← 2.80 Guha recounts Lakṣmaṇa’s vigil · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.82 Bharata examines the grass bed →

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 81: Rāma and Sītā’s grass bed

Summary. Guha shows Bharata where they slept after taking only water, while Lakṣmaṇa and the Niṣādas kept watch

Sequence

  1. Hearing Guha's account, Bharata faints (2.81.1–3)
  2. Śatrughna supports him, and the Queens hurry over (2.81.4–7)
  3. Kausalyā asks whether he is ill or has heard bad news of the travelers; she tells him that the family now depends on him (2.81.8–10)
  4. recovering, Bharata reassures her and asks where Rāma slept and what he ate (2.81.11–12)
  5. Guha explains that Rāma politely refused his abundant food, saying that a warrior should give rather than accept gifts (2.81.13–16)
  6. Rāma and Sītā fasted after taking water brought by Lakṣmaṇa; Lakṣmaṇa took the remaining water and fasted too, and all three performed evening worship (2.81.17–18)
  7. Lakṣmaṇa made a grass bed for Rāma and Sītā and washed their feet after they lay down → Guha points out that same bed beneath the iṅgudī tree (2.81.19–21)
  8. he describes how Lakṣmaṇa and the Niṣādas guarded them through the night. (2.81.22–23)

Verses 2.81.1–23

2.81.1

guhasya vacanaṃ śrutvā bharato bhṛśam apriyam
dhyānaṃ jagāma tatraiva yatra tac chrutam apriyam

Hearing Guha's exceedingly painful words, Bharata sank into brooding, right there where that unwelcome news had been told.

Words: guhasya — of Guha; vacanaṃ — the words; śrutvā — having heard; bharato — Bharata; bhṛśam — exceedingly; apriyam — unwelcome, painful; dhyānaṃ — brooding, deep thought; jagāma — fell into, went; tatraiva — right there; yatra — where; tac — that; chrutam — was heard; apriyam — distressing (news)

2.81.2

sukumāro mahāsattvaḥ siṃhaskandho mahābhujaḥ
puṇḍarīka viśālākṣas taruṇaḥ priyadarśanaḥ

Tender, great of spirit, lion-shouldered, mighty-armed, his eyes broad as lotus petals, young, and fair to look upon —

Words: sukumāro — delicate, tender; mahāsattvaḥ — of great spirit; siṃhaskandho — lion-shouldered; mahābhujaḥ — mighty-armed; puṇḍarīka — lotus; viśālākṣas — wide-eyed; taruṇaḥ — young; priyadarśanaḥ — pleasing to behold

2.81.3

pratyāśvasya muhūrtaṃ tu kālaṃ paramadurmanāḥ
papāta sahasā totrair hṛdi viddha iva dvipaḥ

Regaining himself for a brief while, then, utterly disheartened, he fell down all at once, like an elephant pierced in the heart by goads.

Words: pratyāśvasya — having recovered breath; muhūrtaṃ — for a moment; tu — but; kālaṃ — a while; paramadurmanāḥ — utterly disheartened; papāta — fell; sahasā — suddenly; totrair — by goads; hṛdi — in the heart; viddha iva — as if pierced; dvipaḥ — an elephant

2.81.4

tadavasthaṃ tu bharataṃ śatrughno 'nantara sthitaḥ
pariṣvajya rurodoccair visaṃjñaḥ śokakarśitaḥ

Śatrughna, standing close by, embraced Bharata in that state and wept aloud, senseless and wasted with grief.

Words: tadavasthaṃ — in that condition; tu — and; bharataṃ — Bharata; śatrughno — Śatrughna; 'nantara — near, close by; sthitaḥ — standing; pariṣvajya — having embraced; rurodoccair — wept aloud; visaṃjñaḥ — senseless, distraught; śokakarśitaḥ — wasted with grief

2.81.5

tataḥ sarvāḥ samāpetur mātaro bharatasya tāḥ
upavāsa kṛśā dīnā bhartṛvyasanakarśitāḥ

Then all those mothers of Bharata came running — gaunt from fasting, wretched, worn by the calamity that had befallen their husband.

Words: tataḥ — then; sarvāḥ — all; samāpetur — came running together; mātaro — the mothers; bharatasya — of Bharata; tāḥ — those; upavāsa — fasting; kṛśā — emaciated; dīnā — wretched; bhartṛvyasanakarśitāḥ — wasted by their husband's calamity

2.81.6

tāś ca taṃ patitaṃ bhūmau rudantyaḥ paryavārayan
kausalyā tv anusṛtyainaṃ durmanāḥ pariṣasvaje

And they, weeping, surrounded him where he had fallen to the ground; but Kausalyā, coming up to him in her grief, embraced him.

Words: tāś ca — and they; taṃ — him; patitaṃ — fallen; bhūmau — on the ground; rudantyaḥ — weeping; paryavārayan — surrounded; kausalyā — Kausalyā; tv — but; anusṛtyainaṃ — having come up to him; durmanāḥ — sorrowful; pariṣasvaje — embraced

2.81.7

vatsalā svaṃ yathā vatsam upagūhya tapasvinī
paripapraccha bharataṃ rudantī śokalālasā

As a loving cow embraces her own calf, the poor woman clasped him and, weeping, distraught with grief, questioned Bharata:

Words: vatsalā — affectionate, tender; svaṃ — her own; yathā — as; vatsam — calf; upagūhya — having embraced; tapasvinī — the poor woman; paripapraccha — questioned; bharataṃ — Bharata; rudantī — weeping; śokalālasā — yearning, distraught with grief

2.81.8

putravyādhir na te kaccic charīraṃ paribādhate
adya rājakulasyāsya tvadadhīnaṃ hi jīvitam

Surely no illness afflicts your body, my son? For today the very life of this royal house depends upon you.

Words: putravyādhir — some affliction, my son; na te — surely not ... your; kaccic — at all (I hope not); charīraṃ — the body; paribādhate — afflicts, torments; adya — today, now; rājakulasyāsya — of this royal house; tvadadhīnaṃ — dependent on you; hi — for; jīvitam — the life

2.81.9

tvāṃ dṛṣṭvā putra jīvāmi rāme sabhrātṛke gate
vṛtte daśarathe rājñi nātha ekas tvam adya naḥ

Seeing you, my son, I live on; with Rāma gone away together with his brother, and King Daśaratha dead, you alone are now our protector.

Words: tvāṃ — you; dṛṣṭvā — having seen; putra — O son; jīvāmi — I live; rāme — Rāma (loc. abs.); sabhrātṛke — together with his brother; gate — having gone; vṛtte — deceased (loc. abs.); daśarathe — Daśaratha; rājñi — the king; nātha — protector; ekas — the only; tvam — you; adya — now; naḥ — our

2.81.10

kaccin na lakṣmaṇe putra śrutaṃ te kiṃ cid apriyam
putra vā hy ekaputrāyāḥ sahabhārye vanaṃ gate

Have you heard, my son, no ill news of Lakṣmaṇa, or of the one son of his mother, gone with his wife to the forest?

Words: kaccin na — surely no; lakṣmaṇe — concerning Lakṣmaṇa; putra — O son; śrutaṃ — heard; te — by you; kiṃ cid — anything; apriyam — unwelcome, bad; putra vā — or, O son; hy — indeed; ekaputrāyāḥ — of the mother of one son; sahabhārye — with his wife (loc. abs.); vanaṃ — to the forest; gate — gone (loc. abs.)

2.81.11

sa muhūrtaṃ samāśvasya rudann eva mahāyaśāḥ
kausalyāṃ parisāntvyedaṃ guhaṃ vacanam abravīt

Recovering himself for a moment, still weeping, the illustrious one consoled Kausalyā and spoke these words to Guha:

Words: sa — he; muhūrtaṃ — for a moment; samāśvasya — having recovered; rudann eva — still weeping; mahāyaśāḥ — the illustrious one; kausalyāṃ — Kausalyā; parisāntvyedaṃ — having consoled ... these; guhaṃ — to Guha; vacanam — words; abravīt — spoke

2.81.12

bhrātā me kvāvasad rātriṃ kva sītā kva ca lakṣmaṇaḥ
asvapac chayane kasmin kiṃ bhuktvā guha śaṃsa me

Where did my brother spend the night, and where Sītā, and where Lakṣmaṇa? On what bed did he sleep, and having eaten what? Tell me, Guha.

Words: bhrātā — brother; me — my; kvāvasad — where did he spend (the night); rātriṃ — the night; kva — where; sītā — Sītā; kva ca — and where; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; asvapac — did he sleep; chayane — on what bed; kasmin — on which; kiṃ — what; bhuktvā — having eaten; guha — O Guha; śaṃsa — tell; me — me

2.81.13

so 'bravīd bharataṃ pṛṣṭo niṣādādhipatir guhaḥ
yad vidhaṃ pratipede ca rāme priyahite 'tithau

Being asked, Guha, lord of the Niṣādas, told Bharata what manner of hospitality he had rendered to Rāma, his dear and cherished guest:

Words: so 'bravīd — he said; bharataṃ — to Bharata; pṛṣṭo — being asked; niṣādādhipatir — the lord of the Niṣādas; guhaḥ — Guha; yad vidhaṃ — in what manner, what kind of; pratipede — he offered, provided; ca — and; rāme — for Rāma; priyahite — the dear and cherished; 'tithau — as guest

2.81.14

annam uccāvacaṃ bhakṣyāḥ phalāni vividhāni ca
rāmāyābhyavahārārthaṃ bahucopahṛtaṃ mayā

Food of every kind, delicacies, and fruits of many sorts were offered by me in abundance to Rāma for his eating;

Words: annam — food; uccāvacaṃ — of high and low, various kinds; bhakṣyāḥ — eatables, delicacies; phalāni — fruits; vividhāni — various; ca — and; rāmāyābhyavahārārthaṃ — to Rāma for the purpose of eating; bahucopahṛtaṃ — and offered in abundance; mayā — by me

2.81.15

tat sarvaṃ pratyanujñāsīd rāmaḥ satyaparākramaḥ
na hi tat pratyagṛhṇāt sa kṣatradharmam anusmaran

But Rāma of true valor courteously declined it all; recalling the warrior's code, he would not accept it,

Words: tat sarvaṃ — all that; pratyanujñāsīd — declined (with courteous acknowledgement); rāmaḥ — Rāma; satyaparākramaḥ — of true valor; na hi — for not; tat — that; pratyagṛhṇāt — did accept; sa — he; kṣatradharmam — the warrior's code; anusmaran — recalling, bearing in mind

2.81.16

na hy asmābhiḥ pratigrāhyaṃ sakhe deyaṃ tu sarvadā
iti tena vayaṃ rājann anunītā mahātmanā

‘We must never accept, friend, but must ever give’ — with these words, O king, we were won over by that great-souled one.

Words: na hy — for not; asmābhiḥ — by us; pratigrāhyaṃ — to be accepted; sakhe — O friend; deyaṃ — to be given; tu — but; sarvadā — always; iti — thus; tena — by him; vayaṃ — we; rājann — O king; anunītā — won over, conciliated; mahātmanā — the great-souled

2.81.17

lakṣmaṇena samānītaṃ pītvā vāri mahāyaśāḥ
aupavāsyaṃ tadākārṣīd rāghavaḥ saha sītayā

The illustrious Rāghava, drinking the water Lakṣmaṇa brought, then kept a fast together with Sītā.

Words: lakṣmaṇena — by Lakṣmaṇa; samānītaṃ — brought; pītvā — having drunk; vāri — water; mahāyaśāḥ — the illustrious one; aupavāsyaṃ — a fast, fasting; tadākārṣīd — then he made, observed; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; saha sītayā — together with Sītā

2.81.18

tatas tu jalaśeṣeṇa lakṣmaṇo 'py akarot tadā
vāg yatās te trayaḥ saṃdhyām upāsata samāhitāḥ

Then Lakṣmaṇa too, with the water that remained, did the same; and the three of them, keeping silence and composed, performed the twilight worship.

Words: tatas tu — and then; jalaśeṣeṇa — with the remaining water; lakṣmaṇo 'py — Lakṣmaṇa too; akarot — did (likewise); tadā — then; vāg — speech; yatās — restrained; te — they; trayaḥ — three; saṃdhyām — the twilight prayer; upāsata — worshipped, performed; samāhitāḥ — composed, attentive

2.81.19

saumitris tu tataḥ paścād akarot svāstaraṃ śubham
svayam ānīya barhīṃṣi kṣipraṃ rāghava kāraṇāt

Then Saumitri, quickly bringing kuśa grass himself, made a comfortable bed for Rāghava's sake.

Words: saumitris — Saumitri; tu — but; tataḥ paścād — thereafter; akarot — made; svāstaraṃ — a good bed of grass; śubham — comfortable, fine; svayam — himself; ānīya — having brought; barhīṃṣi — blades of kuśa grass; kṣipraṃ — quickly; rāghava — for Rāghava; kāraṇāt — for the sake of

2.81.20

tasmin samāviśad rāmaḥ svāstare saha sītayā
prakṣālya ca tayoḥ pādāv apacakrāma lakṣmaṇaḥ

On that comfortable bed Rāma lay down with Sītā; and Lakṣmaṇa, having washed the feet of them both, withdrew.

Words: tasmin — on that; samāviśad — lay down; rāmaḥ — Rāma; svāstare — on the good bed; saha sītayā — with Sītā; prakṣālya — having washed; ca — and; tayoḥ — of the two; pādāv — the feet; apacakrāma — withdrew, went away; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa

2.81.21

etat tad iṅgudīmūlam idam eva ca tat tṛṇam
yasmin rāmaś ca sītā ca rātriṃ tāṃ śayitāv ubhau

This here is that very foot of the iṅgudī tree, and this the grass upon which both Rāma and Sītā lay that night.

Words: etat tad — this is that very; iṅgudīmūlam — the foot of the iṅgudī tree; idam eva ca — and this very; tat — that; tṛṇam — grass; yasmin — on which; rāmaś ca — and Rāma; sītā ca — and Sītā; rātriṃ tāṃ — that night; śayitāv — the two lay; ubhau — both

2.81.22

niyamya pṛṣṭhe tu talāṅgulitravāñ śaraiḥ supūrṇāv iṣudhī paraṃtapaḥ
mahad dhanuḥ sajyam upohya lakṣmaṇo niśām atiṣṭhat parito 'sya kevalam

Wearing his hand- and finger-guards, having fastened upon his back the two quivers well-filled with arrows, and taking up the great strung bow, Lakṣmaṇa, that scorcher of foes, stood watch through the whole night entirely around him.

Words: niyamya — having fastened, secured; pṛṣṭhe — on his back; tu — and; talāṅgulitravāñ — wearing hand- and finger-guards; śaraiḥ — with arrows; supūrṇāv — the two well-filled; iṣudhī — the two quivers; paraṃtapaḥ — scorcher of foes; mahad dhanuḥ — the great bow; sajyam — strung; upohya — having taken up, drawn near; lakṣmaṇo — Lakṣmaṇa; niśām — the night; atiṣṭhat — stood through, kept watch; parito 'sya — around him; kevalam — entirely, alone

2.81.23

tatas tv ahaṃ cottamabāṇacāpadhṛk sthito 'bhavaṃ tatra sa yatra lakṣmaṇaḥ
atandribhir jñātibhir āttakārmukair mahendrakalpaṃ paripālayaṃs tadā

And then I too, bearing my finest bow and arrows, kept my station there where Lakṣmaṇa stood, guarding, with my tireless kinsmen bows in hand, that hero who was the equal of great Indra.

Words: tatas tv — and then; ahaṃ — I; cottamabāṇacāpadhṛk — and bearing my best arrows and bow; sthito 'bhavaṃ — kept my station, stood; tatra — there; sa — in that very place; yatra — where; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa (stood); atandribhir — with the tireless; jñātibhir — kinsmen; āttakārmukair — bows in hand; mahendrakalpaṃ — him, the equal of great Indra; paripālayaṃs — guarding; tadā — then

← 2.80 Guha recounts Lakṣmaṇa’s vigil · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.82 Bharata examines the grass bed →

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/2/81.md · JSON: /data/2/81.json