# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 45 — Lakṣmaṇa keeps watch beside the Gaṅgā *Guha offers to guard the camp, Lakṣmaṇa refuses a bed and stays awake fearing the deaths of their grieving parents* Portion: The river journey to Citrakūṭa · Verses: 24 · Ref format: 2.45. ## Sequence - Guha offers Lakṣmaṇa a bed and says his own men are accustomed to hardship and can guard the camp (45.1–3) - he assures him of his love for Rāma, knowledge of the terrain, and ability to defend them (45.4–7) - Lakṣmaṇa says he trusts Guha, but cannot enjoy comfort while Rāma and Sītā lie on the ground (45.8–10) - he fears Daśaratha will die without seeing Rāma installed (45.11–13) - he also worries that their mothers will not survive the separation, although Sumitrā may endure for Śatrughna's sake (45.14–17) - imagining the funeral rites he may miss, he longs for the day they can return together (45.18–22) - Guha weeps with him as the night passes (45.23–24). ## Verses **2.45.1** taṃ jāgratam adambhena bhrātur arthāya lakṣmaṇam guhaḥ saṃtāpasaṃtapto rāghavaṃ vākyam abravīt To Lakṣmaṇa, scion of Raghu, who was keeping watch sincerely for his brother's sake, Guha, burning with grief, spoke these words: **2.45.2** iyaṃ tāta sukhā śayyā tvadartham upakalpitā pratyāśvasihi sādhv asyāṃ rājaputra yathāsukham 'Here, dear one, is a comfortable bed prepared for you; rest well upon it, O prince, at your ease.' **2.45.3** ucito 'yaṃ janaḥ sarvaḥ kleśānāṃ tvaṃ sukhocitaḥ guptyarthaṃ jāgariṣyāmaḥ kākutsthasya vayaṃ niśām 'All these people are inured to hardships, but you are used to comfort; for the sake of guarding Kākutstha we shall keep watch through the night.' **2.45.4** na hi rāmāt priyataro mamāsti bhuvi kaś cana bravīmy etad ahaṃ satyaṃ satyenaiva ca te śape 'For there is no one on earth dearer to me than Rāma; this I speak truly, and by that very truth I swear it to you.' **2.45.5** asya prasādād āśaṃse loke 'smin sumahad yaśaḥ dharmāvāptiṃ ca vipulām arthāvāptiṃ ca kevalām 'By his favor I hope for great fame in this world, and an abundant attainment of dharma, and a complete attainment of wealth.' **2.45.6** so 'haṃ priyasakhaṃ rāmaṃ śayānaṃ saha sītayā rakṣiṣyāmi dhanuṣpāṇiḥ sarvato jñātibhiḥ saha 'So I, bow in hand and together with my kinsmen, will guard on every side my dear friend Rāma as he lies asleep with Sītā.' **2.45.7** na hi me 'viditaṃ kiṃ cid vane 'smiṃś carataḥ sadā caturaṅgaṃ hy api balaṃ sumahat prasahemahi 'For nothing in this forest is unknown to me, ranging it as I always do; indeed we could withstand even a very great four-fold army.' **2.45.8** lakṣmaṇas taṃ tadovāca rakṣyamāṇās tvayānagha nātra bhītā vayaṃ sarve dharmam evānupaśyatā Lakṣmaṇa then said to him: 'Guarded by you, O blameless one, who look only to dharma, none of us here are afraid.' **2.45.9** kathaṃ dāśarathau bhūmau śayāne saha sītayā śakyā nidrā mayā labdhuṃ jīvitaṃ vā sukhāni vā 'When the son of Daśaratha lies on the bare ground with Sītā, how can sleep be won by me, or life itself, or any comforts?' **2.45.10** yo na devāsuraiḥ sarvaiḥ śakyaḥ prasahituṃ yudhi taṃ paśya sukhasaṃviṣṭaṃ tṛṇeṣu saha sītayā 'He whom all the gods and asuras together cannot overpower in battle — behold him lying comfortably on the grass with Sītā!' **2.45.11** yo mantra tapasā labdho vividhaiś ca pariśramaiḥ eko daśarathasyaiṣa putraḥ sadṛśalakṣaṇaḥ 'He who was won through sacred mantra and austerity and through manifold labors — this is the one son of Daśaratha who bears marks worthy of his father.' **2.45.12** asmin pravrajito rājā na ciraṃ vartayiṣyati vidhavā medinī nūnaṃ kṣipram eva bhaviṣyati 'With this one gone into exile, the king will not live long; surely the earth will very soon become a widow.' **2.45.13** vinadya sumahānādaṃ śrameṇoparatāḥ striyaḥ nirghoṣoparataṃ tāta manye rājaniveśanam 'The women, having wailed a very loud cry, are now silent from exhaustion; the royal palace, dear one, I think, has fallen still of all its clamor.' **2.45.14** kausalyā caiva rājā ca tathaiva jananī mama nāśaṃse yadi jīvanti sarve te śarvarīm imām 'Kausalyā, and the king, and likewise my own mother — I do not expect that all of them will outlive this night.' **2.45.15** jīved api hi me mātā śatrughnasyānvavekṣayā tad duḥkhaṃ yat tu kausalyā vīrasūr vinaśiṣyati 'My mother might indeed live on out of regard for Śatrughna; but this is the grief — that Kausalyā, mother of a hero, will perish.' **2.45.16** anuraktajanākīrṇā sukhālokapriyāvahā rājavyasanasaṃsṛṣṭā sā purī vinaśiṣyati 'That city, thronged with devoted people, bringing the joy of a pleasant sight, now stricken by the king's calamity, will be undone.' **2.45.17** atikrāntam atikrāntam anavāpya manoratham rājye rāmam anikṣipya pitā me vinaśiṣyati 'It is all over, all over! Without attaining his heart's desire, without installing Rāma in the kingdom, my father will perish.' **2.45.18** siddhārthāḥ pitaraṃ vṛttaṃ tasmin kāle hy upasthite pretakāryeṣu sarveṣu saṃskariṣyanti bhūmipam 'When that time has come, their own ends gained, they will perform all the funeral rites for the dead father, the king.' **2.45.19** ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām harmyaprāsādasaṃpannāṃ gaṇikāvaraśobhitām — with its lovely layout of squares, its well-divided great avenues, furnished with mansions and palaces, adorned by the finest of courtesans, **2.45.20** rathāśvagajasaṃbādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām crowded with chariots, horses, and elephants, resounding with the sound of trumpets, replete with every prosperity, thronged with glad and well-fed people, **2.45.21** ārāmodyānasaṃpannāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ pitur mama rich in pleasure-groves and gardens, splendid with assemblies and festivals — happily will they roam through this capital of my father. **2.45.22** api satyapratijñena sārdhaṃ kuśalinā vayam nivṛtte vanavāse 'sminn ayodhyāṃ praviśemahi Would that we, together with him true to his vow and safe and sound, might enter Ayodhyā once more when this forest-dwelling is over! **2.45.23** paridevayamānasya duḥkhārtasya mahātmanaḥ tiṣṭhato rājaputrasya śarvarī sātyavartata As the great-souled prince stood there lamenting and stricken with grief, that night wore away. **2.45.24** tathā hi satyaṃ bruvati prajāhite narendraputre gurusauhṛdād guhaḥ mumoca bāṣpaṃ vyasanābhipīḍito jvarāturo nāga iva vyathāturaḥ As the prince, devoted to the people's welfare, spoke truth in this way, Guha, out of his deep affection, shed tears, tormented by grief, in anguish like an elephant afflicted with fever.