Bharata's Ill Omen

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.69.1)

यामेव रात्रिं ते दूताः प्रविशन्ति स्म तां पुरीम्। भरतेनापि तां रात्रिं स्वप्नो दृष्टोऽयमप्रियः॥ २-६९-१ ॥

yāmeva rātriṃ te dūtāḥ praviśanti sma tāṃ purīm| bharatenāpi tāṃ rātriṃ svapno dṛṣṭo'yamapriyaḥ

On that very night when the messengers were entering that city, Bharata too had seen this unpleasant dream.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.69.2)

व्युष्टामेव तु तां रात्रिं दृष्ट्वा तं स्वप्नमप्रियम्। पुत्रो राजाधिराजस्य सुभृशं पर्यतप्यत॥ २-६९-२ ॥

vyuṣṭāmeva tu tāṃ rātriṃ dṛṣṭvā taṃ svapnamapriyam| putro rājādhirājasya subhṛśaṃ paryatapyata

At the very close of that night, having seen that unpleasant dream, the son of the sovereign king fell into deep anguish.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.69.3)

तप्यमानं समाज्ञाय वयस्याः प्रियवादिनः। आयासं हि विनेष्यन्तः सभायां चक्रिरे कथाः॥ २-६९-३ ॥

tapyamānaṃ samājñāya vayasyāḥ priyavādinaḥ| āyāsaṃ hi vineṣyantaḥ sabhāyāṃ cakrire kathāḥ

Knowing him distressed, his gently-spoken companions, hoping to dispel his weariness, began telling stories in the hall.

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.69.4)

वादयन्ति तथा शान्तिं लासयन्त्यपि चापरे। नाटकान्यपरे प्राहुर्हास्यानि विविधानि च॥ २-६९-४ ॥

vādayanti tathā śāntiṃ lāsayantyapi cāpare| nāṭakānyapare prāhurhāsyāni vividhāni ca

Some played music to soothe him, others took to dancing, others still put on plays, and some told jokes of every kind.

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.69.5)

स तैर्महात्मा भरतः सखिभिः प्रियवादिभिः। गोष्ठीहास्यानि कुर्वद्भिर्न प्राहृष्यत राघवः॥ २-६९-५ ॥

sa tairmahātmā bharataḥ sakhibhiḥ priyavādibhiḥ| goṣṭhīhāsyāni kurvadbhirna prāhṛṣyata rāghavaḥ

But that noble Bharata, despite those sweet-tongued friends filling the gathering with their jests, could not be made to feel cheerful.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.69.6)

तमब्रवीत् प्रियसखो भरतं सखिभिर्वृतम्। सुहृद्भिः पर्युपासीनः किं सखे नानुमोदसे॥ २-६९-६ ॥

tamabravīt priyasakho bharataṃ sakhibhirvṛtam| suhṛdbhiḥ paryupāsīnaḥ kiṃ sakhe nānumodase

A dear friend then said to Bharata, surrounded by his companions, "Friend, even seated here among your well-wishers, why do you not share our delight?"

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.69.7)

एवं ब्रुवाणं सुहृदं भरतः प्रत्युवाच ह। शृणु त्वं यन्निमित्तं मे दैन्यमेतदुपागतम्॥ २-६९-७ ॥

evaṃ bruvāṇaṃ suhṛdaṃ bharataḥ pratyuvāca ha| śṛṇu tvaṃ yannimittaṃ me dainyametadupāgatam

To that friend speaking thus, Bharata replied: "Listen, then, to the reason this dejection has come upon me."

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.69.8)

स्वप्ने पितरमद्राक्षं मलिनं मुक्तमूर्धजम्। पतन्तमद्रिशिखरात् कलुषे गोमये ह्रदे॥ २-६९-८ ॥

svapne pitaramadrākṣaṃ malinaṃ muktamūrdhajam| patantamadriśikharāt kaluṣe gomaye hrade

"In a dream, I saw my father, his body soiled and his hair unbound, falling from a mountain peak into a foul pool defiled with cow-dung."

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.69.9)

प्लवमानश्च मे दृष्टः स तस्मिन् गोमयह्रदे। पिबन्नञ्जलिना तैलं हसन्निव मुहुर्मुहुः॥ २-६९-९ ॥

plavamānaśca me dṛṣṭaḥ sa tasmin gomayahrade| pibannañjalinā tailaṃ hasanniva muhurmuhuḥ

I saw him also floating there in that dung-filled pool, drinking oil from his cupped palms, and laughing as though again and again.

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.69.10)

ततस्तिलोदनं भुक्त्वा पुनः पुनोऽधःशिराः। तैलेनाभ्यक्तसर्वाङ्गस्तैलमेवावगाहत॥ २-६९-१० ॥

tatastilodanaṃ bhuktvā punaḥ puno'dhaḥśirāḥ| tailenābhyaktasarvāṅgastailamevāvagāhata

Then, having eaten rice mixed with sesame, again and again bowing his head, his whole body smeared with oil, he plunged straight into that oil.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.69.11)

स्वप्नेऽपि सागरं शुष्कं चन्द्रं च पतितं भुवि। सहसा चापि संशान्तं ज्वलितं जातवेदसम्॥ २-६९-११ ॥

svapne'pi sāgaraṃ śuṣkaṃ candraṃ ca patitaṃ bhuvi| sahasā cāpi saṃśāntaṃ jvalitaṃ jātavedasam

"In the dream I also saw the ocean dried up, the moon fallen to the earth, and a blazing fire suddenly, utterly extinguished."

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.69.12)

औपवाह्यस्य नागस्य विषाणं शकलीकृतम्। सहसा चापि संशान्तं ज्वलितं जातवेदसम्॥ २-६९-१२ ॥

aupavāhyasya nāgasya viṣāṇaṃ śakalīkṛtam| sahasā cāpi saṃśāntaṃ jvalitaṃ jātavedasam

"I saw the tusk of the royal mount-elephant shattered into fragments, and again a blazing fire suddenly, utterly extinguished."

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.69.13)

अवदीर्णां च पृथिवीं शुष्कांश्च विविधान् द्रुमान्। अहं पश्यामि विध्वस्तान् सधूमांश्चैव पार्वतान्॥ २-६९-१३ ॥

avadīrṇāṃ ca pṛthivīṃ śuṣkāṃśca vividhān drumān| ahaṃ paśyāmi vidhvastān sadhūmāṃścaiva pārvatān

"I see the earth split apart, trees of every kind withered dry, and the mountains, wreathed in smoke, as if shattered."

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.69.14)

पीठे कार्ष्णायसे चैनं निषण्णं कृष्णवाससम्। प्रहसन्ति स्म राजानं प्रमदाः कृष्णपिङ्गलाः॥ २-६९-१४ ॥

pīṭhe kārṣṇāyase cainaṃ niṣaṇṇaṃ kṛṣṇavāsasam| prahasanti sma rājānaṃ pramadāḥ kṛṣṇapiṅgalāḥ

"I saw him seated on a black iron stool, clad in black garments, while women of black and tawny hue laughed at the king."

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.69.15)

त्वरमाणश्च धर्मात्मा रक्तमाल्यानुलेपनः। रथेन खरयुक्तेन प्रयातो दक्षिणामुखः॥ २-६९-१५ ॥

tvaramāṇaśca dharmātmā raktamālyānulepanaḥ| rathena kharayuktena prayāto dakṣiṇāmukhaḥ

"That righteous man, wreathed in red garlands and anointed with red paste, hurried off, facing south, in a chariot yoked to donkeys."

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.69.16)

प्रहसन्तीव राजानं प्रमदा रक्तवासिनी। प्रकर्षन्ती मया दृष्टा राक्षसी विकृतासना॥ २-६९-१६ ॥

prahasantīva rājānaṃ pramadā raktavāsinī| prakarṣantī mayā dṛṣṭā rākṣasī vikṛtāsanā

"I saw too a hideous-faced demoness in red garments, seeming to laugh at the king even as she dragged him along."

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.69.17)

एवमेतन्मया दृष्टमिमां रात्रिं भयावहाम्। अहं रामोऽथ वा राजा लक्ष्मणो वा मरिष्यति॥ २-६९-१७ ॥

evametanmayā dṛṣṭamimāṃ rātriṃ bhayāvahām| ahaṃ rāmo'tha vā rājā lakṣmaṇo vā mariṣyati

"All this I saw on this fear-laden night. It must mean that either I, or Rama, or the king, or Lakshmana shall die."

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.69.18)

नरो यानेन यः स्वप्ने खरयुक्तेन याति हि। अचिरात्तस्य धूमाग्रं चितायां संप्रदृश्यते॥ २-६९-१८ ॥

naro yānena yaḥ svapne kharayuktena yāti hi| acirāttasya dhūmāgraṃ citāyāṃ saṃpradṛśyate

"For a man who, in a dream, is seen riding in a vehicle yoked to donkeys - soon the smoke of his funeral pyre will be seen rising."

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.69.19)

एतन्निमित्तं दीनोऽहं तन्न वः प्रतिपूजये। शुष्यतीव च मे कण्ठो न स्वस्थमिव मे मनः॥ २-६९-१९ ॥

etannimittaṃ dīno'haṃ tanna vaḥ pratipūjaye| śuṣyatīva ca me kaṇṭho na svasthamiva me manaḥ

"For this reason I am wretched, and so I cannot honor you as I should; my throat feels parched, and my mind is far from at ease."

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.69.20)

न पश्यामि भयस्थानं भयं चैवोपधारये। भ्रष्टश्च स्वरयोगो मे छाया चोपहता मम। जुगुप्सन्निव चात्मानं न च पश्यामि कारणम्॥ २-६९-२० ॥

na paśyāmi bhayasthānaṃ bhayaṃ caivopadhāraye| bhraṣṭaśca svarayogo me chāyā copahatā mama| jugupsanniva cātmānaṃ na ca paśyāmi kāraṇam

"I see no cause for this fear, yet I feel it all the same; my very voice falters, my complexion has faded; I feel as though I loathe myself, yet I can see no reason for it."

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.69.21)

इमां हि दुःस्वप्नगतिं निशाम्य तां अनेकरूपामवितर्कितां पुरा। भयं महत्तद्धृदयान्न याति मे विचिन्त्य राजानमचिन्त्यदर्शनम्॥ २-६९-२१ ॥

imāṃ hi duḥsvapnagatiṃ niśāmya tāṃ anekarūpāmavitarkitāṃ purā| bhayaṃ mahattaddhṛdayānna yāti me vicintya rājānamacintyadarśanam

"Having witnessed this course of an ill dream, so many-shaped and never before imagined, and brooding upon that unimaginable vision of the king, this great fear will not leave my heart."