# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 35 — The chariot departs *Sumitrā counsels Lakṣmaṇa, crowds and parents follow, Daśaratha calls for a halt while Rāma urges Sumantra onward* Portion: Departure and mourning in Ayodhyā · Verses: 38 · Ref format: 2.35. ## Sequence - The three bow to Daśaratha and their mothers (35.1–4) - Sumitrā tells Lakṣmaṇa to serve Rāma attentively: he should regard Rāma as his father, Sītā as his mother, and the forest as Ayodhyā (35.5–8) - Sītā mounts the chariot, their weapons and implements are loaded, and the brothers join her → Sumantra starts the horses (35.9–16) - crowds surround and follow the chariot, begging him to slow down so they can keep seeing Rāma (35.17–23) - Daśaratha and Kausalyā also follow on foot (35.24–32) - Daśaratha calls for the chariot to stop, while Rāma tells Sumantra to continue → unable to bear prolonging his parents' suffering, Rāma tells the driver to say he did not hear if the King later reproaches him → Sumantra drives on, and the ministers persuade Daśaratha to stop following (35.33–38). ## Verses **2.35.1** atha rāmaś ca sītā ca lakṣmaṇaś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ upasaṃgṛhya rājānaṃ cakrur dīnāḥ pradakṣiṇam Then Rāma, Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa, with palms joined, clasped the king's feet and, sorrowful, walked round him in reverence. **2.35.2** taṃ cāpi samanujñāpya dharmajñaḥ sītayā saha rāghavaḥ śokasaṃmūḍho jananīm abhyavādayat Having taken leave of him too, the righteous Rāghava, bewildered with grief, together with Sītā saluted his mother. **2.35.3** anvakṣaṃ lakṣmaṇo bhrātuḥ kausalyām abhyavādayat atha mātuḥ sumitrāyā jagrāha caraṇau punaḥ Right after his brother, Lakṣmaṇa saluted Kausalyā, and then again clasped the feet of his own mother Sumitrā. **2.35.4** taṃ vandamānaṃ rudatī mātā saumitrim abravīt hitakāmā mahābāhuṃ mūrdhny upāghrāya lakṣmaṇam As he bowed, his weeping mother, wishing his welfare, having kissed the mighty-armed Lakṣmaṇa on the head, spoke to Saumitri: **2.35.5** sṛṣṭas tvaṃ vanavāsāya svanuraktaḥ suhṛjjane rāme pramādaṃ mā kārṣīḥ putra bhrātari gacchati You are appointed for dwelling in the forest, deeply devoted to your kinsman; my son, when your brother Rāma goes, make no negligence toward him. **2.35.6** vyasanī vā samṛddho vā gatir eṣa tavānagha eṣa loke satāṃ dharmo yaj jyeṣṭhavaśago bhavet Whether in distress or in prosperity, he is your refuge, O blameless one; this is the law of the good in the world, that one should be obedient to his elder. **2.35.7** idaṃ hi vṛttam ucitaṃ kulasyāsya sanātanam dānaṃ dīkṣā ca yajñeṣu tanutyāgo mṛdheṣu ca For this is the fitting, age-old conduct of this family: giving, consecration in sacrifices, and the giving up of the body in battles. **2.35.8** rāmaṃ daśarathaṃ viddhi māṃ viddhi janakātmajām ayodhyām aṭavīṃ viddhi gaccha tāta yathāsukham Know Rāma to be Daśaratha, know me to be Janaka's daughter (Sītā), know the forest to be Ayodhyā; go, dear son, as you please. **2.35.9** tataḥ sumantraḥ kākutsthaṃ prāñjalir vākyam abravīt vinīto vinayajñaś ca mātalir vāsavaṃ yathā Then Sumantra, humble and versed in courtesy, with joined palms spoke a word to Kākutstha, as Mātali would to Vāsava (Indra): **2.35.10** ratham āroha bhadraṃ te rājaputra mahāyaśaḥ kṣipraṃ tvāṃ prāpayiṣyāmi yatra māṃ rāma vakṣyasi Mount the chariot, blessings on you, O prince of great fame; swiftly I shall carry you wherever you tell me, Rāma. **2.35.11** caturdaśa hi varṣāṇi vastavyāni vane tvayā tāny upakramitavyāni yāni devyāsi coditaḥ For fourteen years must be dwelt in the forest by you; those years, for which you were charged by the queen, must be begun. **2.35.12** taṃ rathaṃ sūryasaṃkāśaṃ sītā hṛṣṭena cetasā āruroha varārohā kṛtvālaṃkāram ātmanaḥ That chariot bright as the sun, the fair-hipped Sītā, having adorned herself, mounted with a joyful heart. **2.35.13** tathaivāyudhajātāni bhrātṛbhyāṃ kavacāni ca rathopasthe pratinyasya sacarmakaṭhinaṃ ca tat Likewise the various weapons and armour belonging to the two brothers, together with the leather (basket) and its hard implements, they set upon the chariot-seat. **2.35.14** sītātṛtīyān ārūḍhān dṛṣṭvā dhṛṣṭam acodayat sumantraḥ saṃmatān aśvān vāyuvegasamāñ jave Seeing them mounted, with Sītā as third, Sumantra boldly urged on the approved horses, equal to the wind's speed in swiftness. **2.35.15** prayāte tu mahāraṇyaṃ cirarātrāya rāghave babhūva nagare mūrcchā balamūrcchā janasya ca When Rāghava had set out for the great forest for a long time, there arose in the city a faintness, a swooning of the people's strength. **2.35.16** tat samākulasaṃbhrāntaṃ mattasaṃkupita dvipam hayaśiñjitanirghoṣaṃ puram āsīn mahāsvanam That city, thrown into confusion and turmoil, with its rutting and enraged elephants and the jangling din of its horses, became one great uproar. **2.35.17** tataḥ sabālavṛddhā sā purī paramapīḍitā rāmam evābhidudrāva gharmārtaḥ salilaṃ yathā Then that city, with its children and old folk, sorely afflicted, rushed toward Rāma, as one tormented by heat rushes to water. **2.35.18** pārśvataḥ pṛṣṭhataś cāpi lambamānās tadunmukhāḥ bāṣpapūrṇamukhāḥ sarve tam ūcur bhṛśaduḥkhitāḥ Clinging at his sides and behind, faces upturned toward him and full of tears, all of them, deeply grieved, said to him: **2.35.19** saṃyaccha vājināṃ raśmīn sūta yāhi śanaiḥ śanaiḥ mukhaṃ drakṣyāmi rāmasya durdarśaṃ no bhaviṣyati Rein in the horses, O charioteer, go slowly, slowly; we would look on Rāma's face, which will become hard for us to see. **2.35.20** āyasaṃ hṛdayaṃ nūnaṃ rāmamātur asaṃśayam yad devagarbhapratime vanaṃ yāti na bhidyate Surely Rāma's mother's heart is made of iron, without doubt, since it does not break when he, like a child of the gods, goes to the forest. **2.35.21** kṛtakṛtyā hi vaidehī chāyevānugatā patim na jahāti ratā dharme merum arkaprabhā yathā For Vaidehī has fulfilled her duty, following her husband like a shadow; devoted to righteousness she does not forsake him, as the sun's light does not forsake Meru. **2.35.22** aho lakṣmaṇa siddhārthaḥ satatāṃ priyavādinam bhrātaraṃ devasaṃkāśaṃ yas tvaṃ paricariṣyasi Ah, Lakṣmaṇa, you have gained your object, in that you will always wait upon your brother, ever kind of speech and godlike. **2.35.23** mahaty eṣā hi te siddhir eṣa cābhyudayo mahān eṣa svargasya mārgaś ca yad enam anugacchasi evaṃ vadantas te soḍhuṃ na śekur bāṣpam āgatam Great indeed is this attainment of yours, and this a great advancement, and this the very road to heaven, that you follow him — so speaking, they could not hold back the welling tears. **2.35.24** atha rājā vṛtaḥ strībhir dīnābhir dīnacetanaḥ nirjagāma priyaṃ putraṃ drakṣyāmīti bruvan gṛhāt Then the king, surrounded by his sorrowful women and himself dejected in mind, went forth from the palace, saying 'I shall see my dear son.' **2.35.25** śuśruve cāgrataḥ strīṇāṃ rudantīnāṃ mahāsvanaḥ yathā nādaḥ kareṇūnāṃ baddhe mahati kuñjare And ahead there was heard the loud sound of the weeping women, like the trumpeting of she-elephants when a great tusker is bound. **2.35.26** pitā ca rājā kākutsthaḥ śrīmān sannas tadā babhau paripūrṇaḥ śaśī kāle graheṇopapluto yathā And the father, the illustrious king Kākutstha (Daśaratha), then, sunken in grief, looked like the full moon at the time it is overtaken by the eclipse-demon. **2.35.27** tato halahalāśabdo jajñe rāmasya pṛṣṭhataḥ narāṇāṃ prekṣya rājānaṃ sīdantaṃ bhṛśaduḥkhitam Then a tumultuous clamour of the people arose behind Rāma, as they beheld the king sinking down, deeply grieved. **2.35.28** hā rāmeti janāḥ ke cid rāmamāteti cāpare antaḥpuraṃ samṛddhaṃ ca krośantaṃ paryadevayan 'Alas, Rāma!' cried some people, and others 'Alas, Rāma's mother!'; and they lamented over the flourishing inner apartments now crying aloud. **2.35.29** anvīkṣamāṇo rāmas tu viṣaṇṇaṃ bhrāntacetasaṃ rājānaṃ mātaraṃ caiva dadarśānugatau pathi dharmapāśena saṃkṣiptaḥ prakāśaṃ nābhyudaikṣata But Rāma, looking back, saw the king dejected and confused in mind and his mother too, both following on the road; bound fast by the noose of duty, he did not look at them openly. **2.35.30** padātinau ca yānārhāv aduḥkhārhau sukhocitau dṛṣṭvā saṃcodayām āsa śīghraṃ yāhīti sārathim Seeing the two on foot who deserved a carriage, who deserved no sorrow and were used to comfort, he urged the charioteer, 'Go quickly!' **2.35.31** na hi tat puruṣavyāghro duḥkhadaṃ darśanaṃ pituḥ mātuś ca sahituṃ śaktas totrārdita iva dvipaḥ For that tiger among men could no more bear the grief-giving sight of his father and mother than an elephant tormented by the goad. **2.35.32** tathā rudantīṃ kausalyāṃ rathaṃ tam anudhāvatīm krośantīṃ rāma rāmeti hā sīte lakṣmaṇeti ca asakṛt praikṣata tadā nṛtyantīm iva mātaram So too he watched again and again his mother Kausalyā, weeping, running after the chariot, crying 'Rāma, Rāma! alas Sītā! Lakṣmaṇa!' — as though she were dancing. **2.35.33** tiṣṭheti rājā cukroṣa yāhi yāhīti rāghavaḥ sumantrasya babhūvātmā cakrayor iva cāntarā 'Stop!' cried the king, while Rāghava said 'Go on, go on!'; and Sumantra's mind became as though caught between two wheels. **2.35.34** nāśrauṣam iti rājānam upālabdho 'pi vakṣyasi ciraṃ duḥkhasya pāpiṣṭham iti rāmas tam abravīt 'Even if reproached by the king you will say, I did not hear'; for prolonging the grief is most grievous — thus Rāma said to him. **2.35.35** rāmasya sa vacaḥ kurvann anujñāpya ca taṃ janam vrajato 'pi hayāñ śīghraṃ codayām āsa sārathiḥ Carrying out Rāma's word and taking leave of those people, the charioteer swiftly urged on the horses, though they were already moving. **2.35.36** nyavartata jano rājño rāmaṃ kṛtvā pradakṣiṇam manasāpy aśruvegaiś ca na nyavartata mānuṣam The king's people turned back, having walked round Rāma in reverence; yet in their hearts and in their streaming tears the human throng did not turn back. **2.35.37** yam icchet punar āyāntaṃ nainaṃ dūram anuvrajet ity amātyā mahārājam ūcur daśarathaṃ vacaḥ 'One should not follow far after him whom one wishes to see come back again' — thus the ministers spoke this word to the great king Daśaratha. **2.35.38** teṣāṃ vacaḥ sarvaguṇopapannaṃ prasvinnagātraḥ praviṣaṇṇarūpaḥ niśamya rājā kṛpaṇaḥ sabhāryo vyavasthitas taṃ sutam īkṣamāṇaḥ Having heard their word, endowed with every virtue, the wretched king, his body drenched with sweat and his form utterly dejected, stood there with his wives, gazing after that son.