Rama Calls Off the Coronation

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.22.1)

अथ तं व्यथया दीनं सविशेषममर्षितम् । सरोषमिव नागेन्द्रं रोषविस्फारितेक्षणम् ॥ 22.1 ॥

atha taṃ vyathayā dīnaṃ saviśeṣamamarṣitam | saroṣamiva nāgendraṃ roṣavisphāritekṣaṇam

Then, to him — Lakshmana, who was afflicted with distress and especially indignant, his eyes wide with fury like a great enraged serpent-king —

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.22.2)

आसाद्य रामः सौमित्रिं सुहृदं भ्रातरं प्रियम् । उवाचेदं स धैर्येण धारयन् सत्त्वमात्मवान् ॥ 22.2 ॥

āsādya rāmaḥ saumitriṃ suhṛdaṃ bhrātaraṃ priyam | uvācedaṃ sa dhairyeṇa dhārayan sattvamātmavān

Rama, approaching Saumitri, his dear and beloved brother, himself composed and self-possessed, holding fast to fortitude, spoke these words.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.22.3)

निगृह्य रोषं शोकं च धैर्यमाश्रित्य केवलम् । अवमानं निरस्यैनं गृहीत्वा हर्षमुत्तमम् ॥ 22.3 ॥

nigṛhya roṣaṃ śokaṃ ca dhairyamāśritya kevalam | avamānaṃ nirasyainaṃ gṛhītvā harṣamuttamam

"Restraining anger and grief, taking refuge in fortitude alone, casting aside this sense of insult, and taking up the highest joy instead —

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.22.4)

उपक्लृप्तं यदैतन्मे अभिषेकार्थमुत्तमम् । सर्वं निवर्तय क्षिप्रं कुरु कार्यं निरव्ययम् ॥ 22.4 ॥

upaklṛptaṃ yadaitanme abhiṣekārthamuttamam | sarvaṃ nivartaya kṣipraṃ kuru kāryaṃ niravyayam

— whatever excellent preparation has been made here for my consecration, withdraw all of it at once; carry out instead the task that brings no loss."

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.22.5)

सौमित्रे योऽभिषेकार्थे मम सम्भारसम्भ्रमः । अभिषेकनिवृत्त्यर्थे सोऽस्तु सम्भारसम्भ्रमः ॥ 22.5 ॥

saumitre yo'bhiṣekārthe mama sambhārasambhramaḥ | abhiṣekanivṛttyarthe so'stu sambhārasambhramaḥ

"O Saumitri, let the same eager haste that was shown in gathering materials for my consecration now be shown in gathering the means to call it off."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.22.6)

यस्या मदभिषेकार्थे मानसं परितप्यते । माता नः सा यथा न स्यात् सविशङ्का तथा कुरु ॥ 22.6 ॥

yasyā madabhiṣekārthe mānasaṃ paritapyate | mātā naḥ sā yathā na syāt saviśaṅkā tathā kuru

"Act in such a way that our mother, whose heart is tormented over my consecration, is no longer left in apprehension."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.22.7)

तस्याः शङ्कामयं दुःखं मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे । मनसि प्रतिसंजातं सौमित्रेऽहमुपेक्षितुम् ॥ 22.7 ॥

tasyāḥ śaṅkāmayaṃ duḥkhaṃ muhūrtamapi notsahe | manasi pratisaṃjātaṃ saumitre'hamupekṣitum

"O Saumitri, I cannot bear to disregard, even for a moment, this sorrow born of apprehension that has arisen in her mind."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.22.8)

न बुद्धिपूर्वं नाबुद्धं स्मरामीह कदाचन । मातॄणां वा पितुर्वाहं कृतमल्पं च विप्रियम् ॥ 22.8 ॥

na buddhipūrvaṃ nābuddhaṃ smarāmīha kadācana | mātṝṇāṃ vā piturvāhaṃ kṛtamalpaṃ ca vipriyam

"I do not recall ever having done, whether knowingly or unknowingly, even the smallest displeasing thing to my mothers or to my father."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.22.9)

सत्यः सत्याभिसंधश्च नित्यं सत्यपराक्रमः । परलोकभयाद् भीतो निर्भयोऽस्तु पिता मम ॥ 22.9 ॥

satyaḥ satyābhisaṃdhaśca nityaṃ satyaparākramaḥ | paralokabhayād bhīto nirbhayo'stu pitā mama

"May my father — truthful, ever true to his word, ever true in valor, fearful only of wrong in the world to come — now be free of fear."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.22.10)

तस्यापि हि भवेदस्मिन् कर्मण्यप्रतिसंहृते । सत्यं नेति मनस्तापस्तस्य तापस्तपेच्च माम् ॥ 22.10 ॥

tasyāpi hi bhavedasmin karmaṇyapratisaṃhṛte | satyaṃ neti manastāpastasya tāpastapecca mām

"For if this matter is not called off, he too will suffer the anguish of having failed to keep his word true — and his anguish would torment me as well."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.22.11)

अभिषेकविधानं तु तस्मात् संहृत्य लक्ष्मण । अन्वगेवाहमिच्छामि वनं गन्तुमितः पुरः ॥ 22.11 ॥

abhiṣekavidhānaṃ tu tasmāt saṃhṛtya lakṣmaṇa | anvagevāhamicchāmi vanaṃ gantumitaḥ puraḥ

"Therefore, Lakshmana, having called off the arrangements for the consecration, I wish to set out from this very city for the forest without delay."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.22.12)

मम प्रव्राजनादद्य कृतकृत्या नृपात्मजा । सुतं भरतमव्यग्रमभिषेचयतां ततः ॥ 22.12 ॥

mama pravrājanādadya kṛtakṛtyā nṛpātmajā | sutaṃ bharatamavyagramabhiṣecayatāṃ tataḥ

"Once my banishment is accomplished today, the king's daughter will have achieved her purpose; let her then, without further disturbance, have her son Bharata consecrated."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.22.13)

मयि चीराजिनधरे जटामण्डलधारिणि । गतेऽरण्यं च कैकेय्या भविष्यति मनः सुखम् ॥ 22.13 ॥

mayi cīrājinadhare jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇi | gate'raṇyaṃ ca kaikeyyā bhaviṣyati manaḥ sukham

"Once I have gone to the forest, clad in bark and hide, my hair matted into a crown of locks, Kaikeyi's mind will find its peace."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.22.14)

बुद्धिः प्रणीता येनेयं मनश्च सुसमाहितम् । तं नु नार्हामि संक्लेष्टुं प्रव्रजिष्यामि मा चिरम् ॥ 22.14 ॥

buddhiḥ praṇītā yeneyaṃ manaśca susamāhitam | taṃ nu nārhāmi saṃkleṣṭuṃ pravrajiṣyāmi mā ciram

"I ought not to trouble him by whose resolve this course was set and whose mind is now firmly composed upon it; let me set out into exile without delay."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.22.15)

कृतान्त एव सौमित्रे द्रष्टव्यो मत्प्रवासने । राज्यस्य च वितीर्णस्य पुनरेव निवर्तने ॥ 22.15 ॥

kṛtānta eva saumitre draṣṭavyo matpravāsane | rājyasya ca vitīrṇasya punareva nivartane

"O Saumitri, in my exile, and in the withdrawal of a kingdom once granted, one should see nothing but the working of fate."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.22.16)

कैकेय्याः प्रतिपत्तिर्हि कथं स्यान्मम वेदने । यदि तस्या न भावोऽयं कृतान्तविहितो भवेत् ॥ 22.16 ॥

kaikeyyāḥ pratipattirhi kathaṃ syānmama vedane | yadi tasyā na bhāvo'yaṃ kṛtāntavihito bhavet

"For how else could Kaikeyi have resolved upon causing me such pain, unless this very thought of hers had been ordained by fate?"

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.22.17)

जानासि हि यथा सौम्य न मातृषु ममान्तरम् । भूतपूर्वं विशेषो वा तस्या मयि सुतेऽपि वा ॥ 22.17 ॥

jānāsi hi yathā saumya na mātṛṣu mamāntaram | bhūtapūrvaṃ viśeṣo vā tasyā mayi sute'pi vā

"You know well, gentle one, that I never made any distinction among my mothers, nor did she, in the past, ever show any difference between me and her own son."

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.22.18)

सोऽभिषेकनिवृत्त्यर्थैः प्रवासार्थैश्च दुर्वचैः । उग्रैर्वाक्यैरहं तस्या नान्यद् दैवात् समर्थये ॥ 22.18 ॥

so'bhiṣekanivṛttyarthaiḥ pravāsārthaiśca durvacaiḥ | ugrairvākyairahaṃ tasyā nānyad daivāt samarthaye

"So, for her harsh and terrible words meant to stop my consecration and drive me into exile, I can find no cause other than fate."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.22.19)

कथं प्रकृतिसम्पन्ना राजपुत्री तथागुणा । ब्रूयात् सा प्राकृतेव स्त्री मत्पीड्यं भर्तृसंनिधौ ॥ 22.19 ॥

kathaṃ prakṛtisampannā rājaputrī tathāguṇā | brūyāt sā prākṛteva strī matpīḍyaṃ bhartṛsaṃnidhau

"How else could a princess of such fine nature and such virtues speak, in her husband's very presence, words meant to hurt me — as though she were some ordinary woman?"

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.22.20)

यदचिन्त्यं तु तद् दैवं भूतेष्वपि न हन्यते । व्यक्तं मयि च तस्यां च पतितो हि विपर्ययः ॥ 22.20 ॥

yadacintyaṃ tu tad daivaṃ bhūteṣvapi na hanyate | vyaktaṃ mayi ca tasyāṃ ca patito hi viparyayaḥ

"Fate is beyond thought, and cannot be resisted by any being; clearly, this reversal has fallen upon both her and me alike."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.22.21)

कश्च दैवेन सौमित्रे योद्धुमुत्सहते पुमान् । यस्य नु ग्रहणं किंचित् कर्मणोऽन्यन्न दृश्यते ॥ 22.21 ॥

kaśca daivena saumitre yoddhumutsahate pumān | yasya nu grahaṇaṃ kiṃcit karmaṇo'nyanna dṛśyate

"And what man, O Saumitri, has the courage to fight against fate, whose workings can be grasped by no means other than by their effects?"

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.22.22)

सुखदुःखे भयक्रोधौ लाभालाभौ भवाभवौ । यस्य किंचित् तथाभूतं ननु दैवस्य कर्म तत् ॥ 22.22 ॥

sukhaduḥkhe bhayakrodhau lābhālābhau bhavābhavau | yasya kiṃcit tathābhūtaṃ nanu daivasya karma tat

"Pleasure and pain, fear and anger, gain and loss, being and non-being — whatever comes to pass in this way is nothing but the work of fate."

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.22.23)

ऋषयोऽप्युग्रतपसो दैवेनाभिप्रचोदिताः । उत्सृज्य नियमांस्तीव्रान् भ्रश्यन्ते काममन्युभिः ॥ 22.23 ॥

ṛṣayo'pyugratapaso daivenābhipracoditāḥ | utsṛjya niyamāṃstīvrān bhraśyante kāmamanyubhiḥ

"Even sages of fierce austerity, driven on by fate, abandon their strict vows and fall from grace through desire and anger."

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.22.24)

असंकल्पितमेवेह यदकस्मात् प्रवर्तते । निवर्त्यारब्धमारम्भैर्ननु दैवस्य कर्म तत् ॥ 22.24 ॥

asaṃkalpitameveha yadakasmāt pravartate | nivartyārabdhamārambhairnanu daivasya karma tat

"Whatever arises here unforeseen and unexpected, turning back an undertaking already begun — that too, surely, is the work of fate."

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.22.25)

एतया तत्त्वया बुद्ध्या संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना । व्याहतेऽप्यभिषेके मे परितापो न विद्यते ॥ 22.25 ॥

etayā tattvayā buddhyā saṃstabhyātmānamātmanā | vyāhate'pyabhiṣeke me paritāpo na vidyate

"Steadying myself with this very understanding of the truth of things, I feel no anguish, even though my consecration has been thwarted."

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.22.26)

तस्मादपरितापः संस्त्वमप्यनुविधाय माम् । प्रतिसंहारय क्षिप्रमाभिषेचनिकीं क्रियाम् ॥ 22.26 ॥

tasmādaparitāpaḥ saṃstvamapyanuvidhāya mām | pratisaṃhāraya kṣipramābhiṣecanikīṃ kriyām

"So you too, following my example, should be free of anguish, and swiftly have the whole ceremony of consecration called off."

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.22.27)

एभिरेव घटैः सर्वैरभिषेचनसम्भृतैः । मम लक्ष्मण तापस्ये व्रतस्नानं भविष्यति ॥ 22.27 ॥

ebhireva ghaṭaiḥ sarvairabhiṣecanasambhṛtaiḥ | mama lakṣmaṇa tāpasye vratasnānaṃ bhaviṣyati

"O Lakshmana, with these very same pots gathered for the consecration, let the ritual bath for my life of ascetic vows be performed instead."

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.22.28)

अथवा किं मयैतेन राज्यद्रव्यमयेन तु । उद्धृतं मे स्वयं तोयं व्रतादेशं करिष्यति ॥ 22.28 ॥

athavā kiṃ mayaitena rājyadravyamayena tu | uda‍dhṛtaṃ me svayaṃ toyaṃ vratādeśaṃ kariṣyati

"Or rather, what use have I for this water that belongs to the kingdom's stores? Water drawn by my own hand shall serve for the rite I now undertake."

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.22.29)

मा च लक्ष्मण संतापं कार्षीर्लक्ष्म्या विपर्यये । राज्यं वा वनवासो वा वनवासो महोदयः ॥ 22.29 ॥

mā ca lakṣmaṇa saṃtāpaṃ kārṣīrlakṣmyā viparyaye | rājyaṃ vā vanavāso vā vanavāso mahodayaḥ

"And Lakshmana, do not grieve over this reversal of fortune; whether it be kingship or life in the forest, this exile itself is a great good fortune."

Shloka 30 (ayodhya.22.30)

न लक्ष्मणास्मिन् मम राज्यविघ्ने माता यवीयस्यभिशङ्कितव्या । दैवाभिपन्ना न पिता कथंचि- ज्जानासि दैवं हि तथाप्रभावम् ॥ 22.30 ॥

na lakṣmaṇāsmin mama rājyavighne mātā yavīyasyabhiśaṅkitavyā | daivābhipannā na pitā kathaṃci- jjānāsi daivaṃ hi tathāprabhāvam

"Lakshmana, in this obstruction of my kingship, you should not suspect our younger mother; nor, in any way, our father — both are overtaken by fate. You yourself know how far-reaching the power of fate truly is."