Rama's Lament for Lakshmana

Shloka 1 (yuddha.49.1)

घोरेण शरबन्धेन बद्धौ दशरथात्मजौ। निःश्वसन्तौ यथा नागौ शयानौ रुधिरोक्षितौ ॥ 49.1 ॥

ghoreṇa śarabandhena baddhau daśarathātmajau| niḥśvasantau yathā nāgau śayānau rudhirokṣitau || 49.1 ||

Bound by that terrible net of arrows, the two sons of Dasharatha lay drenched in blood, breathing heavily like serpents.

Shloka 2 (yuddha.49.2)

सर्वे ते वानरश्रेष्ठाः ससुग्रीवमहाबलाः। परिवार्य महात्मानौ तस्थुः शोकपरिप्लुताः ॥ 49.2 ॥

sarve te vānaraśreṣṭhāḥ sasugrīvamahābalāḥ| parivārya mahātmānau tasthuḥ śokapariplutāḥ || 49.2 ||

All those foremost of monkeys, mighty ones together with Sugriva, stood surrounding the two great souls, overwhelmed with grief.

Shloka 3 (yuddha.49.3)

एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रामः प्रत्यबुध्यत वीर्यवान्। स्थिरत्वात् सत्त्वयोगाच्च शरैः संदानितोऽपि सन् ॥ 49.3 ॥

etasminnantare rāmaḥ pratyabudhyata vīryavān| sthiratvāt sattvayogācca śaraiḥ saṃdānito'pi san || 49.3 ||

In the meantime, the mighty Rama, though bound fast by arrows, regained consciousness by virtue of his steadfastness and native strength.

Shloka 4 (yuddha.49.4)

ततो दृष्ट्वा सरुधिरं निषण्णं गाढमर्पितम्। भ्रातरं दीनवदनं पर्यदेवयदातुरः ॥ 49.4 ॥

tato dṛṣṭvā sarudhiraṃ niṣaṇṇaṃ gāḍhamarpitam| bhrātaraṃ dīnavadanaṃ paryadevayadāturaḥ || 49.4 ||

Then, seeing his brother lying blood-soaked, sunk deep in the arrows, his face wretched, he, stricken with anguish, lamented:

Shloka 5 (yuddha.49.5)

किं नु मे सीतया कार्यं लब्धया जीवितेन वा। शयानं योऽद्य पश्यामि भ्रातरं युधि निर्जितम् ॥ 49.5 ॥

kiṃ nu me sītayā kāryaṃ labdhayā jīvitena vā| śayānaṃ yo'dya paśyāmi bhrātaraṃ yudhi nirjitam || 49.5 ||

“What use to me is Sita, even if regained, or life itself, when today I see my brother lying overpowered in battle?”

Shloka 6 (yuddha.49.6)

शक्या सीतासमा नारी मर्त्यलोके विचिन्वता। न लक्ष्मणसमो भ्राता सचिवः साम्परायिकः ॥ 49.6 ॥

śakyā sītāsamā nārī martyaloke vicinvatā| na lakṣmaṇasamo bhrātā sacivaḥ sāmparāyikaḥ || 49.6 ||

“Searching this mortal world, one might find a woman equal to Sita -- but never a brother, a counsellor, a comrade in war, equal to Lakshmana.”

Shloka 7 (yuddha.49.7)

परित्यक्ष्याम्यहं प्राणान् वानराणां तु पश्यताम्। यदि पञ्चत्वमापन्नः सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः ॥ 49.7 ॥

parityakṣyāmyahaṃ prāṇān vānarāṇāṃ tu paśyatām| yadi pañcatvamāpannaḥ sumitrānandavardhanaḥ || 49.7 ||

“If he who increases Sumitra's joy has gone to the five elements, then, before the very eyes of the monkeys, I shall give up my life-breath.”

Shloka 8 (yuddha.49.8)

किं नु वक्ष्यामि कौसल्यां मातरं किं नु कैकयीम्। कथमम्बां सुमित्रां च पुत्रदर्शनलालसाम् ॥ 49.8 ॥

kiṃ nu vakṣyāmi kausalyāṃ mātaraṃ kiṃ nu kaikayīm| kathamambāṃ sumitrāṃ ca putradarśanalālasām || 49.8 ||

“What shall I say to my mother Kausalya, or to Kaikeyi? And how shall I face mother Sumitra, so longing to see her son?”

Shloka 9 (yuddha.49.9)

विवत्सां वेपमानां च वेपन्तीं कुररीमिव। कथमाश्वासयिष्यामि यदि यास्यामि तं विना ॥ 49.9 ॥

vivatsāṃ vepamānāṃ ca vepantīṃ kurarīmiva| kathamāśvāsayiṣyāmi yadi yāsyāmi taṃ vinā || 49.9 ||

“How shall I console her -- childless, trembling, quivering like an osprey -- if I return without him?”

Shloka 10 (yuddha.49.10)

कथं वक्ष्यामि शत्रुघ्नं भरतं च यशस्विनम्। मया सह वनं यातो विना तेनाहमागतः ॥ 49.10 ॥

kathaṃ vakṣyāmi śatrughnaṃ bharataṃ ca yaśasvinam| mayā saha vanaṃ yāto vinā tenāhamāgataḥ || 49.10 ||

“How shall I tell Shatrughna, and the glorious Bharata: 'He went to the forest along with me, but I have returned without him'?”

Shloka 11 (yuddha.49.11)

उपालम्भं न शक्ष्यामि सोढुमम्बासुमित्रया। इहैव देहं त्यक्ष्यामि नहि जीवितुमुत्सहे ॥ 49.11 ॥

upālambhaṃ na śakṣyāmi soḍhumambāsumitrayā| ihaiva dehaṃ tyakṣyāmi nahi jīvitumutsahe || 49.11 ||

“I shall not be able to bear the reproach of mother Sumitra. I will give up my body right here; I have no wish to live.”

Shloka 12 (yuddha.49.12)

धिङ्मां दुष्कृतकर्माणमनार्यं यत्कृते ह्यसौ। लक्ष्मणः पतितः शेते शरतल्पे गतासुवत् ॥ 49.12 ॥

dhiṅmāṃ duṣkṛtakarmāṇamanāryaṃ yatkṛte hyasau| lakṣmaṇaḥ patitaḥ śete śaratalpe gatāsuvat || 49.12 ||

“Shame on me, of evil deeds and ignoble nature, for whose sake this Lakshmana has fallen and lies upon a bed of arrows, as one whose breath has fled!”

Shloka 13 (yuddha.49.13)

त्वं नित्यं सुविषण्णं मामाश्वासयसि लक्ष्मण। गतासुर्नाद्य शक्तोऽसि मामार्तमभिभाषितुम् ॥ 49.13 ॥

tvaṃ nityaṃ suviṣaṇṇaṃ māmāśvāsayasi lakṣmaṇa| gatāsurnādya śakto'si māmārtamabhibhāṣitum || 49.13 ||

“You, Lakshmana, would always console me whenever I fell into deep despair; but now, your life-breath gone, you cannot speak to comfort me in my anguish.”

Shloka 14 (yuddha.49.14)

येनाद्य बहवो युद्धे निहता राक्षसाः क्षितौ। तस्यामेवाद्य शूरस्त्वं शेषे विनिहतः शनैः ॥ 49.14 ॥

yenādya bahavo yuddhe nihatā rākṣasāḥ kṣitau| tasyāmevādya śūrastvaṃ śeṣe vinihataḥ śanaiḥ || 49.14 ||

“You, by whom so many rakshasas were struck down to the earth in battle this very day -- you, that hero, now lie on that same field, slowly overcome and slain.”

Shloka 15 (yuddha.49.15)

शयानः शरतल्पेऽस्मिन् सशोणितपरिस्रुतः। शरभूतस्ततो भासि भास्करोऽस्तमिव व्रजन् ॥ 49.15 ॥

śayānaḥ śaratalpe'smin saśoṇitaparisrutaḥ| śarabhūtastato bhāsi bhāskaro'stamiva vrajan || 49.15 ||

“Lying on this bed of arrows, streaming with blood, covered over with shafts, you shine like the sun sinking to its setting.”

Shloka 16 (yuddha.49.16)

बाणाभिहतमर्मत्वान्न शक्नोषीह भाषितुम्। रुजा चाब्रुवतो यस्य दृष्टिरागेण सूच्यते ॥ 49.16 ॥

bāṇābhihatamarmatvānna śaknoṣīha bhāṣitum| rujā cābruvato yasya dṛṣṭirāgeṇa sūcyate || 49.16 ||

“Because your vital points have been struck by arrows, you cannot speak here; yet though silent, your suffering is betrayed by the redness of your gaze.”

Shloka 17 (yuddha.49.17)

यथैव मां वनं यान्तमनुयातो महाद्युतिः। अहमप्यनुयास्यामि तथैवैनं यमक्षयम् ॥ 49.17 ॥

yathaiva māṃ vanaṃ yāntamanuyāto mahādyutiḥ| ahamapyanuyāsyāmi tathaivainaṃ yamakṣayam || 49.17 ||

“Just as that man of great splendour followed me when I went to the forest, so I too shall now follow him to the abode of Yama.”

Shloka 18 (yuddha.49.18)

इष्टबन्धुजनो नित्यं मां च नित्यमनुव्रतः। इमामद्य गतोऽवस्थां ममानार्यस्य दुर्नयैः ॥ 49.18 ॥

iṣṭabandhujano nityaṃ māṃ ca nityamanuvrataḥ| imāmadya gato'vasthāṃ mamānāryasya durnayaiḥ || 49.18 ||

“He who ever loved his own kinsfolk, who ever remained devoted to me -- has today come to this state, through the ill-conduct of ignoble me.”

Shloka 19 (yuddha.49.19)

सुरुष्टेनापि वीरेण लक्ष्मणेन न संस्मरे। परुषं विप्रियं चापि श्रावितं तु कदाचन ॥ 49.19 ॥

suruṣṭenāpi vīreṇa lakṣmaṇena na saṃsmare| paruṣaṃ vipriyaṃ cāpi śrāvitaṃ tu kadācana || 49.19 ||

“I do not recall that the hero Lakshmana, even when deeply provoked, ever once spoke a harsh or unpleasant word to me.”

Shloka 20 (yuddha.49.20)

विससर्जैकवेगेन पञ्चबाणशतानि यः। इष्वस्त्रेष्वधिकस्तस्मात् कार्तवीर्याच्च लक्ष्मणः ॥ 49.20 ॥

visasarjaikavegena pañcabāṇaśatāni yaḥ| iṣvastreṣvadhikastasmāt kārtavīryācca lakṣmaṇaḥ || 49.20 ||

“He who could loose five hundred arrows in a single volley -- in the science of the bow, Lakshmana surpassed even Kartavirya himself.”

Shloka 21 (yuddha.49.21)

अस्त्रैरस्त्राणि यो हन्याच्छक्रस्यापि महात्मनः। सोऽयमुर्व्यां हतः शेते महार्हशयनोचितः ॥ 49.21 ॥

astrairastrāṇi yo hanyācchakrasyāpi mahātmanaḥ| so'yamurvyāṃ hataḥ śete mahārhaśayanocitaḥ || 49.21 ||

“He who could counter with his weapons even the weapons of great Indra himself -- this very man, fit only for the costliest of couches, now lies slain upon the bare earth.”

Shloka 22 (yuddha.49.22)

तत्तु मिथ्या प्रलप्तं मां प्रधक्ष्यति न संशयः। यन्मया न कृतो राजा राक्षसानां विभीषणः ॥ 49.22 ॥

tattu mithyā pralaptaṃ māṃ pradhakṣyati na saṃśayaḥ| yanmayā na kṛto rājā rākṣasānāṃ vibhīṣaṇaḥ || 49.22 ||

“Without doubt, this false boast of mine shall consume me: that I did not make Vibhishana king of the rakshasas.”

Shloka 23 (yuddha.49.23)

अस्मिन् मुहूर्ते सुग्रीव प्रतियातुमितोऽर्हसि। मत्वा हीनं मया राजन् रावणोऽभिभविष्यति ॥ 49.23 ॥

asmin muhūrte sugrīva pratiyātumito'rhasi| matvā hīnaṃ mayā rājan rāvaṇo'bhibhaviṣyati || 49.23 ||

“This very hour, O Sugriva, you ought to turn back from here; for, knowing me bereft of Lakshmana, O king, Ravana will surely overpower you.”

Shloka 24 (yuddha.49.24)

अङ्गदं तु पुरस्कृत्य ससैन्यं सपरिच्छदम्। सागरं तर सुग्रीव नीलेन च नलेन च ॥ 49.24 ॥

aṅgadaṃ tu puraskṛtya sasainyaṃ saparicchadam| sāgaraṃ tara sugrīva nīlena ca nalena ca || 49.24 ||

“Placing Angada at the front, with your army and your retinue, together with Nila and Nala, cross back over the ocean, O Sugriva.”

Shloka 25 (yuddha.49.25)

कृतं हि सुमहत्कर्म यदन्यैर्दुष्करं रणे। ऋक्षराजेन तुष्यामि गोलाङ्गूलाधिपेन च ॥ 49.25 ॥

kṛtaṃ hi sumahatkarma yadanyairduṣkaraṃ raṇe| ṛkṣarājena tuṣyāmi golāṅgūlādhipena ca || 49.25 ||

“A truly great deed, one hard for others to achieve in battle, has been done; I am well satisfied with the king of bears and the lord of the golangulas.”

Shloka 26 (yuddha.49.26)

अङ्गदेन कृतं कर्म मैन्देन द्विविदेन च। युद्धं केसरिणा संख्ये घोरं सम्पातिना कृतम् ॥ 49.26 ॥

aṅgadena kṛtaṃ karma maindena dvividena ca| yuddhaṃ kesariṇā saṃkhye ghoraṃ sampātinā kṛtam || 49.26 ||

“Great deeds were done by Angada, by Mainda and Dvivida; a terrible battle was waged by Kesari and by Sampati in the field.”

Shloka 27 (yuddha.49.27)

गवयेन गवाक्षेण शरभेण गजेन च। अन्यैश्च हरिभिर्युद्धं मदर्थे त्यक्तजीवितैः ॥ 49.27 ॥

gavayena gavākṣeṇa śarabheṇa gajena ca| anyaiśca haribhiryuddhaṃ madarthe tyaktajīvitaiḥ || 49.27 ||

“By Gavaya, Gavaksha, Sharabha, and Gaja, and by other monkeys too, who fought for my sake with life laid down --”

Shloka 28 (yuddha.49.28)

न चातिक्रमितुं शक्यं दैवं सुग्रीव मानुषैः। यत्तु शक्यं वयस्येन सुहृदा वा परं मम ॥ 49.28 ॥

na cātikramituṃ śakyaṃ daivaṃ sugrīva mānuṣaiḥ| yattu śakyaṃ vayasyena suhṛdā vā paraṃ mama || 49.28 ||

“-- destiny cannot be overstepped by mortal men, O Sugriva. But whatever a friend and dear companion could possibly do for me --”

Shloka 29 (yuddha.49.29)

कृतं सुग्रीव तत् सर्वं भवता धर्मभीरुणा। मित्रकार्यं कृतमिदं भवद्भिर्वानरर्षभाः ॥ 49.29 ॥

kṛtaṃ sugrīva tat sarvaṃ bhavatā dharmabhīruṇā| mitrakāryaṃ kṛtamidaṃ bhavadbhirvānararṣabhāḥ || 49.29 ||

“-- all of that, O Sugriva, you, who feared to fail in duty, have done. This duty of friendship has been fulfilled by you, O foremost of monkeys.”

Shloka 30 (yuddha.49.30)

अनुज्ञाता मया सर्वे यथेष्टं गन्तुमर्हथ। शुश्रुवुस्तस्य ये सर्वे वानराः परिदेवितम् ॥ 49.30 ॥

anujñātā mayā sarve yatheṣṭaṃ gantumarhatha| śuśruvustasya ye sarve vānarāḥ paridevitam || 49.30 ||

“I give you all leave; go now wherever you wish.” All those monkeys who heard him thus lamenting --

Shloka 31 (yuddha.49.31)

वर्तयांचक्रिरेऽश्रूणि नेत्रैः कृष्णेतरेक्षणाः ॥ 49.31 ॥

vartayāṃcakrire'śrūṇi netraiḥ kṛṣṇetarekṣaṇāḥ || 49.31 ||

-- those tawny-eyed monkeys let the tears stream down from their eyes.

Shloka 32 (yuddha.49.32)

ततः सर्वाण्यनीकानि स्थापयित्वा विभीषणः। आजगाम गदापाणिस्त्वरितं यत्र राघवः ॥ 49.32 ॥

tataḥ sarvāṇyanīkāni sthāpayitvā vibhīṣaṇaḥ| ājagāma gadāpāṇistvaritaṃ yatra rāghavaḥ || 49.32 ||

Then Vibhishana, having steadied all the ranks, mace in hand, came swiftly to where Raghava lay.

Shloka 33 (yuddha.49.33)

तं दृष्ट्वा त्वरितं यान्तं नीलाञ्जनचयोपमम्। वानरा दुद्रुवुः सर्वे मन्यमानास्तु रावणिम् ॥ 49.33 ॥

taṃ dṛṣṭvā tvaritaṃ yāntaṃ nīlāñjanacayopamam| vānarā dudruvuḥ sarve manyamānāstu rāvaṇim || 49.33 ||

Seeing him approaching swiftly, dark as a mass of collyrium, all the monkeys, taking him to be Ravani, fled in every direction.