# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 18 — Resistance or obedience *Lakṣmaṇa offers force and Kausalyā asks Rāma to stay, Rāma cites ancestral precedents and upholds his father’s word* Portion: Kausalyā’s grief and Lakṣmaṇa’s resistance · Verses: 40 · Ref format: 2.18. ## Sequence - Lakṣmaṇa tells Kausalyā that Rāma has done nothing wrong and that an aging King led by his wife's wishes should not be obeyed in this matter (18.1–5) - he urges Rāma to take power before the decision becomes public (18.6–9) - he promises to defeat any opposition, including Bharata's supporters, and says that wherever Rāma goes, he will go first (18.10–15) - Kausalyā asks Rāma to stay and fulfill his duty to her instead; she threatens to fast to death if he leaves (18.16–24) - Rāma answers that he cannot disobey his father → he cites Kaṇḍu killing a cow at his father's command, Sagara's sons digging the earth and meeting destruction, and Paraśurāma striking down his mother with an axe on his father's orders → he presents their obedience as precedents for keeping his own father's word (18.25–31) - he tells Lakṣmaṇa that affection and military force cannot cancel a binding promise (18.32–36) - he asks his mother's permission and blessing, promising to return after completing the exile (18.37–40). ## Verses **2.18.1** tathā tu vilapantīṃ tāṃ kausalyāṃ rāmamātaram uvāca lakṣmaṇo dīnas tat kālasadṛśaṃ vacaḥ As Kausalyā, Rāma's mother, was lamenting thus, the dejected Lakṣmaṇa spoke to her these words befitting the moment. **2.18.2** na rocate mamāpy etad ārye yad rāghavo vanam tyaktvā rājyaśriyaṃ gacchet striyā vākyavaśaṃ gataḥ "This does not please me either, noble lady—that Rāghava, fallen under the sway of a woman's word, should abandon the royal fortune and go to the forest. **2.18.3** viparītaś ca vṛddhaś ca viṣayaiś ca pradharṣitaḥ nṛpaḥ kim iva na brūyāc codyamānaḥ samanmathaḥ Perverse and aged and overcome by the objects of sense, what indeed would the king not say, being urged on and full of passion? **2.18.4** nāsyāparādhaṃ paśyāmi nāpi doṣaṃ tathā vidham yena nirvāsyate rāṣṭrād vanavāsāya rāghavaḥ I see no offence of his, nor any fault of such a kind, for which Rāghava should be banished from the realm to dwell in the forest. **2.18.5** na taṃ paśyāmy ahaṃ loke parokṣam api yo naraḥ amitro 'pi nirasto 'pi yo 'sya doṣam udāharet I do not see in this world the man—even in secret, even an enemy, even one who is cast out—who could cite a single fault of his. **2.18.6** devakalpam ṛjuṃ dāntaṃ ripūṇām api vatsalam avekṣamāṇaḥ ko dharmaṃ tyajet putram akāraṇāt Who, having regard for dharma, would abandon without cause a son godlike, upright, self-controlled, and tender even to his foes? **2.18.7** tad idaṃ vacanaṃ rājñaḥ punar bālyam upeyuṣaḥ putraḥ ko hṛdaye kuryād rājavṛttam anusmaran What son, remembering the conduct proper to kings, would take to heart this command of a king who has fallen back into childishness? **2.18.8** yāvad eva na jānāti kaś cid artham imaṃ naraḥ tāvad eva mayā sādham ātmasthaṃ kuru śāsanam While not a single man yet knows of this matter, this very moment, with me at your side, take the sovereignty firmly into your own hands. **2.18.9** mayā pārśve sadhanuṣā tava guptasya rāghava kaḥ samartho 'dhikaṃ kartuṃ kṛtāntasyeva tiṣṭhataḥ With me armed with my bow guarding you at your side, Rāghava, who is able to do anything against you, who stand as if you were Death himself? **2.18.10** nirmanuṣyām imāṃ sarvām ayodhyāṃ manujarṣabha kariṣyāmi śarais tīkṣṇair yadi sthāsyati vipriye This whole city of Ayodhyā, O bull among men, I shall make empty of men with my sharp arrows, if it takes its stand in hostility. **2.18.11** bharatasyātha pakṣyo vā yo vāsya hitam icchati sarvān etān vadhiṣyāmi mṛdur hi paribhūyate Whether a partisan of Bharata, or whoever wishes his welfare—all of these I shall slay; for the gentle man is despised. **2.18.12** tvayā caiva mayā caiva kṛtvā vairam anuttamam kasya śaktiḥ śriyaṃ dātuṃ bharatāyāriśāsana Once you and I have set up a matchless enmity, who has the power to give the sovereignty to Bharata, O chastiser of foes? **2.18.13** anurakto 'smi bhāvena bhrātaraṃ devi tattvataḥ satyena dhanuṣā caiva datteneṣṭena te śape I am devoted to my brother in my very being, in truth, O queen; by my truth, by my bow, by my gifts and sacrifices I swear it to you. **2.18.14** dīptam agnim araṇyaṃ vā yadi rāmaḥ pravekṣyate praviṣṭaṃ tatra māṃ devi tvaṃ pūrvam avadhāraya If Rāma is to enter blazing fire or the wilderness, know for certain, O queen, that I have entered there before him. **2.18.15** harāmi vīryād duḥkhaṃ te tamaḥ sūrya ivoditaḥ devī paśyatu me vīryaṃ rāghavaś caiva paśyatu By my valour I shall take away your sorrow, as the risen sun dispels darkness; let the queen behold my prowess, and let Rāghava behold it too. **2.18.16** etat tu vacanaṃ śrutvā lakṣmaṇasya mahātmanaḥ uvāca rāmaṃ kausalyā rudantī śokalālasā But having heard this speech of the great-souled Lakṣmaṇa, Kausalyā, weeping and languishing with grief, said to Rāma: **2.18.17** bhrātus te vadataḥ putra lakṣmaṇasya śrutaṃ tvayā yad atrānantaraṃ tat tvaṃ kuruṣva yadi rocate "You have heard, my son, your brother Lakṣmaṇa speaking; do now what follows from this, if it pleases you. **2.18.18** na cādharmyaṃ vacaḥ śrutvā sapatnyā mama bhāṣitam vihāya śokasaṃtaptāṃ gantum arhasi mām itaḥ And having heard the unrighteous word spoken by my co-wife, you ought not to leave me here, scorched with grief, and go away. **2.18.19** dharmajña yadi dharmiṣṭho dharmaṃ caritum icchasi śuśrūṣa mām ihasthas tvaṃ cara dharmam anuttamam O knower of dharma, if being most righteous you wish to practise dharma, then stay here and serve me, and so practise the highest dharma. **2.18.20** śuśrūṣur jananīṃ putra svagṛhe niyato vasan pareṇa tapasā yuktaḥ kāśyapas tridivaṃ gataḥ Serving his mother, my son, dwelling self-restrained in his own home, endowed with supreme austerity, Kāśyapa went to heaven. **2.18.21** yathaiva rājā pūjyas te gauraveṇa tathā hy aham tvāṃ nāham anujānāmi na gantavyam ito vanam Just as the king is to be honoured by you with reverence, so too am I; I do not give you leave—you must not go from here to the forest. **2.18.22** tvadviyogān na me kāryaṃ jīvitena sukhena vā tvayā saha mama śreyas tṛṇānām api bhakṣaṇam Through separation from you I have no use for life or comfort; better for me even to eat grass together with you. **2.18.23** yadi tvaṃ yāsyasi vanaṃ tyaktvā māṃ śokalālasām ahaṃ prāyam ihāsiṣye na hi śakṣyāmi jīvitum If you shall go to the forest, abandoning me who languish in grief, I shall sit here fasting unto death, for I shall not be able to live. **2.18.24** tatas tvaṃ prāpsyase putra nirayaṃ lokaviśrutam brahmahatyām ivādharmāt samudraḥ saritāṃ patiḥ Then you, my son, will attain a world-famed hell through that unrighteousness, as the ocean, lord of rivers, incurred the guilt of brahmin-slaying. **2.18.25** vilapantīṃ tathā dīnāṃ kausalyāṃ jananīṃ tataḥ uvāca rāmo dharmātmā vacanaṃ dharmasaṃhitam Then to his mother Kausalyā, lamenting thus in her misery, righteous Rāma spoke words in keeping with dharma: **2.18.26** nāsti śaktiḥ pitur vākyaṃ samatikramituṃ mama prasādaye tvāṃ śirasā gantum icchāmy ahaṃ vanam "I have no power to transgress my father's word; bowing my head I entreat you—I wish to go to the forest. **2.18.27** ṛṣiṇā ca pitur vākyaṃ kurvatā vratacāriṇā gaur hatā jānatā dharmaṃ kaṇḍunāpi vipaścitā Even the sage Kaṇḍu, a vow-keeper and learned, who knew dharma, slew a cow in carrying out his father's word. **2.18.28** asmākaṃ ca kule pūrvaṃ sagarasyājñayā pituḥ khanadbhiḥ sāgarair bhūtim avāptaḥ sumahān vadhaḥ And in our own line long ago, at the command of their father Sagara, the sons of Sagara, digging for treasure, met a very great destruction. **2.18.29** jāmadagnyena rāmeṇa reṇukā jananī svayam kṛttā paraśunāraṇye pitur vacanakāriṇā Rāma the son of Jamadagni, doing his father's word, himself cut down his mother Reṇukā with an axe in the forest. **2.18.30** na khalv etan mayaikena kriyate pitṛśāsanam pūrvair ayam abhipreto gato mārgo 'nugamyate Truly this carrying out of a father's command is not done by me alone; this is the path desired and trodden by my forebears, and I follow it. **2.18.31** tad etat tu mayā kāryaṃ kriyate bhuvi nānyathā pitur hi vacanaṃ kurvan na kaś cin nāma hīyate So this duty is done by me, and not otherwise, upon the earth; for by doing his father's word no one, indeed, is ever ruined. **2.18.32** tām evam uktvā jananīṃ lakṣmaṇaṃ punar abravīt tava lakṣmaṇa jānāmi mayi sneham anuttamam abhiprāyam avijñāya satyasya ca śamasya ca Having spoken thus to his mother, he said again to Lakṣmaṇa: "I know, Lakṣmaṇa, your matchless love for me—but without understanding the true intent of truth and of self-restraint. **2.18.33** dharmo hi paramo loke dharme satyaṃ pratiṣṭhitam dharmasaṃśritam etac ca pitur vacanam uttamam For dharma is supreme in the world, and in dharma is truth established; and this excellent word of my father rests upon dharma. **2.18.34** saṃśrutya ca pitur vākyaṃ mātur vā brāhmaṇasya vā na kartavyaṃ vṛthā vīra dharmam āśritya tiṣṭhatā And having promised to obey the word of a father, or a mother, or a brahmin, it must not be made void, O hero, by one who stands firm in dharma. **2.18.35** so 'haṃ na śakṣyāmi pitur niyogam ativartitum pitur hi vacanād vīra kaikeyyāhaṃ pracoditaḥ So I shall not be able to overstep my father's injunction; for by my father's word, O hero, I have been urged on by Kaikeyī. **2.18.36** tad enāṃ visṛjānāryāṃ kṣatradharmāśritāṃ matim dharmam āśraya mā taikṣṇyaṃ madbuddhir anugamyatām So give up this ignoble intent that rests on the warrior's code; take to dharma, not to harshness—let my resolve be the one you follow. **2.18.37** tam evam uktvā sauhārdād bhrātaraṃ lakṣmaṇāgrajaḥ uvāca bhūyaḥ kausalyāṃ prāñjaliḥ śirasānataḥ Having thus spoken to his brother out of affection, Rāma, the elder of Lakṣmaṇa, spoke again to Kausalyā with joined palms and bowed head: **2.18.38** anumanyasva māṃ devi gamiṣyantam ito vanam śāpitāsi mama prāṇaiḥ kuru svastyayanāni me tīrṇapratijñaś ca vanāt punar eṣyāmy ahaṃ purīm "Give me your leave, O queen, as I set out from here to the forest; I adjure you by my life—perform rites of blessing for me; and, my vow fulfilled, I shall return again from the forest to the city. **2.18.39** yaśo hy ahaṃ kevalarājyakāraṇān na pṛṣṭhataḥ kartum alaṃ mahodayam adīrghakāle na tu devi jīvite vṛṇe 'varām adya mahīm adharmataḥ For I am not able, merely for the sake of a kingdom, to cast behind me a glory of great fruit; and since life, O queen, is short, I would not choose today a lowly earth won by unrighteousness. **2.18.40** prasādayan naravṛṣabhaḥ sa mātaraṃ parākramāj jigamiṣur eva daṇḍakān athānujaṃ bhṛśam anuśāsya darśanaṃ cakāra tāṃ hṛdi jananīṃ pradakṣiṇam That bull among men, propitiating his mother while resolved by his own resolve to set out for the Daṇḍaka forest, then, having earnestly instructed his younger brother, fixed the sight of his mother in his heart and reverently circled her.