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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 61: Ayodhyā without a King

Summary. Ministers warn that food production, worship, trade and protection will fail without a ruler and ask Vasiṣṭha to arrange succession

Sequence

  1. At sunrise the priests and ministers assemble before Vasiṣṭha (2.61.1–3)
  2. they point out that Daśaratha is dead, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are in the forest, and Bharata and Śatrughna are still with the Kekayas (2.61.4–6)
  3. they urge an immediate appointment from the Ikṣvāku family (2.61.7–10)
  4. they explain what they fear without a King: neglected agriculture and public works, interrupted sacrifices and festivals, unsafe travel and trade, insecurity at home, and a weakened army (2.61.11–19)
  5. without authority to settle disputes, they say, people will prey on one another (2.61.20–23)
  6. they ask Vasiṣṭha to arrange the succession. (2.61.24–25)

Verses 2.61.1–25

2.61.1

vyatītāyāṃ tu śarvaryām ādityasyodaye tataḥ
sametya rājakartāraḥ sabhām īyur dvijātayaḥ

When the night had passed, then at the rising of the sun the twice-born king-makers came together and went into the assembly hall.

Words: vyatītāyāṃ — when had passed; tu — and; śarvaryām — the night; ādityasyodaye — at the rising of the sun; tataḥ — then; sametya — having assembled; rājakartāraḥ — the king-makers; sabhām — to the assembly hall; īyur — went; dvijātayaḥ — the twice-born

2.61.2

mārkaṇḍeyo 'tha maudgalyo vāmadevaś ca kāśyapaḥ
kātyayano gautamaś ca jābāliś ca mahāyaśāḥ

Mārkaṇḍeya, then Maudgalya, Vāmadeva and Kāśyapa, Kātyāyana and Gautama, and the greatly renowned Jābāli;

Words: mārkaṇḍeyo — Mārkaṇḍeya; 'tha — then; maudgalyo — Maudgalya; vāmadevaś ca — and Vāmadeva; kāśyapaḥ — Kāśyapa; kātyayano — Kātyāyana; gautamaś ca — and Gautama; jābāliś ca — and Jābāli; mahāyaśāḥ — of great renown

2.61.3

ete dvijāḥ sahāmātyaiḥ pṛthag vācam udīrayan
vasiṣṭham evābhimukhāḥ śreṣṭho rājapurohitam

these brahmins, together with the ministers, each raised his voice, facing directly toward Vasiṣṭha, the foremost royal chaplain.

Words: ete — these; dvijāḥ — brahmins; sahāmātyaiḥ — together with the ministers; pṛthag — severally, each apart; vācam — speech, a word; udīrayan — uttered, raised; vasiṣṭham — toward Vasiṣṭha; evābhimukhāḥ — facing directly; śreṣṭho — the foremost; rājapurohitam — the royal chaplain

2.61.4

atītā śarvarī duḥkhaṃ yā no varṣaśatopamā
asmin pañcatvam āpanne putraśokena pārthive

“Painfully has the night passed for us, a night that seemed like a hundred years, now that this king has met his death through grief for his son.

Words: atītā — has passed; śarvarī — the night; duḥkhaṃ — painfully, with sorrow; yā — which; no — for us; varṣaśatopamā — like a hundred years; asmin — when this; pañcatvam — death (the state of the five elements); āpanne — having met, reached; putraśokena — through grief for his son; pārthive — king

2.61.5

svargataś ca mahārājo rāmaś cāraṇyam āśritaḥ
lakṣmaṇaś cāpi tejasvī rāmeṇaiva gataḥ saha

The great king has gone to heaven, and Rāma has resorted to the forest; the resplendent Lakṣmaṇa too has gone away together with Rāma.

Words: svargataś ca — and gone to heaven; mahārājo — the great king; rāmaś — Rāma; cāraṇyam — and to the forest; āśritaḥ — has resorted, taken refuge; lakṣmaṇaś — Lakṣmaṇa; cāpi — and also; tejasvī — the resplendent; rāmeṇaiva — with Rāma indeed; gataḥ — has gone; saha — together

2.61.6

ubhau bharataśatrughnau kkekayeṣu paraṃtapau
pure rājagṛhe ramye mātāmahaniveśane

Both scorchers of foes, Bharata and Śatrughna, are among the Kekayas, in the lovely city of Rājagṛha, in the dwelling of their maternal grandfather.

Words: ubhau — both; bharataśatrughnau — Bharata and Śatrughna; kkekayeṣu — among the Kekayas; paraṃtapau — the two scorchers of foes; pure — in the city; rājagṛhe — Rājagṛha; ramye — lovely; mātāmahaniveśane — in the dwelling of their maternal grandfather

2.61.7

ikṣvākūṇām ihādyaiva kaś cid rājā vidhīyatām
arājakaṃ hi no rāṣṭraṃ na vināśam avāpnuyāt

Let some king of the Ikṣvākus be appointed here this very day, so that our realm, being kingless, may not fall into ruin.

Words: ikṣvākūṇām — of the Ikṣvākus; ihādyaiva — here this very day; kaś cid — some; rājā — king; vidhīyatām — let (one) be appointed; arājakaṃ — kingless; hi — for; no — our; rāṣṭraṃ — realm; na — not; vināśam — destruction; avāpnuyāt — may (it) meet with

2.61.8

nārājale janapade vidyunmālī mahāsvanaḥ
abhivarṣati parjanyo mahīṃ divyena vāriṇā

In a land without a king, the lightning-wreathed, loud-thundering cloud does not pour heavenly water down upon the earth.

Words: nārājale — in a land not kingless (i.e. not in a kingless one); janapade — land, country; vidyunmālī — garlanded with lightning; mahāsvanaḥ — loud-thundering; abhivarṣati — rains down; parjanyo — the rain-cloud; mahīṃ — upon the earth; divyena — with heavenly; vāriṇā — water

2.61.9

nārājake janapade bījamuṣṭiḥ prakīryate
nārākake pituḥ putro bhāryā vā vartate vaśe

In a kingless land no handful of seed is sown; in a kingless land neither does a son stay in his father's control, nor a wife under her husband's.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; bījamuṣṭiḥ — a handful of seed; prakīryate — is scattered, sown; nārākake — not in a kingless (land); pituḥ — of the father; putro — the son; bhāryā — the wife; vā — or; vartate — abides, stays; vaśe — in control

2.61.10

arājake dhanaṃ nāsti nāsti bhāryāpy arājake
idam atyāhitaṃ cānyat kutaḥ satyam arājake

In a kingless state there is no wealth, nor even a wife; and there is this further, grave calamity — whence could truth exist in a kingless state?

Words: arājake — in kinglessness; dhanaṃ — wealth; nāsti — there is not; nāsti — there is not; bhāryāpy — even a wife; arājake — in kinglessness; idam — this; atyāhitaṃ — grave calamity, extreme danger; cānyat — and another; kutaḥ — whence; satyam — truth; arājake — in kinglessness

2.61.11

nārājake janapade kārayanti sabhāṃ narāḥ
udyānāni ca ramyāṇi hṛṣṭāḥ puṇyagṛhāṇi ca

In a kingless land men do not, in gladness, have assembly halls built, nor lovely gardens and sacred houses.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; kārayanti — have built, cause to be made; sabhāṃ — assembly hall; narāḥ — men; udyānāni — gardens; ca — and; ramyāṇi — lovely; hṛṣṭāḥ — delighted, glad; puṇyagṛhāṇi — sacred houses, temples; ca — and

2.61.12

nārājake janapade yajñaśīlā dvijātayaḥ
satrāṇy anvāsate dāntā brāhmaṇāḥ saṃśitavratāḥ

In a kingless land the self-controlled twice-born, devoted to sacrifice, brahmins of rigorous vows, do not sit through the sacrificial sessions.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; yajñaśīlā — devoted to sacrifice; dvijātayaḥ — the twice-born; satrāṇy — sacrificial sessions; anvāsate — attend, sit through; dāntā — self-controlled; brāhmaṇāḥ — brahmins; saṃśitavratāḥ — of rigorous vows

2.61.13

nārājake janapade prabhūtanaṭanartakāḥ
utsavāś ca samājāś ca vardhante rāṣṭravardhanāḥ

In a kingless land the festivals and gatherings, abounding in actors and dancers, that enrich the realm, do not flourish.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; prabhūtanaṭanartakāḥ — abounding in actors and dancers; utsavāś ca — and festivals; samājāś ca — and gatherings; vardhante — flourish, thrive; rāṣṭravardhanāḥ — enriching the realm

2.61.14

nārajake janapade siddhārthā vyavahāriṇaḥ
kathābhir anurajyante kathāśīlāḥ kathāpriyaiḥ

In a kingless land men of affairs, successful in their aims and fond of stories, do not take delight in tales shared with fellow lovers of tales.

Words: nārajake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; siddhārthā — successful in their aims; vyavahāriṇaḥ — men of affairs, litigants; kathābhir — with tales; anurajyante — take delight, are gladdened; kathāśīlāḥ — fond of stories; kathāpriyaiḥ — with lovers of stories

2.61.15

nārājake janapade vāhanaiḥ śīghragāmibhiḥ
narā niryānty araṇyāni nārībhiḥ saha kāminaḥ

In a kingless land amorous men do not ride out to the forests with their women in swift-moving vehicles.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; vāhanaiḥ — with vehicles; śīghragāmibhiḥ — swift-moving; narā — men; niryānty — go out; araṇyāni — to the forests; nārībhiḥ — with women; saha — together; kāminaḥ — amorous, lovers

2.61.16

nārākaje janapade dhanavantaḥ surakṣitāḥ
śerate vivṛta dvārāḥ kṛṣigorakṣajīvinaḥ

In a kingless land the wealthy, though well-guarded, who live by tilling and cattle-keeping, do not sleep with their doors left open.

Words: nārākaje — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; dhanavantaḥ — the wealthy; surakṣitāḥ — well-guarded; śerate — sleep, lie; vivṛta dvārāḥ — with their doors open; kṛṣigorakṣajīvinaḥ — living by farming and cattle-tending

2.61.17

nārājake janapade vaṇijo dūragāminaḥ
gacchanti kṣemam adhvānaṃ bahupuṇyasamācitāḥ

In a kingless land far-faring merchants, richly laden with their wares, do not travel a safe road.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; vaṇijo — merchants; dūragāminaḥ — far-travelling; gacchanti — go, travel; kṣemam — safe, secure; adhvānaṃ — road, journey; bahupuṇyasamācitāḥ — richly laden with goods

2.61.18

nārājake janapade caraty ekacaro vaśī
bhāvayann ātmanātmānaṃ yatrasāyaṃgṛho muniḥ

In a kingless land the self-controlled sage, a solitary wanderer contemplating the Self by the self and making his home wherever evening finds him, does not roam free.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; caraty — wanders; ekacaro — a solitary wanderer; vaśī — self-controlled; bhāvayann — cultivating, contemplating; ātmanātmānaṃ — the self by the self; yatrasāyaṃgṛho — making his home wherever evening finds him; muniḥ — the sage

2.61.19

nārājake janapade yogakṣemaṃ pravartate
na cāpy arājake senā śatrūn viṣahate yudhi

In a kingless land welfare does not prosper, and in kinglessness the army cannot withstand the enemy in battle.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; yogakṣemaṃ — welfare (acquisition and security); pravartate — proceeds, prospers; na — not; cāpy — and even; arājake — in kinglessness; senā — the army; śatrūn — the enemies; viṣahate — withstands; yudhi — in battle

2.61.20

yathā hy anudakā nadyo yathā vāpy atṛṇaṃ vanam
agopālā yathā gāvas tathā rāṣṭram arājakam

For as rivers without water, or a forest without grass, or cattle without a herdsman — so is a realm without a king.

Words: yathā — as; hy — indeed; anudakā — waterless; nadyo — rivers; yathā — as; vāpy — or even; atṛṇaṃ — grassless; vanam — forest; agopālā — without a herdsman; yathā — as; gāvas — cattle; tathā — so; rāṣṭram — realm; arājakam — kingless

2.61.21

nārājake janapade svakaṃ bhavati kasya cit
matsyā iva narā nityaṃ bhakṣayanti parasparam

In a kingless land nothing belongs to anyone; like fishes, men constantly devour one another.

Words: nārājake — not in a kingless (land); janapade — land; svakaṃ — one's own (property); bhavati — is, belongs; kasya cit — to anyone; matsyā iva — like fishes; narā — men; nityaṃ — constantly; bhakṣayanti — devour; parasparam — one another

2.61.22

yehi saṃbhinnamaryādā nāstikāś chinnasaṃśayāḥ
te 'pi bhāvāya kalpante rājadaṇḍanipīḍitāḥ

Even those who break through all bounds, unbelievers who have cast off every scruple — even they are made to conduce to order when curbed by the king's rod.

Words: yehi — for those who; saṃbhinnamaryādā — who break through all bounds; nāstikāś — unbelievers; chinnasaṃśayāḥ — who have cast off all scruple; te 'pi — even they; bhāvāya — to (right) order, well-being; kalpante — become fit, conduce; rājadaṇḍanipīḍitāḥ — curbed by the king's rod

2.61.23

aho tama ivedaṃ syān na prajñāyeta kiṃ cana
rājā cen na bhaveṃl loke vibhajan sādhvasādhunī

Ah, all this would be as darkness, and nothing could be discerned, were there no king in the world to distinguish right from wrong.

Words: aho — ah, alas; tama ivedaṃ — this would be like darkness; syān — would be; na — not; prajñāyeta — would be discerned; kiṃ cana — anything; rājā — king; cen — if; na — not; bhaveṃl — were; loke — in the world; vibhajan — distinguishing, dividing; sādhvasādhunī — right and wrong

2.61.24

jīvaty api mahārāje tavaiva vacanaṃ vayam
nātikramāmahe sarve velāṃ prāpyeva sāgaraḥ

Even while the great king lived, all of us never transgressed your very word, just as the ocean does not overpass its shore.

Words: jīvaty api — even while (he) lived; mahārāje — when the great king; tavaiva — your very; vacanaṃ — word, command; vayam — we; nātikramāmahe — do not transgress; sarve — all; velāṃ — the shore, limit; prāpyeva — as if reaching; sāgaraḥ — the ocean

2.61.25

sa naḥ samīkṣya dvijavaryavṛttaṃ nṛpaṃ vinā rājyam araṇyabhūtam
kumāram ikṣvākusutaṃ vadānyaṃ tvam eva rājānam ihābhiṣiñcaya

Therefore you, having regarded the plight of us foremost brahmins and this kingdom become a wilderness without a king, consecrate here as king a generous prince of Ikṣvāku's line.

Words: sa — you, being such (Vasiṣṭha); naḥ — our; samīkṣya — having regarded, considered; dvijavaryavṛttaṃ — the plight of us foremost brahmins; nṛpaṃ vinā — without a king; rājyam — the kingdom; araṇyabhūtam — become a wilderness; kumāram — the prince; ikṣvākusutaṃ — son of the Ikṣvāku line; vadānyaṃ — generous, liberal; tvam eva — you alone; rājānam — as king; ihābhiṣiñcaya — here consecrate

← 2.60 Daśaratha’s body preserved in oil · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.62 Summoning Bharata →

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.

Plain text: /text/2/61.md · JSON: /data/2/61.json