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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 53: Daśaratha’s remorse

Summary. Sumantra describes the horses’ reluctance and the country’s grief, Daśaratha regrets his uncounselled decision and begs to see Rāma

Sequence

  1. Sumantra says that even the horses resisted leaving and that he lingered with Guha hoping Rāma might recall him (2.53.1–3)
  2. he describes the country as grieving with its people: trees wilted, creatures quiet, ponds clouded, and flowers without their former freshness (2.53.4–7)
  3. in Ayodhyā, people of every disposition seemed equally distressed (2.53.8–13)
  4. Daśaratha admits that he acted under Kaikeyī's influence without consulting his ministers, friends, or subjects (2.53.14–17)
  5. he begs Sumantra either to bring Rāma back or take him to his son (2.53.18–20)
  6. saying that he will die without another sight of him, he calls for all three travelers and faints again → Kausalyā watches in fear. (2.53.21–26)

Verses 2.53.1–26

2.53.1

mama tv aśvā nivṛttasya na prāvartanta vartmani
uṣṇam aśru vimuñcanto rāme saṃprasthite vanam

'But as I turned back, my horses would not go forward on the road, shedding hot tears now that Rāma had set out for the forest.'

Words: mama — my; tv — but; aśvā — the horses; nivṛttasya — of (me) turning back; na — not; prāvartanta — went forward, moved on; vartmani — on the road, path; uṣṇam — hot; aśru — tears; vimuñcanto — shedding; rāme — when Rāma (loc. abs.); saṃprasthite — had set out (loc. abs.); vanam — to the forest

2.53.2

ubhābhyāṃ rājaputrābhyām atha kṛtvāham ajñalim
prasthito ratham āsthāya tad duḥkham api dhārayan

'Then, having made an añjali to the two princes, I mounted the chariot and set out, bearing that grief as best I could.'

Words: ubhābhyāṃ — to both; rājaputrābhyām — to the two princes; atha — then; kṛtvāham — having made, I; ajñalim — an añjali (folded palms); prasthito — set out; ratham — the chariot; āsthāya — having mounted; tad — that; duḥkham — grief; api — even; dhārayan — bearing, holding

2.53.3

guheva sārdhaṃ tatraiva sthito 'smi divasān bahūn
āśayā yadi māṃ rāmaḥ punaḥ śabdāpayed iti

'Together with Guha I remained right there for many days, in the hope that Rāma might summon me back again.'

Words: guheva — together with Guha; sārdhaṃ — together with; tatraiva — right there; sthito 'smi — I remained; divasān — days; bahūn — many; āśayā — in the hope; yadi — if, whether; māṃ — me; rāmaḥ — Rāma; punaḥ — again; śabdāpayed — might summon, call back; iti — thus (thinking)

2.53.4

viṣaye te mahārāja rāmavyasanakarśitāḥ
api vṛkṣāḥ parimlānaḥ sapuṣpāṅkurakorakāḥ

'In your realm, O great king, even the trees, wasted by grief at Rāma's calamity, have wilted, along with their flowers, shoots, and buds.'

Words: viṣaye — in the realm, territory; te — your; mahārāja — O great king; rāmavyasanakarśitāḥ — wasted by grief at Rāma's calamity; api — even; vṛkṣāḥ — the trees; parimlānaḥ — wilted, withered; sapuṣpāṅkurakorakāḥ — with their flowers, shoots, and buds

2.53.5

na ca sarpanti sattvāni vyālā na prasaranti ca
rāmaśokābhibhūtaṃ tan niṣkūjam abhavad vanam

'The creatures do not creep about, and the beasts of prey do not roam; overwhelmed with grief for Rāma, that forest fell silent.'

Words: na — not; ca — and; sarpanti — creep, move about; sattvāni — the creatures; vyālā — beasts of prey; na — not; prasaranti — roam, range; ca — and; rāmaśokābhibhūtaṃ — overwhelmed with grief for Rāma; tan — that; niṣkūjam — silent, songless; abhavad — became; vanam — forest

2.53.6

līnapuṣkarapatrāś ca narendra kaluṣodakāḥ
saṃtaptapadmāḥ padminyo līnamīnavihaṃgamāḥ

'And the lotus-ponds, O king, have their lotus-leaves shrunk and their water turbid, their lotuses scorched, their fish and birds gone into hiding.'

Words: līnapuṣkarapatrāś — with lotus-leaves shrunk; ca — and; narendra — O king (lord of men); kaluṣodakāḥ — with turbid water; saṃtaptapadmāḥ — with scorched lotuses; padminyo — the lotus-ponds; līnamīnavihaṃgamāḥ — with fish and birds gone into hiding

2.53.7

jalajāni ca puṣpāṇi mālyāni sthalajāni ca
nādya bhānty alpagandhīni phalāni ca yathā puram

'The water-born flowers and the garlands of land-flowers, and the fruits, do not shine today as they did before, and are poor in fragrance.'

Words: jalajāni — water-born; ca — and; puṣpāṇi — flowers; mālyāni — garlands; sthalajāni — land-born; ca — and; nādya — not today; bhānty — shine; alpagandhīni — of little fragrance; phalāni — fruits; ca — and; yathā puram — as before, as formerly

2.53.8

praviśantam ayodhyāṃ māṃ na kaś cid abhinandati
narā rāmam apaśyanto niḥśvasanti muhur muhuḥ

'As I entered Ayodhyā, no one welcomed me with joy; the people, not seeing Rāma, sighed again and again.'

Words: praviśantam — entering; ayodhyāṃ — Ayodhyā; māṃ — me; na — not; kaś cid — anyone; abhinandati — greets with joy, welcomes; narā — the men, people; rāmam — Rāma; apaśyanto — not seeing; niḥśvasanti — sigh; muhur muhuḥ — again and again

2.53.9

harmyair vimānaiḥ prāsādair avekṣya ratham āgatam
hāhākārakṛtā nāryo rāmādarśanakarśitāḥ

'From mansions, towers, and palaces, seeing the chariot arrive, the women raised cries of woe, wasted from not seeing Rāma.'

Words: harmyair — from mansions; vimānaiḥ — from towers, lofty halls; prāsādair — from palaces; avekṣya — having looked down, seen; ratham — the chariot; āgatam — arrived, come; hāhākārakṛtā — raising cries of 'alas!'; nāryo — the women; rāmādarśanakarśitāḥ — wasted from not seeing Rāma

2.53.10

āyatair vimalair netrair aśruvegapariplutaiḥ
anyonyam abhivīkṣante vyaktam ārtatarāḥ striyaḥ

'With long, clear eyes flooded by a rush of tears, the women, plainly in deeper distress, gazed at one another.'

Words: āyatair — long, wide; vimalair — clear, spotless; netrair — with eyes; aśruvegapariplutaiḥ — flooded by a surge of tears; anyonyam — one another; abhivīkṣante — gaze at, look upon; vyaktam — plainly, clearly; ārtatarāḥ — in deeper distress; striyaḥ — the women

2.53.11

nāmitrāṇāṃ na mitrāṇām udāsīnajanasya ca
aham ārtatayā kaṃ cid viśeṣaṃ nopalakṣaye

'Among foes, among friends, and among neutral folk, in their distress I could perceive no difference at all.'

Words: nāmitrāṇāṃ — not of enemies; na — nor; mitrāṇām — of friends; udāsīnajanasya — of neutral, indifferent folk; ca — and; aham — I; ārtatayā — by (their) distress; kaṃ cid — any; viśeṣaṃ — difference, distinction; nopalakṣaye — I do not perceive

2.53.12

aprahṛṣṭamanuṣyā ca dīnanāgaturaṃgamā
ārtasvaraparimlānā viniḥśvasitaniḥsvanā

'Its people joyless, its elephants and horses wretched, wilted with cries of distress, resounding with sighs—'

Words: aprahṛṣṭamanuṣyā — with joyless people; ca — and; dīnanāgaturaṃgamā — with wretched elephants and horses; ārtasvaraparimlānā — wilted with cries of distress; viniḥśvasitaniḥsvanā — resounding with sighs

2.53.13

nirānandā mahārāja rāmapravrājanātulā
kausalyā putra hīneva ayodhyā pratibhāti mā

'Joyless, O great king, and afflicted beyond compare by Rāma's banishment, Ayodhyā appears to me like Kausalyā bereft of her son.'

Words: nirānandā — joyless; mahārāja — O great king; rāmapravrājanātulā — beyond compare in Rāma's banishment; kausalyā — Kausalyā; putra hīneva — as if bereft of her son; ayodhyā — Ayodhyā; pratibhāti — appears, seems; mā — to me

2.53.14

sūtasya vacanaṃ śrutvā vācā paramadīnayā
bāṣpopahatayā rājā taṃ sūtam idam abravīt

Hearing the charioteer's words, the king, in a voice most wretched and broken with tears, said this to the charioteer:

Words: sūtasya — of the charioteer; vacanaṃ — the words; śrutvā — having heard; vācā — with a voice; paramadīnayā — most wretched; bāṣpopahatayā — broken, choked with tears; rājā — the king; taṃ — that; sūtam — charioteer; idam — this; abravīt — spoke

2.53.15

kaikeyyā viniyuktena pāpābhijanabhāvayā
mayā na mantrakuśalair vṛddhaiḥ saha samarthitam

'Set on by Kaikeyī, of wicked family and nature, I did not deliberate the matter with the elders skilled in counsel.'

Words: kaikeyyā — by Kaikeyī; viniyuktena — instigated, set on; pāpābhijanabhāvayā — of wicked family and nature; mayā — by me; na — not; mantrakuśalair — skilled in counsel; vṛddhaiḥ — with the elders; saha — together with; samarthitam — was deliberated, considered

2.53.16

na suhṛdbhir na cāmātyair mantrayitvā na naigamaiḥ
mayāyam arthaḥ saṃmohāt strīhetoḥ sahasā kṛtaḥ

'Not consulting with friends, nor with ministers, nor with townsmen, I did this thing rashly, out of delusion, for a woman's sake.'

Words: na — not; suhṛdbhir — with friends; na — nor; cāmātyair — and with ministers; mantrayitvā — having consulted; na — nor; naigamaiḥ — with townsmen, citizens; mayāyam — by me this; arthaḥ — matter, thing; saṃmohāt — out of delusion; strīhetoḥ — for a woman's sake; sahasā — rashly, suddenly; kṛtaḥ — was done

2.53.17

bhavitavyatayā nūnam idaṃ vā vyasanaṃ mahat
kulasyāsya vināśāya prāptaṃ sūta yadṛcchayā

'Surely, by destiny, this great calamity has come, charioteer, by chance, for the destruction of this line.'

Words: bhavitavyatayā — by destiny, by what was fated; nūnam — surely; idaṃ — this; vā — indeed, or; vyasanaṃ — calamity; mahat — great; kulasyāsya — of this family; vināśāya — for the destruction; prāptaṃ — come, arrived; sūta — O charioteer; yadṛcchayā — by chance

2.53.18

sūta yady asti te kiṃ cin mayāpi sukṛtaṃ kṛtam
tvaṃ prāpayāśu māṃ rāmaṃ prāṇāḥ saṃtvarayanti mām

'Charioteer, if ever I have done you any kindness, take me swiftly to Rāma; my life-breaths are hurrying me on.'

Words: sūta — O charioteer; yady asti — if there is; te — for you; kiṃ cin — any; mayāpi — by me even; sukṛtaṃ — kindness, good deed; kṛtam — done; tvaṃ — you; prāpayāśu — swiftly bring, lead; māṃ — me; rāmaṃ — to Rāma; prāṇāḥ — the life-breaths; saṃtvarayanti — hurry, urge on; mām — me

2.53.19

yad yad yāpi mamaivājñā nivartayatu rāghavam
na śakṣyāmi vinā rāma muhūrtam api jīvitum

'If even now my command still holds, let it turn Rāghava back; I shall not be able to live even a moment without Rāma.'

Words: yad yad yāpi — if even now (my command holds); mamaivājñā — my very command; nivartayatu — let it turn (him) back; rāghavam — Rāghava; na — not; śakṣyāmi — I shall be able; vinā — without; rāma — Rāma; muhūrtam — for a moment; api — even; jīvitum — to live

2.53.20

atha vāpi mahābāhur gato dūraṃ bhaviṣyati
mām eva ratham āropya śīghraṃ rāmāya darśaya

'Or else, if the mighty-armed one shall have gone far away, set me upon the chariot and show me swiftly to Rāma.'

Words: atha vāpi — or else, or if; mahābāhur — the mighty-armed; gato — gone; dūraṃ — far; bhaviṣyati — will have (gone), will be; mām — me; eva — indeed; ratham — on the chariot; āropya — having set up, placed; śīghraṃ — swiftly; rāmāya — to Rāma; darśaya — show, bring into sight

2.53.21

vṛttadaṃṣṭro maheṣvāsaḥ kvāsau lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ
yadi jīvāmi sādhv enaṃ paśyeyaṃ saha sītayā

'Where is he of rounded tusk-like teeth, the great archer, the elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa? If I live, may I look well upon him, together with Sītā.'

Words: vṛttadaṃṣṭro — with rounded tusk-like teeth; maheṣvāsaḥ — the great archer; kvāsau — where is that one; lakṣmaṇapūrvajaḥ — the elder brother of Lakṣmaṇa; yadi — if; jīvāmi — I live; sādhv — well; enaṃ — him; paśyeyaṃ — may I see; saha sītayā — together with Sītā

2.53.22

lohitākṣaṃ mahābāhum āmuktamaṇikuṇḍalam
rāmaṃ yadi na paśyāmi gamiṣyāmi yamakṣayam

'If I do not see Rāma—red-eyed, mighty-armed, wearing his jeweled earrings—I shall go to the abode of Yama.'

Words: lohitākṣaṃ — red-eyed; mahābāhum — mighty-armed; āmuktamaṇikuṇḍalam — wearing jeweled earrings; rāmaṃ — Rāma; yadi — if; na — not; paśyāmi — I see; gamiṣyāmi — I shall go; yamakṣayam — to the abode of Yama

2.53.23

ato nu kiṃ duḥkhataraṃ yo 'ham ikṣvākunandanam
imām avasthām āpanno neha paśyāmi rāghavam

'What could be more grievous than this—that I, come to such a state, do not see here Rāghava, delight of the Ikṣvākus?'

Words: ato — than this; nu — indeed; kiṃ — what; duḥkhataraṃ — more grievous; yo 'ham — I who; ikṣvākunandanam — delight of the Ikṣvākus; imām — this; avasthām — state, condition; āpanno — come to, fallen into; neha — not here; paśyāmi — I see; rāghavam — Rāghava

2.53.24

hā rāma rāmānuja hā hā vaidehi tapasvinī
na māṃ jānīta duḥkhena mriyamāṇam anāthavat
dustaro jīvatā devi mayāyaṃ śokasāgaraḥ

'Alas, Rāma! Alas, brother of Rāma! Alas, alas, hapless Vaidehī! You do not know that I am dying of grief, like one forlorn. Hard to cross, O queen, is this ocean of sorrow for me while I live.'

Words: hā — alas; rāma — O Rāma; rāmānuja — O younger brother of Rāma (Lakṣmaṇa); hā hā — alas, alas; vaidehi — O Vaidehī; tapasvinī — hapless one, poor lady; na — not; māṃ — me; jānīta — you (all) know; duḥkhena — of grief, with grief; mriyamāṇam — dying; anāthavat — like one forlorn; dustaro — hard to cross; jīvatā — by (me) living, while I live; devi — O queen; mayāyaṃ — by me this; śokasāgaraḥ — the ocean of sorrow

2.53.25

aśobhanaṃ yo 'ham ihādya rāghavaṃ didṛkṣamāṇo na labhe salakṣmaṇam
itīva rājā vilapan mahāyaśāḥ papāta tūrṇaṃ śayane sa mūrchitaḥ

'Ill-fated am I, that today, longing to see Rāghava here with Lakṣmaṇa, I do not obtain that sight.' Lamenting thus, the greatly glorious king suddenly fell upon his bed in a swoon.

Words: aśobhanaṃ — ill-fated, wretched; yo 'ham — I who; ihādya — here today; rāghavaṃ — Rāghava; didṛkṣamāṇo — longing to see; na — not; labhe — I obtain; salakṣmaṇam — together with Lakṣmaṇa; itīva — thus, as it were; rājā — the king; vilapan — lamenting; mahāyaśāḥ — greatly glorious; papāta — fell; tūrṇaṃ — suddenly, quickly; śayane — upon the bed; sa — he; mūrchitaḥ — swooning, in a faint

2.53.26

iti vilapati pārthive pranaṣṭe karuṇataraṃ dviguṇaṃ ca rāmahetoḥ
vacanam anuniśamya tasya devī bhayam agamat punar eva rāmamātā

As the king, sinking away, lamented thus—all the more piteously and doubly for Rāma's sake—hearing his words the queen, Rāma's mother, was again seized with fear.

Words: iti — thus; vilapati — lamenting (loc. abs.); pārthive — the king (loc. abs.); pranaṣṭe — sinking away, fainting (loc. abs.); karuṇataraṃ — more piteously; dviguṇaṃ — doubly, twofold; ca — and; rāmahetoḥ — for Rāma's sake; vacanam — the words; anuniśamya — having heard, listened to; tasya — his; devī — the queen; bhayam — fear; agamat — went to, was seized by; punar — again; eva — very, indeed; rāmamātā — Rāma's mother

← 2.52 Sumantra reports the farewells · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.54 Sumantra comforts Kausalyā →

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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