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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 45: Lakṣmaṇa keeps watch beside the Gaṅgā

Summary. Guha offers to guard the camp, Lakṣmaṇa refuses a bed and stays awake fearing the deaths of their grieving parents

Sequence

  1. Guha offers Lakṣmaṇa a bed and says his own men are accustomed to hardship and can guard the camp (2.45.1–3)
  2. he assures him of his love for Rāma, knowledge of the terrain, and ability to defend them (2.45.4–7)
  3. Lakṣmaṇa says he trusts Guha, but cannot enjoy comfort while Rāma and Sītā lie on the ground (2.45.8–10)
  4. he fears Daśaratha will die without seeing Rāma installed (2.45.11–13)
  5. he also worries that their mothers will not survive the separation, although Sumitrā may endure for Śatrughna's sake (2.45.14–17)
  6. imagining the funeral rites he may miss, he longs for the day they can return together (2.45.18–22)
  7. Guha weeps with him as the night passes. (2.45.23–24)

Verses 2.45.1–24

2.45.1

taṃ jāgratam adambhena bhrātur arthāya lakṣmaṇam
guhaḥ saṃtāpasaṃtapto rāghavaṃ vākyam abravīt

To Lakṣmaṇa, scion of Raghu, who was keeping watch sincerely for his brother's sake, Guha, burning with grief, spoke these words:

Words: taṃ — that, him; jāgratam — keeping watch, awake; adambhena — without pretense, sincerely; bhrātur — for the brother; arthāya — for the sake of; lakṣmaṇam — Lakṣmaṇa; guhaḥ — Guha; saṃtāpasaṃtapto — burning with grief; rāghavaṃ — the scion of Raghu (Lakṣmaṇa); vākyam — words; abravīt — spoke

2.45.2

iyaṃ tāta sukhā śayyā tvadartham upakalpitā
pratyāśvasihi sādhv asyāṃ rājaputra yathāsukham

'Here, dear one, is a comfortable bed prepared for you; rest well upon it, O prince, at your ease.'

Words: iyaṃ — this; tāta — dear one, friend; sukhā — comfortable; śayyā — bed; tvadartham — for your sake; upakalpitā — prepared, arranged; pratyāśvasihi — rest, take repose; sādhv — well; asyāṃ — on this; rājaputra — O prince; yathāsukham — at your ease, comfortably

2.45.3

ucito 'yaṃ janaḥ sarvaḥ kleśānāṃ tvaṃ sukhocitaḥ
guptyarthaṃ jāgariṣyāmaḥ kākutsthasya vayaṃ niśām

'All these people are inured to hardships, but you are used to comfort; for the sake of guarding Kākutstha we shall keep watch through the night.'

Words: ucito 'yaṃ — accustomed is this; janaḥ — folk, people; sarvaḥ — all; kleśānāṃ — to hardships, toils; tvaṃ — you; sukhocitaḥ — accustomed to comfort; guptyarthaṃ — for the sake of protection; jāgariṣyāmaḥ — we shall keep watch, stay awake; kākutsthasya — over Kākutstha (Rāma); vayaṃ — we; niśām — through the night

2.45.4

na hi rāmāt priyataro mamāsti bhuvi kaś cana
bravīmy etad ahaṃ satyaṃ satyenaiva ca te śape

'For there is no one on earth dearer to me than Rāma; this I speak truly, and by that very truth I swear it to you.'

Words: na hi — for not; rāmāt — than Rāma; priyataro — dearer; mamāsti — is to me; bhuvi — on earth; kaś cana — anyone; bravīmy — I say; etad — this; ahaṃ — I; satyaṃ — truly, as truth; satyenaiva — by truth itself; ca — and; te — to you; śape — I swear

2.45.5

asya prasādād āśaṃse loke 'smin sumahad yaśaḥ
dharmāvāptiṃ ca vipulām arthāvāptiṃ ca kevalām

'By his favor I hope for great fame in this world, and an abundant attainment of dharma, and a complete attainment of wealth.'

Words: asya — his; prasādād — by the favor; āśaṃse — I hope for, expect; loke 'smin — in this world; sumahad — very great; yaśaḥ — fame, glory; dharmāvāptiṃ — attainment of dharma; ca — and; vipulām — abundant, ample; arthāvāptiṃ — attainment of wealth; ca — and; kevalām — complete, unqualified

2.45.6

so 'haṃ priyasakhaṃ rāmaṃ śayānaṃ saha sītayā
rakṣiṣyāmi dhanuṣpāṇiḥ sarvato jñātibhiḥ saha

'So I, bow in hand and together with my kinsmen, will guard on every side my dear friend Rāma as he lies asleep with Sītā.'

Words: so 'haṃ — so I; priyasakhaṃ — dear friend; rāmaṃ — Rāma; śayānaṃ — lying asleep; saha sītayā — together with Sītā; rakṣiṣyāmi — I will guard; dhanuṣpāṇiḥ — bow in hand; sarvato — on every side; jñātibhiḥ saha — together with kinsmen

2.45.7

na hi me 'viditaṃ kiṃ cid vane 'smiṃś carataḥ sadā
caturaṅgaṃ hy api balaṃ sumahat prasahemahi

'For nothing in this forest is unknown to me, ranging it as I always do; indeed we could withstand even a very great four-fold army.'

Words: na hi — for not; me — to me; 'viditaṃ — unknown; kiṃ cid — anything; vane 'smiṃś — in this forest; carataḥ — of (me) ranging; sadā — always; caturaṅgaṃ — four-membered (army); hy api — indeed even; balaṃ — army, force; sumahat — very great; prasahemahi — we could withstand, overpower

2.45.8

lakṣmaṇas taṃ tadovāca rakṣyamāṇās tvayānagha
nātra bhītā vayaṃ sarve dharmam evānupaśyatā

Lakṣmaṇa then said to him: 'Guarded by you, O blameless one, who look only to dharma, none of us here are afraid.'

Words: lakṣmaṇas — Lakṣmaṇa; taṃ — to him; tadovāca — then said; rakṣyamāṇās — being guarded; tvayānagha — by you, O blameless one; nātra — not here; bhītā — afraid; vayaṃ — we; sarve — all; dharmam — dharma; evānupaśyatā — by (you) who look only to

2.45.9

kathaṃ dāśarathau bhūmau śayāne saha sītayā
śakyā nidrā mayā labdhuṃ jīvitaṃ vā sukhāni vā

'When the son of Daśaratha lies on the bare ground with Sītā, how can sleep be won by me, or life itself, or any comforts?'

Words: kathaṃ — how; dāśarathau — when the son of Daśaratha; bhūmau — on the ground; śayāne — lies (loc. abs.); saha sītayā — together with Sītā; śakyā — able, possible; nidrā — sleep; mayā — by me; labdhuṃ — to be obtained; jīvitaṃ vā — or life; sukhāni vā — or comforts

2.45.10

yo na devāsuraiḥ sarvaiḥ śakyaḥ prasahituṃ yudhi
taṃ paśya sukhasaṃviṣṭaṃ tṛṇeṣu saha sītayā

'He whom all the gods and asuras together cannot overpower in battle — behold him lying comfortably on the grass with Sītā!'

Words: yo — who; na — not; devāsuraiḥ — by gods and asuras; sarvaiḥ — all; śakyaḥ — able (to be); prasahituṃ — to be overpowered; yudhi — in battle; taṃ — him; paśya — behold, see; sukhasaṃviṣṭaṃ — comfortably lying down; tṛṇeṣu — on the grass; saha sītayā — together with Sītā

2.45.11

yo mantra tapasā labdho vividhaiś ca pariśramaiḥ
eko daśarathasyaiṣa putraḥ sadṛśalakṣaṇaḥ

'He who was won through sacred mantra and austerity and through manifold labors — this is the one son of Daśaratha who bears marks worthy of his father.'

Words: yo — who; mantra — by sacred mantra; tapasā — by austerity; labdho — obtained, won; vividhaiś ca — and by various; pariśramaiḥ — labors, efforts; eko — one, sole; daśarathasyaiṣa — this of Daśaratha; putraḥ — son; sadṛśalakṣaṇaḥ — bearing befitting marks

2.45.12

asmin pravrajito rājā na ciraṃ vartayiṣyati
vidhavā medinī nūnaṃ kṣipram eva bhaviṣyati

'With this one gone into exile, the king will not live long; surely the earth will very soon become a widow.'

Words: asmin — with this one (Rāma); pravrajito — gone into exile; rājā — the king; na ciraṃ — not long; vartayiṣyati — will live on, continue; vidhavā — a widow; medinī — the earth; nūnaṃ — surely; kṣipram eva — very soon; bhaviṣyati — will become

2.45.13

vinadya sumahānādaṃ śrameṇoparatāḥ striyaḥ
nirghoṣoparataṃ tāta manye rājaniveśanam

'The women, having wailed a very loud cry, are now silent from exhaustion; the royal palace, dear one, I think, has fallen still of all its clamor.'

Words: vinadya — having cried out; sumahānādaṃ — a very loud cry; śrameṇoparatāḥ — ceased through exhaustion; striyaḥ — the women; nirghoṣoparataṃ — with its clamor stilled; tāta — dear one; manye — I think; rājaniveśanam — the royal dwelling, palace

2.45.14

kausalyā caiva rājā ca tathaiva jananī mama
nāśaṃse yadi jīvanti sarve te śarvarīm imām

'Kausalyā, and the king, and likewise my own mother — I do not expect that all of them will outlive this night.'

Words: kausalyā caiva — and Kausalyā; rājā ca — and the king; tathaiva — and likewise; jananī — mother; mama — my; nāśaṃse — I do not expect; yadi — whether; jīvanti — they live; sarve — all; te — they; śarvarīm imām — this night

2.45.15

jīved api hi me mātā śatrughnasyānvavekṣayā
tad duḥkhaṃ yat tu kausalyā vīrasūr vinaśiṣyati

'My mother might indeed live on out of regard for Śatrughna; but this is the grief — that Kausalyā, mother of a hero, will perish.'

Words: jīved api — might even live; hi — indeed; me mātā — my mother; śatrughnasyānvavekṣayā — out of regard for Śatrughna; tad duḥkhaṃ — that is the grief; yat tu — but that; kausalyā — Kausalyā; vīrasūr — mother of a hero; vinaśiṣyati — will perish

2.45.16

anuraktajanākīrṇā sukhālokapriyāvahā
rājavyasanasaṃsṛṣṭā sā purī vinaśiṣyati

'That city, thronged with devoted people, bringing the joy of a pleasant sight, now stricken by the king's calamity, will be undone.'

Words: anuraktajanākīrṇā — thronged with devoted people; sukhālokapriyāvahā — bringing the joy of a pleasant sight; rājavyasanasaṃsṛṣṭā — afflicted by the king's calamity; sā — that; purī — city; vinaśiṣyati — will perish, be undone

2.45.17

atikrāntam atikrāntam anavāpya manoratham
rājye rāmam anikṣipya pitā me vinaśiṣyati

'It is all over, all over! Without attaining his heart's desire, without installing Rāma in the kingdom, my father will perish.'

Words: atikrāntam — (it is) gone by, over; atikrāntam — gone by, over; anavāpya — without attaining; manoratham — heart's desire; rājye — in the kingdom; rāmam — Rāma; anikṣipya — without installing, placing; pitā — father; me — my; vinaśiṣyati — will perish

2.45.18

siddhārthāḥ pitaraṃ vṛttaṃ tasmin kāle hy upasthite
pretakāryeṣu sarveṣu saṃskariṣyanti bhūmipam

'When that time has come, their own ends gained, they will perform all the funeral rites for the dead father, the king.'

Words: siddhārthāḥ — those whose ends are gained; pitaraṃ — the father; vṛttaṃ — deceased, dead; tasmin kāle — at that time; hy — indeed; upasthite — having arrived (loc. abs.); pretakāryeṣu — in the funeral rites; sarveṣu — all; saṃskariṣyanti — will perform the last rites for; bhūmipam — the king

2.45.19

ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām
harmyaprāsādasaṃpannāṃ gaṇikāvaraśobhitām

— with its lovely layout of squares, its well-divided great avenues, furnished with mansions and palaces, adorned by the finest of courtesans,

Words: ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ — with lovely arrangement of squares; suvibhaktamahāpathām — with well-divided great highways; harmyaprāsādasaṃpannāṃ — furnished with mansions and palaces; gaṇikāvaraśobhitām — adorned by the finest courtesans

2.45.20

rathāśvagajasaṃbādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām
sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām

crowded with chariots, horses, and elephants, resounding with the sound of trumpets, replete with every prosperity, thronged with glad and well-fed people,

Words: rathāśvagajasaṃbādhāṃ — crowded with chariots, horses, and elephants; tūryanādavināditām — resounding with the sound of instruments; sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ — full of every prosperity; hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām — thronged with joyful and well-fed people

2.45.21

ārāmodyānasaṃpannāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm
sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ pitur mama

rich in pleasure-groves and gardens, splendid with assemblies and festivals — happily will they roam through this capital of my father.

Words: ārāmodyānasaṃpannāṃ — furnished with pleasure-groves and gardens; samājotsavaśālinīm — splendid with gatherings and festivals; sukhitā — the happy ones; vicariṣyanti — will roam about; rājadhānīṃ — the royal capital; pitur mama — of my father

2.45.22

api satyapratijñena sārdhaṃ kuśalinā vayam
nivṛtte vanavāse 'sminn ayodhyāṃ praviśemahi

Would that we, together with him true to his vow and safe and sound, might enter Ayodhyā once more when this forest-dwelling is over!

Words: api — would that, may (wish); satyapratijñena — with him true to his vow; sārdhaṃ — together with; kuśalinā — with the one safe and well; vayam — we; nivṛtte — when ended (loc. abs.); vanavāse 'sminn — this forest-dwelling; ayodhyāṃ — Ayodhyā; praviśemahi — may we enter

2.45.23

paridevayamānasya duḥkhārtasya mahātmanaḥ
tiṣṭhato rājaputrasya śarvarī sātyavartata

As the great-souled prince stood there lamenting and stricken with grief, that night wore away.

Words: paridevayamānasya — of him lamenting; duḥkhārtasya — of him stricken with grief; mahātmanaḥ — great-souled; tiṣṭhato — standing; rājaputrasya — of the prince; śarvarī — the night; sātyavartata — it passed away

2.45.24

tathā hi satyaṃ bruvati prajāhite narendraputre gurusauhṛdād guhaḥ
mumoca bāṣpaṃ vyasanābhipīḍito jvarāturo nāga iva vyathāturaḥ

As the prince, devoted to the people's welfare, spoke truth in this way, Guha, out of his deep affection, shed tears, tormented by grief, in anguish like an elephant afflicted with fever.

Words: tathā hi — thus indeed; satyaṃ — truly, truth; bruvati — speaking (loc. abs.); prajāhite — devoted to the people's welfare; narendraputre — the prince (loc. abs.); gurusauhṛdād — out of deep affection; guhaḥ — Guha; mumoca — shed, let fall; bāṣpaṃ — tears; vyasanābhipīḍito — tormented by grief; jvarāturo — afflicted with fever; nāga iva — like an elephant; vyathāturaḥ — in anguish, sorely pained

← 2.44 Guha welcomes Rāma at the Gaṅgā · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.46 Rāma crosses the Gaṅgā →

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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