# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 31 — A throne or one more night *Daśaratha urges Rāma to take the Kingdom, then begs him to stay overnight, Rāma refuses to delay the promise* Portion: Preparing for exile and taking leave · Verses: 37 · Ref format: 2.31. ## Sequence - Sumantra tells Daśaratha that Rāma has given away his possessions and is waiting to say goodbye (31.1–5) - Daśaratha gathers his wives and has the three travelers admitted (31.6–12) - he rises to meet Rāma but faints before reaching him → Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa lift him, and with Sītā help him onto the couch (31.13–19) - Rāma asks permission for all three to leave, explaining that Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa cannot be persuaded to remain → Daśaratha replies that the boons have trapped him and urges Rāma to disregard him and become King (31.20–23) - Rāma refuses to make his father's promise false → Daśaratha then asks him to stay at least one more night (31.24–27) - Rāma declines the delay and asks that Bharata receive the Kingdom without further grief (31.28–31) - he reassures his father that preserving his truth matters more than Kingship, pleasure, or life, and that he will find happiness among the forest's rivers and mountains (31.32–37). ## Verses **2.31.1** sa rāmapreṣitaḥ kṣipraṃ saṃtāpakaluṣendriyaḥ praviśya nṛpatiṃ sūto niḥśvasantaṃ dadarśa ha That charioteer, sent by Rāma, his senses clouded with anguish, quickly entered and saw the king sighing. **2.31.2** ālokya tu mahāprājñaḥ paramākula cetasaṃ rāmam evānuśocantaṃ sūtaḥ prāñjalir āsadat But the very wise charioteer, beholding the king with mind supremely agitated, grieving for Rāma alone, approached him with joined palms. **2.31.3** ayaṃ sa puruṣavyāghra dvāri tiṣṭhati te sutaḥ brāhmaṇebhyo dhanaṃ dattvā sarvaṃ caivopajīvinām “O tiger among men, here your son stands at the door, having given away all his wealth to the brahmins and to the dependants. **2.31.4** sa tvā paśyatu bhadraṃ te rāmaḥ satyaparākramaḥ sarvān suhṛda āpṛcchya tvām idānīṃ didṛkṣate May that Rāma of true valour look upon you — blessings on you! Having taken leave of all his friends, he now wishes to see you. **2.31.5** gamiṣyati mahāraṇyaṃ taṃ paśya jagatīpate vṛtaṃ rājaguṇaiḥ sarvair ādityam iva raśmibhiḥ He will go to the great forest; behold him, O lord of the world, endowed with all kingly virtues as the sun with its rays.” **2.31.6** sa satyavādī dharmātmā gāmbhīryāt sāgaropamaḥ ākāśa iva niṣpaṅko narendraḥ pratyuvāca tam That truthful, righteous king, deep as the ocean in gravity, spotless as the sky, replied to him: **2.31.7** sumantrānaya me dārān ye ke cid iha māmakāḥ dāraiḥ parivṛtaḥ sarvair draṣṭum icchāmi rāghavam “Sumantra, bring to me my wives, whoever here are mine; surrounded by all my wives I wish to see Rāghava.” **2.31.8** so 'ntaḥpuram atītyaiva striyas tā vākyam abravīt āryo hvayati vo rājā gamyatāṃ tatra māciram Having entered the inner apartments, he spoke these words to those women: “The noble king summons you; go there without delay.” **2.31.9** evam uktāḥ striyaḥ sarvāḥ sumantreṇa nṛpājñayā pracakramus tad bhavanaṃ bhartur ājñāya śāsanam All the women, thus addressed by Sumantra at the king's order, understanding their lord's command, proceeded to that palace. **2.31.10** ardhasaptaśatās tās tu pramadās tāmralocanāḥ kausalyāṃ parivāryātha śanair jagmur dhṛtavratāḥ Those six hundred and fifty women with copper-red eyes, surrounding Kausalyā, then went slowly, steadfast in their vows. **2.31.11** āgateṣu ca dāreṣu samavekṣya mahīpatiḥ uvāca rājā taṃ sūtaṃ sumantrānaya me sutam And when his wives had come, the king, having looked at them, said to that charioteer: “Sumantra, bring me my son.” **2.31.12** sa sūto rāmam ādāya lakṣmaṇaṃ maithilīṃ tadā jagāmābhimukhas tūrṇaṃ sakāśaṃ jagatīpateḥ That charioteer, taking Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and the Maithilī, then went swiftly straight to the presence of the lord of the world. **2.31.13** sa rājā putram āyāntaṃ dṛṣṭvā dūrāt kṛtāñjalim utpapātāsanāt tūrṇam ārtaḥ strījanasaṃvṛtaḥ That king, seeing his son approaching from afar with joined palms, sprang up quickly from his seat, distressed, surrounded by the throng of women. **2.31.14** so 'bhidudrāva vegena rāmaṃ dṛṣṭvā viśāṃ patiḥ tam asaṃprāpya duḥkhārtaḥ papāta bhuvi mūrchitaḥ That lord of the people, seeing Rāma, rushed toward him with speed; but not reaching him, stricken with grief, he fell swooning to the ground. **2.31.15** taṃ rāmo 'bhyapātat kṣipraṃ lakṣmaṇaś ca mahārathaḥ visaṃjñam iva duḥkhena saśokaṃ nṛpatiṃ tadā Rāma quickly hastened toward him, as did Lakṣmaṇa the great warrior — toward the sorrowing king who was as if senseless with grief. **2.31.16** strīsahasraninādaś ca saṃjajñe rājaveśmani hāhā rāmeti sahasā bhūṣaṇadhvanimūrchitaḥ And a clamour of a thousand women arose suddenly in the royal palace — “Alas, alas, Rāma!” — mingled with the jingling of ornaments. **2.31.17** taṃ pariṣvajya bāhubhyāṃ tāv ubhau rāmalakṣmaṇau paryaṅke sītayā sārdhaṃ rudantaḥ samaveśayan Those two, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, embracing him with their arms, together with Sītā, weeping, laid him upon the couch. **2.31.18** atha rāmo muhūrtena labdhasaṃjñaṃ mahīpatim uvāca prāñjalir bhūtvā śokārṇavapariplutam Then Rāma, with joined palms, addressed the king, who after a moment had regained consciousness but was plunged in a sea of grief: **2.31.19** āpṛcche tvāṃ mahārāja sarveṣām īśvaro 'si naḥ prasthitaṃ daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ paśya tvaṃ kuśalena mām “I take my leave of you, great king; you are the lord of us all. Look with favour upon me as I set out for the Daṇḍaka forest. **2.31.20** lakṣmaṇaṃ cānujānīhi sītā cānveti māṃ vanam kāraṇair bahubhis tathyair vāryamāṇau na cecchataḥ And give leave to Lakṣmaṇa; and Sītā too follows me to the forest. Though dissuaded by many true reasons, the two will not consent (to stay). **2.31.21** anujānīhi sarvān naḥ śokam utsṛjya mānada lakṣmaṇaṃ māṃ ca sītāṃ ca prajāpatir iva prajāḥ Give leave to all of us, casting off your grief, O bestower of honour — to Lakṣmaṇa, to me, and to Sītā, as Prajāpati (dismisses) his creatures.” **2.31.22** pratīkṣamāṇam avyagram anujñāṃ jagatīpateḥ uvāca rarjā saṃprekṣya vanavāsāya rāghavam To Rāghava, who calmly awaited the leave of the lord of the world, the king, gazing at him, spoke concerning the forest-dwelling: **2.31.23** ahaṃ rāghava kaikeyyā varadānena mohitaḥ ayodhyāyās tvam evādya bhava rājā nigṛhya mām “O Rāghava, I have been deluded by the granting of boons to Kaikeyī; today, overruling me, do you yourself become king of Ayodhyā.” **2.31.24** evam ukto nṛpatinā rāmo dharmabhṛtāṃ varaḥ pratyuvācāñjaliṃ kṛtvā pitaraṃ vākyakovidaḥ Thus addressed by the king, Rāma, best of the upholders of dharma and skilled in speech, having joined his palms, replied to his father: **2.31.25** bhavān varṣasahasrāya pṛthivyā nṛpate patiḥ ahaṃ tv araṇye vatsyāmi na me kāryaṃ tvayānṛtam “You, O king, are lord of the earth for a thousand years; but I shall dwell in the forest. I have no wish that you be made false. **2.31.26** śreyase vṛddhaye tāta punarāgamanāya ca gacchasvāriṣṭam avyagraḥ panthānam akutobhayam “For your welfare, my son, for your prosperity and for your safe return, go untroubled upon an unharmed road, free from fear on every side. **2.31.27** adya tv idānīṃ rajanīṃ putra mā gaccha sarvathā mātaraṃ māṃ ca saṃpaśyan vasemām adya śarvarīm tarpitaḥ sarvakāmais tvaṃ śvaḥkāle sādhayiṣyasi But today, right now, my son, do not go at all for this night; looking upon your mother and me, dwell here this night; gratified with all pleasures, you shall set forth at dawn tomorrow.” **2.31.28** atha rāmas tathā śrutvā pitur ārtasya bhāṣitam lakṣmaṇena saha bhrātrā dīno vacanam abravīt Then Rāma, having thus heard the words of his afflicted father, dejected, together with his brother Lakṣmaṇa, spoke these words: **2.31.29** prāpsyāmi yān adya guṇān ko me śvastān pradāsyati apakramaṇam evātaḥ sarvakāmair ahaṃ vṛṇe “Whatever advantages I would gain today, who will grant me those tomorrow? Therefore, above all pleasures, I choose only departure. **2.31.30** iyaṃ sarāṣṭrā sajanā dhanadhānyasamākulā mayā visṛṣṭā vasudhā bharatāya pradīyatām Let this earth, with its kingdom and its people, abounding in wealth and grain, be relinquished by me and bestowed upon Bharata. **2.31.31** apagacchatu te duḥkhaṃ mā bhūr bāṣpapariplutaḥ na hi kṣubhyati durdharṣaḥ samudraḥ saritāṃ patiḥ Let your grief depart; do not be flooded with tears. For the unassailable ocean, lord of rivers, is never agitated. **2.31.32** naivāhaṃ rājyam icchāmi na sukhaṃ na ca maithilīm tvām ahaṃ satyam icchāmi nānṛtaṃ puruṣarṣabha I desire neither the kingdom, nor pleasure, nor even the Maithilī; I wish you to be true, not false, O bull among men. **2.31.33** puraṃ ca rāṣṭraṃ ca mahī ca kevalā mayā nisṛṣṭā bharatāya dīyatām ahaṃ nideśaṃ bhavato 'nupālayan vanaṃ gamiṣyāmi cirāya sevitum Let the city and the kingdom and the whole earth, relinquished by me, be given to Bharata; and I, obeying your command, shall go to the forest to dwell there long. **2.31.34** mayā nisṛṣṭāṃ bharato mahīm imāṃ saśailakhaṇḍāṃ sapurāṃ sakānanām śivāṃ susīmām anuśāstu kevalaṃ tvayā yad uktaṃ nṛpate yathāstu tat Let Bharata rule this whole earth relinquished by me — with its mountain-tracts, its cities and its forests, auspicious and well-bounded; and let what you have declared, O king, so be. **2.31.35** na me tathā pārthiva dhīyate mano mahatsu kāmeṣu na cātmanaḥ priye yathā nideśe tava śiṣṭasaṃmate vyapaitu duḥkhaṃ tava matkṛte 'nagha My mind is not so set, O king, upon great pleasures nor upon what is dear to myself, as it is upon your command, approved by the wise; let your grief on my account depart, O sinless one. **2.31.36** tad adya naivānagha rājyam avyayaṃ na sarvakāmān na sukhaṃ na maithilīm na jīvitaṃ tvām anṛtena yojayan vṛṇīya satyaṃ vratam astu te tathā Therefore today, O sinless one, by involving you in falsehood I would choose neither the imperishable kingdom, nor all pleasures, nor happiness, nor the Maithilī, nor even life; let your vow of truth so stand. **2.31.37** phalāni mūlāni ca bhakṣayan vane girīṃś ca paśyan saritaḥ sarāṃsi ca vanaṃ praviśyaiva vicitrapādapaṃ sukhī bhaviṣyāmi tavāstu nirvṛtiḥ Eating fruits and roots in the forest, and beholding the mountains, the rivers and the lakes, entering a forest of wondrous trees, I shall be happy; let there be contentment for you.”