Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 81

ततो नान्दीमुखीं रात्रिं भरतं सूतमागधाः। तुष्टुवुर्वाग्विशेषज्ञास्स्तवैर्मङ्गलसंहितैः।।2.81.1।।

tato nāndīmukhīṃ rātriṃ bharataṃ sūtamāgadhāḥ| tuṣṭuvurvāgviśeṣajñāsstavairmaṅgalasaṃhitaiḥ

Thereafter bards and panegyrists adept in conversation with an auspicious start pleased Bharata with eulogy in the last part of the night.

सुवर्णकोणाभिहतः प्राणदद्यामदुन्दुभिः। दध्मुश्शङ्खांश्च शतशो नादांश्चोच्चावचस्वरान्।।2.81.2।।

suvarṇakoṇābhihataḥ prāṇadadyāmadundubhiḥ| dadhmuśśaṅkhāṃśca śataśo nādāṃścoccāvacasvarān

The drums of the night watch were beaten by golden sticks. Conches in hundreds were blown and sounds of various modulations were created.

स तूर्यघोष स्सुमहान्दिवमापूरयन्निव। भरतं शोकसन्तप्तं भूयश्शोकैररन्ध्रयत्।।2.81.3।।

sa tūryaghoṣa ssumahāndivamāpūrayanniva| bharataṃ śokasantaptaṃ bhūyaśśokairarandhrayat

The shrill trempets which seemed to fill the heavens caused much more distress to the already griefstricken Bharata.

ततः प्रबुद्धो भरतस्तं घोषं सन्निवर्त्य च। नाहं राजेति चाप्युक्त्वा शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.81.4।।

tataḥ prabuddho bharatastaṃ ghoṣaṃ sannivartya ca| nāhaṃ rājeti cāpyuktvā śatrughnamidamabravīt

Then Bharata waking up, exclaimed, I am not the king, ordered the pipers to stop and said to Satrughna:

पश्य शत्रुघ्न कैकेय्या लोकस्यापकृतं महत्। विसृज्य मयि दुःखानि राजा दशरथो गतः।।2.81.5।।

paśya śatrughna kaikeyyā lokasyāpakṛtaṃ mahat| visṛjya mayi duḥkhāni rājā daśaratho gataḥ

O Satrughna see what great harm has been done to these people at the instance of Kaikeyi. King Dasaratha has gone, leaving me to suffer.

तस्यैषा धर्मराजस्य धर्ममूला महात्मनः। परिभ्रमति राज्य श्रीर्नौरिवाकर्णिका जले।।2.81.6।।

tasyaiṣā dharmarājasya dharmamūlā mahātmanaḥ| paribhramati rājya śrīrnaurivākarṇikā jale

This kingdom, rooted in the righteousness of that noble king, is now whirling like a boat in a whirlpool without a helmsman.

यो हि न स्सुमहान्नाथस्सोऽपि प्रव्राजितो वनम्। अनया धर्ममुत्सृज्य मात्रा मे राघवस्स्वयम्।।2.81.7।।

yo hi na ssumahānnāthasso'pi pravrājito vanam| anayā dharmamutsṛjya mātrā me rāghavassvayam

Even Rama, a great protector for all of us, has been banished to the forest by my mother bereft of virtuous conduct.

इत्येवं भरतं प्रेक्ष्य विलपन्तं विचेतनम्। कृपणं रुरुदुस्सर्वास्सस्वरं योषित स्तदा।। 2.81.8।।

ityevaṃ bharataṃ prekṣya vilapantaṃ vicetanam| kṛpaṇaṃ rurudussarvāssasvaraṃ yoṣita stadā

Thus lamenting, Bharata fainted. Seeing him (in this state) all the women (of the inner apartment) at once cried aloud piteously.

तथा तस्मिन्विलपति वसिष्ठो राजधर्मवित्। सभामिक्ष्वाकुनाथस्य प्रविवेश महायशाः।।2.81.9।।

tathā tasminvilapati vasiṣṭho rājadharmavit| sabhāmikṣvākunāthasya praviveśa mahāyaśāḥ

While Bharata was weeping, illustrious Vasistha, conversant with royal traditions, entered the assembly hall of the lord of the Iksvakus (king Dasaratha).

शातकुम्भमयीं रम्यां मणिरत्नसमाकुलाम्। सुधर्मामिव धर्मात्मा सगणः प्रत्यपद्यत।।2.81.10।।

śātakumbhamayīṃ ramyāṃ maṇiratnasamākulām| sudharmāmiva dharmātmā sagaṇaḥ pratyapadyata

Righteous Vasistha along with his disciples reached the lovely golden assembly hall inlaid with gems and precious stones, which resembled Sudharma, (the assembly hall of Indra).

स काञ्चनमयं पीठं सुखास्तरणसंवृतम्। अध्यास्त सर्ववेदज्ञो दूताननुशशास च।।2.81.11।।

sa kāñcanamayaṃ pīṭhaṃ sukhāstaraṇasaṃvṛtam| adhyāsta sarvavedajño dūtānanuśaśāsa ca

Vasistha, wellversed in all the Vedas, sat on a golden seat with a comfortable cover and ordered the messengers:

ब्राह्मणान् क्षत्रियान्वैश्यनमात्यान्गणवल्लभान्। क्षिप्रमानयताऽव्यग्राः कृत्यमात्ययिकं हि नः।।2.81.12।।

brāhmaṇān kṣatriyānvaiśyanamātyāngaṇavallabhān| kṣipramānayatā'vyagrāḥ kṛtyamātyayikaṃ hi naḥ

Fetch quietly brahmins, kshatriyas, vaisyas, ministers and army commanders at once. A matter of great urgency awaits us.

सराजभृत्यं शत्रुघ्नं भरतं च यशस्विनम्। युधाजितं सुमन्त्रं च ये च तत्र हिता जनाः।।2.81.13।।

sarājabhṛtyaṃ śatrughnaṃ bharataṃ ca yaśasvinam| yudhājitaṃ sumantraṃ ca ye ca tatra hitā janāḥ

Bring all the royal attendants, Satrughna, the illustrious Bharata, Yudhajit, Sumantra and all those wellwishers of the king.

ततो हलहलाशब्दस्सुमहान्समपद्यत। रथैरश्वैर्गजैश्चापि जनानामुपगच्छताम्।।2.81.14।।

tato halahalāśabdassumahānsamapadyata| rathairaśvairgajaiścāpi janānāmupagacchatām

As they (invitees) began arriving on chariots, horses and elephants, there arose a great tumult.

ततो भरतमायान्तं शतक्रतुमिवामराः। प्रत्यनन्दन्प्रकृतयो यथा दशरथं तथा।।2.81.15।।

tato bharatamāyāntaṃ śatakratumivāmarāḥ| pratyanandanprakṛtayo yathā daśarathaṃ tathā

Then as Bharata apprroached, ministers and subjects greeted him as they used to greet Dasaratha, just as gods greet Indra, the performer of a hundred sacrifices.

ह्रद इव तिमिनागसंवृतः स्तिमितजलो मणिशङ्खशर्करः। दशरथसुतशोभिता सभा सदशरथेव बभौ यथा पुरा।।2.81.16।।

hrada iva timināgasaṃvṛtaḥ stimitajalo maṇiśaṅkhaśarkaraḥ| daśarathasutaśobhitā sabhā sadaśaratheva babhau yathā purā

The assembly hall looked splendid like a lake of tranquil waters with gems, shells pebbles, grains of sand and teeming with whales and serpents in the presence of the son of king Dasaratha. It appeared as though Dasaratha himself was present. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे एकाशीतितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the eightyfirst sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.