Lakshmana's Night Vigil

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.51.1)

तं जाग्रतमदम्भेन भ्रातुरर्थाय लक्ष्मणम्। गुहः संतापसंतप्तो राघवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ २-५१-१ ॥

taṃ jāgratamadambhena bhrāturarthāya lakṣmaṇam | guhaḥ saṃtāpasaṃtapto rāghavaṃ vākyamabravīt

To that Lakshmana who kept watch, without any pretence, for his brother's sake, Guha, overwhelmed with anguish, spoke these words.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.51.2)

इयं तात सुखा शय्या त्वदर्थमुपकल्पिता। प्रत्याश्वसिहि साध्वस्यां राजपुत्र यथासुखम्॥ २-५१-२ ॥

iyaṃ tāta sukhā śayyā tvadarthamupakalpitā | pratyāśvasihi sādhvasyāṃ rājaputra yathāsukham

"Dear friend, here is a comfortable bed, prepared for you. Rest well upon it, O prince, and take your ease."

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.51.3)

उचितोऽयं जनः सर्वः क्लेशानां त्वं सुखोचितः। गुप्त्यर्थं जागरिष्यामः काकुत्स्थस्य वयं निशाम्॥ २-५१-३ ॥

ucito'yaṃ janaḥ sarvaḥ kleśānāṃ tvaṃ sukhocitaḥ | guptyarthaṃ jāgariṣyāmaḥ kākutsthasya vayaṃ niśām

"All these men are used to hardship, while you are fit only for comfort. We shall keep watch through the night, to guard Kakutstha."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.51.4)

न हि रामात् प्रियतरो ममास्ति भुवि कश्चन। ब्रवीम्येतदहं सत्यं सत्येनैव च ते शपे॥ २-५१-४ ॥

na hi rāmāt priyataro mamāsti bhuvi kaścana | bravīmyetadahaṃ satyaṃ satyenaiva ca te śape

"There is truly none on this earth dearer to me than Rama; this I speak as truth, and by truth itself I swear it to you."

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.51.5)

अस्य प्रसादादाशंसे लोकेऽस्मिन् सुमहद्यशः। धर्मावाप्तिं च विपुलामर्थावाप्तिं च केवलाम्॥ २-५१-५ ॥

asya prasādādāśaṃse loke'smin sumahadyaśaḥ | dharmāvāptiṃ ca vipulāmarthāvāptiṃ ca kevalām

"By his grace I hope for great renown in this world, and for the ample attainment of dharma, and full attainment of wealth as well."

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.51.6)

सोऽहं प्रियसखं रामं शयानं सह सीतया। रक्षिष्यामि धनुष्पाणिः सर्वतो ज्ञातिभिः सह॥ २-५१-६ ॥

so'haṃ priyasakhaṃ rāmaṃ śayānaṃ saha sītayā | rakṣiṣyāmi dhanuṣpāṇiḥ sarvato jñātibhiḥ saha

"So I, bow in hand, together with my kinsmen, shall guard on every side my dear friend Rama as he sleeps there with Sita."

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.51.7)

न हि मेऽविदितं किंचिद्वनेऽस्मिंश्चरतः सदा। चतुरङ्गं ह्यपि बलं सुमहत् प्रसहेमहि॥ २-५१-७ ॥

na hi me'viditaṃ kiṃcidvane'smiṃścarataḥ sadā | caturaṅgaṃ hyapi balaṃ sumahat prasahemahi

"Nothing here is unknown to me, who wander always in this forest; we could overpower even a vast fourfold army."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.51.8)

लक्ष्मणस्तं तदोवाच रक्ष्यमाणास्त्वयानघ। नात्र भीता वयं सर्वे धर्ममेवानुपश्यता॥ २-५१-८ ॥

lakṣmaṇastaṃ tadovāca rakṣyamāṇāstvayānagha | nātra bhītā vayaṃ sarve dharmamevānupaśyatā

Then Lakshmana said to him, "Guarded by you, sinless one, who look only to dharma, none of us here feels any fear."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.51.9)

कथं दाशरथौ भूमौ शयाने सह सीतया। शक्या निद्रा मया लब्धुं जीवितं वा सुखानि वा॥ २-५१-९ ॥

kathaṃ dāśarathau bhūmau śayāne saha sītayā | śakyā nidrā mayā labdhuṃ jīvitaṃ vā sukhāni vā

"But when the son of Dasharatha lies on the bare ground with Sita, how could I obtain sleep, or care for life, or any comfort?"

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.51.10)

यो न देवासुरैः सर्वैः शक्यः प्रसहितुं युधि। तं पश्य सुखसंविष्टं तृणेषु सह सीतया॥ २-५१-१० ॥

yo na devāsuraiḥ sarvaiḥ śakyaḥ prasahituṃ yudhi | taṃ paśya sukhasaṃviṣṭaṃ tṛṇeṣu saha sītayā

"Look at him, whom neither gods nor demons together could overcome in battle, now lying comfortably upon the grass, with Sita beside him."

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.51.11)

यो मन्त्रतपसा लब्धो विविधैश्च परिश्रमैः। एको दशरथस्यैष पुत्रः सदृशलक्षणः॥ २-५१-११ ॥

yo mantratapasā labdho vividhaiśca pariśramaiḥ | eko daśarathasyaiṣa putraḥ sadṛśalakṣaṇaḥ

"This only son of Dasharatha, obtained through sacred chant, austerity, and manifold labours, bears marks like his father's own."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.51.12)

अस्मिन् प्रव्रजिते राजा न चिरं वर्तयिष्यति। विधवा मेदिनी नूनं क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति॥ २-५१-१२ ॥

asmin pravrajite rājā na ciraṃ vartayiṣyati | vidhavā medinī nūnaṃ kṣiprameva bhaviṣyati

"Now that he has gone into exile, the king will not long survive; surely this earth will soon become a widow."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.51.13)

विनद्य सुमहानादं श्रमेणोपरताः स्त्रियः। निर्घोषोपरतं तात मन्ये राजनिवेशनम्॥ २-५१-१३ ॥

vinadya sumahānādaṃ śrameṇoparatāḥ striyaḥ | nirghoṣoparataṃ tāta manye rājaniveśanam

"Having wailed aloud, the women, worn out with their grief, must now have fallen silent; I think, dear friend, that the palace's tumult has by now died down."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.51.14)

कौसल्या चैव राजा च तथैव जननी मम। नाशंसे यदि जीवन्ति सर्वे ते शर्वरीमिमाम्॥ २-५१-१४ ॥

kausalyā caiva rājā ca tathaiva jananī mama | nāśaṃse yadi jīvanti sarve te śarvarīmimām

"I do not know whether Kausalya, and the king, and my own mother too, will all live through this very night."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.51.15)

जीवेदपि हि मे माता शत्रुघ्नस्यान्ववेक्षया। तद्दुःखं यत्तु कौसल्या वीरसूर्विनशिष्यति॥ २-५१-१५ ॥

jīvedapi hi me mātā śatrughnasyānvavekṣayā | tadduḥkhaṃ yattu kausalyā vīrasūrvinaśiṣyati

"My mother, perhaps, might live on, watching for Shatrughna's return; but the sorrow will be if Kausalya, the mother of a hero, should perish."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.51.16)

अनुरक्तजनाकीर्णा सुखालोकप्रियावहा। राजव्यसनसंसृष्टा सा पुरी विनशिष्यति॥ २-५१-१६ ॥

anuraktajanākīrṇā sukhālokapriyāvahā | rājavyasanasaṃsṛṣṭā sā purī vinaśiṣyati

"That city, thronged with devoted people, whose very sight brought joy and delight, will now perish, bound up with the king's calamity."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.51.17)

कथं पुत्रं महात्मानं ज्येष्ठं प्रियमपश्यतः। शरीरं धारयिष्यन्ति प्राणा राज्ञो महात्मनः॥ २-५१-१७ ॥

kathaṃ putraṃ mahātmānaṃ jyeṣṭhaṃ priyamapaśyataḥ | śarīraṃ dhārayiṣyanti prāṇā rājño mahātmanaḥ

"Not seeing his great, eldest, and beloved son, how shall the vital breaths sustain the body of that noble king?"

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.51.18)

विनष्टे नृपतौ पश्चात्कौसल्या विनशिष्यति। अनन्तरं च मातापि मम नाशमुपैष्यति॥ २-५१-१८ ॥

vinaṣṭe nṛpatau paścātkausalyā vinaśiṣyati | anantaraṃ ca mātāpi mama nāśamupaiṣyati

"When the king perishes, Kausalya will perish after him; and after her, my own mother too will meet her end."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.51.19)

अतिक्रान्तमतिक्रान्तमनवाप्य मनोरथम्। राज्ये राममनिक्षिप्य पिता मे विनशिष्यति॥ २-५१-१९ ॥

atikrāntamatikrāntamanavāpya manoratham | rājye rāmamanikṣipya pitā me vinaśiṣyati

"His cherished wish forever unfulfilled, without having set Rama upon the throne, saying only 'It has passed, it has passed,' my father will give up his life."

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.51.20)

सिद्धार्थाः पितरं वृत्तं तस्मिन् काले ह्युपस्थिते। प्रेतकार्येषु सर्वेषु संस्करिष्यन्ति भूमिपम्॥ २-५१-२० ॥

siddhārthāḥ pitaraṃ vṛttaṃ tasmin kāle hyupasthite | pretakāryeṣu sarveṣu saṃskariṣyanti bhūmipam

"When that hour has come, those who remain shall perform all the funeral rites for my departed father, the king - and they alone shall have fulfilled their purpose."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.51.21)

रम्यचत्वरसंस्थानां सुविभक्तमहापथाम्। हर्म्यप्रासादसम्पन्नां गणिकावरशोभिताम्॥ २-५१-२१ ॥

ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām | harmyaprāsādasampannāṃ gaṇikāvaraśobhitām

"With its lovely squares, its well-laid great roads, rich in mansions and palaces, adorned with the finest courtesans,

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.51.22)

रथाश्वगजसम्बाधां तूर्यनादविनादिताम्। सर्वकल्याणसम्पूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम्॥ २-५१-२२ ॥

rathāśvagajasambādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām | sarvakalyāṇasampūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām

thronged with chariots, horses, and elephants, resounding with the music of instruments, filled with every blessing, crowded with the hale and hearty,

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.51.23)

आरामोद्यानसम्पन्नां समाजोत्सवशालिनीम्। सुखिता विचरिष्यन्ति राजधानीं पितुर्मम॥ २-५१-२३ ॥

ārāmodyānasampannāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm | sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ piturmama

graced with parks and gardens, and bright with festive gatherings - in that capital of my father, people will move about in happiness."

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.51.24)

अपि जीवेद्दशरथो वनवासात्पुनर्वयम्। प्रत्यागम्य महात्मानमपि पश्येम सुव्रतम्॥ २-५१-२४ ॥

api jīveddaśaratho vanavāsātpunarvayam | pratyāgamya mahātmānamapi paśyema suvratam

"Will Dasharatha still be alive when we return from our forest exile? Shall we, coming back, see again that great soul of noble vows?"

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.51.25)

अपि सत्यप्रतिज्ञेन सार्धं कुशलिना वयम्। निवृत्ते वनवासेऽस्मिन्नयोध्यां प्रविशेमहि॥ २-५१-२५ ॥

api satyapratijñena sārdhaṃ kuśalinā vayam | nivṛtte vanavāse'sminnayodhyāṃ praviśemahi

"When this forest-dwelling is over, shall we, together with the truthful Rama, enter Ayodhya again, safe and well?"

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.51.26)

परिदेवयमानस्य दुःखार्तस्य महात्मनः। तिष्ठतो राजपुत्रस्य शर्वरी सात्यवर्तत॥ २-५१-२६ ॥

paridevayamānasya duḥkhārtasya mahātmanaḥ | tiṣṭhato rājaputrasya śarvarī sātyavartata

Thus lamenting, that great-souled prince, afflicted with grief and standing there, passed through that night.

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.51.27)

तथा हि सत्यं ब्रुवति प्रजाहिते नरेन्द्रपुत्रे गुरुसौहृदाद्गुहः। मुमोच बाष्पं व्यसनाभिपीडितो ज्वरातुरो नाग इव व्यथातुरः॥ २-५१-२७ ॥

tathā hi satyaṃ bruvati prajāhite narendraputre gurusauhṛdādguhaḥ | mumoca bāṣpaṃ vyasanābhipīḍito jvarāturo nāga iva vyathāturaḥ

As the prince, ever intent on his people's welfare, spoke thus in truth, out of deep affection for his elder brother, Guha too was overcome with distress and shed tears, tormented with anguish like an elephant afflicted with fever.