Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 104

तं तु राम स्समाश्वास्य भ्रातरं गुरवत्सलम्। लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे।।2.104.1।।

taṃ tu rāma ssamāśvāsya bhrātaraṃ guravatsalam| lakṣmaṇena saha bhrātrā praṣṭuṃ samupacakrame

Rama with his brother Lakshmana having consoled Bharata who is ever devoted to elders began to question:

किमेतदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं प्रव्याहृतं त्वया। यस्मात्त्वमागतो देशमिमं चीरजटाजिनः।।2.104.2।।

kimetadiccheyamahaṃ śrotuṃ pravyāhṛtaṃ tvayā| yasmāttvamāgato deśamimaṃ cīrajaṭājinaḥ

I want to hear what brought you to this region with your barkrobes, matted locks and antelope skin.

यन्निमित्तमिमं देशं कृष्णाजिनजटाधरः। हित्वा राज्यं प्रविष्टस्त्वं तत्सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि।।2.104.3।।

yannimittamimaṃ deśaṃ kṛṣṇājinajaṭādharaḥ| hitvā rājyaṃ praviṣṭastvaṃ tatsarvaṃ vaktumarhasi

What made you come to this region, leaving the kingdom and wearing deer skin and matted hair? You should tell me everything.

इत्युक्तः कैकयीपुत्रः काकुत्स्थेन महात्मना। प्रगृह्य बलवद्भूयः प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।2.104.4।।

ityuktaḥ kaikayīputraḥ kākutsthena mahātmanā| pragṛhya balavadbhūyaḥ prāñjalirvākyamabravīt

Thus enquired by the magnanimous Rama, Bharata, joining his palms tightly, replied:

आर्यं तातः परित्यज्य कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्। गत: स्वर्ग महाबाहुः पुत्रशोकाभिपीडितः।।2.104.5।।

āryaṃ tātaḥ parityajya kṛtvā karma suduṣkaram| gata: svarga mahābāhuḥ putraśokābhipīḍitaḥ

O my revered sire our mighty father, having performed an impossible task of banishing you to the forest, and tortured by grief due to separation from his son, went to heaven.

स्त्रिया नियुक्तः कैकेय्या मम मात्रा परन्तप। चकार सा महत्पापमिदमात्मयशोहरम्।।2.104.6।।

striyā niyuktaḥ kaikeyyā mama mātrā parantapa| cakāra sā mahatpāpamidamātmayaśoharam

O Rama, tormentor of enemies having been instigated by a woman, my mother Kaikeyi, committed this great sin of destroying his (Dasaratha's) reputation.

सा राज्यफलमप्राप्य विधवा शोककर्शिता। पतिष्यति महाघोरे निरये जननी मम।।2.104.7।।

sā rājyaphalamaprāpya vidhavā śokakarśitā| patiṣyati mahāghore niraye jananī mama

My mother, formented with grief and with the fruit of the kingdom forfeited, and cursed with widowhood, will fall into the dreadful hell.

तस्य मे दासभूतस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि। अभिषिञ्चस्व चाद्येव राज्येन मघवानिव।।2.104.8।।

tasya me dāsabhūtasya prasādaṃ kartumarhasi| abhiṣiñcasva cādyeva rājyena maghavāniva

It behoves you to grant me a favour. I am like your servant. Now get yourself coronated in the kingdom like Indra.

इमाः प्रकृतय स्सर्वा विधवा मातरश्च याः। त्वत्सकाशमनुप्राप्ता प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।।2.104.9।।

imāḥ prakṛtaya ssarvā vidhavā mātaraśca yāḥ| tvatsakāśamanuprāptā prasādaṃ kartumarhasi

All these subjects and your widowed mothers have come to you. It behoves you to grant them this favour.

तदानुपूर्व्या युक्तं च युक्तं चात्मनि मानद। राज्यं प्राप्नुहि धर्मेण सकामान्सुहृदः कुरु।।2.104.10।।

tadānupūrvyā yuktaṃ ca yuktaṃ cātmani mānada| rājyaṃ prāpnuhi dharmeṇa sakāmānsuhṛdaḥ kuru

O bestower of honour by the law of primogeniture and as a worthy successor it is appropriate that you should accept the kingdom righteously and fulfil the desire of your friends.

भवत्वविधवा भूमि स्समग्रा पतिना त्वया। शशिना विमलेनेव शारदी रजनी यथा।।2.104.11।।

bhavatvavidhavā bhūmi ssamagrā patinā tvayā| śaśinā vimaleneva śāradī rajanī yathā

Like an autumnal night with the immaculate Moon, let this entire earth cease to be a widow by securing you as her lord.

एभिश्च सचिवैस्सार्धं शिरसा याचितो मया। भ्रातु  शिष्यस्य दासस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।।2.104.12।।

ebhiśca sacivaissārdhaṃ śirasā yācito mayā| bhrātu  śiṣyasya dāsasya prasādaṃ kartumarhasi

With my head bowed down, I beseech you along with all these ministers to show favour to me who is your brother, disciple and slave.

तदिदं शाश्वतं पित्र्यं सर्वं प्रकृतिमण्डलम्। पूजितं पुरुषव्याघ्र नातिक्रमितुमर्हसि।।2.104.13।।

tadidaṃ śāśvataṃ pitryaṃ sarvaṃ prakṛtimaṇḍalam| pūjitaṃ puruṣavyāghra nātikramitumarhasi

O best among men, it does not behove you to transgress the prayers of the whole order of subjects and ministers to assume this hereditary and perpetual order.

एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहु स्सबाष्पः कैकयीसुतः। रामस्य शिरसा पादौ जग्राह भरत: पुन:।।2.104.14।।

evamuktvā mahābāhu ssabāṣpaḥ kaikayīsutaḥ| rāmasya śirasā pādau jagrāha bharata: puna:

Having said thus, the mightyarmed Bharata, in accordance with tradition, grasped with tearful eyes the feet of Rama again with his head.

तं मत्तमिव मातङ्गं निःश्वसन्तं पुन पुनः। भ्रातरं भरतं रामः परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत्।।2.104.15।।

taṃ mattamiva mātaṅgaṃ niḥśvasantaṃ puna punaḥ| bhrātaraṃ bharataṃ rāmaḥ pariṣvajyedamabravīt

Rama embraced his brother Bharata who repeatedly heaved sighs and resembled an elephant in rut, and said:

कुलीन:सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्तेजस्वी चरितव्रतः। राज्यहेतोः कथं पापमाचरेत्त्वद्विधो जनः।।2.104.16।।

kulīna:sattvasampannastejasvī caritavrataḥ| rājyahetoḥ kathaṃ pāpamācarettvadvidho janaḥ

How can a man like you, born of a noble race, endowed with energy, powerful and adherent to vows, commit a sin for the sake of a kingdom?

न दोषं त्वयि पश्यामि सूक्ष्ममप्यरिसूदन। न चापि जननीं बाल्यात्त्वं विगर्हितुमर्हसि।।2.104.17।।

na doṣaṃ tvayi paśyāmi sūkṣmamapyarisūdana| na cāpi jananīṃ bālyāttvaṃ vigarhitumarhasi

O destroyer of enemies, I do not find even slightest fault with you. Like a child, it does not behove you to reproach your mother.

कामकारो महाप्राज्ञ गुरूणां सर्वदाऽनघ। उपपन्नेषु दारेषु पुत्रेषु च विधीयते।।2.104.18।।

kāmakāro mahāprājña gurūṇāṃ sarvadā'nagha| upapanneṣu dāreṣu putreṣu ca vidhīyate

O sagacious and sinless one, it is laid down (in sastras) that elders when married can always act at their free will towards their wives and sons.

वयमस्य यथा लोके सङ्ख्याता: सौम्य साधुभिः। भार्याः पुत्राश्च शिष्याश्च त्वमनुज्ञातुमर्हसि।।2.104.19।।

vayamasya yathā loke saṅkhyātā: saumya sādhubhiḥ| bhāryāḥ putrāśca śiṣyāśca tvamanujñātumarhasi

O handsome one, you should treat us the way the virtuous treat their wives, sons and disciples in this world.

वने वा चीरवसनं सौम्य कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्। राज्ये वाऽपि महाराजो मां वासयितुमीश्वरः।।2.104.20।।

vane vā cīravasanaṃ saumya kṛṣṇājināmbaram| rājye vā'pi mahārājo māṃ vāsayitumīśvaraḥ

O handsome one, king Dasaratha is alone competent to accommodate me in the forest wearing bark robes and antelope skin as garment or install me in the kingdom.

यावत पितरि धर्मज्ञे गौरवं लोकसत्कृतम्। तावद्धर्मभृतां श्रेष्ठ जनन्यामपि गौरवम्।।2.104.21।।

yāvata pitari dharmajñe gauravaṃ lokasatkṛtam| tāvaddharmabhṛtāṃ śreṣṭha jananyāmapi gauravam

O best among the protectors of righteousness the honour shown to our father who is conversant with the ways of righteousness and much revered by the world ought to be shown towards our mother also.

एताभ्यां धर्मशीलाभ्यां वनं गच्छेति राघव। मातापितृभ्यामुक्तोऽहं कथमन्यत्समाचरे।।2.104.22।।

etābhyāṃ dharmaśīlābhyāṃ vanaṃ gaccheti rāghava| mātāpitṛbhyāmukto'haṃ kathamanyatsamācare

O Bharata, I have been commanded by our righteous father and mother to go to the forest. How can any one act otherwise?

त्वया राज्यमयोध्यायां प्राप्तव्यं लोकसत्कृतम्। वस्तव्यं दण्डकारण्ये मया वल्कलवाससा।।2.104.23।।

tvayā rājyamayodhyāyāṃ prāptavyaṃ lokasatkṛtam| vastavyaṃ daṇḍakāraṇye mayā valkalavāsasā

You shall rule the kingdom wellhonoured by the people in Ayodhya and I shall live in Dandaka forest wearing bark as garments.

एवं कृत्वा महाराजो विभागं लोकसन्निधौ। व्यादिश्य च महातेजा दिवं दशरथो गतः।।2.104.24।।

evaṃ kṛtvā mahārājo vibhāgaṃ lokasannidhau| vyādiśya ca mahātejā divaṃ daśaratho gataḥ

The maharja of great radiance made this division in the presence of people and after commanding thus, ascended heaven.

स च प्रमाणं धर्मात्मा राजा लोकगुरुस्तव। पित्रा दत्तं यथाभागमुपभोक्तुं त्वमर्हसि।।2.104.25।।

sa ca pramāṇaṃ dharmātmā rājā lokagurustava| pitrā dattaṃ yathābhāgamupabhoktuṃ tvamarhasi

The proclamation of that righteous king revered by the world shall be your guide. You should enjoy that portion bestowed by father.

चतुर्दश समास्सौम्य दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः। उपभोक्ष्ये त्वहं दत्तं भागं पित्रा महात्मना।।2.104.26।।

caturdaśa samāssaumya daṇḍakāraṇyamāśritaḥ| upabhokṣye tvahaṃ dattaṃ bhāgaṃ pitrā mahātmanā

O handsome one, as for myself, I shall enjoy the portion bestowed on me by my magnanimous father and shall take refuge in the Dandaka forest for fourteen years.

यदब्रवीन्मां नरलोकसत्कृतः पिता महात्मा विबुधाधिपोपमः। तदेव मन्ये परमात्मनो हितं न सर्वलोकेश्वर भावमप्ययम्।।2.104.27।।

yadabravīnmāṃ naralokasatkṛtaḥ pitā mahātmā vibudhādhipopamaḥ| tadeva manye paramātmano hitaṃ na sarvalokeśvara bhāvamapyayam

I think what my great father, who is honoured by all men, and an equal to Indra, ordered is for my highest welfare. The will of the overlord of the world should not be done away with. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे चतुरुत्तरशततमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the one hundredfourth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.