Bharata's Lament at the Ingudi Tree

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.88.1)

तत् श्रुत्वा निपुणम् सर्वम् भरतः सह मन्त्रिभिः । इंगुदी मूलम् आगम्य राम शय्याम् अवेक्ष्य ताम् ॥ 88.1 ॥

tat śrutvā nipuṇam sarvam bharataḥ saha mantribhiḥ | iṃgudī mūlam āgamya rāma śayyām avekṣya tām || 88.1 ||

Having heard all that in full detail, Bharata, together with his ministers, came to the foot of the Ingudi tree and gazed upon that bed where Rama had lain.

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.88.2)

अब्रवीद् जननीः सर्वा इह तेन महात्मना । शर्वरी शयिता भूमौ इदम् अस्य विमर्दितम् ॥ 88.2 ॥

abravīd jananīḥ sarvā iha tena mahātmanā | śarvarī śayitā bhūmau idam asya vimarditam || 88.2 ||

He said to all his mothers, 'It was here that the noble one spent the night; the earth still bears the marks of his body pressed upon it.'

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.88.3)

महाभाग कुलीनेन महाभागेन धीमता । जातो दशरथेन ऊर्व्याम् न रामः स्वप्तुम् अर्हति ॥ 88.3 ॥

mahābhāga kulīnena mahābhāgena dhīmatā | jāto daśarathena ūrvyām na rāmaḥ svaptum arhati || 88.3 ||

'Rama, born of the illustrious and wise Dasharatha in so noble a line, does not deserve to sleep upon the bare earth.'

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.88.4)

अजिन उत्तर संस्तीर्णे वर आस्तरण संचये । शयित्वा पुरुष व्याघ्रः कथम् शेते मही तले ॥ 88.4 ॥

ajina uttara saṃstīrṇe vara āstaraṇa saṃcaye | śayitvā puruṣa vyāghraḥ katham śete mahī tale || 88.4 ||

'How can that tiger among men, who used to sleep on rich cushioned couches spread over with fine antelope skins, now lie down on the ground?'

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.88.5)

प्रासाद अग्र विमानेषु वलभीषु च सर्वदा । हैम राजत भौमेषु वर आस्तरण शालिषु ॥ 88.5 ॥

prāsāda agra vimāneṣu valabhīṣu ca sarvadā | haima rājata bhaumeṣu vara āstaraṇa śāliṣu || 88.5 ||

'He who ever dwelt in the finest palaces and their upper terraces, like the chariots of the gods, on floors of gold and silver, in chambers furnished with excellent bedding,'

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.88.6)

पुष्प संचय चित्रेषु चन्दन अगरु गन्धिषु । पाण्डुर अभ्र प्रकाशेषु शुक संघ रुतेषु च ॥ 88.6 ॥

puṣpa saṃcaya citreṣu candana agaru gandhiṣu | pāṇḍura abhra prakāśeṣu śuka saṃgha ruteṣu ca || 88.6 ||

'in rooms bright with heaps of flowers, fragrant with sandal and aloe, radiant white as clouds, echoing with the chatter of flocks of parrots,'

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.88.7)

प्रासादवरवर्येषु शीतवत्सु सुगन्धिषु । उषित्वा मेरुकल्पेषु कृतकांचनभित्तिषु ॥ 88.7 ॥

prāsādavaravaryeṣu śītavatsu sugandhiṣu | uṣitvā merukalpeṣu kṛtakāñcanabhittiṣu || 88.7 ||

'having dwelt in those finest of mansions—cool, fragrant, grand as Mount Meru itself, their very walls wrought in gold—'

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.88.8)

गीत वादित्र निर्घोषैर् वर आभरण निःस्वनैः । मृदंग वर शब्दैः च सततम् प्रतिबोधितः ॥ 88.8 ॥

gīta vāditra nirghoṣair vara ābharaṇa niḥsvanaiḥ | mṛdaṃga vara śabdaiḥ ca satatam pratibodhitaḥ || 88.8 ||

'who was daily awakened by the strains of song and music, the tinkling of fine ornaments, and the sweet beat of the mridanga drums,'

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.88.9)

बन्दिभिर् वन्दितः काले बहुभिः सूत मागधैः । गाथाभिर् अनुरूपाभिः स्तुतिभिः च परन्तपः ॥ 88.9 ॥

bandibhir vanditaḥ kāle bahubhiḥ sūta māgadhaiḥ | gāthābhir anurūpābhiḥ stutibhiḥ ca parantapaḥ || 88.9 ||

—that scorcher of the foe, daily hailed by countless bards, panegyrists and heralds with fitting songs and praises—

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.88.10)

अश्रद्धेयम् इदम् लोके न सत्यम् प्रतिभाति मा । मुह्यते खलु मे भावः स्वप्नो ऽयम् इति मे मतिः ॥ 88.10 ॥

aśraddheyam idam loke na satyam pratibhāti mā | muhyate khalu me bhāvaḥ svapno'yam iti me matiḥ || 88.10 ||

'This seems unbelievable to the world, and does not appear true to me at all. My mind is truly bewildered; I feel as though it must be a dream.'

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.88.11)

न नूनम् दैवतम् किंचित् कालेन बलवत्तरम् । यत्र दाशरथी रामो भूमौ एवम् शयीत सः ॥ 88.11 ॥

na nūnam daivatam kiṃcit kālena balavattaram | yatra dāśarathī rāmo bhūmau evam śayīta saḥ || 88.11 ||

'Surely no deity is mightier than Time itself, since because of it Rama, son of Dasharatha, must sleep like this upon the ground.'

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.88.12)

विदेह राजस्य सुता सीता च प्रिय दर्शना । दयिता शयिता भूमौ स्नुषा दशरथस्य च ॥ 88.12 ॥

videha rājasya sutā sītā ca priya darśanā | dayitā śayitā bhūmau snuṣā daśarathasya ca || 88.12 ||

'Even Sita, the lovely daughter of the king of Videha and the cherished daughter-in-law of Dasharatha, has had to sleep on this ground.'

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.88.13)

इयम् शय्या मम भ्रातुर् इदम् हि परिवर्तितम् । स्थण्डिले कठिने सर्वम् गात्रैर् विमृदितम् तृणम् ॥ 88.13 ॥

iyam śayyā mama bhrātur idam hi parivartitam | sthaṇḍile kaṭhine sarvam gātrair vimṛditam tṛṇam || 88.13 ||

'This is my elder brother's bed; here are the marks of his turning through the night—all this grass, trampled flat by his limbs upon the hard ground.'

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.88.14)

मन्ये साभरणा सुप्ता सीता अस्मिन् शयने तदा । तत्र तत्र हि दृश्यन्ते सक्ताः कनक बिन्दवः ॥ 88.14 ॥

manye sābharaṇā suptā sītā asmin śayane tadā | tatra tatra hi dṛśyante saktāḥ kanaka bindavaḥ || 88.14 ||

'I think Sita, still wearing her jewels, slept that night on this very bed, for here and there tiny flecks of gold can be seen clinging to it.'

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.88.15)

उत्तरीयम् इह आसक्तम् सुव्यक्तम् सीतया तदा । तथा ह्य् एते प्रकाशन्ते सक्ताः कौशेय तन्तवः ॥ 88.15 ॥

uttarīyam iha āsaktam suvyaktam sītayā tadā | tathā hy ete prakāśante saktāḥ kauśeya tantavaḥ || 88.15 ||

'It is quite clear that Sita's upper garment caught here at that time, for these threads of silk can plainly be seen still clinging to the grass.'

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.88.16)

मन्ये भर्तुः सुखा शय्या येन बाला तपस्विनी । सुकुमारी सती दुःखम् न विजानाति मैथिली ॥ 88.16 ॥

manye bhartuḥ sukhā śayyā yena bālā tapasvinī | sukumārī satī duḥkham na vijānāti maithilī || 88.16 ||

'I think it is her husband's presence that makes even this bed feel sweet, for the young and delicate Maithili, unfortunate as she is, does not seem to feel its hardship at all.'

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.88.17)

हा हन्ता अस्मि नृशंसो ऽहम् यत् सभार्यः कृते मम । ईदृशीं राघवः शय्याम् अधिशेते ह्यनाथवत् ॥ 88.17 ॥

hā hantā asmi nṛśaṃso'ham yat sabhāryaḥ kṛte mama | īdṛśīṃ rāghavaḥ śayyām adhiśete hyanāthavat || 88.17 ||

'Alas, how cruel I am, that on my account Rama, together with his wife, lies on such a bed as though he were without a protector!'

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.88.18)

सार्वभौम कुले जातः सर्व लोक सुख आवहः । सर्व लोक प्रियः त्यक्त्वा राज्यम् प्रियम् अनुत्तमम् ॥ 88.18 ॥

sārvabhauma kule jātaḥ sarva loka sukha āvahaḥ | sarva loka priyaḥ tyaktvā rājyam priyam anuttamam || 88.18 ||

'Born in a line of universal sovereigns, a bringer of joy to the whole world, beloved of all people, having given up his own dear and unrivalled kingdom,'

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.88.19)

कथम् इन्दीवर श्यामो रक्त अक्षः प्रिय दर्शनः । सुख भागी च दुःख अर्हः शयितो भुवि राघवः ॥ 88.19 ॥

katham indīvara śyāmo rakta akṣaḥ priya darśanaḥ | sukha bhāgī ca duḥkha arhaḥ śayito bhuvi rāghavaḥ || 88.19 ||

'—how is it that Raghava, dark as the blue lotus, red-eyed, lovely to behold, one fit only for happiness and never for suffering, now lies upon the ground?'

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.88.20)

धन्यः खलु महाभागो लक्ष्मणः शुभलक्षणः । भ्रातरम् विषमे काले यो रामम् अनुवर्तते ॥ 88.20 ॥

dhanyaḥ khalu mahābhāgo lakṣmaṇaḥ śubhalakṣaṇaḥ | bhrātaram viṣame kāle yo rāmam anuvartate || 88.20 ||

'Truly blessed and fortunate is Lakshmana, marked with every auspicious sign, who follows his elder brother even in this time of adversity.'

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.88.21)

सिद्धार्था खलु वैदेही पतिम् या अनुगता वनम् । वयम् संशयिताः सर्वे हीनाः तेन महात्मना ॥ 88.21 ॥

siddhārthā khalu vaidehī patim yā anugatā vanam | vayam saṃśayitāḥ sarve hīnāḥ tena mahātmanā || 88.21 ||

'Truly fulfilled is Vaidehi, who followed her husband into the forest. It is we, deprived of that great soul, who are left in uncertainty.'

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.88.22)

अकर्ण धारा पृथिवी शून्या इव प्रतिभाति मा । गते दशरथे स्वर्गे रामे च अरण्यम् आश्रिते ॥ 88.22 ॥

akarṇa dhārā pṛthivī śūnyā iva pratibhāti mā | gate daśarathe svarge rāme ca araṇyam āśrite || 88.22 ||

'With Dasharatha gone to heaven and Rama taking refuge in the forest, this whole earth seems to me empty, like a boat without a helmsman.'

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.88.23)

न च प्रार्थयते कश्चिन् मनसा अपि वसुंधराम् । वने अपि वसतः तस्य बाहु वीर्य अभिरक्षिताम् ॥ 88.23 ॥

na ca prārthayate kaścin manasā api vasuṃdharām | vane api vasataḥ tasya bāhu vīrya abhirakṣitām || 88.23 ||

'Yet no one dares even think in his mind of coveting this earth, for even while dwelling in the forest, Rama still guards it with the might of his arm.'

Shloka 24 (ayodhya.88.24)

शून्य संवरणा रक्षाम् अयन्त्रित हय द्विपाम् । अपावृत पुर द्वाराम् राज धानीम् अरक्षिताम् ॥ 88.24 ॥

śūnya saṃvaraṇā rakṣām ayantrita haya dvipām | apāvṛta pura dvārām rāja dhānīm arakṣitām || 88.24 ||

'That capital city—its ramparts left unwatched, its horses and elephants unrestrained, its gates thrown open, without guards,'

Shloka 25 (ayodhya.88.25)

अप्रहृष्ट बलाम् न्यूनाम् विषमस्थाम् अनावृताम् । शत्रवो न अभिमन्यन्ते भक्ष्यान् विष कृतान् इव ॥ 88.25 ॥

aprahṛṣṭa balām nyūnām viṣamasthām anāvṛtām | śatravo na abhimanyante bhakṣyān viṣa kṛtān iva || 88.25 ||

'—stripped of its cheerful army, weakened, exposed and defenseless—yet even the enemy will not covet it, shunning it as they would poisoned food.'

Shloka 26 (ayodhya.88.26)

अद्य प्रभृति भूमौ तु शयिष्ये अहम् तृणेषु वा । फल मूल अशनो नित्यम् जटा चीराणि धारयन् ॥ 88.26 ॥

adya prabhṛti bhūmau tu śayiṣye aham tṛṇeṣu vā | phala mūla aśano nityam jaṭā cīrāṇi dhārayan || 88.26 ||

'From today I too shall sleep upon the earth or on grass, living always on fruit and roots, wearing matted locks and bark garments.'

Shloka 27 (ayodhya.88.27)

तस्य अर्थम् उत्तरम् कालम् निवत्स्यामि सुखम् वने । तम् प्रतिश्रवम् आमुच्य न अस्य मिथ्या भविष्यति ॥ 88.27 ॥

tasya artham uttaram kālam nivatsyāmi sukham vane | tam pratiśravam āmucya na asya mithyā bhaviṣyati || 88.27 ||

'For the rest of his term I too shall dwell contentedly in the forest on his behalf, discharging this vow so that his promise shall not have been made in vain.'

Shloka 28 (ayodhya.88.28)

वसन्तम् भ्रातुर् अर्थाय शत्रुघ्नो माम् अनुवत्स्यति । लक्ष्मणेन सह तु आर्यो अयोध्याम् पालयिष्यति ॥ 88.28 ॥

vasantam bhrātur arthāya śatrughno mām anuvatsyati | lakṣmaṇena saha tu āryo ayodhyām pālayiṣyati || 88.28 ||

'Shatrughna will keep me company, dwelling in the forest for my brother's sake, while the noble Rama, together with Lakshmana, shall rule Ayodhya instead.'

Shloka 29 (ayodhya.88.29)

अभिषेक्ष्यन्ति काकुत्स्थम् अयोध्यायाम् द्विजातयः । अपि मे देवताः कुर्युर् इमम् सत्यम् मनोरथम् ॥ 88.29 ॥

abhiṣekṣyanti kākutstham ayodhyāyām dvijātayaḥ | api me devatāḥ kuryur imam satyam manoratham || 88.29 ||

'Then the twice-born will duly anoint Kakutstha in Ayodhya. May the gods indeed grant that this wish of mine come true!'

Shloka 30 (ayodhya.88.30)

प्रसाद्यमानः शिरसा मया स्वयं बहुप्रकारं यदि न प्रपत्स्यते । ततो ऽनुवत्स्यामि चिराय राघवं वनेचरं नार्हति माम् उपेक्षितुम् ॥ 88.30 ॥

prasādyamānaḥ śirasā mayā svayaṃ bahuprakāraṃ yadi na prapatsyate | tato'nuvatsyāmi cirāya rāghavaṃ vanecaraṃ nārhati mām upekṣitum || 88.30 ||

'And if, in spite of my bowing my head and pleading with him myself in so many ways, he still will not consent, then I shall dwell on with Raghava as long as he wanders the forest—he ought not to disregard me thus.'