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Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 91: Rāma restrains Lakṣmaṇa
Summary. He rejects suspicion of Bharata and shames his brother’s anger, Bharata spreads the camp around the mountain to avoid crowding the hermitage
Sequence
- Rāma tells Lakṣmaṇa that weapons are unnecessary: Bharata would not wish them harm (2.91.1–3)
- he asks what Bharata has ever done to justify this suspicion and says that insulting Bharata is an injury to himself (2.91.4–6)
- if Lakṣmaṇa's concern is the Kingdom, Rāma says, Bharata would give it to him at his request (2.91.7–8)
- Lakṣmaṇa becomes ashamed (2.91.9–11)
- Rāma notices familiar royal horses and Daśaratha's elephant among the approaching company (2.91.12–13)
- Lakṣmaṇa climbs down and stands beside him → meanwhile Bharata distributes his camp around the mountain to avoid crowding the hermitage. (2.91.14–17)
Verses 2.91.1–17
2.91.1
susaṃrabdhaṃ tu saumitriṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ krodhamūrchitam
rāmas tu parisāntvyātha vacanaṃ cedam abravīt
But Rāma, soothing the greatly agitated Saumitri, Lakṣmaṇa, who was beside himself with anger, spoke these words:
Words: susaṃrabdhaṃ — greatly agitated, incensed; tu — but; saumitriṃ — Saumitri (son of Sumitrā); lakṣmaṇaṃ — Lakṣmaṇa; krodhamūrchitam — overcome, stupefied with anger; rāmas — Rāma; tu — but, and; parisāntvyātha — having soothed, then; vacanaṃ cedam — and these words; abravīt — spoke
2.91.2
kim atra dhanuṣā kāryam asinā vā sacarmaṇā
maheṣvāse mahāprājñe bharate svayam āgate
“What need is there here of a bow, or of a sword with its shield, when the great archer, the deeply wise Bharata, has come in person?
Words: kim atra — what here; dhanuṣā — with a bow; kāryam — need, business; asinā vā — or with a sword; sacarmaṇā — with a shield; maheṣvāse — when the great archer; mahāprājñe — the deeply wise; bharate — Bharata (being come); svayam āgate — having come in person
2.91.3
prāptakālaṃ yad eṣo 'smān bharato draṣṭum icchati
asmāsu manasāpy eṣa nāhitaṃ kiṃ cid ācaret
That Bharata wishes to see us is timely; not even in thought would he do us any harm.
Words: prāptakālaṃ — timely, opportune; yad — that; eṣo — he; 'smān — us; bharato — Bharata; draṣṭum icchati — wishes to see; asmāsu — toward us; manasāpy — even in mind; eṣa — he; nāhitaṃ — nothing harmful; kiṃ cid — anything; ācaret — would do, practice
2.91.4
vipriyaṃ kṛtapūrvaṃ te bharatena kadā na kim
īdṛśaṃ vā bhayaṃ te 'dya bharataṃ yo 'tra śaṅkase
When has Bharata ever before done anything displeasing to you? Or what such fear of Bharata is yours today, that you here suspect him?
Words: vipriyaṃ — a displeasing thing; kṛtapūrvaṃ — done before; te — to you; bharatena — by Bharata; kadā — when (ever); na — not, never; kim — what, at all; īdṛśaṃ vā — or such a; bhayaṃ — fear; te — your; 'dya — today; bharataṃ — Bharata; yo — who; 'tra — here; śaṅkase — you suspect, fear
2.91.5
na hi te niṣṭhuraṃ vācyo bharato nāpriyaṃ vacaḥ
ahaṃ hy apriyam uktaḥ syāṃ bharatasyāpriye kṛte
You must speak nothing harsh to Bharata, no unkind word; for if a wrong were done to Bharata, it is I who would be wronged.
Words: na hi — for not; te — by you; niṣṭhuraṃ — harsh (thing); vācyo — is to be spoken; bharato — (to) Bharata; nāpriyaṃ — nor an unkind; vacaḥ — word; ahaṃ hy — for I; apriyam uktaḥ syāṃ — would be addressed unkindly, wronged; bharatasyāpriye kṛte — if an offense were done to Bharata
2.91.6
kathaṃ nu putrāḥ pitaraṃ hanyuḥ kasyāṃ cid āpadi
bhrātā vā bhrātaraṃ hanyāt saumitre prāṇam ātmanaḥ
How indeed could sons slay their father in any calamity, or a brother slay a brother, Saumitri, who is his own very life?
Words: kathaṃ nu — how indeed; putrāḥ — sons; pitaraṃ — the father; hanyuḥ — could slay; kasyāṃ cid āpadi — in any calamity; bhrātā vā — or a brother; bhrātaraṃ — the brother; hanyāt — could slay; saumitre — O Saumitri; prāṇam ātmanaḥ — (who is) his own life-breath
2.91.7
yadi rājyasya hetos tvam imāṃ vācaṃ prabhāṣase
vakṣyāmi bharataṃ dṛṣṭvā rājyam asmai pradīyatām
If for the sake of the kingdom you speak these words, then, on seeing Bharata, I shall say: ‘Let the kingdom be given to him.’
Words: yadi — if; rājyasya hetos — for the sake of the kingdom; tvam — you; imāṃ vācaṃ — these words; prabhāṣase — you speak; vakṣyāmi — I shall say; bharataṃ dṛṣṭvā — having seen Bharata; rājyam asmai — the kingdom to him; pradīyatām — let it be given
2.91.8
ucyamāno hi bharato mayā lakṣmaṇa tattvataḥ
rājyam asmai prayaccheti bāḍham ity eva vakṣyati
For when Bharata is told by me truly, Lakṣmaṇa, ‘Give over the kingdom to him,’ he will answer only, ‘So be it.’
Words: ucyamāno hi — for when told; bharato — Bharata; mayā — by me; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; tattvataḥ — truly, in truth; rājyam asmai — the kingdom to him; prayaccheti — ‘(you) give over’; bāḍham ity eva — just ‘certainly!’; vakṣyati — he will say
2.91.9
tathokto dharmaśīlena bhrātrā tasya hite rataḥ
lakṣmaṇaḥ praviveśeva svāni gātrāṇi lajjayā
So addressed by his brother of righteous nature, Lakṣmaṇa, devoted to Rāma's welfare, seemed to shrink into his own limbs from shame.
Words: tathokto — thus addressed; dharmaśīlena — of righteous nature; bhrātrā — by his brother; tasya hite rataḥ — devoted to his welfare; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; praviveśeva — as if entered, shrank; svāni gātrāṇi — into his own limbs; lajjayā — from shame
2.91.10
vrīḍitaṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ pratyuvāca ha
eṣa manye mahābāhur ihāsmān draṣṭum āgataḥ
Seeing Lakṣmaṇa abashed, Rāghava replied: “I think this mighty-armed one has come here to see us.
Words: vrīḍitaṃ — abashed, ashamed; lakṣmaṇaṃ dṛṣṭvā — seeing Lakṣmaṇa; rāghavaḥ — Rāghava; pratyuvāca ha — replied; eṣa manye — this one, I think; mahābāhur — the mighty-armed; ihāsmān — us here; draṣṭum āgataḥ — has come to see
2.91.11
vanavāsam anudhyāya gṛhāya pratineṣyati
imāṃ vāpy eśa vaidehīm atyantasukhasevinīm
Reflecting on the hardship of the forest life, he will lead us back home — or at least this Vaidehī, who is used to constant comfort.
Words: vanavāsam — the forest-dwelling; anudhyāya — having reflected upon; gṛhāya — homeward, to the house; pratineṣyati — will lead back; imāṃ vāpy — or even this; eśa — he; vaidehīm — Vaidehī; atyantasukhasevinīm — used to constant comfort
2.91.12
etau tau saṃprakāśete gotravantau manoramau
vāyuvegasamau vīra javanau turagottamau
There, O hero, gleam those two splendid horses of noble stock, delightful, swift, matching the speed of the wind — the best of steeds.
Words: etau tau — those two; saṃprakāśete — shine forth (dual); gotravantau — of noble stock; manoramau — delightful; vāyuvegasamau — equal to the wind's speed; vīra — O hero; javanau — swift (dual); turagottamau — the best of horses
2.91.13
sa eṣa sumahākāyaḥ kampate vāhinīmukhe
nāgaḥ śatruṃjayo nāma vṛddhas tātasya dhīmataḥ
There, at the head of the army, sways that huge-bodied elephant named Śatruṃjaya, the aged mount of my wise father.
Words: sa eṣa — there that; sumahākāyaḥ — of very great body; kampate — sways, moves; vāhinīmukhe — at the head of the army; nāgaḥ — the elephant; śatruṃjayo nāma — named Śatruṃjaya (conqueror of foes); vṛddhas — old, aged; tātasya — of (my) father; dhīmataḥ — of the wise
2.91.14
avatīrya tu sālāgrāt tasmāt sa samitiṃjayaḥ
lakṣmaṇaḥ prāñjalir bhūtvā tasthau rāmasya pārśvataḥ
Descending from the top of that sāla tree, Lakṣmaṇa, victorious in battle, joined his palms and took his stand at Rāma's side.
Words: avatīrya — having descended; tu — and; sālāgrāt — from the top of the sāla tree; tasmāt — from that; sa — he; samitiṃjayaḥ — victorious in battle; lakṣmaṇaḥ — Lakṣmaṇa; prāñjalir bhūtvā — having joined his palms; tasthau — stood; rāmasya pārśvataḥ — at Rāma's side
2.91.15
bharatenātha saṃdiṣṭā saṃmardo na bhaved iti
samantāt tasya śailasya senāvāsam akalpayat
Then, at Bharata's order that there should be no crowding, the army was directed, and its encampment was arranged all around that mountain.
Words: bharatenātha — then by Bharata; saṃdiṣṭā — instructed, directed; saṃmardo — a crush, jostling; na bhaved iti — ‘let there not be’; samantāt — all around; tasya śailasya — of that mountain; senāvāsam — the army's encampment; akalpayat — arranged, made ready
2.91.16
adhyardham ikṣvākucamūr yojanaṃ parvatasya sā
pārśve nyaviśad āvṛtya gajavājirathākulā
That army of the Ikṣvākus, teeming with elephants, horses, and chariots, spreading over a yojana and a half, encamped upon the mountain's flank, enveloping it.
Words: adhyardham — one and a half; ikṣvākucamūr — the army of the Ikṣvākus; yojanaṃ — a yojana (a measure of distance); parvatasya — of the mountain; sā — that; pārśve — on the flank, side; nyaviśad — encamped, settled; āvṛtya — having covered, enveloped; gajavājirathākulā — teeming with elephants, horses, and chariots
2.91.17
sā citrakūṭe bharatena senā dharmaṃ puraskṛtya vidhūya darpam
prasādanārthaṃ raghunandanasya virocate nītimatā praṇītā
That army, led onto Citrakūṭa by Bharata — who, putting dharma foremost and casting off all pride, sought to conciliate the delight of the Raghus — shone resplendent, marshalled by that master of statecraft.
Words: sā — that; citrakūṭe — on Citrakūṭa; bharatena — by Bharata; senā — the army; dharmaṃ — dharma; puraskṛtya — having put foremost; vidhūya — having shaken off, cast away; darpam — pride, arrogance; prasādanārthaṃ — for the purpose of conciliating; raghunandanasya — of the delight of the Raghus (Rāma); virocate — shines resplendent; nītimatā — by (that) master of statecraft; praṇītā — led, marshalled
← 2.90 Lakṣmaṇa suspects Bharata’s army · Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa · 2.92 Bharata searches for Rāma’s hut →
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.
Plain text: /text/2/91.md · JSON: /data/2/91.json