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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 80: Guha recounts Lakṣmaṇa’s vigil

Summary. Lakṣmaṇa refused sleep and feared for their parents, then crossed the Gaṅgā with Rāma & Sītā at dawn

Sequence

  1. Guha recounts what happened when Rāma stayed at the river: he offered Lakṣmaṇa a bed and assured him that his men could guard the camp (2.80.1–9)
  2. Lakṣmaṇa refused, saying he could not sleep while Rāma and Sītā lay on the ground (2.80.10–11)
  3. he feared Daśaratha and Kausalyā would die of grief and that the King would never see Rāma installed (2.80.12–18)
  4. he longed for all three travelers to return safely to Ayodhyā (2.80.19–22)
  5. Guha says the night passed in this way, and at dawn he had the brothers arrange their matted locks and ferried them across with Sītā → carrying their weapons and dressed for the forest, they continued on foot. (2.80.23–25)

Verses 2.80.1–25

2.80.1

ācacakṣe 'tha sadbhāvaṃ lakṣmaṇasya mahātmanaḥ
bharatāyāprameyāya guho gahanagocaraḥ

Then Guha, dweller in the wilderness, recounted to the immeasurable Bharata the true devotion of the great-souled Lakṣmaṇa:

Words: ācacakṣe — recounted, told; 'tha — then; sadbhāvaṃ — the true disposition, loyalty; lakṣmaṇasya — of Lakṣmaṇa; mahātmanaḥ — the great-souled; bharatāyāprameyāya — to the immeasurable Bharata; guho — Guha; gahanagocaraḥ — dwelling in the wilderness

2.80.2

taṃ jāgrataṃ guṇair yuktaṃ varacāpeṣudhāriṇam
bhrātṛ guptyartham atyantam ahaṃ lakṣmaṇam abravam

Him — awake, endowed with virtues, bearing his fine bow and quiver, ceaselessly on guard for his brother — I, that Lakṣmaṇa, addressed:

Words: taṃ — him; jāgrataṃ — keeping watch, awake; guṇair yuktaṃ — endowed with virtues; varacāpeṣudhāriṇam — bearing his excellent bow and arrows; bhrātṛ — (for) the brother; guptyartham — for the sake of protection; atyantam — utterly, unceasingly; ahaṃ — I; lakṣmaṇam — Lakṣmaṇa; abravam — addressed, said

2.80.3

iyaṃ tāta sukhā śayyā tvadartham upakalpitā
pratyāśvasihi śeṣvāsyāṃ sukhaṃ rāghavanandana

‘This comfortable bed, dear sir, has been made ready for you; take your rest, lie upon it in ease, O delight of the Rāghavas.’

Words: iyaṃ — this; tāta — dear sir; sukhā — comfortable; śayyā — bed, couch; tvadartham — for your sake; upakalpitā — prepared, made ready; pratyāśvasihi — take rest, be comforted; śeṣvāsyāṃ — lie down upon it; sukhaṃ — comfortably; rāghavanandana — O delight of the Rāghavas

2.80.4

ucito 'yaṃ janaḥ sarve duḥkhānāṃ tvaṃ sukhocitaḥ
dharmātmaṃs tasya guptyarthaṃ jāgariṣyāmahe vayam

‘All this folk is inured to hardships, but you are accustomed to comfort; O righteous one, we shall keep watch for his protection.’

Words: ucito 'yaṃ — this ... is accustomed; janaḥ — folk, people; sarve — all; duḥkhānāṃ — to hardships; tvaṃ — you; sukhocitaḥ — accustomed to comfort; dharmātmaṃs — O righteous one; tasya — his; guptyarthaṃ — for the sake of protection; jāgariṣyāmahe — we shall keep watch; vayam — we

2.80.5

na hi rāmāt priyataro mamāsti bhuvi kaś cana
motsuko bhūr bravīmy etad apy asatyaṃ tavāgrataḥ

‘For there is no one on earth dearer to me than Rāma; do not be anxious — I tell you this, nor would I speak even a falsehood before you.’

Words: na hi — for not; rāmāt — than Rāma; priyataro — dearer; mamāsti — is to me; bhuvi — on earth; kaś cana — anyone; motsuko bhūr — do not be anxious; bravīmy — I say; etad — this; apy — even; asatyaṃ — an untruth; tavāgrataḥ — before you

2.80.6

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

‘By his grace I hope for very great fame in this world, and abundant attainment of dharma, and unqualified attainment of wealth.’

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

2.80.7

so 'haṃ priyasakhaṃ rāmaṃ śayānaṃ saha sītayā
rakṣiṣyāmi dhanuṣpāṇiḥ sarvaiḥ svair jñātibhiḥ saha

‘So I, bow in hand, together with all my own kinsmen, shall guard my dear friend Rāma as he sleeps with Sītā.’

Words: so 'haṃ — I, therefore; priyasakhaṃ — my dear friend; rāmaṃ — Rāma; śayānaṃ — lying asleep; saha sītayā — together with Sītā; rakṣiṣyāmi — I shall guard; dhanuṣpāṇiḥ — bow in hand; sarvaiḥ — with all; svair — my own; jñātibhiḥ — kinsmen; saha — together with

2.80.8

na hi me 'viditaṃ kiṃ cid vane 'smiṃś carataḥ sadā
caturaṅgaṃ hy api balaṃ prasahema vayaṃ yudhi

‘For nothing here is unknown to me, who roam this forest constantly; indeed we could withstand even a fourfold army in battle.’

Words: na hi — for not; me 'viditaṃ — unknown to me; kiṃ cid — anything; vane 'smiṃś — in this forest; carataḥ — roaming (of me); sadā — always; caturaṅgaṃ — fourfold (army); hy api — even indeed; balaṃ — army, force; prasahema — we could withstand; vayaṃ — we; yudhi — in battle

2.80.9

evam asmābhir uktena lakṣmaṇena mahātmanā
anunītā vayaṃ sarve dharmam evānupaśyatā

Thus addressed by the great-souled Lakṣmaṇa, who looked only to dharma, all of us were won over.

Words: evam — thus; asmābhir — by us; uktena — being addressed; lakṣmaṇena — by Lakṣmaṇa; mahātmanā — the great-souled; anunītā — conciliated, won over; vayaṃ — we; sarve — all; dharmam — dharma; evānupaśyatā — who regarded only

2.80.10

kathaṃ dāśarathau bhūmau śayāne saha sītayā
śakyā nidrāmayā labdhuṃ jīvitaṃ vā sukhāni vā

‘How, while the son of Daśaratha lies upon the ground with Sītā, could sleep be won by me, or life, or comforts?’

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

2.80.11

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

‘He whom not all the gods and demons together could overpower in battle — behold him, Guha, lying on the grass with Sītā!’

Words: yo — who; na — not; devāsuraiḥ — by gods and demons; sarvaiḥ — all; śakyaḥ — able to be; prasahituṃ — to be overpowered, withstood; yudhi — in battle; taṃ — him; paśya — behold; guha — O Guha; saṃviṣṭaṃ — lying down; tṛṇeṣu — on the grass; saha sītayā — with Sītā

2.80.12

mahatā tapasā labdho vividhaiś ca pariśramaiḥ
eko daśarathasyaiṣa putraḥ sadṛśalakṣaṇaḥ

‘Won by great austerity and by manifold toils, this is the one son of Daśaratha who bears marks worthy of him.’

Words: mahatā — by great; tapasā — austerity; labdho — obtained; vividhaiś ca — and by manifold; pariśramaiḥ — efforts, toils; eko — the one, sole; daśarathasyaiṣa — this ... of Daśaratha; putraḥ — son; sadṛśalakṣaṇaḥ — of matching, worthy marks

2.80.13

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

‘Now that he is exiled, the king will not live long; and the earth will surely, very soon, become a widow.’

Words: asmin — when he (loc. abs.); pravrājite — exiled, sent forth; rājā — the king; na ciraṃ — not long; vartayiṣyati — will live on, continue; vidhavā — widowed; medinī — the earth; nūnaṃ — surely; kṣipram eva — very soon; bhaviṣyati — will become

2.80.14

vinadya sumahānādaṃ śrameṇoparatāḥ striyaḥ
nirghoṣoparataṃ nūnam adya rājaniveśanam

‘Having wailed one great cry, the women have fallen silent from exhaustion; surely by now the king's palace has grown still, its clamor hushed.’

Words: vinadya — having cried out; sumahānādaṃ — a very loud wail; śrameṇoparatāḥ — grown silent from exhaustion; striyaḥ — the women; nirghoṣoparataṃ — with its clamor stilled; nūnam — surely; adya — now, today; rājaniveśanam — the king's palace

2.80.15

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

‘Kausalyā, and the king, and likewise my own mother — I do not think they will all live through this very night.’

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

2.80.16

jīved api hi me mātā śatrughnasyānvavekṣayā
duḥkhitā yā tu kausalyā vīrasūr vinaśiṣyati

‘My mother may yet live, out of regard for Śatrughna; but sorrowing Kausalyā, the mother of a hero, will perish.’

Words: jīved api — might yet live; hi — for, indeed; me — my; mātā — mother; śatrughnasyānvavekṣayā — out of regard for Śatrughna; duḥkhitā — grieved; yā tu — but she who; kausalyā — Kausalyā; vīrasūr — mother of a hero; vinaśiṣyati — will perish

2.80.17

atikrāntam atikrāntam anavāpya manoratham
rājye rāmam anikṣipya pitā me vinaśiṣyati

‘All is undone, all is undone! Having failed to attain his heart's desire, and without installing Rāma in the kingship, my father will perish.’

Words: atikrāntam — all is past, gone by; atikrāntam — all is past, gone by; anavāpya — not having attained; manoratham — his heart's desire; rājye — in the kingship; rāmam — Rāma; anikṣipya — not having installed; pitā — father; me — my; vinaśiṣyati — will perish

2.80.18

siddhārthāḥ pitaraṃ vṛttaṃ tasmin kāle hy upasthite
pretakāryeṣu sarveṣu saṃskariṣyanti bhūmipam

‘When that time comes, those who have gained their ends will perform all the funeral rites for my deceased father, the king.’

Words: siddhārthāḥ — those whose ends are accomplished; pitaraṃ — the father; vṛttaṃ — deceased, dead; tasmin kāle — at that time; hy upasthite — when it has arrived; pretakāryeṣu — in the funeral rites; sarveṣu — all; saṃskariṣyanti — will perform the last rites for; bhūmipam — the king

2.80.19

ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām
harmyaprāsādasaṃpannāṃ sarvaratnavibhūṣitām

‘That city with its lovely arrangement of squares, its well-laid-out highways, rich in mansions and palaces, adorned with every jewel;

Words: ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ — with its lovely arrangement of squares; suvibhaktamahāpathām — with well-laid-out highways; harmyaprāsādasaṃpannāṃ — rich in mansions and palaces; sarvaratnavibhūṣitām — adorned with all jewels

2.80.20

gajāśvarathasaṃbādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām
sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām

thronged with elephants, horses, and chariots, resounding with the blare of trumpets, full of every blessing, crowded with joyous, well-fed people;

Words: gajāśvarathasaṃbādhāṃ — thronged with elephants, horses, and chariots; tūryanādavināditām — resounding with the blare of trumpets; sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ — full of all good things; hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām — crowded with joyous, well-fed folk

2.80.21

ārāmodyānasaṃpūrṇāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm
sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ pitur mama

full of pleasure-groves and gardens, graced with assemblies and festivals — through my father's royal capital they will happily wander (once more).’

Words: ārāmodyānasaṃpūrṇāṃ — full of pleasure-groves and gardens; samājotsavaśālinīm — graced with assemblies and festivals; sukhitā — happily, at ease; vicariṣyanti — will roam about; rājadhānīṃ — the royal capital; pitur mama — of my father

2.80.22

api satyapratijñena sārdhaṃ kuśalinā vayam
nivṛtte samaye hy asmin sukhitāḥ praviśemahi

‘Would that, when this term of exile has run out, we might happily enter the city together with the one true to his word, safe and well!’

Words: api — perhaps, would that; satyapratijñena — with the one true to his promise; sārdhaṃ — together; kuśalinā — safe and well; vayam — we; nivṛtte — having ended (loc. abs.); samaye — the term (of exile); hy asmin — this indeed; sukhitāḥ — happy; praviśemahi — may we enter

2.80.23

paridevayamānasya tasyaivaṃ sumahātmanaḥ
tiṣṭhato rājaputrasya śarvarī sātyavartata

As that very great-souled prince stood thus lamenting, the night wore away.

Words: paridevayamānasya — of him lamenting; tasyaivaṃ — of him thus; sumahātmanaḥ — the very great-souled; tiṣṭhato — standing; rājaputrasya — of the prince; śarvarī — the night; sātyavartata — passed away

2.80.24

prabhāte vimale sūrye kārayitvā jaṭā ubhau
asmin bhāgīrathī tīre sukhaṃ saṃtāritau mayā

When the sun rose bright and clear at dawn, I had the two of them make their hair into matted locks, and here at the bank of the Bhāgīrathī I ferried them safely across.

Words: prabhāte — at dawn (loc. abs.); vimale — clear, spotless; sūrye — the sun; kārayitvā — having caused (them) to make; jaṭā — matted locks; ubhau — the two; asmin — at this; bhāgīrathī — of the Bhāgīrathī (Ganges); tīre — bank; sukhaṃ — safely, easily; saṃtāritau — were ferried across; mayā — by me

2.80.25

jaṭādharau tau drumacīravāsasau mahābalau kuñjarayūthapopamau
vareṣucāpāsidharau paraṃtapau vyavekṣamāṇau saha sītayā gatau

Those two, wearing matted locks, clad in bark garments, mighty as the leaders of elephant herds, bearing fine bows, arrows, and swords, scorchers of the foe, gazing about them, departed together with Sītā.

Words: jaṭādharau — the two wearing matted locks; tau — those two; drumacīravāsasau — clad in tree-bark garments; mahābalau — the two mighty ones; kuñjarayūthapopamau — like the leaders of elephant herds; vareṣucāpāsidharau — bearing fine arrows, bows, and swords; paraṃtapau — the two scorchers of foes; vyavekṣamāṇau — looking about them; saha sītayā — together with Sītā; gatau — the two departed

← 2.79 Guha accepts Bharata’s purpose · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.81 Rāma and Sītā’s grass bed →

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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