Created by: Asharfi Lal Mishra
 |
| Asharfi Lal Mishra |
|| RAMAYANA ||
( Condensed )
*Ayodhyakanda*
[Poet: Valmiki]
continue from page-9
न सुहृद्भिर्न चामात्यैः मन्त्रयित्वा च नैगमैः।
मयाSयमर्थः संमोहात स्त्रीहेतोः सहसा कृतः।।
This proceeding has been done by me in haste through infatuation because of a woman , without consulting friends or ministers or persons versed in the Scriptures .
न शक्ष्यामि विना रामं मुहूर्तमपि जीवितुम।।
Without Rama I cannot live even for a moment .
हा राम रामानुज हा हा वैदेहि तपस्विनि।
न मां जानीत दुःखेन म्रियमाणमनाथवत।।
O Rama , O Ramanuja ( brother of Rama ) , O pious Sita , you do not know that I am dying through grief as if helpless."
इति रामस्य मातुश्च सुमित्रियाश्च सन्निधौ।
राजा दशरथः शोचन जीवितान्तमुपागमत।।
Lamenting thus in the presence of Rama's mother and Sumitra , the king Dasharatha reached his life's end .
तमग्निमिव संशान्तं स्वर्गस्थं प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिवम।
तैलद्रोण्यामथामात्याः संवेश्य जगतीपतिम।।
Seeing the king who was like a burnt-out fire and had gone to heaven , the ministers then placed him in a vessel of oil.
न तु संकालनं राज्ञो विना पुत्रेण मन्त्रिणः।
सर्वज्ञाः कर्तुमीषुस्ते ततो रक्षन्ति भूमिपम।।
The all-knowing ministers did not like to have the funeral rites of the king performed without his son .And so they preserved the ( body of the ) king.
व्यतीतायां तु शर्वर्यामादित्यस्योदये ततः।
समेत्य राजकर्तारः पृथग्वाचमुदीरयन।
वसिष्ठमेवाभिमुखाः श्रेष्ठं राजपुरोहितम।।
Then when the night was over and the sun had risen , the men who were experts in the kingly matters , assembled together and each spoke facing the great Vasishtha , the king's preceptor :
इक्ष्वाकूणामिहाद्यव कश्चिद्राजा विधीयताम।।
" Let some one from the Ikshvakus be appointed immediately as king .
राजा सत्यं च धर्मश्च राजा कुलवतां कुलम।
राजा माता पिता चैव राजा हितकरो नृणाम।।
For the king is truth . The king is Dharma and the upholder of nobility . The king is the benefactor of all men ."
तेषां हि वचनं श्रुत्वा वसिष्ठः प्रत्युवाच ह।।
Hearing their words Vasishtha replied thus "
यदसौ मातुलकुले पुरे राजगृहे सुखी।
भरतो वसति भ्रात्रा शत्रुघ्नेन समन्वितः।
तच्छीघ्रं जवना दूता गच्छन्तु त्वरितैर्हयैः।
आनेतुं भ्रातरौ वीरौ किं समीक्षामहे वयम।।
" As Bharata along with his brother Shatrughna , lives happily in his uncle's mansion in the town of Rajagriha , let swift messengers proceed quickly on fleet horses to bring the two heroic brothers . What else can we contemplate ."
वसिष्ठेनाभ्यनुज्ञाता दूतास्सन्त्वरिता ययुः।
गिरिव्रजं पुरवरं शीघ्रमासेदुरञ्जसा।।
Being enjoined by Vasishtha , the messengers went with great expedition . Quickly they reached Girivraja , the best of cities .
राज्ञः पादौ गृहीत्वा तु तमूचुर्भरतं वचः।।
Touching the feet of he king , they said to Bharata these words :
पुरोहितस्त्वां कुशलं प्राह सर्वे च मन्त्रिणः।
त्वरमाणश्च निर्याहि कृत्यमात्ययिकं त्वया।।
" Of your welfare , your preceptor enquires. Do you set out speedily . A difficult task has to be done by you ."
स मातामहमापृच्छय च मातुलं च युधाजितम।
रथमारूह्य भरतश्शत्रुघ्नसहितो ययौ।।
Taking leave of his grandfather and his uncle Yudhajit , Bharata , accompanied by Shatrughna , ascended the chariot and started .
तां पुरीं पुरुषव्याघ्रस्सप्त रात्रोषितः पथि।
अयोध्यामग्रतो दृष्ट्वा सारथिं वाक्यमब्रवीत।।
Having spent seven days on the journey and seeing Ayodhya in front , Bharata , the best of men , asked the charioteer :
श्रुता मे यादृशाः पूर्वं नृपतीनां विनाशने।
आकारांस्तानहं सर्वानिह पश्यामि सारथे।।
" O charioteer , those signs that have been heard of before on the occasion of the demise of our kings , all those do I see here ."
इत्येवमुक्त्वा भरतः सूतं राजगृहं ययौ।।
Having said this to the charioteer , Bharata went to the royal palace .
अपश्यंस्तु ततस्तत्र पितरं पितुरालये।
जगाम भरतो द्रष्टुं मातरं मातुरालये।
अनुप्राप्तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा कैकेयी प्रोषितं सुतम।
उवाच वचनं हृष्टा मूढ़ा पण्डितमानिनी।।
Not seeing his father in the father's mansion , Bharata went to see his mother in the mother's mansion . Seeing the return of her son who had been away , the stupid Kaikeyi rejoiced and thinking herself wise , spoke these words:
मया तु पुत्र श्रुत्वैव रामस्यैवाभिषेचनम।
याचितस्ते पिता राज्यं रामस्य च विवासनम।।
" O son , as soon as I heard of the (proposed) installation of Rama , your father was begged by me (to decree ) the kingdom to you and banishment to Rama .
स स्ववृत्तिं समास्थाय पिता ते तत्तथाSकरोत।
रामश्च सहसौमित्रिः प्रेषितस्सीतया सह।।
Your father , fulfilling his promise , did it accordingly , Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita , was banished.
तमपश्यन प्रियं पुत्रं महीपालो महायशाः।
पुत्रशोकपरिद्यूनः पञ्चत्वमुपपेदिवान।।
Not seeing his beloved son , the great king fame withered with grief for his son and faded away.
त्वया त्विदानीं धर्मज्ञ राजत्वमवलम्व्यताम।
त्वत्कृते हि मया सर्वमिदमेवंविधं कृतम।।
O knower of righteousness , let the sovereignty be now assumed by you . It is for your sake that all this was done thus by me .
मा शोकं मा च सन्तापं धैर्यमाश्रय पुत्रक।
त्वदधीना हि नगरी राज्यं चैतदनामयम।।
O son , hold fast , not to sorrow or penitence , but to courage . For the city is at your command as well as the kingdom which is free from disorder .
श्रुत्वा तु पितरं वृत्तं भ्रातरौ च विवासितौ।
भरतो दुःखसन्तप्त इदं वचनमब्रवीत।।
Hearing that his father was dead and his brothers had been banished ,Bharata , burning with distress , spoke these words :
किन्नु कार्यं हतस्येह मम राज्येन शोचतः।
विहीनस्याथ पित्रा च भ्रात्रा पितृसमेन च।।
" Verily , of what use is in this kingdom to me , wretched as I am , stricken with sorrow and bereft of father and a father-like brother ?
कुलस्य त्वमभावाय कालरात्रिरिवागता।
विनाशितो महाराजः पिता मे धर्मवत्सलः।।
You have come for the destruction of the family like the night of doom . The great king , my father , who loved Dharma , has been destroyed by you .
ननु त्वार्योSपि धर्मात्मा त्वयि वृत्तिमनुत्तमाम।
वर्तते गुरुवृत्तिज्ञो तथा मातरि वर्तते।।
Verily , my noble and righteous-minded brother , who knows his duty to elders , has behaved towards you in the ideal way,just as (he would have behaved )towards his mother .
तथा ज्येष्ठा हि मे माता कौसल्या दीर्घदर्शिनी।
त्वयि धर्मं समास्थाय भगिन्यामिव वर्तते।।
Similarly , my eldest mother Kausalya far-sighted and firmly rooted in Dharma , has behaved towards you as towards a sister .
तस्याः पुत्रं कृतात्मानं चीरवल्कल वाससम।
प्रस्थाय वनवासाय कथं पापे न शोचसि।।
O sinful one , how is it that you don't regret having sent to the forest-life her son , of great self -restraint , clad in bark garments .?
लुब्धाया विदितो मन्ये न तेSहं राघवं प्रति।
तथा ह्यनर्थौ राज्यार्थं त्वयाSSनीतो महानयम।।
I think , it was not known to you , who are covetous , how I am towards Raghava . Therefore , on account of your love of sovereignty for me such a great calamity has been wrought by you.
अहं हि पुरुषव्याघ्रावपश्यन रामलक्ष्मणौ।
केन शक्तिप्रभावेन राज्यं रक्षितुमुत्सहे।।
Without seeing these two-best of men , Rama and Lakshmana , by virtue of what power shall I be able to protect this kingdom ?
अथवा मे भवेच्छक्तिर्यो गैर्बुद्धिबलेन वा।
सकामां न करिष्यामि त्वामहं पुत्रगर्द्धिनीम।।
Or else , I may even get that power through the force of my intellect . But I will not bring about satisfaction for you , who are ambitious for your son .
न मे विकाङ्क्षा जायेत त्यक्तुं त्वां पापनिश्चयाम।
यदि रामस्य नापेक्षा त्वयि स्यान्मातृवत सदा।।
But for Rama's love for you as for a mother , I should feel no aversion to abandon you , bent on cruelty .
राज्याद्भंशस्व कैकेयि नृशंसे दुष्टचारिणि।
परित्यक्ता च धर्मेण मा मृतं रुदती भव।।
O cruel misbehaving Kaikeyi , you shall forfeit the kingdom , and being lost to Dharma , shall mourn me as dead .
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( Condensed )
*Ayodhyakanda*
[Poet: Valmiki]
continue from page-9
न सुहृद्भिर्न चामात्यैः मन्त्रयित्वा च नैगमैः।
मयाSयमर्थः संमोहात स्त्रीहेतोः सहसा कृतः।।
This proceeding has been done by me in haste through infatuation because of a woman , without consulting friends or ministers or persons versed in the Scriptures .
न शक्ष्यामि विना रामं मुहूर्तमपि जीवितुम।।
Without Rama I cannot live even for a moment .
हा राम रामानुज हा हा वैदेहि तपस्विनि।
न मां जानीत दुःखेन म्रियमाणमनाथवत।।
O Rama , O Ramanuja ( brother of Rama ) , O pious Sita , you do not know that I am dying through grief as if helpless."
इति रामस्य मातुश्च सुमित्रियाश्च सन्निधौ।
राजा दशरथः शोचन जीवितान्तमुपागमत।।
Lamenting thus in the presence of Rama's mother and Sumitra , the king Dasharatha reached his life's end .
तमग्निमिव संशान्तं स्वर्गस्थं प्रेक्ष्य पार्थिवम।
तैलद्रोण्यामथामात्याः संवेश्य जगतीपतिम।।
Seeing the king who was like a burnt-out fire and had gone to heaven , the ministers then placed him in a vessel of oil.
न तु संकालनं राज्ञो विना पुत्रेण मन्त्रिणः।
सर्वज्ञाः कर्तुमीषुस्ते ततो रक्षन्ति भूमिपम।।
The all-knowing ministers did not like to have the funeral rites of the king performed without his son .And so they preserved the ( body of the ) king.
व्यतीतायां तु शर्वर्यामादित्यस्योदये ततः।
समेत्य राजकर्तारः पृथग्वाचमुदीरयन।
वसिष्ठमेवाभिमुखाः श्रेष्ठं राजपुरोहितम।।
Then when the night was over and the sun had risen , the men who were experts in the kingly matters , assembled together and each spoke facing the great Vasishtha , the king's preceptor :
इक्ष्वाकूणामिहाद्यव कश्चिद्राजा विधीयताम।।
" Let some one from the Ikshvakus be appointed immediately as king .
राजा सत्यं च धर्मश्च राजा कुलवतां कुलम।
राजा माता पिता चैव राजा हितकरो नृणाम।।
For the king is truth . The king is Dharma and the upholder of nobility . The king is the benefactor of all men ."
तेषां हि वचनं श्रुत्वा वसिष्ठः प्रत्युवाच ह।।
Hearing their words Vasishtha replied thus "
यदसौ मातुलकुले पुरे राजगृहे सुखी।
भरतो वसति भ्रात्रा शत्रुघ्नेन समन्वितः।
तच्छीघ्रं जवना दूता गच्छन्तु त्वरितैर्हयैः।
आनेतुं भ्रातरौ वीरौ किं समीक्षामहे वयम।।
" As Bharata along with his brother Shatrughna , lives happily in his uncle's mansion in the town of Rajagriha , let swift messengers proceed quickly on fleet horses to bring the two heroic brothers . What else can we contemplate ."
वसिष्ठेनाभ्यनुज्ञाता दूतास्सन्त्वरिता ययुः।
गिरिव्रजं पुरवरं शीघ्रमासेदुरञ्जसा।।
Being enjoined by Vasishtha , the messengers went with great expedition . Quickly they reached Girivraja , the best of cities .
राज्ञः पादौ गृहीत्वा तु तमूचुर्भरतं वचः।।
Touching the feet of he king , they said to Bharata these words :
पुरोहितस्त्वां कुशलं प्राह सर्वे च मन्त्रिणः।
त्वरमाणश्च निर्याहि कृत्यमात्ययिकं त्वया।।
" Of your welfare , your preceptor enquires. Do you set out speedily . A difficult task has to be done by you ."
स मातामहमापृच्छय च मातुलं च युधाजितम।
रथमारूह्य भरतश्शत्रुघ्नसहितो ययौ।।
Taking leave of his grandfather and his uncle Yudhajit , Bharata , accompanied by Shatrughna , ascended the chariot and started .
तां पुरीं पुरुषव्याघ्रस्सप्त रात्रोषितः पथि।
अयोध्यामग्रतो दृष्ट्वा सारथिं वाक्यमब्रवीत।।
Having spent seven days on the journey and seeing Ayodhya in front , Bharata , the best of men , asked the charioteer :
श्रुता मे यादृशाः पूर्वं नृपतीनां विनाशने।
आकारांस्तानहं सर्वानिह पश्यामि सारथे।।
" O charioteer , those signs that have been heard of before on the occasion of the demise of our kings , all those do I see here ."
इत्येवमुक्त्वा भरतः सूतं राजगृहं ययौ।।
Having said this to the charioteer , Bharata went to the royal palace .
अपश्यंस्तु ततस्तत्र पितरं पितुरालये।
जगाम भरतो द्रष्टुं मातरं मातुरालये।
अनुप्राप्तं तु तं दृष्ट्वा कैकेयी प्रोषितं सुतम।
उवाच वचनं हृष्टा मूढ़ा पण्डितमानिनी।।
Not seeing his father in the father's mansion , Bharata went to see his mother in the mother's mansion . Seeing the return of her son who had been away , the stupid Kaikeyi rejoiced and thinking herself wise , spoke these words:
मया तु पुत्र श्रुत्वैव रामस्यैवाभिषेचनम।
याचितस्ते पिता राज्यं रामस्य च विवासनम।।
" O son , as soon as I heard of the (proposed) installation of Rama , your father was begged by me (to decree ) the kingdom to you and banishment to Rama .
स स्ववृत्तिं समास्थाय पिता ते तत्तथाSकरोत।
रामश्च सहसौमित्रिः प्रेषितस्सीतया सह।।
Your father , fulfilling his promise , did it accordingly , Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita , was banished.
तमपश्यन प्रियं पुत्रं महीपालो महायशाः।
पुत्रशोकपरिद्यूनः पञ्चत्वमुपपेदिवान।।
Not seeing his beloved son , the great king fame withered with grief for his son and faded away.
त्वया त्विदानीं धर्मज्ञ राजत्वमवलम्व्यताम।
त्वत्कृते हि मया सर्वमिदमेवंविधं कृतम।।
O knower of righteousness , let the sovereignty be now assumed by you . It is for your sake that all this was done thus by me .
मा शोकं मा च सन्तापं धैर्यमाश्रय पुत्रक।
त्वदधीना हि नगरी राज्यं चैतदनामयम।।
O son , hold fast , not to sorrow or penitence , but to courage . For the city is at your command as well as the kingdom which is free from disorder .
श्रुत्वा तु पितरं वृत्तं भ्रातरौ च विवासितौ।
भरतो दुःखसन्तप्त इदं वचनमब्रवीत।।
Hearing that his father was dead and his brothers had been banished ,Bharata , burning with distress , spoke these words :
किन्नु कार्यं हतस्येह मम राज्येन शोचतः।
विहीनस्याथ पित्रा च भ्रात्रा पितृसमेन च।।
" Verily , of what use is in this kingdom to me , wretched as I am , stricken with sorrow and bereft of father and a father-like brother ?
कुलस्य त्वमभावाय कालरात्रिरिवागता।
विनाशितो महाराजः पिता मे धर्मवत्सलः।।
You have come for the destruction of the family like the night of doom . The great king , my father , who loved Dharma , has been destroyed by you .
ननु त्वार्योSपि धर्मात्मा त्वयि वृत्तिमनुत्तमाम।
वर्तते गुरुवृत्तिज्ञो तथा मातरि वर्तते।।
Verily , my noble and righteous-minded brother , who knows his duty to elders , has behaved towards you in the ideal way,just as (he would have behaved )towards his mother .
तथा ज्येष्ठा हि मे माता कौसल्या दीर्घदर्शिनी।
त्वयि धर्मं समास्थाय भगिन्यामिव वर्तते।।
Similarly , my eldest mother Kausalya far-sighted and firmly rooted in Dharma , has behaved towards you as towards a sister .
तस्याः पुत्रं कृतात्मानं चीरवल्कल वाससम।
प्रस्थाय वनवासाय कथं पापे न शोचसि।।
O sinful one , how is it that you don't regret having sent to the forest-life her son , of great self -restraint , clad in bark garments .?
लुब्धाया विदितो मन्ये न तेSहं राघवं प्रति।
तथा ह्यनर्थौ राज्यार्थं त्वयाSSनीतो महानयम।।
I think , it was not known to you , who are covetous , how I am towards Raghava . Therefore , on account of your love of sovereignty for me such a great calamity has been wrought by you.
अहं हि पुरुषव्याघ्रावपश्यन रामलक्ष्मणौ।
केन शक्तिप्रभावेन राज्यं रक्षितुमुत्सहे।।
Without seeing these two-best of men , Rama and Lakshmana , by virtue of what power shall I be able to protect this kingdom ?
अथवा मे भवेच्छक्तिर्यो गैर्बुद्धिबलेन वा।
सकामां न करिष्यामि त्वामहं पुत्रगर्द्धिनीम।।
Or else , I may even get that power through the force of my intellect . But I will not bring about satisfaction for you , who are ambitious for your son .
न मे विकाङ्क्षा जायेत त्यक्तुं त्वां पापनिश्चयाम।
यदि रामस्य नापेक्षा त्वयि स्यान्मातृवत सदा।।
But for Rama's love for you as for a mother , I should feel no aversion to abandon you , bent on cruelty .
राज्याद्भंशस्व कैकेयि नृशंसे दुष्टचारिणि।
परित्यक्ता च धर्मेण मा मृतं रुदती भव।।
O cruel misbehaving Kaikeyi , you shall forfeit the kingdom , and being lost to Dharma , shall mourn me as dead .
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