Dasharatha's Collapse

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.42.1)

यावत् तु निर्यतस्तस्य रजोरूपमदृश्यत। नैवेक्ष्वाकुवरस्तावत् संजहारात्मचक्षुषी॥ 42.1 ॥

yāvat tu niryatastasya rajorūpamadṛśyata| naivekṣvākuvarastāvat saṃjahārātmacakṣuṣī

As long as the shape of the dust raised by his departure remained visible, so long did the best of the Ikshvakus not withdraw his own eyes from it.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.42.2)

यावद् राजा प्रियं पुत्रं पश्यत्यत्यन्तधार्मिकम्। तावद् व्यवर्धतेवास्य धरण्यां पुत्रदर्शने॥ 42.2 ॥

yāvad rājā priyaṃ putraṃ paśyatyatyantadhārmikam| tāvad vyavardhatevāsya dharaṇyāṃ putradarśane

As long as the king could see his exceedingly righteous and beloved son, so long the dust upon the ground seemed, for the sake of that vision of his son, to keep on growing.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.42.3)

न पश्यति रजोऽप्यस्य यदा रामस्य भूमिपः। तदार्तश्च निषण्णश्च पपात धरणीतले॥ 42.3 ॥

na paśyati rajo'pyasya yadā rāmasya bhūmipaḥ| tadārtaśca niṣaṇṇaśca papāta dharaṇītale

But when the king could no longer see even the dust of Rama's chariot, then, stricken and sinking down, he fell upon the surface of the earth.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.42.4)

तस्य दक्षिणमन्वागात् कौसल्या बाहुमङ्गना। परं चास्यान्वगात् पार्श्वं कैकेयी सा सुमध्यमा॥ 42.4 ॥

tasya dakṣiṇamanvāgāt kausalyā bāhumaṅganā| paraṃ cāsyānvagāt pārśvaṃ kaikeyī sā sumadhyamā

The lady Kausalya went to support his right arm, while that slender-waisted Kaikeyi went to his other side.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.42.5)

तां नयेन च सम्पन्नो धर्मेण विनयेन च। उवाच राजा कैकेयीं समीक्ष्य व्यथितेन्द्रियः॥ 42.5 ॥

tāṃ nayena ca sampanno dharmeṇa vinayena ca| uvāca rājā kaikeyīṃ samīkṣya vyathitendriyaḥ

The king, endowed as he was with policy, righteousness, and courtesy, looked at Kaikeyi with senses distraught, and spoke to her thus.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.42.6)

कैकेयि मामकाङ्गानि मा स्प्राक्षीः पापनिश्चये। नहि त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छामि न भार्या न च बान्धवी॥ 42.6 ॥

kaikeyi māmakāṅgāni mā sprākṣīḥ pāpaniścaye| nahi tvāṃ draṣṭumicchāmi na bhāryā na ca bāndhavī

"Kaikeyi, do not touch my limbs, you whose resolve is sin! I do not wish even to see you — you are neither my wife nor my kin any longer."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.42.7)

ये च त्वामनुजीवन्ति नाहं तेषां न ते मम। केवलार्थपरां हि त्वां त्यक्तधर्मां त्यजाम्यहम्॥ 42.7 ॥

ye ca tvāmanujīvanti nāhaṃ teṣāṃ na te mama| kevalārthaparāṃ hi tvāṃ tyaktadharmāṃ tyajāmyaham

"Those who live off you — I am nothing to them, nor they to me. You who care only for your own end, having abandoned righteousness, I now abandon you."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.42.8)

अगृह्णां यच्च ते पाणिमग्निं पर्यणयं च यत्। अनुजानामि तत् सर्वमस्मिंल्लोके परत्र च॥ 42.8 ॥

agṛhṇāṃ yacca te pāṇimagniṃ paryaṇayaṃ ca yat| anujānāmi tat sarvamasmiṃlloke paratra ca

"That I took your hand and circled the sacred fire with you — all of that I now renounce, in this world and the next."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.42.9)

भरतश्चेत् प्रतीतः स्याद् राज्यं प्राप्यैतदव्ययम्। यन्मे स दद्यात् पित्रर्थं मा मां तद्दत्तमागमत्॥ 42.9 ॥

bharataścet pratītaḥ syād rājyaṃ prāpyaitadavyayam| yanme sa dadyāt pitrarthaṃ mā māṃ taddattamāgamat

"If Bharata should feel glad on obtaining this imperishable kingdom, then whatever offering he makes for my sake after death — let it never reach me."

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.42.10)

अथ रेणुसमुद्ध्वस्तं समुत्थाप्य नराधिपम्। न्यवर्तत तदा देवी कौसल्या शोककर्शिता॥ 42.10 ॥

atha reṇusamuddhvastaṃ samutthāpya narādhipam| nyavartata tadā devī kausalyā śokakarśitā

Then the queen Kausalya, wasted with grief, lifted up the king, covered as he was with dust, and turned back with him.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.42.11)

हत्वेव ब्राह्मणं कामात् स्पृष्ट्वाग्निमिव पाणिना। अन्वतप्यत धर्मात्मा पुत्रं संचिन्त्य राघवम्॥ 42.11 ॥

hatveva brāhmaṇaṃ kāmāt spṛṣṭvāgnimiva pāṇinā| anvatapyata dharmātmā putraṃ saṃcintya rāghavam

The righteous-souled king tormented himself thinking of his son Raghava, as though he had knowingly slain a brahmin, or touched fire with his own hand.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.42.12)

निवृत्यैव निवृत्यैव सीदतो रथवर्त्मसु। राज्ञो नातिबभौ रूपं ग्रस्तस्यांशुमतो यथा॥ 42.12 ॥

nivṛtyaiva nivṛtyaiva sīdato rathavartmasu| rājño nātibabhau rūpaṃ grastasyāṃśumato yathā

Turning back again and again, sinking down upon the chariot's track, the king's form no longer shone, like the sun when seized by an eclipse.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.42.13)

विललाप स दुःखार्तः प्रियं पुत्रमनुस्मरन्। नगरान्तमनुप्राप्तं बुद्ध्वा पुत्रमथाब्रवीत्॥ 42.13 ॥

vilalāpa sa duḥkhārtaḥ priyaṃ putramanusmaran| nagarāntamanuprāptaṃ buddhvā putramathābravīt

Tormented with grief, he lamented, remembering his beloved son; and knowing that his son had by now reached the edge of the city, he spoke thus.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.42.14)

वाहनानां च मुख्यानां वहतां तं ममात्मजम्। पदानि पथि दृश्यन्ते स महात्मा न दृश्यते॥ 42.14 ॥

vāhanānāṃ ca mukhyānāṃ vahatāṃ taṃ mamātmajam| padāni pathi dṛśyante sa mahātmā na dṛśyate

"The hoof-prints of the finest steeds that carry my son can still be seen upon the road, but that great soul himself can be seen no more."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.42.15)

यः सुखेनोपधानेषु शेते चन्दनरूषितः। वीज्यमानो महार्हाभिः स्त्रीभिर्मम सुतोत्तमः॥ 42.15 ॥

yaḥ sukhenopadhāneṣu śete candanarūṣitaḥ| vījyamāno mahārhābhiḥ strībhirmama sutottamaḥ

"He, the best of my sons, who used to lie at ease upon soft pillows, anointed with sandal-paste, and fanned by women of the highest worth..."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.42.16)

स नूनं क्वचिदेवाद्य वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः। काष्ठं वा यदि वाश्मानमुपधाय शयिष्यते॥ 42.16 ॥

sa nūnaṃ kvacidevādya vṛkṣamūlamupāśritaḥ| kāṣṭhaṃ vā yadi vāśmānamupadhāya śayiṣyate

"...that same son, this very day, must be taking shelter at the foot of some tree, and will lie down with a piece of wood, or perhaps a stone, for his pillow."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.42.17)

उत्थास्यति च मेदिन्याः कृपणः पांसुगुण्ठितः। विनिःश्वसन् प्रस्रवणात् करेणूनामिवर्षभः॥ 42.17 ॥

utthāsyati ca medinyāḥ kṛpaṇaḥ pāṃsuguṇṭhitaḥ| viniḥśvasan prasravaṇāt kareṇūnāmivarṣabhaḥ

"That wretched one will rise up from the bare earth, covered in dust, sighing heavily, like a bull-elephant descending from a mountain slope."

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.42.18)

द्रक्ष्यन्ति नूनं पुरुषा दीर्घबाहुं वनेचराः। राममुत्थाय गच्छन्तं लोकनाथमनाथवत्॥ 42.18 ॥

drakṣyanti nūnaṃ puruṣā dīrghabāhuṃ vanecarāḥ| rāmamutthāya gacchantaṃ lokanāthamanāthavat

"Surely the forest-dwelling men will now behold that long-armed lord of the world, Rama, rising up and wandering about like one without a protector."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.42.19)

सा नूनं जनकस्येष्टा सुता सुखसदोचिता। कण्टकाक्रमणक्लान्ता वनमद्य गमिष्यति॥ 42.19 ॥

sā nūnaṃ janakasyeṣṭā sutā sukhasadocitā| kaṇṭakākramaṇaklāntā vanamadya gamiṣyati

"That beloved daughter of Janaka, accustomed always to comfort, will today go into the forest, wearied by treading upon thorns."

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.42.20)

अनभिज्ञा वनानां सा नूनं भयमुपैष्यति। श्वपदानर्दितं श्रुत्वा गम्भीरं रोमहर्षणम्॥ 42.20 ॥

anabhijñā vanānāṃ sā nūnaṃ bhayamupaiṣyati| śvapadānarditaṃ śrutvā gambhīraṃ romaharṣaṇam

"She, unacquainted with the forests, will surely be overtaken by fear, hearing the deep and hair-raising roars of wild beasts."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.42.21)

सकामा भव कैकेयि विधवा राज्यमावस। नहि तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं विना जीवितुमुत्सहे॥ 42.21 ॥

sakāmā bhava kaikeyi vidhavā rājyamāvasa| nahi taṃ puruṣavyāghraṃ vinā jīvitumutsahe

"Let your desire be fulfilled, Kaikeyi; dwell in the kingdom as a widow. For I have no wish to live without that tiger among men."

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.42.22)

इत्येवं विलपन् राजा जनौघेनाभिसंवृतः। अपस्नात इवारिष्टं प्रविवेश गृहोत्तमम्॥ 42.22 ॥

ityevaṃ vilapan rājā janaughenābhisaṃvṛtaḥ| apasnāta ivāriṣṭaṃ praviveśa gṛhottamam

Lamenting thus, the king, surrounded by throngs of his people, entered his splendid palace as one who, having bathed after a death in the family, enters an ill-omened house.

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.42.23)

शून्यचत्वरवेश्मान्तां संवृतापणवेदिकाम्। क्लान्तदुर्बलदुःखार्तां नात्याकीर्णमहापथाम्॥ 42.23 ॥

śūnyacatvaraveśmāntāṃ saṃvṛtāpaṇavedikām| klāntadurbaladuḥkhārtāṃ nātyākīrṇamahāpathām

He beheld that city with its courtyards and inner chambers deserted, its market-stalls shuttered, its people weary, feeble, and stricken with sorrow, its great highways no longer thronged as before.

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.42.24)

तामवेक्ष्य पुरीं सर्वां राममेवानुचिन्तयन्। विलपन् प्राविशद् राजा गृहं सूर्य इवाम्बुदम्॥ 42.24 ॥

tāmavekṣya purīṃ sarvāṃ rāmamevānucintayan| vilapan prāviśad rājā gṛhaṃ sūrya ivāmbudam

Beholding that entire city so changed, and thinking only of Rama, the king, lamenting, entered his house, as the sun enters a cloud.

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.42.25)

महाह्रदमिवाक्षोभ्यं सुपर्णेन हृतोरगम्। रामेण रहितं वेश्म वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च॥ 42.25 ॥

mahāhradamivākṣobhyaṃ suparṇena hṛtoragam| rāmeṇa rahitaṃ veśma vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena ca

Bereft of Rama, of Videha's daughter, and of Lakshmana, the palace was like a vast, once-turbulent lake from which Garuda had carried off all its serpents.

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.42.26)

अथ गद्गदशब्दस्तु विलपन् वसुधाधिपः। उवाच मृदु मन्दार्थं वचनं दीनमस्वरम्॥ 42.26 ॥

atha gadgadaśabdastu vilapan vasudhādhipaḥ| uvāca mṛdu mandārthaṃ vacanaṃ dīnamasvaram

Then the lord of the earth, lamenting with a choked voice, spoke a soft word, faint in meaning, pitiful, and scarcely audible.

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.42.27)

कौसल्याया गृहं शीघ्रं राममातुर्नयन्तु माम्। नह्यन्यत्र ममाश्वासो हृदयस्य भविष्यति॥ 42.27 ॥

kausalyāyā gṛhaṃ śīghraṃ rāmamāturnayantu mām| nahyanyatra mamāśvāso hṛdayasya bhaviṣyati

"Let them take me quickly to the house of Kausalya, Rama's mother; for nowhere else will my heart find any comfort."

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.42.28)

इति ब्रुवन्तं राजानमनयन् द्वारदर्शिनः। कौसल्याया गृहं तत्र न्यवेस्यत विनीतवत्॥ 42.28 ॥

iti bruvantaṃ rājānamanayan dvāradarśinaḥ| kausalyāyā gṛhaṃ tatra nyavesyata vinītavat

As he spoke thus, the door-keepers led the king away, and there, in Kausalya's house, they laid him down with due deference.

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.42.29)

ततस्तत्र प्रविष्टस्य कौसल्याया निवेशनम्। अधिरुह्यापि शयनं बभूव लुलितं मनः॥ 42.29 ॥

tatastatra praviṣṭasya kausalyāyā niveśanam| adhiruhyāpi śayanaṃ babhūva lulitaṃ manaḥ

Then, having entered Kausalya's dwelling, and even after he had lain down upon the bed, his mind remained agitated.

Shloka 30 (ayodhya.42.30)

पुत्रद्वयविहीनं च स्नुषया च विवर्जितम्। अपश्यद् भवनं राजा नष्टचन्द्रमिवाम्बरम्॥ 42.30 ॥

putradvayavihīnaṃ ca snuṣayā ca vivarjitam| apaśyad bhavanaṃ rājā naṣṭacandramivāmbaram

The king beheld that mansion, bereft of his two sons and forsaken too by his daughter-in-law, like the sky robbed of its moon.

Shloka 31 (ayodhya.42.31)

तच्च दृष्ट्वा महाराजो भुजमुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्। उच्चैःस्वरेण प्राक्रोशद्धा राम विजहासि नौ॥ 42.31 ॥

tacca dṛṣṭvā mahārājo bhujamudyamya vīryavān| uccaiḥsvareṇa prākrośaddhā rāma vijahāsi nau

Seeing this, the mighty king raised his arm and cried out in a loud voice, "Alas, Rama! You have forsaken the two of us!"

Shloka 32 (ayodhya.42.32)

सुखिता बत तं कालं जीविष्यन्ति नरोत्तमाः। परिष्वजन्तो ये रामं द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुनरागतम्॥ 42.32 ॥

sukhitā bata taṃ kālaṃ jīviṣyanti narottamāḥ| pariṣvajanto ye rāmaṃ drakṣyanti punarāgatam

"Happy indeed will be those best of men who shall live to see that time when Rama returns, and shall embrace him again!"

Shloka 33 (ayodhya.42.33)

अथ रात्र्यां प्रपन्नायां कालरात्र्यामिवात्मनः। अर्धरात्रे दशरथः कौसल्यामिदमब्रवीत्॥ 42.33 ॥

atha rātryāṃ prapannāyāṃ kālarātryāmivātmanaḥ| ardharātre daśarathaḥ kausalyāmidamabravīt

Then, when night fell — a night that seemed to him like the very night of death — at midnight, Dasharatha spoke these words to Kausalya.

Shloka 34 (ayodhya.42.34)

न त्वां पश्यामि कौसल्ये साधु मां पाणिना स्पृश। रामं मेऽनुगता दृष्टिरद्यापि न निवर्तते॥ 42.34 ॥

na tvāṃ paśyāmi kausalye sādhu māṃ pāṇinā spṛśa| rāmaṃ me'nugatā dṛṣṭiradyāpi na nivartate

"I cannot see you, Kausalya; touch me gently with your hand. My sight went after Rama, and even now it has not returned."

Shloka 35 (ayodhya.42.35)

तं राममेवानुविचिन्तयन्तं समीक्ष्य देवी शयने नरेन्द्रम्। उपोपविश्याधिकमार्तरूपा विनिश्वसन्तं विललाप कृच्छ्रम्॥ 42.35 ॥

taṃ rāmamevānuvicintayantaṃ samīkṣya devī śayane narendram| upopaviśyādhikamārtarūpā viniśvasantaṃ vilalāpa kṛcchram

Beholding that king upon his bed, absorbed in thought of Rama alone, the queen sat close beside him, and, her form the very picture of anguish, sighing, lamented in deep distress.