Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 73

सश्रूत्वा तु पितरं वृत्तं भ्रातरौ च विवासितौ। भरतो दुःखसन्तप्त इदं वचनमब्रवीत्।।2.73.1।।

saśrūtvā tu pitaraṃ vṛttaṃ bhrātarau ca vivāsitau| bharato duḥkhasantapta idaṃ vacanamabravīt

On hearing about the demise of the father and his two brothers sent in exile, Bharata overtaken by sorrow spoke thus:

किं नु कार्यं हतस्येह मम राज्येन शोचतः। विहीनस्याथ पित्रा च भ्रात्रा पितृसमेन च।।2.73.2।।

kiṃ nu kāryaṃ hatasyeha mama rājyena śocataḥ| vihīnasyātha pitrā ca bhrātrā pitṛsamena ca

Bereft of my father and my brother who was like a father to me, of what avail is this kingdom to me when I am grieving and fallen into misfortunes?

दुःखे मे दुःखमकरोर्व्रणे क्षारमिवादधाः। राजानं प्रेतभावस्थं कृत्वा रामं च तापसम्।।2.73.3।।

duḥkhe me duḥkhamakarorvraṇe kṣāramivādadhāḥ| rājānaṃ pretabhāvasthaṃ kṛtvā rāmaṃ ca tāpasam

You have caused the death of the king and reduced Rama to an ascetic. You have piled one sorrow over sorrow on me like rubbing salt to the wound

कुलस्य त्वमभावाय कालरात्रिरिवाऽगता। अङ्गारमुपगूह्य स्म पिता मे नावबुद्धवान्।।2.73.4।।

kulasya tvamabhāvāya kālarātririvā'gatā| aṅgāramupagūhya sma pitā me nāvabuddhavān

You have come here for the destruction of this race, like a fatal night. My father did not realize that he was embracing a live charcoal.

मृत्युमापादितो पिता त्वया मे पापदर्शिनि। सुखं परिहृतं मोहात्कुलेऽस्मिन्कुलपांसनि।।2.73.5।।

mṛtyumāpādito pitā tvayā me pāpadarśini| sukhaṃ parihṛtaṃ mohātkule'sminkulapāṃsani

O woman of sinful thoughts, you have brought about the death of my father. O obloquy of the race, by your folly you have deprived this family of its happiness.

त्वां प्राप्य हि पिता मेऽद्य सत्यसन्धो महायशाः। तीव्रदुःखाभिसन्तप्तो वृत्तो दशरथो नृपः।।2.73.6।।

tvāṃ prāpya hi pitā me'dya satyasandho mahāyaśāḥ| tīvraduḥkhābhisantapto vṛtto daśaratho nṛpaḥ

My father king Dasaratha who is bound to truth and highly renowned, having come under your influence and tormented by intense grief has departed from this world.

विनाशितो महाराजः पिता मे धर्मवत्सलः। कस्मात्प्रव्राजितो रामः कस्मादेव वनं गतः।।2.73.7।।

vināśito mahārājaḥ pitā me dharmavatsalaḥ| kasmātpravrājito rāmaḥ kasmādeva vanaṃ gataḥ

Why was my father the righteous maharaja killed? Why was Rama exiled into the forest?

कौसल्या च सुमित्रा च पुत्रशोकाभिपीडिते। दुष्करं यदि जीवेतां प्राप्य त्वां जननीं मम।।2.73.8।।

kausalyā ca sumitrā ca putraśokābhipīḍite| duṣkaraṃ yadi jīvetāṃ prāpya tvāṃ jananīṃ mama

Tormented by the grief of separation from their sons, it is difficult for Kausalya and Sumitra to survive under you, O my mother.

ननुत्वार्योऽपि धर्मात्मा त्वयि वृतिमनुत्तमाम्। वर्तते गुरुवृत्तिज्ञो यथा मातरि वर्तते।।2.73.9।।

nanutvāryo'pi dharmātmā tvayi vṛtimanuttamām| vartate guruvṛttijño yathā mātari vartate

My noble and righteous brother (Rama), who is well aware of his duties to the elders conducted himself before you as he would before his own mother.

तथा ज्येष्ठा हि मे माता कौसल्या दीर्घदर्शिनी। त्वयि धर्मं समास्थाय भगिन्यामिव वर्तते।।2.74.10।।

tathā jyeṣṭhā hi me mātā kausalyā dīrghadarśinī| tvayi dharmaṃ samāsthāya bhaginyāmiva vartate

In the same way my eldest mother the farsighted Kausalya, too adhered to righteousness and conducted herself towards you like a sister.

तस्याः पुत्रं कृताऽत्मानं चीरवल्कलवाससम्। प्रस्थाप्य वनवासाय कथं पापे न शोचसि।।2.73.11।।

tasyāḥ putraṃ kṛtā'tmānaṃ cīravalkalavāsasam| prasthāpya vanavāsāya kathaṃ pāpe na śocasi

You have forced Kausalya's son, so pure in mind, to wear garments made of bark and dwell in the forest. Do you not feel remorse for it, O perverse wretch?

अपापदर्शनं शूरं कृतात्मानं यशस्विनम्। प्रव्राज्य चीरवसनं किन्नु पश्यसि कारणम्।।2.73.12।।

apāpadarśanaṃ śūraṃ kṛtātmānaṃ yaśasvinam| pravrājya cīravasanaṃ kinnu paśyasi kāraṇam

The glorious, valiant, selfpossessed (Rama) had never contemplated evil. What possible reason do you have for sending him, clothed in bark, into exile?

लुब्धाया विदितो मन्ये न तेऽहं राघवं प्रति। तथाह्यनर्धो राज्यार्थं त्वयाऽनीतो महानयम्।।2.73.13।।

lubdhāyā vidito manye na te'haṃ rāghavaṃ prati| tathāhyanardho rājyārthaṃ tvayā'nīto mahānayam

Being avaricious, you are, I think, unaware of my devotion to Rama. This great calamity has been brought about by you for (your greed for) the kingdom.

अहं हि पुरुषव्याघ्रावपश्यन्रामलक्ष्मणौ। केन शक्तिप्रभावेन राज्यं रक्षितुमुत्सहे।।2.73.14।।

ahaṃ hi puruṣavyāghrāvapaśyanrāmalakṣmaṇau| kena śaktiprabhāvena rājyaṃ rakṣitumutsahe

When Rama and Lakshmana, the best of men stay away from me, by virtue of what mighty power am I competent to protect this kingdom?

तं हि नित्यं महाराजो बलवन्तं महाबलः। उपाश्रितोऽभूद्धर्मात्मा मेरुर्मेरुवनं यथा।।2.73.15।।

taṃ hi nityaṃ mahārājo balavantaṃ mahābalaḥ| upāśrito'bhūddharmātmā merurmeruvanaṃ yathā

The mighty and righteous maharaja used to rely upon the powerful Rama just as mount Meru depends on the forest surrounding it for its protection.

सोऽहं कथमिमं भारं महाधुर्यसमुद्धृतम्। दम्योधुरमिवाऽऽसाद्य वहेयं केनचौजसा।। 2.73.16।।

so'haṃ kathamimaṃ bhāraṃ mahādhuryasamuddhṛtam| damyodhuramivā''sādya vaheyaṃ kenacaujasā

Like a young untrained bullock that cannot carry the weight fit for a great bull, with what strength can I bear this burden?

अथवा मे भवेच्छक्तिर्योगैर्बुद्धिबलेन वा। सकामां न करिष्यामि त्वामहं पुत्रगर्धिनीम्।।2.73.17।।

athavā me bhavecchaktiryogairbuddhibalena vā| sakāmāṃ na kariṣyāmi tvāmahaṃ putragardhinīm

If I gather the strength (to carry the burden) either by employing the four expedients (available to a king against an enemy) or by the power of intellect, I will not allow you, covetous of your son, to fulfil your ambition.

न मे विकाङ्क्षा जायेत त्यक्तुं त्वां पापनिश्चयाम्। यदि रामस्य नावेक्षा त्वयि स्यान्मातृवत्सदा।।2.73.18।।

na me vikāṅkṣā jāyeta tyaktuṃ tvāṃ pāpaniścayām| yadi rāmasya nāvekṣā tvayi syānmātṛvatsadā

Had Rama not treated you as his own mother I would not have the slightest hesitation to renounce you, a lady of sinful disposition.

उत्पन्नातु कथं बुद्धिस्तवेयं पापदर्शिनि। साधुचारित्रविभ्रष्टे पूर्वेषां नो विगर्हिता।।2.73.19।।

utpannātu kathaṃ buddhistaveyaṃ pāpadarśini| sādhucāritravibhraṣṭe pūrveṣāṃ no vigarhitā

O woman of sinful thoughts fallen from virtuous conduct, how did you entertain this thought reproachable to our ancestors?

अस्मिन्कुले हि पूर्वेषां ज्येष्ठो राज्येऽभिषिच्यते। अपरे भ्रातरस्तस्मिन्प्रवर्तन्ते समाहिताः।।2.73.20।।

asminkule hi pūrveṣāṃ jyeṣṭho rājye'bhiṣicyate| apare bhrātarastasminpravartante samāhitāḥ

In our race only the eldest son is installed in the kingdom and the other brothers behave with utmost respect towards him.

न हि मन्ये नृशंसे त्वं राजधर्ममवेक्षसे। गतिं वा न विजानासि राजवृत्तस्य शाश्वतीम्।।2.73.21।।

na hi manye nṛśaṃse tvaṃ rājadharmamavekṣase| gatiṃ vā na vijānāsi rājavṛttasya śāśvatīm

O cruel one I suppose neither have you any respect for the royal tradition nor are you aware of the everlasting benefit that ensues in following the royal traditon.

सततं राजवृत्ते हि ज्येष्ठो राज्येऽभिषिच्यते। राज्ञामेतत्समं तत्स्यादिक्ष्वाकूणां विशेषतः।।2.73.22।।

satataṃ rājavṛtte hi jyeṣṭho rājye'bhiṣicyate| rājñāmetatsamaṃ tatsyādikṣvākūṇāṃ viśeṣataḥ

According to the established law of royalty, the eldest son is invariably crowned in the kingdom. This is true of all kings. This is a special tradition of the kings of the Ikshvaku race.

तेषां धर्मैकरक्षाणां कुलचारित्रशोभिनाम्। अद्य चारित्रशौण्डीर्यं त्वां प्राप्य विनिवर्तितम्।।2.73.23।।

teṣāṃ dharmaikarakṣāṇāṃ kulacāritraśobhinām| adya cāritraśauṇḍīryaṃ tvāṃ prāpya vinivartitam

As for the Ikshvaku kings, righteousness is their sole protection. They follow the ancestral traditions befitting the noble race. This tradition has been topsyturvied by admitting you into the family.

तवापि सुमहाभागा जनेन्द्राः कुलपूर्वगाः। बुद्धेर्मोहः कथमयं सम्भूतस्त्वयि गर्हितः।।2.73.24।।

tavāpi sumahābhāgā janendrāḥ kulapūrvagāḥ| buddhermohaḥ kathamayaṃ sambhūtastvayi garhitaḥ

Even the kings in your ancestral family were highly distinguished men. How did this condemnable deflection originate in your mind?

न तु कामं करिष्यामि तवाऽहं पापनिश्चये। त्वया व्यसनमारब्धं जीवितान्तकरं मम।।2.73.25।।

na tu kāmaṃ kariṣyāmi tavā'haṃ pāpaniścaye| tvayā vyasanamārabdhaṃ jīvitāntakaraṃ mama

O woman of sinful disposition, I on my part will not fulfil your cherished desire. You have started a distressing deed to bring an end to my existence.

एषत्विदानीमेवाहमप्रियार्थं तवानघम्। निवर्तयिष्यामि वनाद्भ्रातरं स्वजनप्रियम्।।2.73.26।।

eṣatvidānīmevāhamapriyārthaṃ tavānagham| nivartayiṣyāmi vanādbhrātaraṃ svajanapriyam

To cause a great discomfiture for you, right now I shall bring back my faultless brother, the beloved of his people, from the forest.

निवर्तयित्वा रामं च तस्याहं दीप्ततेजसः। दासभूतो भविष्यामि सुस्थिरेणान्तरात्मना।।2.73.27।।

nivartayitvā rāmaṃ ca tasyāhaṃ dīptatejasaḥ| dāsabhūto bhaviṣyāmi susthireṇāntarātmanā

With the effulgent Rama brought back, I shall serve him with a steadfast mind.

इत्येवमुक्त्वा भरतो महात्मा प्रियेतरैर्वाक्यगणैस्तुदंस्ताम्। शोकातुरश्चापि ननाद भूयः सिंहो यथा पर्वतगह्वरस्थः।।2.73.28।।

ityevamuktvā bharato mahātmā priyetarairvākyagaṇaistudaṃstām| śokāturaścāpi nanāda bhūyaḥ siṃho yathā parvatagahvarasthaḥ

Having inflicted on his mother these unpleasant words in this manner, the highsouled Bharata, overwhelmed with grief, roared again like a lion in a mountaincave. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रिसप्ततितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the seventythird sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.