# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 58 — The curse and Daśaratha’s death

*The youth’s father condemns him to die grieving for a son, Daśaratha recalls the curse and dies calling for Rāma*

Portion: Daśaratha’s confession and death · Verses: 57 · Ref format: 2.58.<verse>

## Sequence

- Continuing the account, Daśaratha says he took the water pot to the hermitage (58.1–4)
- the blind father heard his footsteps and assumed his son had returned; he asked why he had been so long and why he was silent (58.5–8)
- Daśaratha identified himself and confessed that he had mistaken the sound of the filling pot for an animal → he told the father that the youth had died when he withdrew the arrow (58.9–17)
- the father said that the prince's ignorance and voluntary confession had spared him an immediate, greater punishment → he asked to be led to his son (58.18–22)
- the parents touched the body and lamented the loss of the person who fed them, guided them, tended the fire, and comforted them (58.23–30)
- the father declared that they would soon follow their son and prayed for his blessed destination (58.31–38)
- as they made the water offering, the youth appeared in a divine form, assured them that service to them had earned him a high place, and ascended → the youth's father then cursed Daśaratha to experience the same grief for a son and die from it (58.39–46).

- Returning to the present, Daśaratha tells Kausalyā that the curse has now reached him → he longs for one final touch from Rāma, but his sight and memory begin to fail → he imagines the fortunate people who will see his son return after the exile → calling for Rāma, he dies at midnight (58.47–57).

## Verses

**2.58.1**  
tad ajñānān mahat pāpaṃ kṛtvā saṃkulitendriyaḥ  
ekas tv acintayaṃ buddhyā kathaṃ nu sukṛtaṃ bhavet  
Having done that great sin out of ignorance, my senses confounded, I alone pondered in my mind: how might this be set right?

**2.58.2**  
tatas taṃ ghaṭam ādaya pūrṇaṃ paramavāriṇā  
āśramaṃ tam ahaṃ prāpya yathākhyātapathaṃ gataḥ  
Then, taking up that pot filled with excellent water, and reaching that hermitage, I went by the path that had been described.

**2.58.3**  
tatrāhaṃ durbalāv andhau vṛddhāv apariṇāyakau  
apaśyaṃ tasya pitarau lūnapakṣāv iva dvijau  
There I saw his parents, feeble, blind, aged, and without a guide, like two birds with their wings clipped.

**2.58.4**  
tannimittābhir āsīnau kathābhir aparikramau  
tām āśāṃ matkṛte hīnāv udāsīnāv anāthavat  
The two of them seated, unable to stir, engaged in talk occasioned by him, deprived on my account of that hope, listless like helpless folk.

**2.58.5**  
padaśabdaṃ tu me śrutvā munir vākyam abhāṣata  
kiṃ cirāyasi me putra pānīyaṃ kṣipram ānaya  
Hearing the sound of my footsteps, the sage spoke: 'Why do you delay, my son? Bring the water quickly.'

**2.58.6**  
yannimittam idaṃ tāta salile krīḍitaṃ tvayā  
utkaṇṭhitā te māteyaṃ praviśa kṣipram āśramam  
For whatever reason you have played in the water, my child — this mother of yours is anxious; enter the hermitage quickly.

**2.58.7**  
yad vyalīkaṃ kṛtaṃ putra mātrā te yadi vā mayā  
na tan manasi kartavyaṃ tvayā tāta tapasvinā  
Whatever offense has been done to you, my son, by your mother or by me, you, an ascetic, should not take it to heart, my child.

**2.58.8**  
tvaṃ gatis tv agatīnāṃ ca cakṣus tvaṃ hīnacakṣuṣām  
samāsaktās tvayi prāṇāḥ kiṃ cin nau nābhibhāṣase  
You are the refuge of us who have no refuge, you are the eye of us who lack eyes; our lives are bound up in you. Why do you not speak to us at all?

**2.58.9**  
munim avyaktayā vācā tam ahaṃ sajjamānayā  
hīnavyañjanayā prekṣya bhīto bhīta ivābruvam  
Looking upon that sage, I, frightened, spoke to him in an indistinct, faltering voice with its consonants failing, as one afraid.

**2.58.10**  
manasaḥ karma ceṣṭābhir abhisaṃstabhya vāgbalam  
ācacakṣe tv ahaṃ tasmai putravyasanajaṃ bhayam  
Steadying the power of my speech by the effort and action of my mind, I told him of the danger arising from the calamity to his son.

**2.58.11**  
kṣatriyo 'haṃ daśaratho nāhaṃ putro mahātmanaḥ  
sajjanāvamataṃ duḥkham idaṃ prāptaṃ svakarmajam  
'I am a kshatriya, Daśaratha; I am not the son of the great-souled one. This grief, scorned by the good, has come upon me, born of my own deed.'

**2.58.12**  
bhagavaṃś cāpahasto 'haṃ sarayūtīram āgataḥ  
jighāṃsuḥ śvāpadaṃ kiṃ cin nipāne vāgataṃ gajam  
'Venerable one, bow in hand, I came to the bank of the Sarayū, wishing to kill some beast of prey, or an elephant come to the watering-place.'

**2.58.13**  
tatra śruto mayā śabdo jale kumbhasya pūryataḥ  
dvipo 'yam iti matvā hi bāṇenābhihato mayā  
'There I heard the sound of a pitcher being filled in the water; thinking "this is an elephant," I struck at it with an arrow.'

**2.58.14**  
gatvā nadyās tatas tīram apaśyam iṣuṇā hṛdi  
vinirbhinnaṃ gataprāṇaṃ śayānaṃ bhuvi tāpasaṃ  
'Then, going to the bank of the river, I saw an ascetic pierced in the heart by the arrow, his life gone, lying on the ground.'

**2.58.15**  
bhagavañ śabdam ālakṣya mayā gajajighāṃsunā  
visṛṣṭo 'mbhasi nārācas tena te nihataḥ sutaḥ  
'Venerable one, marking the sound, I, wishing to kill an elephant, loosed an iron arrow into the water; by it your son was slain.'

**2.58.16**  
sa coddhṛtena bāṇena tatraiva svargam āsthitaḥ  
bhagavantāv ubhau śocann andhāv iti vilapya ca  
'And when the arrow was drawn out, he attained heaven right there, grieving and wailing, "Alas, both my venerable parents are blind."'

**2.58.17**  
ajñānād bhavataḥ putraḥ sahasābhihato mayā  
śeṣam evaṃgate yat syāt tat prasīdatu me muniḥ  
'Out of ignorance your son was suddenly struck down by me; whatever remains to be done in such a case, in that let the sage be gracious to me.'

**2.58.18**  
sa tac chrutvā vacaḥ krūraṃ niḥśvasañ śokakarśitaḥ  
mām uvāca mahātejāḥ kṛtāñjalim upasthitam  
Hearing that cruel speech, sighing and worn with grief, the greatly-glorious one spoke to me as I stood by with joined palms.

**2.58.19**  
yady etad aśubhaṃ karma na sma me kathayeḥ svayam  
phalen mūrdhā sma te rājan sadyaḥ śatasahasradhā  
'If you had not told me yourself of this evil deed, then your head, O king, would at once have burst into a hundred thousand pieces.'

**2.58.20**  
kṣatriyeṇa vadho rājan vānaprasthe viśeṣataḥ  
jñānapūrvaṃ kṛtaḥ sthānāc cyāvayed api vajriṇam  
'A slaying committed knowingly by a kshatriya, O king, and especially of a forest-hermit, would cast down even the Thunderer (Indra) from his place.'

**2.58.21**  
ajñānād dhi kṛtaṃ yasmād idaṃ tenaiva jīvasi  
api hy adya kulaṃ nasyād rāghavāṇāṃ kuto bhavān  
'But since this was done out of ignorance, for that very reason you live; else today the line of the Rāghavas would perish — how much more you!'

**2.58.22**  
naya nau nṛpa taṃ deśam iti māṃ cābhyabhāṣata  
adya taṃ draṣṭum icchāvaḥ putraṃ paścimadarśanam  
'Lead us two to that place, O king,' he said to me, 'today we wish to see our son, for the last time.'

**2.58.23**  
rudhireṇāvasitāṅgaṃ prakīrṇājinavāsasaṃ  
śayānaṃ bhuvi niḥsaṃjñaṃ dharmarājavaśaṃ gatam  
(our son) his limbs wet with blood, his deerskin garment in disarray, lying senseless on the ground, gone into the power of the King of Death.

**2.58.24**  
athāham ekas taṃ deśaṃ nītvā tau bhṛśaduḥkhitau  
asparśayam ahaṃ putraṃ taṃ muniṃ saha bhāryayā  
Then I alone, leading those two greatly-grieved ones to that place, made the sage, together with his wife, touch their son.

**2.58.25**  
tau putram ātmanaḥ spṛṣṭvā tam āsādya tapasvinau  
nipetatuḥ śarīre 'sya pitā cāsyedam abravīt  
Those two ascetics, touching their own son and reaching him, fell upon his body; and his father spoke this:

**2.58.26**  
na nv ahaṃ te priyaḥ putra mātaraṃ paśya dhārmika  
kiṃ nu nāliṅgase putra sukumāra vaco vada  
'Am I not dear to you, my son? Look at your mother, righteous one. Why do you not embrace me, my son, so tender? Speak a word.'

**2.58.27**  
kasya vāpararātre 'haṃ śroṣyāmi hṛdayaṃgamam  
adhīyānasya madhuraṃ śāstraṃ vānyad viśeṣataḥ  
'Whose sweet, heart-winning recitation of scripture, or of something else besides, shall I hear in the last watch of the night?'

**2.58.28**  
ko māṃ saṃdhyām upāsyaiva snātvā hutahutāśanaḥ  
ślāghayiṣyaty upāsīnaḥ putraśokabhayārditam  
'Who, having worshipped at twilight, bathed, and offered oblation to the fire, will sit beside me and comfort me, tormented by grief and fear for my son?'

**2.58.29**  
kandamūlaphalaṃ hṛtvā ko māṃ priyam ivātithim  
bhojayiṣyaty akarmaṇyam apragraham anāyakam  
'Who, bringing roots, bulbs, and fruit, will feed me — like a beloved guest — unfit for work, without support, without a guide?'

**2.58.30**  
imām andhāṃ ca vṛddhāṃ ca mātaraṃ te tapasvinīm  
kathaṃ putra bhariṣyāmi kṛpaṇāṃ putragardhinīm  
'How, my son, shall I support this blind and aged mother of yours, poor ascetic woman, wretched, longing for her son?'

**2.58.31**  
tiṣṭha mā mā gamaḥ putra yamasya sadanaṃ prati  
śvo mayā saha gantāsi jananyā ca samedhitaḥ  
'Stay! Do not, do not go, my son, to the abode of Yama. Tomorrow you shall go, together with me and your mother, all of us together.'

**2.58.32**  
ubhāv api ca śokārtāv anāthau kṛpaṇau vane  
kṣipram eva gamiṣyāvas tvayā hīnau yamakṣayam  
'And we both, stricken with grief, helpless and wretched in the forest, bereft of you, shall very soon go to the abode of Yama.'

**2.58.33**  
tato vaivasvataṃ dṛṣṭvā taṃ pravakṣyāmi bhāratīm  
kṣamatāṃ dharmarājo me bibhṛyāt pitarāv ayam  
'Then, seeing Vaivasvata (Yama), I shall address this word to him: "Let the King of Dharma pardon me; let him sustain these two parents."'

**2.58.34**  
apāpo 'si yathā putra nihataḥ pāpakarmaṇā  
tena satyena gacchāśu ye lokāḥ śastrayodhinām  
'As you, my son, though sinless, were slain by an evil-doer — by that truth, go quickly to those worlds which belong to warriors who fight with weapons,'

**2.58.35**  
yānti śūrā gatiṃ yāṃ ca saṃgrāmeṣv anivartinaḥ  
hatās tv abhimukhāḥ putra gatiṃ tāṃ paramāṃ vraja  
'and to whatever goal heroes go who do not turn back in battles, slain facing the foe — to that supreme goal, my son, proceed.'

**2.58.36**  
yāṃ gatiṃ sagaraḥ śaibyo dilīpo janamejayaḥ  
nahuṣo dhundhumāraś ca prāptās tāṃ gaccha putraka  
'To that goal which Sagara, Śaibya, Dilīpa, Janamejaya, Nahuṣa, and Dhundhumāra attained — to that go, dear son.'

**2.58.37**  
yā gatiḥ sarvasādhūnāṃ svādhyāyāt patasaś ca yā  
bhūmidasyāhitāgneś ca ekapatnīvratasya ca  
'The goal that belongs to all the virtuous, and that which comes from Vedic study and austerity, and that of the giver of land, of him who keeps the sacred fire, and of him vowed to a single wife;'

**2.58.38**  
gosahasrapradātṝṇāṃ yā yā gurubhṛtām api  
dehanyāsakṛtāṃ yā ca tāṃ gatiṃ gaccha putraka  
na hi tv asmin kule jāto gacchaty akuśalāṃ gatim  
'and the goal of those who give a thousand cows, and of those who cherish their teachers, and of those who lay down their bodies — to that goal go, dear son; for none born in this family goes to an inauspicious goal.'

**2.58.39**  
evaṃ sa kṛpaṇaṃ tatra paryadevayatāsakṛt  
tato 'smai kartum udakaṃ pravṛttaḥ saha bhāryayā  
Thus he lamented piteously there again and again; then, together with his wife, he set about making the water-offering for him.

**2.58.40**  
sa tu divyena rūpeṇa muniputraḥ svakarmabhiḥ  
āśvāsya ca muhūrtaṃ tu pitarau vākyam abravīt  
But that sage's son, in a divine form won by his own deeds, having comforted his parents a moment, spoke these words:

**2.58.41**  
sthānam asmi mahat prāpto bhavatoḥ paricāraṇāt  
bhavantāv api ca kṣipraṃ mama mūlam upaiṣyataḥ  
'I have attained a great station through service to you two; and you both shall soon come to where I am.'

**2.58.42**  
evam uktvā tu divyena vimānena vapuṣmatā  
āruroha divaṃ kṣipraṃ muniputro jitendriyaḥ  
Having spoken thus, the sage's son, master of his senses, swiftly ascended to heaven in a splendid celestial chariot.

**2.58.43**  
sa kṛtvā tūdakaṃ tūrṇaṃ tāpasaḥ saha bhāryayā  
mām uvāca mahātejāḥ kṛtāñjalim upasthitam  
That ascetic, having quickly made the water-offering together with his wife, the greatly-glorious one spoke to me as I stood by with joined palms:

**2.58.44**  
adyaiva jahi māṃ rājan maraṇe nāsti me vyathā  
yac chareṇaikaputraṃ māṃ tvam akārṣīr aputrakam  
'Kill me this very day, O king; I have no dread of death, since with an arrow you have made me, who had a single son, sonless.'

**2.58.45**  
tvayā tu yad avijñānān nihato me sutaḥ śuciḥ  
tena tvām abhiśapsyāmi suduḥkham atidāruṇam  
'Since my pure son was slain by you out of ignorance, for that I shall curse you with a most grievous, exceedingly cruel curse.'

**2.58.46**  
putravyasanajaṃ duḥkhaṃ yad etan mama sāmpratam  
evaṃ tvaṃ putraśokena rājan kālaṃ kariṣyasi  
'This grief born of the calamity to my son that is now mine — even so, through grief for a son, O king, you shall meet your end.'

**2.58.47**  
tasmān mām āgataṃ bhadre tasyodārasya tadvacaḥ  
yad ahaṃ putraśokena saṃtyakṣyāmy adya jīvitam  
So, dear lady, that word of that noble one has come upon me — that today, through grief for a son, I shall give up my life.

**2.58.48**  
yadi māṃ saṃspṛśed rāmaḥ sakṛd adyālabheta vā  
na tan me sadṛśaṃ devi yan mayā rāghave kṛtam  
If only Rāma would touch me once today, or lay his hand upon me — yet that is not my due, O queen, considering what I did to Rāghava.

**2.58.49**  
cakṣuṣā tvāṃ na paśyāmi smṛtir mama vilupyate  
dūtā vaivasvatasyaite kausalye tvarayanti mām  
With my eyes I cannot see you; my memory is being torn away. These messengers of Vaivasvata (Yama), O Kausalyā, are hurrying me on.

**2.58.50**  
atas tu kiṃ duḥkhataraṃ yad ahaṃ jīvitakṣaye  
na hi paśyāmi dharmajñaṃ rāmaṃ satyaparākyamam  
And what is more painful than this — that at the ending of my life I do not see Rāma, the knower of dharma, of true valor?

**2.58.51**  
na te manuṣyā devās te ye cāruśubhakuṇḍalam  
mukhaṃ drakṣyanti rāmasya varṣe pañcadaśe punaḥ  
They are not men but gods, who will look again on Rāma's face, with its lovely, beautiful earrings, in the fifteenth year.

**2.58.52**  
padmapatrekṣaṇaṃ subhru sudaṃṣṭraṃ cārunāsikam  
dhanyā drakṣyanti rāmasya tārādhipanibhaṃ mukham  
Fortunate are they who will behold Rāma's face — lotus-petal-eyed, fair-browed, with fine teeth and a lovely nose, resembling the lord of stars (the moon).

**2.58.53**  
sadṛśaṃ śāradasyendoḥ phullasya kamalasya ca  
sugandhi mama nāthasya dhanyā drakṣyanti tanmukham  
Fortunate are they who will behold that face of my lord — like the autumn moon and a blooming lotus, and fragrant.

**2.58.54**  
nivṛttavanavāsaṃ tam ayodhyāṃ punar āgatam  
drakṣyanti sukhino rāmaṃ śukraṃ mārgagataṃ yathā  
Happy are they who will see Rāma, his forest-dwelling ended, come back again to Ayodhyā, like Venus (Śukra) returned to its course.

**2.58.55**  
ayam ātmabhavaḥ śoko mām anātham acetanam  
saṃsādayati vegena yathā kūlaṃ nadīrayaḥ  
This self-born grief overwhelms me, helpless and senseless, with its rush, as the current of a river wears away its bank.

**2.58.56**  
hā rāghava mahābāho hā mamāyāsa nāśana  
rājā daśarathaḥ śocañ jīvitāntam upāgamat  
'Alas, Rāghava, mighty-armed! Alas, dispeller of my toil!' — thus grieving, King Daśaratha came to the end of his life.

**2.58.57**  
tathā tu dīnaṃ kathayan narādhipaḥ priyasya putrasya vivāsanāturaḥ  
gate 'rdharātre bhṛśaduḥkhapīḍitas tadā jahau prāṇam udāradarśanaḥ  
Thus lamenting piteously, the lord of men, distressed at the banishment of his beloved son, when the night was half spent, grievously afflicted with pain, the noble-visaged one then gave up his life.