# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 51 — Sumantra returns to Ayodhyā *Citizens surround the empty chariot, news of Rāma’s crossing renews their grief and Daśaratha collapses on receiving his message* Portion: Sumantra’s return and the parents’ grief · Verses: 30 · Ref format: 2.51. ## Sequence - The narrative turns back to Sumantra after the Gaṅgā crossing: Guha returns home, and the driver eventually sets out for Ayodhyā → after traveling through forests, rivers, and settlements, he reaches the city on the third evening of his journey (51.1–4) - crowds surround him and ask where Rāma is (51.5–7) - he tells them that he left the travelers at the Gaṅgā and that they have crossed it → the news renews the city's grief (51.8–11) - covering his face, he drives to the palace and passes through the courtyards as the women wonder how he will speak to Kausalyā (51.12–19) - he delivers Rāma's message to Daśaratha, who collapses (51.20–23) - Kausalyā and Sumitrā lift him → Kausalyā urges him to question the messenger freely, then is herself overcome (51.24–30). ## Verses **2.51.1** kathayitvā suduḥkhārtaḥ sumantreṇa ciraṃ saha rāme dakṣiṇa kūlasthe jagāma svagṛhaṃ guhaḥ Having conversed long with Sumantra, sorely stricken with grief, Guha—while Rāma was on the southern bank—went off to his own home. **2.51.2** anujñātaḥ sumantro 'tha yojayitvā hayottamān ayodhyām eva nagarīṃ prayayau gāḍhadurmanāḥ Given leave, Sumantra then yoked his excellent horses and set out for the very city of Ayodhyā, deeply dejected. **2.51.3** sa vanāni sugandhīni saritaś ca sarāṃsi ca paśyann atiyayau śīghraṃ grāmāṇi nagarāṇi ca Gazing at fragrant woods, rivers, and lakes, he swiftly passed by villages and towns. **2.51.4** tataḥ sāyāhnasamaye tṛtīye 'hani sārathiḥ ayodhyāṃ samanuprāpya nirānandāṃ dadarśa ha Then, at eventide on the third day, the charioteer reached Ayodhyā and beheld it joyless. **2.51.5** sa śūnyām iva niḥśabdāṃ dṛṣṭvā paramadurmanāḥ sumantraś cintayām āsa śokavegasamāhataḥ Seeing it silent, as though empty, Sumantra, deeply dejected and struck by a surge of grief, fell to brooding: **2.51.6** kaccin na sagajā sāśvā sajanā sajanādhipā rāma saṃtāpaduḥkhena dagdhā śokāgninā purī iti cintāparaḥ sūtas tvaritaḥ praviveśa ha 'Surely the city, with its elephants and horses, its people and their lord, has not been burnt down by the fire of grief, by the anguish of sorrow for Rāma?' Thus absorbed in thought, the charioteer entered in haste. **2.51.7** sumantram abhiyāntaṃ taṃ śataśo 'tha sahasraśaḥ kva rāma iti pṛcchantaḥ sūtam abhyadravan narāḥ As Sumantra drove up, men by the hundreds and thousands ran to the charioteer, asking, 'Where is Rāma?' **2.51.8** teṣāṃ śaśaṃsa gaṅgāyām aham āpṛcchya rāghavam anujñāto nivṛtto 'smi dhārmikeṇa mahātmanā He told them: 'At the Gaṅgā, having taken leave of Rāghava and been granted permission by that righteous, great-souled one, I have returned.' **2.51.9** te tīrṇā iti vijñāya bāṣpapūrṇamukhā janāḥ aho dhig iti niḥśvasya hā rāmeti ca cukruśuḥ Learning that they had crossed over, the people, their faces bathed in tears, sighed 'Alas, shame!' and cried out, 'Ah, Rāma!' **2.51.10** śuśrāva ca vacas teṣāṃ vṛndaṃ vṛndaṃ ca tiṣṭhatām hatāḥ sma khalu ye neha paśyāma iti rāghavam And he heard the words of those standing crowd upon crowd: 'We are surely undone, we who no longer see Rāghava here.' **2.51.11** dānayajñavivāheṣu samājeṣu mahatsu ca na drakṣyāmaḥ punar jātu dhārmikaṃ rāmam antarā 'At gift-givings, sacrifices, and weddings, and at great gatherings, never again shall we see the righteous Rāma in our midst.' **2.51.12** kiṃ samarthaṃ janasyāsya kiṃ priyaṃ kiṃ sukhāvaham iti rāmeṇa nagaraṃ pitṛvat paripālitam 'What is fitting for these people, what is dear to them, what brings them ease?'—so mindful, Rāma guarded the city like a father. **2.51.13** vātāyanagatānāṃ ca strīṇām anvantarāpaṇam rāmaśokābhitaptānāṃ śuśrāva paridevanam And along the row of shops he heard the lamentation of the women at their windows, scorched with grief for Rāma. **2.51.14** sa rājamārgamadhyena sumantraḥ pihitānanaḥ yatra rājā daśarathas tad evopayayau gṛham Sumantra, his face covered, went by the middle of the royal highway straight to that palace where King Daśaratha was. **2.51.15** so 'vatīrya rathāc chīghraṃ rājaveśma praviśya ca kakṣyāḥ saptābhicakrāma mahājanasamākulāḥ Descending quickly from the chariot and entering the royal residence, he passed through the seven courtyards thronged with a great multitude. **2.51.16** tato daśarathastrīṇāṃ prāsādebhyas tatas tataḥ rāmaśokābhitaptānāṃ mandaṃ śuśrāva jalpitam Then from the palaces here and there he heard the faint murmuring of Daśaratha's women, scorched with grief for Rāma. **2.51.17** saha rāmeṇa niryāto vinā rāmam ihāgataḥ sūtaḥ kiṃ nāma kausalyāṃ śocantīṃ prativakṣyati 'The charioteer who set out with Rāma has come back here without Rāma—what on earth will he say to the grieving Kausalyā?' **2.51.18** yathā ca manye durjīvam evaṃ na sukaraṃ dhruvam ācchidya putre niryāte kausalyā yatra jīvati 'As I think, living on is surely a hard thing and no easy matter—seeing that Kausalyā still lives, though her son was torn from her and is gone.' **2.51.19** satya rūpaṃ tu tadvākyaṃ rājñaḥ strīṇāṃ niśāmayan pradīptam iva śokena viveśa sahasā gṛham Hearing that truthful speech of the king's women, he, as if ablaze with grief, suddenly entered the palace. **2.51.20** sa praviśyāṣṭamīṃ kakṣyāṃ rājānaṃ dīnam ātulam putraśokaparidyūnam apaśyat pāṇḍare gṛhe Entering the eighth courtyard, he saw the king—wretched and without peer—worn out with grief for his son, in the white palace. **2.51.21** abhigamya tam āsīnaṃ narendram abhivādya ca sumantro rāmavacanaṃ yathoktaṃ pratyavedayat Approaching that seated king and saluting him, Sumantra reported Rāma's message just as it had been spoken. **2.51.22** sa tūṣṇīm eva tac chrutvā rājā vibhrānta cetanaḥ mūrchito nyapatad bhūmau rāmaśokābhipīḍitaḥ Hearing that, the king, silent, his mind reeling, swooned and fell to the ground, tormented by grief for Rāma. **2.51.23** tato 'ntaḥpuram āviddhaṃ mūrchite pṛthivīpatau uddhṛtya bāhū cukrośa nṛpatau patite kṣitau Then, when the lord of the earth swooned, the inner apartments were thrown into confusion; and as the king lay fallen on the ground, they wailed with arms upraised. **2.51.24** sumitrayā tu sahitā kausalyā patitaṃ patim utthāpayām āsa tadā vacanaṃ cedam abravīt Then Kausalyā, together with Sumitrā, raised up her fallen husband and spoke these words: **2.51.25** imaṃ tasya mahābhāga dūtaṃ duṣkarakāriṇaḥ vanavāsād anuprāptaṃ kasmān na pratibhāṣase 'O illustrious one, why do you not answer this messenger, come from the forest-exile of him who does such hard deeds?' **2.51.26** adyemam anayaṃ kṛtvā vyapatrapasi rāghava uttiṣṭha sukṛtaṃ te 'stu śoke na syāt sahāyatā 'Now that you have done this wrong, Rāghava, are you ashamed? Rise up! May good come to you; grief will bring you no help.' **2.51.27** deva yasyā bhayād rāmaṃ nānupṛcchasi sārathim neha tiṣṭhati kaikeyī viśrabdhaṃ pratibhāṣyatām 'O king, Kaikeyī, for fear of whom you do not ask the charioteer about Rāma, is not here; let him be questioned freely.' **2.51.28** sā tathoktvā mahārājaṃ kausalyā śokalālasā dharaṇyāṃ nipapātāśu bāṣpaviplutabhāṣiṇī Having spoken thus to the great king, Kausalyā, faint with longing in her grief, her speech drowned in tears, fell straightway to the ground. **2.51.29** evaṃ vilapatīṃ dṛṣṭvā kausalyāṃ patitāṃ bhuvi patiṃ cāvekṣya tāḥ sarvāḥ sasvaraṃ ruruduḥ striyaḥ Seeing Kausalyā thus lamenting, fallen on the ground, and looking on the king, all those women wept aloud. **2.51.30** tatas tam antaḥpuranādam utthitaṃ samīkṣya vṛddhās taruṇāś ca mānavāḥ striyaś ca sarvā ruruduḥ samantataḥ puraṃ tadāsīt punar eva saṃkulam Then, perceiving that clamour risen up from the inner apartments, the old folk and the young, and all the women, wept on every side; and the city was once again thrown into turmoil.