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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 57: Daśaratha’s arrow aimed at a sound
Summary. He recalls mistaking a filling pot for an elephant and shooting a youth who directs him to his blind parents
Sequence
- Waking repeatedly in distress, Daśaratha begins a confession to Kausalyā at midnight on the sixth night (2.57.1–3)
- he says that people reap the consequences of their actions and that acting without considering the result has brought him to this point. (2.57.4–9)
- He recalls his youth, before their marriage, when he was still heir: during the rainy season he went hunting beside the Sarayū (2.57.10–14)
- waiting in darkness for an animal to drink, he heard a pot filling with water → mistaking the sound for an elephant, he shot without seeing his target (2.57.15–17)
- a young forest tapasvin cried out, asking why someone had attacked a harmless person fetching water (2.57.18–22)
- the wounded youth said he feared less for himself than for his blind, elderly parents, who depended entirely on him (2.57.23–25)
- Daśaratha dropped his bow, hurried to him, and saw what he had done → the youth told him that one arrow had effectively destroyed three lives (2.57.26–30)
- he directed Daśaratha to his parents' hermitage and asked him to confess and seek their forgiveness → he also asked him to remove the arrow, explaining that his father was a Vaiśya and his mother a Śūdra, to relieve the prince's fear of having killed a brāhmaṇa → Daśaratha drew it out, and the youth gasped from the wound. (2.57.31–39)
Verses 2.57.1–39
2.57.1
pratibuddho muhur tena śokopahatacetanaḥ
atha rājā daśarathaḥ sa cintām abhyapadyata
Awakened again and again by that grief, his mind stricken by sorrow, King Daśaratha then fell to brooding.
Words: pratibuddho — awakened; muhur — again and again; tena — by that; śokopahatacetanaḥ — his mind stricken by grief; atha — then; rājā — the king; daśarathaḥ — Daśaratha; sa — he; cintām — brooding, anxiety; abhyapadyata — fell into
2.57.2
rāmalakṣmaṇayoś caiva vivāsād vāsavopamam
āviveśopasargas taṃ tamaḥ sūryam ivāsuram
Because of the exile of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, an affliction entered him who was the equal of Indra, as the demonic darkness (Rāhu) overtakes the sun.
Words: rāmalakṣmaṇayoś — of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa; caiva — and indeed; vivāsād — because of the banishment; vāsavopamam — like Vāsava (Indra); āviveśopasargas — an affliction entered; taṃ — him; tamaḥ — darkness; sūryam — the sun; ivāsuram — like the demonic one
2.57.3
sa rājā rajanīṃ ṣaṣṭhīṃ rāme pravrajite vanam
ardharātre daśarathaḥ saṃsmaran duṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam
kausalyāṃ putraśokārtām idaṃ vacanam abravīt
On the sixth night after Rāma had gone forth to the forest, at midnight, King Daśaratha, recalling the evil deed he had done, spoke these words to Kausalyā, who was stricken with grief for her son:
Words: sa — that; rājā — king; rajanīṃ — night; ṣaṣṭhīṃ — sixth; rāme pravrajite — when Rāma had gone forth; vanam — to the forest; ardharātre — at midnight; daśarathaḥ — Daśaratha; saṃsmaran — recalling; duṣkṛtaṃ — the evil deed; kṛtam — committed, done; kausalyāṃ — to Kausalyā; putraśokārtām — stricken with grief for her son; idaṃ — these; vacanam — words; abravīt — spoke
2.57.4
yad ācarati kalyāṇi śubhaṃ vā yadi vāśubham
tad eva labhate bhadre kartā karmajam ātmanaḥ
Whatever one does, good lady, whether good or evil, that very thing, O gracious one, the doer reaps, born of his own deed.
Words: yad — whatever; ācarati — one does, performs; kalyāṇi — O good lady; śubhaṃ — good, auspicious; vā — or; yadi — if; vāśubham — or evil; tad eva — that very; labhate — obtains, reaps; bhadre — O gracious one; kartā — the doer; karmajam — born of the deed; ātmanaḥ — of his own self
2.57.5
guru lāghavam arthānām ārambhe karmaṇāṃ phalam
doṣaṃ vā yo na jānāti sa bāla iti hocyate
He who does not know, at the outset of his undertakings, the weight or the lightness of aims, the fruit of actions, or their flaw — he is called a fool.
Words: guru — the heaviness, gravity; lāghavam — the lightness; arthānām — of aims, matters; ārambhe — at the outset, undertaking; karmaṇāṃ — of actions; phalam — the fruit; doṣaṃ — the fault, flaw; vā — or; yo — who; na — not; jānāti — knows; sa — he; bāla — a fool, child; iti — thus; hocyate — is indeed called
2.57.6
kaś cid āmravaṇaṃ chittvā palāśāṃś ca niṣiñcati
puṣpaṃ dṛṣṭvā phale gṛdhnuḥ sa śocati phalāgame
Someone, having cut down a mango grove, waters palāśa trees; greedy for fruit at the sight of blossom, he grieves when the fruiting time comes.
Words: kaś cid — someone; āmravaṇaṃ — a mango grove; chittvā — having cut down; palāśāṃś ca — and palāśa trees; niṣiñcati — waters, irrigates; puṣpaṃ — blossom, flower; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; phale — in the fruit; gṛdhnuḥ — greedy; sa — he; śocati — grieves; phalāgame — when the fruit comes
2.57.7
so 'ham āmravaṇaṃ chittvā palāśāṃś ca nyaṣecayam
rāmaṃ phalāgame tyaktvā paścāc chocāmi durmatiḥ
So I, having cut down a mango grove and watered palāśas, cast off Rāma at the very time of fruiting; now, fool that I am, I grieve afterward.
Words: so — that very one; 'ham — I; āmravaṇaṃ — a mango grove; chittvā — having cut down; palāśāṃś ca — and palāśa trees; nyaṣecayam — I watered, irrigated; rāmaṃ — Rāma; phalāgame — at the time of fruiting; tyaktvā — having abandoned; paścāc — afterward; chocāmi — I grieve; durmatiḥ — the fool, evil-minded one
2.57.8
labdhaśabdena kausalye kumāreṇa dhanuṣmatā
kumāraḥ śabdavedhīti mayā pāpam idaṃ kṛtam
tad idaṃ me 'nusaṃprāptaṃ devi duḥkhaṃ svayaṃ kṛtam
O Kausalyā, by me — a prince, a bow-bearing archer who had won renown, thinking 'the prince strikes by sound alone' — this sin was committed; and so this self-wrought sorrow, O queen, has now come upon me.
Words: labdhaśabdena — having won renown; kausalye — O Kausalyā; kumāreṇa — by the prince, youth; dhanuṣmatā — the bow-bearing archer; kumāraḥ — 'the prince; śabdavedhīti — is a shooter-by-sound'—thus; mayā — by me; pāpam — sin, evil; idaṃ — this; kṛtam — was done; tad — so, therefore; idaṃ — this; me — to me; 'nusaṃprāptaṃ — has come upon; devi — O queen; duḥkhaṃ — suffering, sorrow; svayaṃ — self, by oneself; kṛtam — wrought, done
2.57.9
saṃmohād iha bālena yathā syād bhakṣitaṃ viṣam
evaṃ mamāpy avijñātaṃ śabdavedhyamayaṃ phalam
Just as poison might be eaten by a child through delusion, so too the fruit made of my shooting-by-sound was reaped by me unawares.
Words: saṃmohād — out of delusion; iha — here; bālena — by a child; yathā — just as; syād — might be; bhakṣitaṃ — eaten; viṣam — poison; evaṃ — so; mamāpy — by me too; avijñātaṃ — unknown, unrealized; śabdavedhyamayaṃ — consisting of shooting-by-sound; phalam — the fruit, result
2.57.10
devy anūḍhā tvam abhavo yuvarājo bhavāmy aham
tataḥ prāvṛḍ anuprāptā madakāmavivardhinī
O queen, you were as yet unwed and I was the crown prince; then came the rainy season, that heightens ardour and desire.
Words: devy — O queen; anūḍhā — unwed; tvam — you; abhavo — were; yuvarājo — the crown prince; bhavāmy — was, am; aham — I; tataḥ — then; prāvṛḍ — the rainy season; anuprāptā — arrived, came on; madakāmavivardhinī — heightening ardour and desire
2.57.11
upāsyahi rasān bhaumāṃs taptvā ca jagad aṃśubhiḥ
paretācaritāṃ bhīmāṃ ravir āviśate diśam
For after drawing up the earth's moisture and scorching the world with his rays, the sun then enters the dread southern quarter, haunted by the departed spirits.
Words: upāsyahi — for having drawn up, consumed; rasān — the moistures, juices; bhaumāṃs — of the earth, earthly; taptvā — having scorched, heated; ca — and; jagad — the world; aṃśubhiḥ — with (its) rays; paretācaritāṃ — frequented by the departed; bhīmāṃ — dreadful; ravir — the sun; āviśate — enters; diśam — the quarter, direction
2.57.12
uṣṇam antardadhe sadyaḥ snigdhā dadṛśire ghanāḥ
tato jahṛṣire sarve bhekasāraṅgabarhiṇaḥ
The heat at once disappeared, and glossy clouds came into view; then all the frogs, cātaka birds, and peacocks rejoiced.
Words: uṣṇam — the heat; antardadhe — vanished, disappeared; sadyaḥ — at once, suddenly; snigdhā — glossy, moist; dadṛśire — were seen, appeared; ghanāḥ — clouds; tato — then; jahṛṣire — rejoiced; sarve — all; bhekasāraṅgabarhiṇaḥ — frogs, cātaka birds and peacocks
2.57.13
patitenāmbhasā channaḥ patamānena cāsakṛt
ābabhau mattasāraṅgas toyarāśir ivācalaḥ
Drenched by the water that had fallen and that kept falling again and again, the mountain, its cātaka birds maddened with joy, shone like a mass of water.
Words: patitenāmbhasā — by the fallen water; channaḥ — covered, drenched; patamānena — by that falling; cāsakṛt — and repeatedly; ābabhau — shone; mattasāraṅgas — its cātaka birds maddened (with joy); toyarāśir — a mass of water; ivācalaḥ — like a mountain
2.57.14
tasminn atisukhe kāle dhanuṣmān iṣumān rathī
vyāyāma kṛtasaṃkalpaḥ sarayūm anvagāṃ nadīm
In that most pleasant season, bearing bow and arrows and mounted in a chariot, bent on sport, I went along the river Sarayū.
Words: tasminn — in that; atisukhe — most pleasant; kāle — season, time; dhanuṣmān — bearing a bow; iṣumān — bearing arrows; rathī — mounted in a chariot; vyāyāma — sport, exercise; kṛtasaṃkalpaḥ — resolved, having made up my mind; sarayūm — the Sarayū; anvagāṃ — I went along; nadīm — river
2.57.15
nipāne mahiṣaṃ rātrau gajaṃ vābhyāgataṃ nadīm
anyaṃ vā śvāpadaṃ kaṃ cij jighāṃsur ajitendriyaḥ
Wishing to kill, at a watering-place by night, a buffalo or an elephant come to the river, or some other beast of prey — I, my senses unmastered —
Words: nipāne — at a watering-place; mahiṣaṃ — a buffalo; rātrau — at night; gajaṃ — an elephant; vābhyāgataṃ — or come (to); nadīm — the river; anyaṃ — another; vā — or; śvāpadaṃ — beast of prey; kaṃ — some; cij — any; jighāṃsur — wishing to kill; ajitendriyaḥ — with senses unconquered
2.57.16
athāndhakāre tv aśrauṣaṃ jale kumbhasya paryataḥ
acakṣur viṣaye ghoṣaṃ vāraṇasyeva nardataḥ
Then in the darkness I heard in the water the gurgle of a pitcher being filled — a sound beyond my sight, like that of a trumpeting elephant.
Words: athāndhakāre — then in the darkness; tv — but; aśrauṣaṃ — I heard; jale — in the water; kumbhasya — of a pitcher, pot; paryataḥ — being filled; acakṣur — out of the eye's; viṣaye — range, domain; ghoṣaṃ — the sound, din; vāraṇasyeva — like an elephant's; nardataḥ — roaring, trumpeting
2.57.17
tato 'haṃ śaram uddhṛtya dīptam āśīviṣopamam
amuñcaṃ niśitaṃ bāṇam aham āśīviṣopamam
Then, drawing forth a blazing arrow like a venomous serpent, I loosed the sharp shaft — I, myself like a venomous serpent.
Words: tato — then; 'haṃ — I; śaram — an arrow; uddhṛtya — having drawn forth; dīptam — blazing; āśīviṣopamam — like a venomous serpent; amuñcaṃ — I released; niśitaṃ — sharp, whetted; bāṇam — the shaft, arrow; aham — I; āśīviṣopamam — like a venomous serpent
2.57.18
tatra vāg uṣasi vyaktā prādurāsīd vanaukasaḥ
hā heti patatas toye vāg abhūt tatra mānuṣī
katham asmadvidhe śastraṃ nipatet tu tapasvini
Thereupon a clear voice of a forest-dweller broke forth; as he fell into the water crying 'Alas, alas!', a human voice arose there: 'How could a weapon strike an ascetic such as I?'
Words: tatra — there, thereupon; vāg — a voice; uṣasi — at dawn; vyaktā — clear, distinct; prādurāsīd — broke forth, became manifest; vanaukasaḥ — of a forest-dweller; hā — alas; heti — 'alas'—thus; patatas — as he fell; toye — into the water; vāg — a voice; abhūt — arose, was; tatra — there; mānuṣī — human; katham — how; asmadvidhe — upon one like me; śastraṃ — a weapon; nipatet — should fall, strike; tu — indeed; tapasvini — on an ascetic
2.57.19
praviviktāṃ nadīṃ rātrāv udāhāro 'ham āgataḥ
iṣuṇābhihataḥ kena kasya vā kiṃ kṛtaṃ mayā
'I came to this lonely river by night to fetch water; by whom have I been struck with an arrow, and to whom have I done any wrong?'
Words: praviviktāṃ — lonely, secluded; nadīṃ — to the river; rātrāv — at night; udāhāro — to fetch water; 'ham — I; āgataḥ — have come; iṣuṇābhihataḥ — struck by an arrow; kena — by whom; kasya — to whom; vā — or; kiṃ — what; kṛtaṃ — done; mayā — by me
2.57.20
ṛṣer hi nyasta daṇḍasya vane vanyena jīvataḥ
kathaṃ nu śastreṇa vadho madvidhasya vidhīyate
'For a seer who has laid down the rod of violence, living in the forest on forest fare — how can slaying by a weapon be ordained for one like me?'
Words: ṛṣer — of a seer; hi — for, indeed; nyasta — having laid down; daṇḍasya — of the rod (of punishment); vane — in the forest; vanyena — on forest produce; jīvataḥ — living; kathaṃ — how; nu — indeed; śastreṇa — by a weapon; vadho — slaying; madvidhasya — of one like me; vidhīyate — is ordained, is inflicted
2.57.21
jaṭābhāradharasyaiva valkalājinavāsasaḥ
ko vadhena mamārthī syāt kiṃ vāsyāpakṛtaṃ mayā
'To one who bears a load of matted locks and wears bark and deerskin — who would seek my death, and what wrong have I done to him?'
Words: jaṭābhāradharasyaiva — of one bearing a load of matted hair; valkalājinavāsasaḥ — clad in bark and deerskin; ko — who; vadhena — by slaying; mamārthī — desirous of my (death); syāt — would be; kiṃ — what; vāsyāpakṛtaṃ — or wrong done to him; mayā — by me
2.57.22
evaṃ niṣphalam ārabdhaṃ kevalānarthasaṃhitam
na kaś cit sādhu manyeta yathaiva gurutalpagam
'Such a deed, undertaken to no purpose and fraught with sheer calamity, no one would deem right, just as none approves defiling the teacher's bed.'
Words: evaṃ — thus, such; niṣphalam — fruitless; ārabdhaṃ — undertaken; kevalānarthasaṃhitam — fraught with sheer calamity; na — not; kaś — any(one); cit — -ever; sādhu — good, right; manyeta — would deem; yathaiva — just as; gurutalpagam — (one who) violates the teacher's bed
2.57.23
nemaṃ tathānuśocāmi jīvitakṣayam ātmanaḥ
mātaraṃ pitaraṃ cobhāv anuśocāmi madvidhe
'I do not so much grieve for this loss of my own life; I grieve rather for my mother and my father, both of them, at the death of one like me.'
Words: nemaṃ — not this; tathānuśocāmi — do I so grieve; jīvitakṣayam — loss of life; ātmanaḥ — of my own; mātaraṃ — mother; pitaraṃ — father; cobhāv — and both; anuśocāmi — I grieve for; madvidhe — at (the death of) one like me
2.57.24
tad etān mithunaṃ vṛddhaṃ cirakālabhṛtaṃ mayā
mayi pañcatvam āpanne kāṃ vṛttiṃ vartayiṣyati
'That aged pair, so long supported by me — when I have met my death, by what livelihood will they sustain themselves?'
Words: tad — so, therefore; etān — this; mithunaṃ — pair, couple; vṛddhaṃ — aged; cirakālabhṛtaṃ — supported for a long time; mayā — by me; mayi — when I ...; pañcatvam — death (reduction to the five elements); āpanne — having attained; kāṃ — what; vṛttiṃ — livelihood, means; vartayiṣyati — will (they) carry on, sustain
2.57.25
vṛddhau ca mātāpitarāv ahaṃ caikeṣuṇā hataḥ
kena sma nihatāḥ sarve subālenākṛtātmanā
'My aged mother and father, and I, slain by a single arrow — by whom have we all been struck down, by some mere boy of unformed mind?'
Words: vṛddhau — the two aged ones; ca — and; mātāpitarāv — mother and father; ahaṃ — I; caikeṣuṇā — and by a single arrow; hataḥ — slain; kena — by whom; sma — (emphatic particle); nihatāḥ — struck down; sarve — all; subālenākṛtātmanā — by a mere boy of undisciplined mind
2.57.26
taṃ giraṃ karuṇāṃ śrutvā mama dharmānukāṅkṣiṇaḥ
karābhyāṃ saśaraṃ cāpaṃ vyathitasyāpatad bhuvi
Hearing that piteous cry, from my hands — I who long for righteousness and was shaken with grief — the bow together with its arrow fell to the ground.
Words: taṃ — that; giraṃ — cry, speech; karuṇāṃ — piteous; śrutvā — having heard; mama — my, of me; dharmānukāṅkṣiṇaḥ — of me who longs for dharma; karābhyāṃ — from (both) hands; saśaraṃ — together with the arrow; cāpaṃ — the bow; vyathitasyāpatad — of me, shaken, fell; bhuvi — on the ground
2.57.27
taṃ deśam aham āgamya dīnasattvaḥ sudurmanāḥ
apaśyam iṣuṇā tīre sarayvās tāpasaṃ hatam
Coming to that spot, wretched in spirit and utterly disheartened, I saw on the bank of the Sarayū the ascetic slain by my arrow.
Words: taṃ — that; deśam — place, spot; aham — I; āgamya — having come to; dīnasattvaḥ — wretched in spirit; sudurmanāḥ — utterly disheartened; apaśyam — I saw; iṣuṇā — by an arrow; tīre — on the bank; sarayvās — of the Sarayū; tāpasaṃ — the ascetic; hatam — slain
2.57.28
sa mām udvīkṣya netrābhyāṃ trastam asvasthacetasaṃ
ity uvāca vacaḥ krūraṃ didhakṣann iva tejasā
Gazing up at me with his eyes — me, terrified and sick at heart — he spoke these harsh words, as if to burn me with his fiery power:
Words: sa — he; mām — me; udvīkṣya — having looked up at; netrābhyāṃ — with (his) eyes; trastam — terrified; asvasthacetasaṃ — sick at heart; ity — thus; uvāca — said; vacaḥ — words; krūraṃ — harsh, cruel; didhakṣann — as if wishing to burn; iva — as if; tejasā — with (his) fiery power
2.57.29
kiṃ tavāpakṛtaṃ rājan vane nivasatā mayā
jihīrṣiur ambho gurvarthaṃ yad ahaṃ tāḍitas tvayā
'What wrong have I, dwelling in the forest, done to you, O king, that I, seeking to fetch water for my elders, have been struck down by you?'
Words: kiṃ — what; tavāpakṛtaṃ — wrong done to you; rājan — O king; vane — in the forest; nivasatā — by (me) dwelling; mayā — by me; jihīrṣiur — wishing to fetch; ambho — water; gurvarthaṃ — for the sake of my elders; yad — in that, since; ahaṃ — I; tāḍitas — struck; tvayā — by you
2.57.30
ekena khalu bāṇena marmaṇy abhihate mayi
dvāv andhau nihatau vṛddhau mātā janayitā ca me
'Indeed, when I have been struck in a vital spot by a single arrow, two aged blind ones are slain — my mother and my father who begot me.'
Words: ekena — by a single; khalu — indeed; bāṇena — arrow; marmaṇy — in a vital spot; abhihate — struck; mayi — when I am ...; dvāv — two; andhau — blind ones; nihatau — are slain; vṛddhau — aged; mātā — mother; janayitā — the begetter, father; ca — and; me — my
2.57.31
tau nūnaṃ durbalāv andhau matpratīkṣau pipāsitau
ciram āśākṛtāṃ tṛṣṇāṃ kaṣṭāṃ saṃdhārayiṣyataḥ
'Those two feeble blind ones, awaiting me and parched, will long endure their grievous thirst, sustained only by hope.'
Words: tau — those two; nūnaṃ — surely; durbalāv — feeble; andhau — blind; matpratīkṣau — awaiting me; pipāsitau — thirsting, parched; ciram — for long; āśākṛtāṃ — wrought by hope; tṛṣṇāṃ — thirst; kaṣṭāṃ — grievous, painful; saṃdhārayiṣyataḥ — the two will endure, sustain
2.57.32
na nūnaṃ tapaso vāsti phalayogaḥ śrutasya vā
pitā yan māṃ na jānāti śayānaṃ patitaṃ bhuvi
'Surely there is no reward of austerity or of sacred learning, since my father does not know that I lie fallen on the ground.'
Words: na — not; nūnaṃ — surely; tapaso — of austerity; vāsti — there is; phalayogaḥ — attainment of fruit, reward; śrutasya — of sacred learning; vā — or; pitā — father; yan — since, in that; māṃ — me; na — not; jānāti — knows; śayānaṃ — lying; patitaṃ — fallen; bhuvi — on the ground
2.57.33
jānann api ca kiṃ kuryād aśaktir aparikramaḥ
bhidyamānam ivāśaktas trātum anyo nago nagam
'And even if he knew, what could he do, powerless and unable to move — as one tree, itself helpless, cannot save another that is being cut down?'
Words: jānann — even knowing; api — even; ca — and; kiṃ — what; kuryād — could he do; aśaktir — powerless; aparikramaḥ — unable to move; bhidyamānam — being cut, split; ivāśaktas — like one unable; trātum — to save; anyo — another; nago — tree; nagam — a tree
2.57.34
pitus tvam eva me gatvā śīghram ācakṣva rāghava
na tvām anudahet kruddho vanaṃ vahnir ivaidhitaḥ
'Go quickly yourself, O Rāghava, and tell this to my father, lest, enraged, he consume you as a kindled fire consumes a forest.'
Words: pitus — to (my) father; tvam — you; eva — yourself, indeed; me — my; gatvā — having gone; śīghram — quickly; ācakṣva — tell, announce; rāghava — O Rāghava; na — not, lest; tvām — you; anudahet — may burn up; kruddho — enraged; vanaṃ — a forest; vahnir — fire; ivaidhitaḥ — like a kindled (fire)
2.57.35
iyam ekapadī rājan yato me pitur āśramaḥ
taṃ prasādaya gatvā tvaṃ na tvāṃ sa kupitaḥ śapet
'This is the footpath, O king, along which lies my father's hermitage; go and appease him, so that, angered, he may not curse you.'
Words: iyam — this; ekapadī — footpath, single track; rājan — O king; yato — whither, along which; me — my; pitur — father's; āśramaḥ — hermitage; taṃ — him; prasādaya — appease, conciliate; gatvā — having gone; tvaṃ — you; na — not, lest; tvāṃ — you; sa — he; kupitaḥ — angered; śapet — may curse
2.57.36
viśalyaṃ kuru māṃ rājan marma me niśitaḥ śaraḥ
ruṇaddhi mṛdu sotsedhaṃ tīram amburayo yathā
'Draw the dart out of me, O king; the sharp arrow chokes my vital spot, as a river's current presses upon a soft, high bank.'
Words: viśalyaṃ — free of the dart; kuru — make; māṃ — me; rājan — O king; marma — vital spot; me — my; niśitaḥ — sharp; śaraḥ — arrow; ruṇaddhi — obstructs, chokes; mṛdu — soft; sotsedhaṃ — raised, high; tīram — bank; amburayo — the water's current; yathā — as
2.57.37
na dvijātir ahaṃ rājan mā bhūt te manaso vyathā
śūdrāyām asmi vaiśyena jāto janapadādhipa
'I am not a twice-born, O king — let there be no anguish in your mind; I was begotten of a Vaiśya upon a Śūdra woman, O ruler of the land.'
Words: na — not; dvijātir — a twice-born; ahaṃ — I; rājan — O king; mā — let not; bhūt — there be; te — your; manaso — of the mind; vyathā — anguish; śūdrāyām — upon a Śūdra woman; asmi — I am; vaiśyena — by a Vaiśya; jāto — born; janapadādhipa — O ruler of the land
2.57.38
itīva vadataḥ kṛcchrād bāṇābhihatamarmaṇaḥ
tasya tv ānamyamānasya taṃ bāṇam aham uddharam
As he was speaking thus with difficulty, his vital spot pierced by the arrow, and as he writhed, I drew that arrow out of him.
Words: itīva — thus indeed; vadataḥ — of (him) speaking; kṛcchrād — with difficulty; bāṇābhihatamarmaṇaḥ — his vital spot struck by the arrow; tasya — of him; tv — and; ānamyamānasya — of him bending, writhing; taṃ — that; bāṇam — arrow; aham — I; uddharam — drew out
2.57.39
jalārdragātraṃ tu vilapya kṛcchān marmavraṇaṃ saṃtatam ucchasantam
tataḥ sarayvāṃ tam ahaṃ śayānaṃ samīkṣya bhadre subhṛśaṃ viṣaṇṇaḥ
Seeing him lying there in the Sarayū, O gracious lady, his body wet, lamenting piteously, his mortal wound heaving as he gasped without ceasing, I was utterly overcome with despair.
Words: jalārdragātraṃ — his body wet with water; tu — and; vilapya — lamenting; kṛcchān — piteously, with difficulty; marmavraṇaṃ — his mortal wound; saṃtatam — continuously, without ceasing; ucchasantam — gasping, breathing hard; tataḥ — then; sarayvāṃ — in the Sarayū; tam — him; ahaṃ — I; śayānaṃ — lying; samīkṣya — having beheld; bhadre — O gracious lady; subhṛśaṃ — utterly, exceedingly; viṣaṇṇaḥ — dejected, in despair
← 2.56 Kausalyā & Daśaratha reconcile · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.58 The curse and Daśaratha’s death →
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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