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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 65: Bharata reaches Ayodhyā

Summary. He hastens ahead of his company, finds the city silent and neglected and enters his father’s residence in alarm

Sequence

  1. Bharata travels east from Rājagṛha, crossing rivers and passing mountains and forests (2.65.1–3)
  2. after crossing the Yamunā, he rests and refreshes his tired company before continuing through the wilderness (2.65.4–6)
  3. at Ujjihānā, he leaves the larger force behind and presses ahead with faster horses, crossing more rivers including the Gomatī (2.65.7–11)
  4. after seven nights he sees Ayodhyā at dawn (2.65.12–14)
  5. the silence alarms him: the usual crowds, traffic, festivities, and lively gardens are absent (2.65.15–19)
  6. entering through the Vaijayanta gate, he notices further bad signs (2.65.20–23)
  7. the people look unwashed, thin, and tearful → increasingly anxious, he enters his father's residence. (2.65.24–28)

Verses 2.65.1–28

2.65.1

sa prāṅmukho rājagṛhād abhiniryāya vīryavān
hrādinīṃ dūrapārāṃ ca pratyaksrotas taraṅgiṇīm
śatadrūm atarac chrīmān nadīm ikṣvākunandanaḥ

Setting out eastward from Rājagṛha, the valorous and illustrious delight of the Ikṣvākus crossed the river Śatadru — roaring, hard to cross to its far shore, its waves running westward.

Words: sa — he; prāṅmukho — facing east; rājagṛhād — from Rājagṛha; abhiniryāya — having set out; vīryavān — valorous; hrādinīṃ — roaring, resounding; dūrapārāṃ — hard to cross to its far shore; ca — and; pratyaksrotas — its current flowing westward; taraṅgiṇīm — the river, wavy one; śatadrūm — the Śatadru (Sutlej); atarac — crossed; chrīmān — illustrious; nadīm — river; ikṣvākunandanaḥ — the delight of the Ikṣvākus

2.65.2

eladhāne nadīṃ tīrtvā prāpya cāparaparpaṭān
śilām ākurvatīṃ tīrtvā āgneyaṃ śalyakartanam

Crossing the river at Eladhāna and reaching the western Parpaṭas, and crossing the Śilā and the Ākurvatī, (he came to) Śalyakartana in the south-east.

Words: eladhāne — at Eladhāna (a place); nadīṃ — the river; tīrtvā — having crossed; prāpya — having reached; cāparaparpaṭān — and the western Parpaṭas; śilām — the Śilā (river/place); ākurvatīṃ — the Ākurvatī (stream); tīrtvā — having crossed; āgneyaṃ — in the south-east (Agni's quarter); śalyakartanam — Śalyakartana (a place)

2.65.3

satyasaṃdhaḥ śuciḥ śrīmān prekṣamāṇaḥ śilāvahām
atyayāt sa mahāśailān vanaṃ caitrarathaṃ prati

True to his word, pure and illustrious, gazing upon the Śilāvahā, he passed over the great mountains toward the Caitraratha forest.

Words: satyasaṃdhaḥ — true to his word; śuciḥ — pure; śrīmān — illustrious; prekṣamāṇaḥ — gazing, beholding; śilāvahām — the Śilāvahā (river); atyayāt — passed over, crossed; sa — he; mahāśailān — the great mountains; vanaṃ — forest; caitrarathaṃ — Caitraratha (Kubera's grove); prati — toward

2.65.4

veginīṃ ca kuliṅgākhyāṃ hrādinīṃ parvatāvṛtām
yamunāṃ prāpya saṃtīrṇo balam āśvāsayat tadā

Coming to the swift, roaring, mountain-girt river called Kuliṅgā, and reaching the Yamunā, once across he then let his army rest.

Words: veginīṃ — the swift (river); ca — and; kuliṅgākhyāṃ — named Kuliṅgā; hrādinīṃ — roaring, resounding; parvatāvṛtām — surrounded by mountains; yamunāṃ — the Yamunā; prāpya — having reached; saṃtīrṇo — having crossed over; balam — the army; āśvāsayat — rested, refreshed; tadā — then

2.65.5

śītīkṛtya tu gātrāṇi klāntān āśvāsya vājinaḥ
tatra snātvā ca pītvā ca prāyād ādāya codakam

Cooling their bodies and reviving the weary horses, and having there bathed and drunk, he set off, taking water with him.

Words: śītīkṛtya — having cooled; tu — and; gātrāṇi — the limbs, bodies; klāntān — the weary (horses); āśvāsya — having revived, rested; vājinaḥ — the horses; tatra — there; snātvā — having bathed; ca — and; pītvā — having drunk; ca — and; prāyād — set off; ādāya — having taken; codakam — and water

2.65.6

rājaputro mahāraṇyam anabhīkṣṇopasevitam
bhadro bhadreṇa yānena mārutaḥ kham ivātyayāt

The gracious prince passed through the great wilderness, seldom frequented, in his fine vehicle, as the wind traverses the sky.

Words: rājaputro — the prince; mahāraṇyam — the great wilderness; anabhīkṣṇopasevitam — seldom frequented; bhadro — the gracious one; bhadreṇa — with (his) fine; yānena — vehicle; mārutaḥ — the wind; kham — the sky; ivātyayāt — passed through, as if

2.65.7

toraṇaṃ dakṣiṇārdhena jambūprastham upāgamat
varūthaṃ ca yayau ramyaṃ grāmaṃ daśarathātmajaḥ

By the southern side he came to Toraṇa and Jambūprastha, and the son of Daśaratha went on to the lovely village of Varūtha.

Words: toraṇaṃ — Toraṇa (a place); dakṣiṇārdhena — by the southern side; jambūprastham — Jambūprastha (a place); upāgamat — reached, came to; varūthaṃ — Varūtha (a place); ca — and; yayau — went; ramyaṃ — lovely; grāmaṃ — village; daśarathātmajaḥ — the son of Daśaratha

2.65.8

tatra ramye vane vāsaṃ kṛtvāsau prāṅmukho yayau
udyānam ujjihānāyāḥ priyakā yatra pādapāḥ

Having made his halt there in the lovely forest, he went on eastward to the garden of Ujjihānā, where there are priyaka trees.

Words: tatra — there; ramye — lovely; vane — in the forest; vāsaṃ — dwelling, halt; kṛtvāsau — he, having made; prāṅmukho — facing east; yayau — went; udyānam — the garden; ujjihānāyāḥ — of Ujjihānā (a place); priyakā — priyaka trees; yatra — where; pādapāḥ — trees

2.65.9

sālāṃs tu priyakān prāpya śīghrān āsthāya vājinaḥ
anujñāpyātha bharato vāhinīṃ tvarito yayau

Reaching the sāla and priyaka trees, Bharata mounted swift horses and, after dismissing his army, hurried on.

Words: sālāṃs — the sāla trees; tu — and; priyakān — the priyaka trees; prāpya — having reached; śīghrān — swift; āsthāya — having mounted; vājinaḥ — horses; anujñāpyātha — then having given leave, dismissed; bharato — Bharata; vāhinīṃ — the army, host; tvarito — hastening; yayau — went

2.65.10

vāsaṃ kṛtvā sarvatīrthe tīrtvā cottānakāṃ nadīm
anyā nadīś ca vividhāḥ pārvatīyais turaṃgamaiḥ

Halting at Sarvatīrtha, and crossing the river Uttānakā and various other rivers on mountain-bred horses,

Words: vāsaṃ — halt, dwelling; kṛtvā — having made; sarvatīrthe — at Sarvatīrtha (a place); tīrtvā — having crossed; cottānakāṃ — and the Uttānakā; nadīm — river; anyā — other; nadīś — rivers; ca — and; vividhāḥ — various, manifold; pārvatīyais — mountain-bred; turaṃgamaiḥ — with horses

2.65.11

hastipṛṣṭhakam āsādya kuṭikām atyavartata
tatāra ca naravyāghro lauhitye sa kapīvatīm
ekasāle sthāṇumatīṃ vinate gomatīṃ nadīm

Reaching Hastipṛṣṭhaka, he passed beyond Kuṭikā; and the tiger among men crossed the Kapīvatī at Lauhitya, the Sthāṇumatī at Ekasāla, and the river Gomatī at Vinata.

Words: hastipṛṣṭhakam — Hastipṛṣṭhaka (a place); āsādya — having reached; kuṭikām — Kuṭikā (a river/place); atyavartata — passed beyond, crossed; tatāra — crossed; ca — and; naravyāghro — the tiger among men; lauhitye — at Lauhitya (a place); sa — he; kapīvatīm — the Kapīvatī (river); ekasāle — at Ekasāla (a place); sthāṇumatīṃ — the Sthāṇumatī (river); vinate — at Vinata (a place); gomatīṃ — the Gomatī; nadīm — river

2.65.12

kaliṅga nagare cāpi prāpya sālavanaṃ tadā
bharataḥ kṣipram āgacchat supariśrāntavāhanaḥ

And reaching a sāla forest near the city of Kaliṅga, Bharata then came on swiftly, though his mounts were quite worn out.

Words: kaliṅga — Kaliṅga; nagare — at the city; cāpi — and also; prāpya — having reached; sālavanaṃ — the sāla forest; tadā — then; bharataḥ — Bharata; kṣipram — swiftly; āgacchat — came; supariśrāntavāhanaḥ — his mounts quite exhausted

2.65.13

vanaṃ ca samatītyāśu śarvaryām aruṇodaye
ayodhyāṃ manunā rājñā nirmitāṃ sa dadarśa ha

And swiftly passing beyond the forest, at the reddening dawn of night he beheld Ayodhyā, built by King Manu.

Words: vanaṃ — forest; ca — and; samatītyāśu — having quickly passed beyond; śarvaryām — in the night; aruṇodaye — at the rising of dawn; ayodhyāṃ — Ayodhyā; manunā — by Manu; rājñā — the king; nirmitāṃ — built, fashioned; sa — he; dadarśa — saw; ha — indeed

2.65.14

tāṃ purīṃ puruṣavyāghraḥ saptarātroṣiṭaḥ pathi
ayodhyām agrato dṛṣṭvā rathe sārathim abravīt

Having lodged seven nights on the road, that tiger among men, seeing the city Ayodhyā before him, spoke from his chariot to the charioteer:

Words: tāṃ — that; purīṃ — city; puruṣavyāghraḥ — the tiger among men; saptarātroṣiṭaḥ — having lodged seven nights; pathi — on the road; ayodhyām — Ayodhyā; agrato — in front, ahead; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; rathe — in the chariot; sārathim — the charioteer; abravīt — said

2.65.15

eṣā nātipratītā me puṇyodyānā yaśasvinī
ayodhyā dṛśyate dūrāt sārathe pāṇḍumṛttikā

“This glorious Ayodhyā with its holy gardens does not gladden me as before; seen from afar, O charioteer, its soil looks pale.

Words: eṣā — this; nātipratītā — not very pleasing, not cheering; me — to me; puṇyodyānā — with holy gardens; yaśasvinī — glorious, famous; ayodhyā — Ayodhyā; dṛśyate — is seen; dūrāt — from afar; sārathe — O charioteer; pāṇḍumṛttikā — with pale soil

2.65.16

yajvabhir guṇasaṃpannair brāhmaṇair vedapāragaiḥ
bhūyiṣṭham ṛṣhair ākīrṇā rājarṣivarapālitā

usually thronged with sacrificers, with virtuous brahmins versed in the Vedas, and with seers, and guarded by the best of royal sages —

Words: yajvabhir — by sacrificers; guṇasaṃpannair — endowed with virtues; brāhmaṇair — by brahmins; vedapāragaiḥ — masters of the Vedas; bhūyiṣṭham — for the most part, usually; ṛṣhair — by seers; ākīrṇā — thronged, filled; rājarṣivarapālitā — guarded by the best of royal sages

2.65.17

ayodhyāyāṃ purāśabdaḥ śrūyate tumulo mahān
samantān naranārīṇāṃ tam adya na śṛṇomy aham

In Ayodhyā a great tumultuous din of men and women used to be heard on all sides; today I do not hear it.

Words: ayodhyāyāṃ — in Ayodhyā; purāśabdaḥ — formerly a sound; śrūyate — was heard, is heard; tumulo — tumultuous; mahān — great; samantān — on all sides; naranārīṇāṃ — of men and women; tam — it; adya — today; na — not; śṛṇomy — I hear; aham — I

2.65.18

udyānāni hi sāyāhne krīḍitvoparatair naraiḥ
samantād vipradhāvadbhiḥ prakāśante mamānyadā

For at eventide the gardens used to shine for me, thronged with men hurrying about on all sides after they had ceased their play.

Words: udyānāni — the gardens; hi — for, indeed; sāyāhne — at evening; krīḍitvoparatair — who had rested after playing; naraiḥ — by men; samantād — on all sides; vipradhāvadbhiḥ — running about, hurrying; prakāśante — shine, appear bright; mamānyadā — for me at another time

2.65.19

tāny adyānurudantīva parityaktāni kāmibhiḥ
araṇyabhūteva purī sārathe pratibhāti me

Today those (gardens), forsaken by the pleasure-seekers, seem as if to weep; the city appears to me, O charioteer, as though turned to wilderness.

Words: tāny — those; adyānurudantīva — today seem as if to weep; parityaktāni — abandoned, forsaken; kāmibhiḥ — by the pleasure-seekers, lovers; araṇyabhūteva — as if become a wilderness; purī — the city; sārathe — O charioteer; pratibhāti — appears, seems; me — to me

2.65.20

na hy atra yānair dṛśyante na gajair na ca vājibhiḥ
niryānto vābhiyānto vā naramukhyā yathāpuram

For here no chief men are seen going out or coming in with vehicles, elephants, or horses, as they used to in the city.

Words: na — not; hy — for; atra — here; yānair — with vehicles; dṛśyante — are seen; na — not; gajair — with elephants; na — not; ca — and; vājibhiḥ — with horses; niryānto — going out; vābhiyānto — or coming in; vā — or; naramukhyā — chief men; yathāpuram — as in the city (before)

2.65.21

aniṣṭāni ca pāpāni paśyāmi vividhāni ca
nimittāny amanojñāni tena sīdati te manaḥ

And I see manifold inauspicious, evil, and disagreeable omens; because of that your mind is sinking.

Words: aniṣṭāni — inauspicious, undesired; ca — and; pāpāni — evil; paśyāmi — I see; vividhāni — manifold, various; ca — and; nimittāny — omens, signs; amanojñāni — disagreeable, unpleasant; tena — because of that; sīdati — sinks, is despondent; te — your; manaḥ — mind

2.65.22

dvāreṇa vaijayantena prāviśac chrāntavāhanaḥ
dvāḥsthair utthāya vijayaṃ pṛṣṭas taiḥ sahito yayau

With his mounts worn out he entered by the Vaijayanta gate; the gatekeepers rose and asked after his welfare, and he went on together with them.

Words: dvāreṇa — by the gate; vaijayantena — Vaijayanta (a named gate); prāviśac — entered; chrāntavāhanaḥ — with weary mounts; dvāḥsthair — by the gatekeepers; utthāya — having risen; vijayaṃ — (after his) welfare, victory; pṛṣṭas — asked; taiḥ — by them; sahito — accompanied; yayau — went

2.65.23

sa tv anekāgrahṛdayo dvāḥsthaṃ pratyarcya taṃ janam
sūtam aśvapateḥ klāntam abravīt tatra rāghavaḥ

But he, his heart distracted, having returned the greeting of the gate-people, there said to the weary charioteer of Aśvapati:

Words: sa — he; tv — but; anekāgrahṛdayo — with a distracted heart; dvāḥsthaṃ — the gatekeeper; pratyarcya — having greeted in return; taṃ — that; janam — people, folk; sūtam — the charioteer; aśvapateḥ — of Aśvapati; klāntam — weary; abravīt — said; tatra — there; rāghavaḥ — the Rāghava (Bharata)

2.65.24

śrutā no yādṛśāḥ pūrvaṃ nṛpatīnāṃ vināśane
ākārās tān ahaṃ sarvān iha paśyāmi sārathe

“Such signs as we have formerly heard of at the destruction of kings — all those I see here, O charioteer.

Words: śrutā — heard; no — by us; yādṛśāḥ — of what kind, such as; pūrvaṃ — formerly; nṛpatīnāṃ — of kings; vināśane — at the destruction; ākārās — signs, tokens, appearances; tān — those; ahaṃ — I; sarvān — all; iha — here; paśyāmi — see; sārathe — O charioteer

2.65.25

malinaṃ cāśrupūrṇākṣaṃ dīnaṃ dhyānaparaṃ kṛśam
sastrī puṃsaṃ ca paśyāmi janam utkaṇṭhitaṃ pure

I see the people in the city, women and men alike, dirty, their eyes brimming with tears, wretched, lost in brooding, gaunt, and full of anxious longing.

Words: malinaṃ — dirty, soiled; cāśrupūrṇākṣaṃ — and with eyes full of tears; dīnaṃ — wretched, miserable; dhyānaparaṃ — lost in brooding; kṛśam — gaunt, emaciated; sastrī — with the women; puṃsaṃ — the men; ca — and; paśyāmi — I see; janam — the people; utkaṇṭhitaṃ — full of anxious longing; pure — in the city

2.65.26

ity evam uktvā bharataḥ sūtaṃ taṃ dīnamānasaḥ
tāny aniṣṭāny ayodhyāyāṃ prekṣya rājagṛhaṃ yayau

Having spoken thus to the charioteer, Bharata, dejected at heart, observing those ill omens in Ayodhyā, went on to the royal residence.

Words: ity — thus; evam — thus; uktvā — having spoken; bharataḥ — Bharata; sūtaṃ — the charioteer; taṃ — that; dīnamānasaḥ — dejected at heart; tāny — those; aniṣṭāny — ill, inauspicious (omens); ayodhyāyāṃ — in Ayodhyā; prekṣya — having observed; rājagṛhaṃ — the royal residence; yayau — went

2.65.27

tāṃ śūnyaśṛṅgāṭakaveśmarathyāṃ rajo'ruṇadvārakapāṭayantrām
dṛṣṭvā purīm indrapurī prakāśāṃ duḥkhena saṃpūrṇataro babhūva

Seeing that city — once bright as Indra's city, now with its crossroads, houses, and streets deserted, its gate-panels and bolts reddened with dust — he grew filled with grief all the more.

Words: tāṃ — that; śūnyaśṛṅgāṭakaveśmarathyāṃ — with deserted crossroads, houses and streets; rajo'ruṇadvārakapāṭayantrām — with gate-panels and bolts reddened by dust; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; purīm — the city; indrapurī — Indra's city; prakāśāṃ — resembling, shining like; duḥkhena — with grief; saṃpūrṇataro — more completely filled; babhūva — became

2.65.28

bahūni paśyan manaso 'priyāṇi yāny annyadā nāsya pure babhūvuḥ
avākśirā dīnamanā nahṛṣṭaḥ pitur mahātmā praviveśa veśma

Seeing many things unwelcome to his heart, such as had never been in this city before, the great-souled one, head bowed, dejected in mind and joyless, entered his father's dwelling.

Words: bahūni — many; paśyan — seeing; manaso — to the mind; 'priyāṇi — unwelcome things; yāny — which; annyadā — at another time, formerly; nāsya — not of this; pure — in the city; babhūvuḥ — had been; avākśirā — head bowed; dīnamanā — dejected in mind; nahṛṣṭaḥ — joyless, not glad; pitur — of the father; mahātmā — the great-souled one; praviveśa — entered; veśma — the dwelling, house

← 2.64 Bharata leaves Kekaya · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.66 Kaikeyī’s disclosure →

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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