← 2.42.19 · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 42: The citizens return to Ayodhyā without Rāma · 2.42.21 →

Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.42.20

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 42: The citizens return to Ayodhyā without Rāma. Families reproach the men for returning without Rāma and imagine abandoning Kaikeyī’s Kingdom to join him

In the sequence: they fear life under Kaikeyī and doubt Daśaratha will survive the separation

2.42.20

kaikeyyā na vayaṃ rājye bhṛtakā nivasemahi
jīvantyā jātu jīvantyaḥ putrair api śapāmahe

We would never, while she lives, dwell as hirelings in Kaikeyī's kingdom; we who wish to live swear it even by our sons.

Words: kaikeyyā — of Kaikeyī; na — not; vayaṃ — we; rājye — in the kingdom; bhṛtakā — as hirelings; nivasemahi — would we dwell; jīvantyā — while (she) lives; jātu — ever; jīvantyaḥ — (we) living ones; putrair — by our sons; api — even; śapāmahe — we swear

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.