# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 34 — Farewell to the Queens *Daśaratha orders the chariot and supplies for Sītā, Kausalyā counsels her and Rāma takes leave of his father’s wives* Portion: Preparing for exile and taking leave · Verses: 36 · Ref format: 2.34. ## Sequence - Seeing Rāma dressed as a tapasvin overwhelms Daśaratha, who wonders what past harm has brought this suffering upon him (34.1–7) - recovering, he orders Sumantra to prepare a royal chariot and carry the travelers beyond the Kingdom (34.8–11) - he has clothing and ornaments brought for Sītā's fourteen years away (34.12–15) - Sītā puts on the ornaments, and Kausalyā embraces her (34.16–19) - Kausalyā asks her not to think less of Rāma because he has lost his position (34.20–22) - Sītā assures her that she understands her commitment and will not abandon it in adversity → Kausalyā weeps with both sorrow and relief (34.23–28) - Rāma asks his mother to care for Daśaratha and assures her that the years will pass → he apologizes to all his father's wives for any offense he has caused and takes leave amid their lamentation (34.29–36). ## Verses **2.34.1** rāmasya tu vacaḥ śrutvā muniveṣadharaṃ ca tam samīkṣya saha bhāryābhī rājā vigatacetanaḥ But hearing Rāma's words and seeing him wearing an ascetic's garb, the king, together with his wives, lost consciousness. **2.34.2** nainaṃ duḥkhena saṃtaptaḥ pratyavaikṣata rāghavam na cainam abhisaṃprekṣya pratyabhāṣata durmanāḥ Consumed by grief, he did not look back at Rāghava; nor, when he did behold him, did the despondent king say anything to him. **2.34.3** sa muhūrtam ivāsaṃjño duḥkhitaś ca mahīpatiḥ vilalāpa mahābāhū rāmam evānucintayan That mighty-armed lord of the earth, for a moment as if senseless and stricken with grief, lamented, thinking only of Rāma. **2.34.4** manye khalu mayā pūrvaṃ vivatsā bahavaḥ kṛtāḥ prāṇino hiṃsitā vāpi tasmād idam upasthitam “I think that surely in the past I made many cows bereft of their calves, or injured living beings; therefore this has befallen me. **2.34.5** na tv evānāgate kāle dehāc cyavati jīvitam kaikeyyā kliśyamānasya mṛtyur mama na vidyate But when the appointed time has not come, life does not depart from the body; for me, tormented by Kaikeyī, death is not to be found. **2.34.6** yo 'haṃ pāvakasaṃkāśaṃ paśyāmi purataḥ sthitam vihāya vasane sūkṣme tāpasācchādam ātmajam — I, who behold my own son, radiant as fire, standing before me, having cast off his fine garments and wrapped in an ascetic's covering. **2.34.7** ekasyāḥ khalu kaikeyyāḥ kṛte 'yaṃ kliśyate janaḥ svārthe prayatamānāyāḥ saṃśritya nikṛtiṃ tv imām Truly, for the sake of Kaikeyī alone, striving for her own ends and resorting to this trickery, all these people suffer.” **2.34.8** evam uktvā tu vacanaṃ bāṣpeṇa pihitekṣṇaha rāmeti sakṛd evoktvā vyāhartuṃ na śaśāka ha Having spoken these words, his eyes veiled by tears, he uttered only “Rāma!” once, and could say nothing more. **2.34.9** saṃjñāṃ tu pratilabhyaiva muhūrtāt sa mahīpatiḥ netrābhyām aśrupūrṇābhyāṃ sumantram idam abravīt But regaining his senses after a moment, that lord of the earth, with eyes brimming with tears, said this to Sumantra: **2.34.10** aupavāhyaṃ rathaṃ yuktvā tvam āyāhi hayottamaiḥ prāpayainaṃ mahābhāgam ito janapadāt param “Yoke the royal chariot with the finest horses and come; convey this greatly fortunate one beyond this realm. **2.34.11** evaṃ manye guṇavatāṃ guṇānāṃ phalam ucyate pitrā mātrā ca yat sādhur vīro nirvāsyate vanam Thus, I think, is declared the fruit of the virtues of the virtuous: that a good and heroic man is banished to the forest by his father and mother. **2.34.12** rājño vacanam ājñāya sumantraḥ śīghravikramaḥ yojayitvāyayau tatra ratham aśvair alaṃkṛtam Understanding the king's command, Sumantra of swift stride, having yoked the chariot adorned with horses, came there. **2.34.13** taṃ rathaṃ rājaputrāya sūtaḥ kanakabhūṣitam ācacakṣe 'ñjaliṃ kṛtvā yuktaṃ paramavājibhiḥ That gold-adorned chariot, yoked with the finest steeds, the charioteer, with palms joined, announced to the prince. **2.34.14** rājā satvaram āhūya vyāpṛtaṃ vittasaṃcaye uvāca deśakālajño niścitaṃ sarvataḥ śuci The king, knower of place and time, quickly summoning the officer engaged in the treasury — a man resolute and wholly trustworthy — spoke: **2.34.15** vāsāṃsi ca mahārhāṇi bhūṣaṇāni varāṇi ca varṣāṇy etāni saṃkhyāya vaidehyāḥ kṣipram ānaya “Reckoning these (fourteen) years, quickly bring for Vaidehī costly garments and the finest ornaments.” **2.34.16** narendreṇaivam uktas tu gatvā kośagṛhaṃ tataḥ prāyacchat sarvam āhṛtya sītāyai kṣipram eva tat Thus addressed by the king, he went to the treasure-house and, bringing all of it out, quickly handed it over to Sītā. **2.34.17** sā sujātā sujātāni vaidehī prasthitā vanam bhūṣayām āsa gātrāṇi tair vicitrair vibhūṣaṇaiḥ That nobly-born Vaidehī, setting out for the forest, adorned her fair limbs with those varied ornaments. **2.34.18** vyarājayata vaidehī veśma tat suvibhūṣitā udyato 'ṃśumataḥ kāle khaṃ prabheva vivasvataḥ Vaidehī, richly adorned, lit up that dwelling, as at dawn the radiance of the risen sun lights up the sky. **2.34.19** tāṃ bhujābhyāṃ pariṣvajya śvaśrūr vacanam abravīt anācarantīṃ kṛpaṇaṃ mūdhny upāghrāya maithilīm Embracing her with both arms and kissing the head of Maithilī, who bore herself without any wretchedness, her mother-in-law spoke these words: **2.34.20** asatyaḥ sarvaloke 'smin satataṃ satkṛtāḥ priyaiḥ bhartāraṃ nānumanyante vinipātagataṃ striyaḥ In all this world, false women, though ever honoured by their dear ones, do not stand by a husband fallen upon ruin. **2.34.21** sa tvayā nāvamantavyaḥ putraḥ pravrājito mama tava daivatam astv eṣa nirdhanaḥ sadhano 'pi vā My son, now sent into exile, must not be slighted by you; whether he be without wealth or with wealth, let him be your god. **2.34.22** vijñāya vacanaṃ sītā tasyā dharmārthasaṃhitam kṛtāñjalir uvācedaṃ śvaśrūm abhimukhe sthitā Understanding those words of hers, full of righteousness and good sense, Sītā, standing before her mother-in-law with palms joined, said this: **2.34.23** kariṣye sarvam evāham āryā yad anuśāsti mām abhijñāsmi yathā bhartur vartitavyaṃ śrutaṃ ca me “I shall do everything that the noble lady instructs me; I know how one must conduct oneself toward a husband, and it has been taught to me. **2.34.24** na mām asajjanenāryā samānayitum arhati dharmād vicalituṃ nāham alaṃ candrād iva prabhā The noble lady should not put me on a level with wicked people; I am no more able to swerve from dharma than radiance is to depart from the moon. **2.34.25** nātantrī vādyate vīṇā nācakro vartate rathaḥ nāpatiḥ sukham edhate yā syād api śatātmajā A lute without strings cannot be played, a chariot without wheels cannot run; and a woman without a husband cannot thrive in happiness, even were she the mother of a hundred sons. **2.34.26** mitaṃ dadāti hi pitā mitaṃ mātā mitaṃ sutaḥ amitasya hi dātāraṃ bhartāraṃ kā na pūjayet For a father gives but a measured amount, a mother a measured amount, a son a measured amount; what woman would not honour a husband, the giver of the boundless? **2.34.27** sāham evaṃgatā śreṣṭhā śrutadharmaparāvarā ārye kim avamanyeyaṃ strīṇāṃ bhartā hi daivatam So I, being of such a nature, excellent, and versed in dharma both high and low — O noble lady, how could I slight him? For to women the husband is a god.” **2.34.28** sītāyā vacanaṃ śrutvā kausalyā hṛdayaṃgamam śuddhasattvā mumocāśru sahasā duḥkhaharṣajam Hearing Sītā's heart-touching words, Kausalyā, pure in spirit, suddenly shed tears born of both grief and joy. **2.34.29** tāṃ prāñjalir abhikramya mātṛmadhye 'tisatkṛtām rāmaḥ paramadharmajño mātaraṃ vākyam abravīt Approaching with palms joined his mother, greatly honoured amid the other mothers, Rāma, supreme knower of dharma, spoke these words to her: **2.34.30** amba mā duḥkhitā bhūs tvaṃ paśya tvaṃ pitaraṃ mama kṣayo hi vanavāsasya kṣipram eva bhaviṣyati “Mother, do not be grieved; do you watch over my father. The end of my forest-dwelling will surely come very soon. **2.34.31** suptāyās te gamiṣyanti navavarṣāṇi pañca ca sā samagram iha prāptaṃ māṃ drakṣyasi suhṛdvṛtam Fourteen years will pass while you sleep; and you will see me, come back here safe and whole, surrounded by my friends. **2.34.32** etāvad abhinītārtham uktvā sa jananīṃ vacaḥ trayaḥ śataśatārdhā hi dadarśāvekṣya mātaraḥ Having spoken to his mother this much, so aptly worded, he then looked and beheld the three hundred and fifty mothers. **2.34.33** tāś cāpi sa tathaivārtā mātṝr daśarathātmajaḥ dharmayuktam idaṃ vākyaṃ nijagāda kṛtāñjaliḥ And to those mothers too, likewise stricken with grief, the son of Daśaratha, with palms joined, spoke these words in keeping with dharma: **2.34.34** saṃvāsāt paruṣaṃ kiṃ cid ajñānād vāpi yat kṛtam tan me samanujānīta sarvāś cāmantrayāmi vaḥ “Whatever harsh thing I may have done, from our living together or out of ignorance — pardon me for that; and I take leave of you all.” **2.34.35** jajñe 'tha tāsāṃ saṃnādaḥ krauñcīnām iva niḥsvanaḥ mānavendrasya bhāryāṇām evaṃ vadati rāghave As Rāghava spoke thus, there arose from those wives of the lord of men an outcry like the cry of female krauñca birds. **2.34.36** murajapaṇavameghaghoṣavad daśarathaveśma babhūva yat purā vilapita paridevanākulaṃ vyasanagataṃ tad abhūt suduḥkhitam The palace of Daśaratha, which once had rung like the thunder of drums, tabors, and clouds, now became fallen into calamity, filled with wailing and lamentation, and sunk in deepest grief.