ vā yadi vāśmānam upadhāya śayiṣyate

Surely today, somewhere or other, taking shelter at the foot of a tree, laying his head on a log or a stone, he will lie down to sleep.

Words: sa — he; nūnaṃ — surely; kva cid — somewhere; evādya — today indeed; vṛkṣamūlam — the foot of a tree; upāśritaḥ — having resorted to, taken shelter at; kāṣṭhaṃ — a log, piece of wood; vā — or; yadi vāśmānam — or else a stone; upadhāya — having placed under (his head); śayiṣyate — will lie down, sleep

2.37.16

utthāsyati ca medinyāḥ kṛpaṇaḥ pāṃśuguṇṭhitaḥ
viniḥśvasan prasravaṇāt kareṇūnām ivarṣabhaḥ

And piteously he will rise up from the earth, smeared with dust, sighing, like a bull of the she-elephants rising from a mountain-spring.

Words: utthāsyati — will rise up; ca — and; medinyāḥ — from the earth; kṛpaṇaḥ — piteous, wretched; pāṃśuguṇṭhitaḥ — smeared with dust; viniḥśvasan — sighing, breathing heavily; prasravaṇāt — from a spring, waterfall; kareṇūnām — of the she-elephants; ivarṣabhaḥ — like a bull

2.37.17

drakṣyanti nūnaṃ puruṣā dīrghabāhuṃ vanecarāḥ
rāmam utthāya gacchantaṃ lokanātham anāthavat

Surely the men who roam the forest will behold the long-armed Rāma, lord of the world, rising and going his way like one who is himself forlorn.

Words: drakṣyanti — will see, behold; nūnaṃ — surely; puruṣā — the men; dīrghabāhuṃ — the long-armed; vanecarāḥ — forest-roaming (people); rāmam — Rāma; utthāya — having risen; gacchantaṃ — going; lokanātham — the lord of the world; anāthavat — like one without a protector, forlorn

2.37.18

sakāmā bhava kaikeyi vidhavā rājyam āvasa
na hi taṃ puruṣavyāghraṃ vinā jīvitum utsahe

Have your wish, Kaikeyī; as a widow, rule the kingdom; for without that tiger among men I have no strength to live.

Words: sakāmā — having your desire (fulfilled); bhava — be, become; kaikeyi — O Kaikeyī; vidhavā — a widow; rājyam — the kingdom; āvasa — dwell in, rule over; na hi — for not; taṃ — that; puruṣavyāghraṃ — tiger among men; vinā — without; jīvitum — to live; utsahe — I am able, I have strength

2.37.19

ity evaṃ vilapan rājā janaughenābhisaṃvṛtaḥ
apasnāta ivāriṣṭaṃ praviveśa purottamam

Lamenting thus, the king, surrounded by a throng of people, entered the best of cities like one who has performed the ablution after a death.

Words: ity evaṃ — thus, in this way; vilapan — lamenting; rājā — the king; janaughenābhisaṃvṛtaḥ — surrounded by a flood of people; apasnāta — having bathed (in mourning); ivāriṣṭaṃ — as after a calamity, death; praviveśa — entered; purottamam — the best of cities

2.37.20

śūnyacatvaraveśmāntāṃ saṃvṛtāpaṇadevatām
klāntadurbaladuḥkhārtāṃ nātyākīrṇamahāpathām

Its squares and dwelling-quarters empty, its shops and temples shut up, its people worn, faint and grief-stricken, its great roads no longer thronged —

Words: śūnyacatvaraveśmāntāṃ — with empty squares and dwelling-precincts; saṃvṛtāpaṇadevatām — with shops and temples closed; klāntadurbaladuḥkhārtāṃ — weary, feeble and afflicted with grief; nātyākīrṇamahāpathām — with its great roads not overcrowded

2.37.21

tām avekṣya purīṃ sarvāṃ rāmam evānucintayan
vilapan prāviśad rājā gṛhaṃ sūrya ivāmbudam

Gazing on that whole city, brooding on Rāma alone, lamenting, the king entered his palace as the sun enters a raincloud.

Words: tām — that; avekṣya — having gazed upon; purīṃ — city; sarvāṃ — all, whole; rāmam — Rāma; evānucintayan — thinking only of; vilapan — lamenting; prāviśad — entered; rājā — the king; gṛhaṃ — the house, palace; sūrya — the sun; ivāmbudam — as into a raincloud

2.37.22

mahāhradam ivākṣobhyaṃ suparṇena hṛtoragam
rāmeṇa rahitaṃ veśma vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena ca

The palace bereft of Rāma, of Vaidehī and of Lakṣmaṇa was like a great, unshakable lake whose serpents had been carried off by Garuḍa.

Words: mahāhradam — a great lake; ivākṣobhyaṃ — like an unshakable one; suparṇena — by Garuḍa (the fair-winged); hṛtoragam — whose serpents were carried off; rāmeṇa — of Rāma; rahitaṃ — bereft, deprived; veśma — the dwelling, palace; vaidehyā — of Vaidehī (Sītā); lakṣmaṇena ca — and of Lakṣmaṇa

2.37.23

kausalyāyā gṛhaṃ śīghraṃ rāma mātur nayantu mām
iti bruvantaṃ rājānam anayan dvāradarśitaḥ

'Take me quickly to the house of Kausalyā, Rāma's mother!' — as the king spoke thus, those shown the way by the doorkeepers led him there.

Words: kausalyāyā — of Kausalyā; gṛhaṃ — to the house; śīghraṃ — quickly; rāma mātur — of Rāma's mother; nayantu — let (them) lead; mām — me; iti — thus; bruvantaṃ — speaking; rājānam — the king; anayan — they led; dvāradarśitaḥ — directed by the doorkeepers (shown at the door)

2.37.24

tatas tatra praviṣṭasya kausalyāyā niveśanam
adhiruhyāpi śayanaṃ babhūva lulitaṃ manaḥ

Then, when he had entered there, into Kausalyā's abode, even as he climbed onto the couch his mind became distraught.

Words: tatas — then; tatra — there; praviṣṭasya — of him having entered; kausalyāyā — of Kausalyā; niveśanam — the abode, dwelling; adhiruhyāpi — even having climbed onto; śayanaṃ — the couch, bed; babhūva — became; lulitaṃ — agitated, distraught; manaḥ — the mind

2.37.25

tac ca dṛṣṭvā mahārājo bhujam udyamya vīryavān
uccaiḥ svareṇa cukrośa hā rāghava jahāsi mām

And seeing that, the valiant great king, raising his arm, cried out in a loud voice, 'Ah, Rāghava, you forsake me!'

Words: tac ca — and that; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; mahārājo — the great king; bhujam — arm; udyamya — having raised; vīryavān — the valiant, heroic; uccaiḥ — loudly, high; svareṇa — with the voice; cukrośa — cried out; hā rāghava — 'Ah, Rāghava!'; jahāsi — you forsake, abandon; mām — me

2.37.26

sukhitā bata taṃ kālaṃ jīviṣyanti narottamāḥ
pariṣvajanto ye rāmaṃ drakṣyanti punar āgatam

Happy indeed will those best of men be, who shall live to that time when, embracing Rāma, they behold him come again.

Words: sukhitā — happy; bata — indeed, alas; taṃ kālaṃ — to that time; jīviṣyanti — will live; narottamāḥ — the best of men; pariṣvajanto — embracing; ye — who; rāmaṃ — Rāma; drakṣyanti — will see; punar — again; āgatam — come, returned

2.37.27

na tvāṃ paśyāmi kausalye sādhu māṃ pāṇinā spṛśa
rāmaṃ me 'nugatā dṛṣṭir adyāpi na nivartate

I cannot see you, Kausalyā; pray touch me with your hand. My sight, gone after Rāma, does not return even now.

Words: na tvāṃ paśyāmi — I do not see you; kausalye — O Kausalyā; sādhu — pray, kindly; māṃ — me; pāṇinā — with the hand; spṛśa — touch; rāmaṃ — Rāma; me — my; 'nugatā — gone after, following; dṛṣṭir — sight, gaze; adyāpi — even now, even today; na nivartate — does not return

2.37.28

taṃ rāmam evānuvicintayantaṃ samīkṣya devī śayane narendram
upopaviśyādhikam ārtarūpā viniḥśvasantī vilalāpa kṛcchraṃ

Seeing that lord of men brooding on nothing but Rāma, the queen, herself the very image of distress, sat down close beside him on the couch and, sighing, lamented piteously.

Words: taṃ — that; rāmam — Rāma; evānuvicintayantaṃ — brooding only on; samīkṣya — having beheld; devī — the queen; śayane — on the couch; narendram — the lord of men; upopaviśyādhikam — having sat down very close; ārtarūpā — of afflicted appearance; viniḥśvasantī — sighing; vilalāpa — lamented; kṛcchraṃ — piteously, painfully

← 2.36 Ayodhyā falls into mourning · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.38 Kausalyā imagines Rāma’s return →

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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