Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 43

ततः समीक्ष्य शयने सन्नं शोकेन पार्थिवम्। कौशल्या पुत्रशोकार्ता तमुवाच महीपतिम्।।2.43.1।।

tataḥ samīkṣya śayane sannaṃ śokena pārthivam| kauśalyā putraśokārtā tamuvāca mahīpatim

Struck by the grief of her son's departure, Kausalya looked at the king who lay on the couch completely exhausted and said to him.

राघवे नरशार्दूले विषमुप्त्वाहिजिह्मगा। विचरिष्यति कैकेयी निर्मुक्तेव हि पन्नगी।।2.43.2।।

rāghave naraśārdūle viṣamuptvāhijihmagā| vicariṣyati kaikeyī nirmukteva hi pannagī

Moving crookedly like a snake, Kaikeyi has released her venom on Rama, the best among men. Now she will move about freely like a sheserpent that has cast off its slough.

विवास्य रामं सुभगा लब्धकामा समाहिता। त्रासयिष्यति मां भूयो दुष्टाहिरिव वेश्मनि।।2.43.3।।

vivāsya rāmaṃ subhagā labdhakāmā samāhitā| trāsayiṣyati māṃ bhūyo duṣṭāhiriva veśmani

Having banished Rama, she is now happy with her desires fulfilled. And like a vicious serpent living in the house she will again frighten me.

अथ स्म नगरे रामश्चरन् भैक्षं गृहे वसेत्। कामकारो वरं दातुमपि दासं ममात्मजम्।।2.43.4।।

atha sma nagare rāmaścaran bhaikṣaṃ gṛhe vaset| kāmakāro varaṃ dātumapi dāsaṃ mamātmajam

It would have been better had I offered her my son as a slave. He would have lived on in the house by doing his duties and begging his food in the city.

पातयित्वा तु कैकेय्या रामं स्थानाद्यथेष्टतः। प्रदिष्टो रक्षसां भागः पर्वणीवाहिताग्निना।।2.43.5।।

pātayitvā tu kaikeyyā rāmaṃ sthānādyatheṣṭataḥ| pradiṣṭo rakṣasāṃ bhāgaḥ parvaṇīvāhitāgninā

You have thrown away Rama from his place as per the whim of Kaikeyi, like the share of offering meant for gods given away to rakshasas by the sacrificers on the new Moon days.

गजराजगतिर्वीरो महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरः। वनमाविशते नूनं सभार्य स्सह लक्ष्मणः।।2.43.6।।

gajarājagatirvīro mahābāhurdhanurdharaḥ| vanamāviśate nūnaṃ sabhārya ssaha lakṣmaṇaḥ

My mightyarmed son, a great archer and a hero, Rama whose gait is like that of the king of elephants, must be entering the forest along with his consort Sita and Lakshmana.

वने त्वदृष्टदुःखानां केकय्यानुमते त्वया। त्यक्तानां वनवासाय कान्ववस्था भविष्यति।।2.43.7।।

vane tvadṛṣṭaduḥkhānāṃ kekayyānumate tvayā| tyaktānāṃ vanavāsāya kānvavasthā bhaviṣyati

You have banished them as per the desire of Kaikeyi. What will be their plight in the forest, for they have never experienced any hardship earlier

ते रत्नहीनास्तरुणाः फलकाले विवासिताः। कथं वत्स्यन्ति कृपणाः फलमूलैः कृताशनाः।।2.43.8।।

te ratnahīnāstaruṇāḥ phalakāle vivāsitāḥ| kathaṃ vatsyanti kṛpaṇāḥ phalamūlaiḥ kṛtāśanāḥ

Deprived of all costly things they have been banished at the tender age of youth, a time for enjoying their lives. How will they lead a miserable life subsisting on fruits and roots?

अपीदानीं स कालस्स्यान्मम शोकक्षय श्शिवः। सभार्यं यत्सह भ्रात्रा पश्येयमिह राघवम्।।2.43.9।।

apīdānīṃ sa kālassyānmama śokakṣaya śśivaḥ| sabhāryaṃ yatsaha bhrātrā paśyeyamiha rāghavam

Will there ever be that auspicious moment to end my sorrow? When I can see Rama here along with his wife and brother?

श्रृत्वैवोपस्थितौ वीरौ कदायोध्या भविष्यति। यशस्विनी हृष्टजना सूच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनी।।2.43.10।।

śrṛtvaivopasthitau vīrau kadāyodhyā bhaviṣyati| yaśasvinī hṛṣṭajanā sūcchritadhvajamālinī

When will the city of Ayodhya attain that glory when having heard that both the brave brothers have come back the people will rejoice and fill it with uplifted banners?

कदा प्रेक्ष्य नरव्याघ्रावरण्यात्पुनरागतौ। नन्दिष्यति पुरी हृष्टा समुद्र इव पर्वणि।।2.43.11।।

kadā prekṣya naravyāghrāvaraṇyātpunarāgatau| nandiṣyati purī hṛṣṭā samudra iva parvaṇi

When will, like the swelling sea on a full Moon day, the city hail the return of Rama and Lakshmana, the best among men?

कदाऽयोध्यां महाबाहुः पुरीं वीरः प्रवेक्ष्यति। पुरस्कृत्य रथे सीतां वृषभो गोवधूमिव।।2.43.12।।

kadā'yodhyāṃ mahābāhuḥ purīṃ vīraḥ pravekṣyati| puraskṛtya rathe sītāṃ vṛṣabho govadhūmiva

When will the mightyarmed hero (Rama) enter the city of Ayodhya with Sita in front in the chariot, like a bull following the cow?

कदा प्राणिसहस्राणि राजमार्गे ममात्मजौ। लाजैरवकिरिष्यन्ति प्रविशन्तावरिन्दमौ।।2.43.13।।

kadā prāṇisahasrāṇi rājamārge mamātmajau| lājairavakiriṣyanti praviśantāvarindamau

When will the people in their thousands shower the parched grain on the highway when my sons (Rama and Lakshmana), subduers of enemies, enter the city?

प्रविशन्तौ कदाऽयोध्यां द्रक्ष्यामि शुभकुण्डलौ। उदग्रायुधनिस्त्रिंशौ सश्रृङ्गाविव पर्वतौ।।2.43.14।।

praviśantau kadā'yodhyāṃ drakṣyāmi śubhakuṇḍalau| udagrāyudhanistriṃśau saśrṛṅgāviva parvatau

When shall I see both of them wearing auspicious earrings and holding poweful weapons (bows) and swords high, like two mountain peaks?

कदासुमनसः कन्याद्विजातीनां फलानि च। प्रदिशन्तः पुरीं हृष्टाः करिष्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणम्।।2.43.15।।

kadāsumanasaḥ kanyādvijātīnāṃ phalāni ca| pradiśantaḥ purīṃ hṛṣṭāḥ kariṣyanti pradakṣiṇam

When will I see them delightfully moving round the city with young brahmin girls offering them flowers and fruits.

कदा परिणतो बुद्ध्या वयसा चामरप्रभः। अभ्युपैष्यति धर्मज्ञस्त्रिवर्ष इव मां ललन्।।2.43.16।।

kadā pariṇato buddhyā vayasā cāmaraprabhaḥ| abhyupaiṣyati dharmajñastrivarṣa iva māṃ lalan

When will Rama, the knower of righteousness, possessing the lustre of gods, and fully mature in age and wisdom come back to me playfully like a threeyearold boy?

निस्संशयं मया मन्ये पुरा वीर कदर्यया। पातुकामेषु वत्सेषु मातृ़णां शातितास्स्तनाः।।2.43.17।।

nissaṃśayaṃ mayā manye purā vīra kadaryayā| pātukāmeṣu vatseṣu mātṛ़ṇāṃ śātitāsstanāḥ

O valiant one, in my previous birth I must have undoubtedly hacked off the udders of cows when the calves were thirsting for milk from their mothers.

साहं गौरिव सिंहेन विवत्सा वत्सला कृता। कैकेय्या पुरुषव्याघ्र बालवत्सेव गौर्बलात्।।2.43.18।।

sāhaṃ gauriva siṃhena vivatsā vatsalā kṛtā| kaikeyyā puruṣavyāghra bālavatseva gaurbalāt

O best of men I have been forcibly separated from my affectionate son by Kaikeyi just like a cow from its calf by a lion.

न हि तावद्गुणैर्जुष्टं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम्। एकपुत्रा विना पुत्रमहं जीवितुमुत्सहे।।2.43.19।।

na hi tāvadguṇairjuṣṭaṃ sarvaśāstraviśāradam| ekaputrā vinā putramahaṃ jīvitumutsahe

I cannot live without my only son who is adept in all scriptures and endowed with all virtues.

न हि मे जीविते किञ्चित्सामर्थ्यमिह कल्प्यते। अपश्यन्त्याः प्रियं पुत्रं महाबाहुं महाबलम्।।2.43.20।।

na hi me jīvite kiñcitsāmarthyamiha kalpyate| apaśyantyāḥ priyaṃ putraṃ mahābāhuṃ mahābalam

Without seeing my beloved son, longarmed and mighty, I have but little strength to live in this world.

अयं हि मां दीपयते समुत्थितः तनूजशोकप्रभवो हुताशनः। महीमिमां रश्मिभिरुद्धतप्रभः यथा निदाघे भगवान् दिवाकरः।।2.43.21।।

ayaṃ hi māṃ dīpayate samutthitaḥ tanūjaśokaprabhavo hutāśanaḥ| mahīmimāṃ raśmibhiruddhataprabhaḥ yathā nidāghe bhagavān divākaraḥ

I am consumed by this blazing fire of grief caused by separation from my son like the earth scorched in summer by the Sungod with his oppressive rays इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रिचत्वारिंशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fortythird sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.