The Great Departure Begins

Shloka 1 (uttara.109.1)

प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पृथुवक्षा महायशाः । रामः कमलपत्राक्षः पुरोधसमथाब्रवीत् ।। ७.१०९.१ ।।

prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ pṛthuvakṣā mahāyaśāḥ | rāmaḥ kamalapatrākṣaḥ purodhasam athābravīt || 7.109.1 ||

When night had given way to dawn, broad-chested, far-famed Rama, his eyes like lotus petals, spoke then to the priest.

Shloka 2 (uttara.109.2)

अग्निहोत्रं व्रजत्वग्रे दीप्यमानं सह द्विजैः । वाजपेयातपत्रं च शोभमानं महापथे ।। ७.१०९.२ ।।

agnihotraṃ vrajatv agre dīpyamānaṃ saha dvijaiḥ | vājapeyātapatraṃ ca śobhamānaṃ mahāpathe || 7.109.2 ||

"Let the sacred fire go before me, blazing, together with the brahmins, and the ceremonial parasol of the Vajapeya sacrifice, resplendent, upon the great road."

Shloka 3 (uttara.109.3)

ततो वसिष्ठस्तेजस्वी सर्वं निरवशेषतः । चकार विधिवद्धर्मं महाप्रास्थानिकं विधिम् ।। ७.१०९.३ ।।

tato vasiṣṭhas tejasvī sarvaṃ niravaśeṣataḥ | cakāra vidhivad dharmaṃ mahāprāsthānikaṃ vidhim || 7.109.3 ||

Then the radiant Vasishtha, according to rule, performed the entire sacred rite of the Great Departure in full, leaving nothing undone.

Shloka 4 (uttara.109.4)

ततः सूक्ष्माम्बरधरो ब्रह्ममावर्तयन्परम् । कुशान्गृहीत्वा पाणिभ्यां प्रसज्य प्रययावथ ।। ७.१०९.४ ।।

tataḥ sūkṣmāmbaradharo brahma māvartayan param | kuśān gṛhītvā pāṇibhyāṃ prasajya prayayāv atha || 7.109.4 ||

Then, clad in fine raiment, murmuring the supreme brahman-mantra, holding kusha grass gathered in both hands, wholly intent, he set forth.

Shloka 5 (uttara.109.5)

अव्याहरन्क्वचित्किञ्चिन्निश्चेष्टो निःसुखः पथि । निर्जगाम गृहात्तस्माद्दीप्यमान इवांशुमान् ।। ७.१०९.५ ।।

avyāharan kvacit kiñcin niśceṣṭo niḥsukhaḥ pathi | nirjagāma gṛhāt tasmād dīpyamāna ivāṃśumān || 7.109.5 ||

Speaking not a word anywhere along the way, motionless, without joy, he went forth from that house as if it were the blazing sun itself departing.

Shloka 6 (uttara.109.6)

रामस्य दक्षिणे पार्श्वे सपद्मा श्रीरपाश्रिता । सव्ये तु ह्रीर्महादेवी व्यवसायस्तथाग्रतः ।। ७.१०९.६ ।।

rāmasya dakṣiṇe pārśve sapadmā śrīr apāśritā | savye tu hrīr mahādevī vyavasāyas tathāgrataḥ || 7.109.6 ||

On Rama's right side walked Shri [Fortune], lotus in hand; on his left, the great goddess Hri [Modesty]; and before him, likewise, Vyavasaya [Resolve].

Shloka 7 (uttara.109.7)

शरा नानाविधाश्चापि धनुरायतमुत्तमम् । तथा ऽ ऽयुधानि ते सर्वे ययुः पुरुषविग्रहाः ।। ७.१०९.७ ।।

śarā nānāvidhāś cāpi dhanur āyatam uttamam | tathāyudhāni te sarve yayuḥ puruṣavigrahāḥ || 7.109.7 ||

Arrows of every kind, his great and excellent bow, and likewise all his other weapons -- all of these went along behind him, having taken on human form.

Shloka 8 (uttara.109.8)

वेदा ब्राह्मणरूपेण गायत्री सर्वरक्षिणी । ओङ्कारो ऽथ वषट्कारः सर्वे राममनुव्रताः ।। ७.१०९.८ ।।

vedā brāhmaṇarūpeṇa gāyatrī sarvarakṣiṇī | oṅkāro 'tha vaṣaṭkāraḥ sarve rāmam anuvratāḥ || 7.109.8 ||

The Vedas in the form of a brahmin, the all-protecting Gayatri, the syllable Om, and the sacrificial Vashat-call -- all these followed after Rama.

Shloka 9 (uttara.109.9)

ऋषयश्च महात्मानः सर्व एव महीसुराः । अन्वगच्छन्महात्मानं स्वर्गद्वारमपावृतम् ।। ७.१०९.९ ।।

ṛṣayaś ca mahātmānaḥ sarva eva mahīsurāḥ | anvagacchan mahātmānaṃ svargadvāram apāvṛtam || 7.109.9 ||

And the great-souled sages, all those gods of the earth [the brahmins], followed after that great-souled one, for whom the gate of heaven stood open.

Shloka 10 (uttara.109.10)

तं यान्तमनुगच्छन्ति ह्यन्तःपुरचराः स्त्रियः । सवृद्धबालदासीकाः सवर्षवरकिङ्कराः ।। ७.१०९.१० ।।

taṃ yāntam anugacchanti hy antaḥpuracarāḥ striyaḥ | savṛddhabāladāsīkāḥ savarṣavarakiṅkarāḥ || 7.109.10 ||

Following him as he went were the women of the inner apartments -- together with the aged, the young, the serving-maids, and the seasoned attendant-servants.

Shloka 11 (uttara.109.11)

सान्तःपुरश्च भरतः शत्रुघ्नसहितो ययौ । रामं गतिमुपागम्य साग्निहोत्रमनुव्रतः ।। ७.१०९.११ ।।

sāntaḥpuraś ca bharataḥ śatrughnasahito yayau | rāmaṃ gatim upāgamya sāgnihotram anuvrataḥ || 7.109.11 ||

Bharata too, together with his inner household, accompanied by Shatrughna, and with his sacred fire, went on, following Rama upon that same path.

Shloka 12 (uttara.109.12)

ते च सर्वे महात्मानः साग्निहोत्राः समागताः । सपुत्रदाराः काकुत्स्थमनुजग्मुर्महामतिम् ।। ७.१०९.१२ ।।

te ca sarve mahātmānaḥ sāgnihotrāḥ samāgatāḥ | saputradārāḥ kākutsthamanujagmur mahāmatim || 7.109.12 ||

And all those great souls, gathered together with their sacred fires, together with their sons and wives, followed after that wise Kakutstha.

Shloka 13 (uttara.109.13)

मन्त्रिणो भृत्यवर्गाश्च सपुत्रपशुबान्धवाः । सर्वे सहानुगा राममन्वगच्छन्प्रहृष्टवत् ।। ७.१०९.१३ ।।

mantriṇo bhṛtyavargāś ca saputrapaśubāndhavāḥ | sarve sahānugā rāmam anvagacchan prahṛṣṭavat || 7.109.13 ||

The ministers, the ranks of servants, together with their sons, cattle and kinsfolk, all followed after Rama, with their own retinues, joyfully.

Shloka 14 (uttara.109.14)

ततः सर्वाः प्रकृतयो हृष्टपुष्टजनावृताः । गच्छन्तमन्वगछंस्तं राघवं गुणरञ्जिताः ।। ७.१०९.१४ ।।

tataḥ sarvāḥ prakṛtayo hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanāvṛtāḥ | gacchantam anvagacchaṃs taṃ rāghavaṃ guṇarañjitāḥ || 7.109.14 ||

Then all the citizens, surrounded by joyful, thriving people, drawn by his virtues, followed after Raghava as he went.

Shloka 15 (uttara.109.15)

ततः सस्त्रीपुमांसस्ते सपक्षिपशुवाहनाः । राघवस्यानुगाः सर्वे हृष्टा विगतकल्मषाः ।। ७.१०९.१५ ।।

tataḥ sastrīpumāṃsas te sapakṣipaśuvāhanāḥ | rāghavasyānugāḥ sarve hṛṣṭā vigatakalmaṣāḥ || 7.109.15 ||

Then, with men and women, with birds, beasts and vehicles besides, all of them, joyful and cleansed of sin, became followers of Raghava.

Shloka 16 (uttara.109.16)

स्नाताः प्रमुदिताः सर्वे हृष्टाः पुष्टाश्च वानराः । दृढं किलकिलाशब्दैः सर्वं राममनुव्रतम् ।। ७.१०९.१६ ।।

snātāḥ pramuditāḥ sarve hṛṣṭāḥ puṣṭāś ca vānarāḥ | dṛḍhaṃ kilikilāśabdaiḥ sarvaṃ rāmam anuvratam || 7.109.16 ||

Bathed, rejoicing, glad and thriving, the vanaras -- all of them, with their loud chattering cries, followed close after Rama.

Shloka 17 (uttara.109.17)

न तत्र कश्चिद्दीनो वा व्रीडितो वा ऽपि दुःखितः । हृष्टं समुदितं सर्वं बभूव परमाद्भुतम् ।। ७.१०९.१७ ।।

na tatra kaścid dīno vā vrīḍito vāpi duḥkhitaḥ | hṛṣṭaṃ samuditaṃ sarvaṃ babhūva paramādbhutam || 7.109.17 ||

There was none there who was wretched, or ashamed, or sorrowful; everything was, most wondrously, joyful and exultant.

Shloka 18 (uttara.109.18)

द्रष्टुकामो ऽथ निर्यान्तं रामं जानपदो जनः । यः प्राप्तः सो ऽपि दृष्ट्वैव स्वर्गायानुगतो मुदा ।। ७.१०९.१८ ।।

draṣṭukāmo 'tha niryāntaṃ rāmaṃ jānapado janaḥ | yaḥ prāptaḥ so 'pi dṛṣṭvaiva svargāyānugato mudā || 7.109.18 ||

And whatever countryfolk arrived there, desiring to see Rama departing, the moment they saw him, joyfully followed him too, toward heaven.

Shloka 19 (uttara.109.19)

ऋक्षवानररक्षांसि जनाश्च पुरवासिनः । आगच्छन्परया भक्त्या पृष्ठतः सुसमाहिताः ।। ७.१०९.१९ ।।

ṛkṣavānararakṣāṃsi janāś ca puravāsinaḥ | āgacchan parayā bhaktyā pṛṣṭhataḥ susamāhitāḥ || 7.109.19 ||

Bears, vanaras, rakshasas, and the city-dwelling people -- all came on, following behind with the utmost devotion, wholly intent.

Shloka 20 (uttara.109.20)

यानि भूतानि नगरे ऽप्यन्तर्धानगतानि च । राघवं तान्यनुययुः स्वर्गाय समुपस्थितम् ।। ७.१०९.२० ।।

yāni bhūtāni nagare 'py antardhānagatāni ca | rāghavaṃ tāny anuyayuḥ svargāya samupasthitam || 7.109.20 ||

Whatever beings there were in the city, even those that had become invisible, followed after Raghava as he set out for heaven.

Shloka 21 (uttara.109.21)

यानि पश्यन्ति काकुत्स्थं स्थावराणि चराणि च । सर्वाणि रामगमने ह्यनुजग्मुर्हि तान्यपि ।। ७.१०९.२१ ।।

yāni paśyanti kākutsthaṃ sthāvarāṇi carāṇi ca | sarvāṇi rāmagamane hy anujagmur hi tāny api || 7.109.21 ||

Whatever creatures, moving or unmoving, beheld Kakutstha -- all of them too followed along at Rama's departure.

Shloka 22 (uttara.109.22)

नोच्छ्वसत्तदयोध्यायां सुसूक्ष्ममपि दृश्यते । तिर्यग्योनिगताश्चापि सर्वे राममनुव्रताः ।। ७.१०९.२२ ।।

nocchvasat tad ayodhyāyāṃ susūkṣmam api dṛśyate | tiryagyonigatāś cāpi sarve rāmam anuvratāḥ || 7.109.22 ||

At that time, not even the smallest breathing creature was to be seen anywhere in Ayodhya; even those born in animal wombs had all become followers of Rama.