Siddhartha's Plea to Kaikeyi

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.36.1)

ततः सुमन्त्रमैक्ष्वाकः पीडितोऽत्र प्रतिज्ञया। सबाष्पमतिनिःश्वस्य जगादेदं पुनर्वचः॥ 36.1 ॥

tataḥ sumantramaikṣvākaḥ pīḍito'tra pratijñayā| sabāṣpamatiniḥśvasya jagādedaṃ punarvacaḥ

Then Dasharatha, scion of the Ikshvaku line, oppressed here by his own vow, sighed heavily amid tears and spoke this word again.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.36.2)

सूत रत्नसुसम्पूर्णा चतुर्विधबला चमूः। राघवस्यानुयात्रार्थं क्षिप्रं प्रतिविधीयताम्॥ 36.2 ॥

sūta ratnasusampūrṇā caturvidhabalā camūḥ| rāghavasyānuyātrārthaṃ kṣipraṃ pratividhīyatām

"Suta, let a fourfold army, richly furnished with fine equipment, be swiftly made ready for Raghava's journey."

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.36.3)

रूपाजीवाश्च वादिन्यो वणिजश्च महाधनाः। शोभयन्तु कुमारस्य वाहिनीः सुप्रसारिताः॥ 36.3 ॥

rūpājīvāśca vādinyo vaṇijaśca mahādhanāḥ| śobhayantu kumārasya vāhinīḥ suprasāritāḥ

"Let comely courtesans skilled in speech, and wealthy merchants, well arrayed, adorn the prince's columns."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.36.4)

ये चैनमुपजीवन्ति रमते यैश्च वीर्यतः। तेषां बहुविधं दत्त्वा तानप्यत्र नियोजय॥ 36.4 ॥

ye cainamupajīvanti ramate yaiśca vīryataḥ| teṣāṃ bahuvidhaṃ dattvā tānapyatra niyojaya

"And those who live dependent on him, and with whom he delights in feats of valour — reward them richly and appoint them too in this company."

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.36.5)

आयुधानि च मुख्यानि नागराः शकटानि च। अनुगच्छन्तु काकुत्स्थं व्याधाश्चारण्यकोविदाः॥ 36.5 ॥

āyudhāni ca mukhyāni nāgarāḥ śakaṭāni ca| anugacchantu kākutsthaṃ vyādhāścāraṇyakovidāḥ

"Let the chief weapons, the city-guards, the wagons, and hunters skilled in forest lore, follow Kakutstha."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.36.6)

निघ्नन् मृगान् कुञ्जरांश्च पिबंश्चारण्यकं मधु। नदीश्च विविधाः पश्यन् न राज्यं संस्मरिष्यति॥ 36.6 ॥

nighnan mṛgān kuñjarāṃśca pibaṃścāraṇyakaṃ madhu| nadīśca vividhāḥ paśyan na rājyaṃ saṃsmariṣyati

"Killing deer and elephants, drinking forest honey, and beholding its many rivers, he will not so much as remember the kingdom."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.36.7)

धान्यकोशश्च यः कश्चिद् धनकोशश्च मामकः। तौ राममनुगच्छेतां वसन्तं निर्जने वने॥ 36.7 ॥

dhānyakośaśca yaḥ kaścid dhanakośaśca māmakaḥ| tau rāmamanugacchetāṃ vasantaṃ nirjane vane

"Whatever granary and whatever treasury are mine, let both go with Rama as he dwells in that lonely forest."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.36.8)

यजन् पुण्येषु देशेषु विसृजंश्चाप्तदक्षिणाः। ऋषिभिश्चापि संगम्य प्रवत्स्यति सुखं वने॥ 36.8 ॥

yajan puṇyeṣu deśeṣu visṛjaṃścāptadakṣiṇāḥ| ṛṣibhiścāpi saṃgamya pravatsyati sukhaṃ vane

"Performing sacrifice in holy places, bestowing fitting gifts, and meeting with the sages there, he shall live happily in the forest."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.36.9)

भरतश्च महाबाहुरयोध्यां पालयिष्यति। सर्वकामैः पुनः श्रीमान् रामः संसाध्यतामिति॥ 36.9 ॥

bharataśca mahābāhurayodhyāṃ pālayiṣyati| sarvakāmaiḥ punaḥ śrīmān rāmaḥ saṃsādhyatāmiti

"And the mighty-armed Bharata shall govern Ayodhya. Let the glorious Rama be sent forth with every comfort — so let it be arranged."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.36.10)

एवं ब्रुवति काकुत्स्थे कैकेय्या भयमागतम्। मुखं चाप्यगमच्छोषं स्वरश्चापि व्यरुध्यत॥ 36.10 ॥

evaṃ bruvati kākutsthe kaikeyyā bhayamāgatam| mukhaṃ cāpyagamacchoṣaṃ svaraścāpi vyarudhyata

As Kakutstha spoke thus, fear came over Kaikeyi. Her mouth too went dry, and her voice grew choked.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.36.11)

सा विषण्णा च संत्रस्ता मुखेन परिशुष्यता। राजानमेवाभिमुखी कैकेयी वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ 36.11 ॥

sā viṣaṇṇā ca saṃtrastā mukhena pariśuṣyatā| rājānamevābhimukhī kaikeyī vākyamabravīt

Dejected and apprehensive, her mouth parched, turning her face toward the king, Kaikeyi spoke these words.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.36.12)

राज्यं गतधनं साधो पीतमण्डां सुरामिव। निरास्वाद्यतमं शून्यं भरतो नाभिपत्स्यते॥ 36.12 ॥

rājyaṃ gatadhanaṃ sādho pītamaṇḍāṃ surāmiva| nirāsvādyatamaṃ śūnyaṃ bharato nābhipatsyate

"A kingdom stripped of its wealth, good sir, is like liquor whose spirit has been drained away — utterly distasteful and hollow; Bharata will not accept it."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.36.13)

कैकेय्यां मुक्तलज्जायां वदन्त्यामतिदारुणम्। राजा दशरथो वाक्यमुवाचायतलोचनाम्॥ 36.13 ॥

kaikeyyāṃ muktalajjāyāṃ vadantyāmatidāruṇam| rājā daśaratho vākyamuvācāyatalocanām

While Kaikeyi, having cast off all shame, was speaking these harshest of words, King Dasharatha spoke thus to that large-eyed woman.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.36.14)

वहन्तं किं तुदसि मां नियुज्य धुरि माहिते। अनार्ये कृत्यमारब्धं किं न पूर्वमुपारुधः॥ 36.14 ॥

vahantaṃ kiṃ tudasi māṃ niyujya dhuri māhite| anārye kṛtyamārabdhaṃ kiṃ na pūrvamupārudhaḥ

"Having yoked me to this burden, why do you now goad me as I carry it, O malevolent one? Why did you not check this deed at its very outset, O ignoble woman?"

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.36.15)

तस्यैतत् क्रोधसंयुक्तमुक्तं श्रुत्वा वराङ्गना। कैकेयी द्विगुणं क्रुद्धा राजानमिदमब्रवीत्॥ 36.15 ॥

tasyaitat krodhasaṃyuktamuktaṃ śrutvā varāṅganā| kaikeyī dviguṇaṃ kruddhā rājānamidamabravīt

Hearing these angry words of his, that lovely woman Kaikeyi, doubly enraged, spoke thus to the king.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.36.16)

तवैव वंशे सगरो ज्येष्ठपुत्रमुपारुधत्। असमञ्ज इति ख्यातं तथायं गन्तुमर्हति॥ 36.16 ॥

tavaiva vaṃśe sagaro jyeṣṭhaputramupārudhat| asamañja iti khyātaṃ tathāyaṃ gantumarhati

"In your own line, Sagara cast out his eldest son, known as Asamanja; so too is it fitting that this one should go."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.36.17)

एवमुक्तो धिगित्येव राजा दशरथोऽब्रवीत्। व्रीडितश्च जनः सर्वः सा च तन्नावबुध्यत॥ 36.17 ॥

evamukto dhigityeva rājā daśaratho'bravīt| vrīḍitaśca janaḥ sarvaḥ sā ca tannāvabudhyata

Spoken to thus, King Dasharatha said only, "Shame!" All the people there were ashamed, but she did not perceive it at all.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.36.18)

तत्र वृद्धो महामात्रः सिद्धार्थो नाम नामतः। शुचिर्बहुमतो राज्ञः कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत्॥ 36.18 ॥

tatra vṛddho mahāmātraḥ siddhārtho nāma nāmataḥ| śucirbahumato rājñaḥ kaikeyīmidamabravīt

There, the aged chief minister named Siddhartha — upright, and held in the highest regard by the king — spoke thus to Kaikeyi.

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.36.19)

असमञ्जो गृहीत्वा तु क्रीडतः पथि दारकान्। सरय्वां प्रक्षिपन्नप्सु रमते तेन दुर्मतिः॥ 36.19 ॥

asamañjo gṛhītvā tu krīḍataḥ pathi dārakān| sarayvāṃ prakṣipannapsu ramate tena durmatiḥ

"Asamanja, evil of mind, would seize children playing in the street and fling them into the Sarayu, taking delight in it."

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.36.20)

तं दृष्ट्वा नागराः सर्वे क्रुद्धा राजानमब्रुवन्। असमञ्जं वृणीष्वैकमस्मान् वा राष्ट्रवर्धन॥ 36.20 ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā nāgarāḥ sarve kruddhā rājānamabruvan| asamañjaṃ vṛṇīṣvaikamasmān vā rāṣṭravardhana

Seeing this, all the citizens, enraged, said to the king, "O increaser of the realm, choose either Asamanja alone, or us."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.36.21)

तानुवाच ततो राजा किंनिमित्तमिदं भयम्। ताश्चापि राज्ञा सम्पृष्टा वाक्यं प्रकृतयोऽब्रुवन्॥ 36.21 ॥

tānuvāca tato rājā kiṃnimittamidaṃ bhayam| tāścāpi rājñā sampṛṣṭā vākyaṃ prakṛtayo'bruvan

The king then said to them, "For what reason is this fear?" And, so questioned by the king, those subjects spoke these words.

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.36.22)

क्रीडतस्त्वेष नः पुत्रान् बालानुद्भ्रान्तचेतसः। सरय्वां प्रक्षिपन्मौर्ख्यादतुलां प्रीतिमश्नुते॥ 36.22 ॥

krīḍatastveṣa naḥ putrān bālānud‍bhrāntacetasaḥ| sarayvāṃ prakṣipanmaurkhyādatulāṃ prītimaśnute

"This one, whirled in mind, out of sheer folly throws our playing children into the Sarayu, and takes incomparable delight in it."

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.36.23)

स तासां वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रकृतीनां नराधिपः। तं तत्याजाहितं पुत्रं तासां प्रियचिकीर्षया॥ 36.23 ॥

sa tāsāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā prakṛtīnāṃ narādhipaḥ| taṃ tatyājāhitaṃ putraṃ tāsāṃ priyacikīrṣayā

That lord of men, hearing the words of his subjects, abandoned that harmful son of his, wishing to please them.

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.36.24)

तं यानं शीघ्रमारोप्य सभार्यं सपरिच्छदम्। यावज्जीवं विवास्योऽयमिति स्वानन्वशात् पिता॥ 36.24 ॥

taṃ yānaṃ śīghramāropya sabhāryaṃ saparicchadam| yāvajjīvaṃ vivāsyo'yamiti svānanvaśāt pitā

Having him mount a vehicle at once, together with his wife and belongings, the father commanded his own men: "He is to be exiled for life."

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.36.25)

स फालपिटकं गृह्य गिरिदुर्गाण्यलोडयत्। दिशः सर्वास्त्वनुचरन् स यथा पापकर्मकृत्॥ 36.25 ॥

sa phālapiṭakaṃ gṛhya giridurgāṇyaloḍayat| diśaḥ sarvāstvanucaran sa yathā pāpakarmakṛt

Taking up a spade and a basket, he ransacked the mountain passes, roaming through every direction like one who has committed sinful deeds.

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.36.26)

इत्येवमत्यजद् राजा सगरो वै सुधार्मिकः। रामः किमकरोत् पापं येनैवमुपरुध्यते॥ 36.26 ॥

ityevamatyajad rājā sagaro vai sudhārmikaḥ| rāmaḥ kimakarot pāpaṃ yenaivamuparudhyate

Thus did the righteous King Sagara abandon him. But what sin has Rama committed, that he should be barred from the kingdom in this way?

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.36.27)

नहि कंचन पश्यामो राघवस्यागुणं वयम्। दुर्लभो ह्यस्य निरयः शशाङ्कस्येव कल्मषम्॥ 36.27 ॥

nahi kaṃcana paśyāmo rāghavasyāguṇaṃ vayam| durlabho hyasya nirayaḥ śaśāṅkasyeva kalmaṣam

We indeed see no fault whatsoever in Raghava; a blemish in him is as hard to find as a stain upon the moon.

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.36.28)

अथवा देवि त्वं कंचिद् दोषं पश्यसि राघवे। तमद्य ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन तदा रामो विवास्यताम्॥ 36.28 ॥

athavā devi tvaṃ kaṃcid doṣaṃ paśyasi rāghave| tamadya brūhi tattvena tadā rāmo vivāsyatām

"Or, O queen, if you see some fault in Raghava, tell it truly this very day — only then let Rama be exiled."

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.36.29)

अदुष्टस्य हि संत्यागः सत्पथे निरतस्य च। निर्दहेदपि शक्रस्य द्युतिं धर्मनिरोधनात्॥ 36.29 ॥

aduṣṭasya hi saṃtyāgaḥ satpathe niratasya ca| nirdahedapi śakrasya dyutiṃ dharmanirodhanāt

To abandon one who is blameless and devoted to the righteous path — such an obstruction of dharma could consume the splendour even of Indra.

Shloka 30 (ayodhya.36.30)

तदलं देवि रामस्य श्रिया विहतया त्वया। लोकतोऽपि हि ते रक्ष्यः परिवादः शुभानने॥ 36.30 ॥

tadalaṃ devi rāmasya śriyā vihatayā tvayā| lokato'pi hi te rakṣyaḥ parivādaḥ śubhānane

"Enough, then, O queen — do not stand in the way of Rama's royal fortune. And, O fair-faced one, you must guard yourself from the world's censure too."

Shloka 31 (ayodhya.36.31)

श्रुत्वा तु सिद्धार्थवचो राजा श्रान्ततरस्वरः। शोकोपहतया वाचा कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत्॥ 36.31 ॥

śrutvā tu siddhārthavaco rājā śrāntatarasvaraḥ| śokopahatayā vācā kaikeyīmidamabravīt

Hearing Siddhartha's words, the king, his voice now utterly weary, spoke thus to Kaikeyi in a tone broken by grief.

Shloka 32 (ayodhya.36.32)

एतद्वचो नेच्छसि पापरूपे हितं न जानासि ममात्मनोऽथवा। आस्थाय मार्गं कृपणं कुचेष्टा चेष्टा हि ते साधुपथादपेता॥ 36.32 ॥

etadvaco necchasi pāparūpe hitaṃ na jānāsi mamātmano'thavā| āsthāya mārgaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ kuceṣṭā ceṣṭā hi te sādhupathādapetā

"You will not accept this counsel, O sinful one; you know neither my good nor your own. Pursuing this wretched course with such ill conduct, your behaviour has utterly departed from the path of the virtuous."

Shloka 33 (ayodhya.36.33)

अनुव्रजिष्याम्यहमद्य रामं राज्यं परित्यज्य सुखं धनं च। सर्वे च राज्ञा भरतेन च त्वं यथासुखं भुङ्क्ष्व चिराय राज्यम्॥ 36.33 ॥

anuvrajiṣyāmyahamadya rāmaṃ rājyaṃ parityajya sukhaṃ dhanaṃ ca| sarve ca rājñā bharatena ca tvaṃ yathāsukhaṃ bhuṅkṣva cirāya rājyam

"This very day I shall follow Rama, giving up kingdom, comfort, and wealth. Enjoy this kingdom happily and for a long time, together with King Bharata."