Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 86

आचचक्षेऽथ सद्भावं लक्ष्मणस्य महात्मनः। भरतायाप्रमेयाय गुहो गहनगोचरः।।2.86.1।।

ācacakṣe'tha sadbhāvaṃ lakṣmaṇasya mahātmanaḥ| bharatāyāprameyāya guho gahanagocaraḥ

Then Guha, the forest ranger, described to Bharata the countless qualities of the goodnatured, magnanimous Lakshmana:

तं जाग्रतं गुणैर्युक्तं शरचापासिधारिणम्। भ्रातृगुप्त्यर्थमत्यन्तमहं लक्ष्मणमबृवम्।।2.86.2।।

taṃ jāgrataṃ guṇairyuktaṃ śaracāpāsidhāriṇam| bhrātṛguptyarthamatyantamahaṃ lakṣmaṇamabṛvam

I spoke to the virtuous Lakshmana, who was holding arrows, bow and sword in his hand and keeping awake completely for the protection of his brother.

इयं तात सुखा शय्या त्वदर्थमुपकल्पिता। प्रत्याश्वसिहि शेष्वास्यां सुखं राघवनन्दन।।2.86.3।।

iyaṃ tāta sukhā śayyā tvadarthamupakalpitā| pratyāśvasihi śeṣvāsyāṃ sukhaṃ rāghavanandana

My friend, Lakshmana, the delight of the Raghavas this comfortable couch has been arranged for you. Lie down peacefully without any anxiety.

उचितोऽयं जनस्सर्वो दुःखानां त्वं सुखोचितः। धर्मात्मंस्तस्य गुप्त्यर्थं जागरिष्यामहे वयम्।।2.86.4।।

ucito'yaṃ janassarvo duḥkhānāṃ tvaṃ sukhocitaḥ| dharmātmaṃstasya guptyarthaṃ jāgariṣyāmahe vayam

O righteous one you are used to conforts where as all of our people are accustomed to hardships. So we will stay awake and protect Rama.

नहि रामात्प्रियतरो ममास्ति भुवि कश्चन। मोत्सुकोऽभूर्ब्रवीम्येतदप्यसत्यं तवाग्रतः।।2.86.5।।

nahi rāmātpriyataro mamāsti bhuvi kaścana| motsuko'bhūrbravīmyetadapyasatyaṃ tavāgrataḥ

To me, there is none on earth dearer than Rama. Do not have any anxiety. I am telling you the truth.

अस्य प्रसादादाशंसे लोकेऽस्मिन् सुमहद्यशः। धर्मावाप्तिं च विपुलामर्थकामौ च केवलम्।।2.86.6।।

asya prasādādāśaṃse loke'smin sumahadyaśaḥ| dharmāvāptiṃ ca vipulāmarthakāmau ca kevalam

By the grace of Rama, I want to acquire in this world great renown, abundance of righteousness, absolute artha (prosperity) and kama (pleasure).

सोऽहं प्रियसखं रामं शयानं सह सीतया। रक्षिष्यामि धनुष्पाणि स्सर्वै स्स्वैर्ज्ञातिभिस्सह।।2.86.7।।

so'haṃ priyasakhaṃ rāmaṃ śayānaṃ saha sītayā| rakṣiṣyāmi dhanuṣpāṇi ssarvai ssvairjñātibhissaha

As for me, bow in hand and all my kinsmen with me, I shall protect my dear friend Rama who is resting with Sita.

न हि मेऽविदितं किञ्चिद्वनेऽस्मिंश्चरत स्सदा। चतुरङ्गं ह्यपि बलं प्रसहेम वयं युधि।।2.86.8।।

na hi me'viditaṃ kiñcidvane'smiṃścarata ssadā| caturaṅgaṃ hyapi balaṃ prasahema vayaṃ yudhi

Nothing is unknown to me in this forest in which I range about continually. We can withstand an army of four divisions in a battle.

एवमस्माभिरुक्तेन लक्ष्मणेन महात्मना। अनुनीता वयं सर्वे धर्ममेवानुपश्यता।। 2.86.9।।

evamasmābhiruktena lakṣmaṇena mahātmanā| anunītā vayaṃ sarve dharmamevānupaśyatā

The magnanimous Lakshmana, established in dharma, replied:

कथं दाशरथौ भूमौ शयाने सह सीतया। शक्या निद्रा मया लब्धुं जीवितं वा सुखानि वा।।2.86.10।।

kathaṃ dāśarathau bhūmau śayāne saha sītayā| śakyā nidrā mayā labdhuṃ jīvitaṃ vā sukhāni vā

While Rama sleep on the ground with Sita, how can I find sleep or joy or comfort?

यो न देवासुरैस्सर्वैश्शक्यः प्रसहितुं युधि। तं पश्य गुह संविष्टं तृणेषु सह सीतया।।2.86.11।।

yo na devāsuraissarvaiśśakyaḥ prasahituṃ yudhi| taṃ paśya guha saṃviṣṭaṃ tṛṇeṣu saha sītayā

O Guha behold Rama, whom gods and demons combined cannot withstand in a battle now lying on a bed of grass with Sita.

महता तपसा लब्धो विविधैश्च परिश्रमैः। एको दशरथस्यैष पुत्रस्सदृशलक्षणः।।2.86.12।।

mahatā tapasā labdho vividhaiśca pariśramaiḥ| eko daśarathasyaiṣa putrassadṛśalakṣaṇaḥ

Rama is the only one among the sons who resembles his father in various virtues. Dasaratha obtained him after a great deal of austerities and efforts as well.

अस्मिन्प्रव्राजिते राजा न चिरं वर्तयिष्यति। विधवा मेदिनी नूनं क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति।।2.86.13।।

asminpravrājite rājā na ciraṃ vartayiṣyati| vidhavā medinī nūnaṃ kṣiprameva bhaviṣyati

After Rama is exiled, king Dasaratha will not survive for long and surely the earth will soon be widowed.

विनद्य सुमहानादं श्रमेणोपरताः स्त्रियः। निर्घोषो विरतो नूनमध्य राजनिवेशने।।2.86.14।।

vinadya sumahānādaṃ śrameṇoparatāḥ striyaḥ| nirghoṣo virato nūnamadhya rājaniveśane

The women of the inner apartment who lamented loudly, must have stopped weeping out of weariness. By now, the clamour in the king's palace would have surely subsided.

कौसल्या चैव राजा च तथैव जननी मम। नाशंसे यदि जीवेयुस्सर्वे ते शर्वरीमिमाम्।।2.86.15।।

kausalyā caiva rājā ca tathaiva jananī mama| nāśaṃse yadi jīveyussarve te śarvarīmimām

I doubt whether the king, Kausalya and my mother Sumitra and the rest of them will outlive this night.

जीवेदपि च मे माता शत्रुघ्नस्यान्ववेक्षया। दुःखिता या तु कौसल्या वीरसूर्विनशिष्यति।।2.86.16।।

jīvedapi ca me mātā śatrughnasyānvavekṣayā| duḥkhitā yā tu kausalyā vīrasūrvinaśiṣyati

My mother might live, looking at Satrughna. But Kausalya, who is the mother of a hero, will die from extreme grief.

अतिक्रान्तमतिक्रान्तमनवाप्य मनोरथम्। राज्ये राममनिक्षिप्य पिता मे विनशिष्यति।।2.86.17।।

atikrāntamatikrāntamanavāpya manoratham| rājye rāmamanikṣipya pitā me vinaśiṣyati

My father, king Dasaratha, failing to fulfil his cherished desires one after another and unable to place Rama on the throne, will pass away.

सिद्धार्थाः पितरं वृत्तं तस्मिन्काले ह्युपस्थिते। प्रेतकार्येषु सर्वेषु संस्करिष्यन्ति भूमिपम्।।2.86.18।।

siddhārthāḥ pitaraṃ vṛttaṃ tasminkāle hyupasthite| pretakāryeṣu sarveṣu saṃskariṣyanti bhūmipam

When the moment of death arrives for my father, those who perform the funeral rites for him would have fulfilled their desire.

रम्यचत्वरसंस्थानां सुविभक्तमहापथाम्। हर्म्यप्रासादम्पन्नां सर्वरत्नविभूषिताम्।।2.86.19।। गजाश्वरथसंबाधां तूर्यनादविनादिताम्। सर्वकल्याणसंपूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम्।।2.86.20।। आरामोद्यानसंपूर्णां समाजोत्सवशालिनीम्। सुखिता विचरिष्यन्ति राजधानीं पितुर्मम।।2.86.21।।

ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām| harmyaprāsādampannāṃ sarvaratnavibhūṣitām gajāśvarathasaṃbādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām| sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām ārāmodyānasaṃpūrṇāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm| sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ piturmama

There in the capital of my father with its lovely crossroads and squares, welllaid highways, full of mansions and palaces encrusted with all kinds of precious stones, teeming with elephants, horses and chariots, resounding with trumpets, and with wellbeing everywhere, and plenty of pleasuregardens, and parks and community festivals, people sound in health would be moving about in great comfort.

रम्यचत्वरसंस्थानां सुविभक्तमहापथाम्। हर्म्यप्रासादम्पन्नां सर्वरत्नविभूषिताम्।।2.86.19।। गजाश्वरथसंबाधां तूर्यनादविनादिताम्। सर्वकल्याणसंपूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम्।।2.86.20।। आरामोद्यानसंपूर्णां समाजोत्सवशालिनीम्। सुखिता विचरिष्यन्ति राजधानीं पितुर्मम।।2.86.21।।

ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām| harmyaprāsādampannāṃ sarvaratnavibhūṣitām gajāśvarathasaṃbādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām| sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām ārāmodyānasaṃpūrṇāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm| sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ piturmama

There in the capital of my father with its lovely crossroads and squares, welllaid highways, full of mansions and palaces encrusted with all kinds of precious stones, teeming with elephants, horses and chariots, resounding with trumpets, and with wellbeing everywhere, and plenty of pleasuregardens, and parks and community festivals, people sound in health would be moving about in great comfort.

रम्यचत्वरसंस्थानां सुविभक्तमहापथाम्। हर्म्यप्रासादम्पन्नां सर्वरत्नविभूषिताम्।।2.86.19।। गजाश्वरथसंबाधां तूर्यनादविनादिताम्। सर्वकल्याणसंपूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम्।।2.86.20।। आरामोद्यानसंपूर्णां समाजोत्सवशालिनीम्। सुखिता विचरिष्यन्ति राजधानीं पितुर्मम।।2.86.21।।

ramyacatvarasaṃsthānāṃ suvibhaktamahāpathām| harmyaprāsādampannāṃ sarvaratnavibhūṣitām gajāśvarathasaṃbādhāṃ tūryanādavināditām| sarvakalyāṇasaṃpūrṇāṃ hṛṣṭapuṣṭajanākulām ārāmodyānasaṃpūrṇāṃ samājotsavaśālinīm| sukhitā vicariṣyanti rājadhānīṃ piturmama

There in the capital of my father with its lovely crossroads and squares, welllaid highways, full of mansions and palaces encrusted with all kinds of precious stones, teeming with elephants, horses and chariots, resounding with trumpets, and with wellbeing everywhere, and plenty of pleasuregardens, and parks and community festivals, people sound in health would be moving about in great comfort.

अपिसत्यप्रतिज्ञेन सार्धं कुशलिना वयं। निवृत्ते समये ह्यस्मिन् सुखिताः प्रविशेमहि।।2.86.22।।

apisatyapratijñena sārdhaṃ kuśalinā vayaṃ| nivṛtte samaye hyasmin sukhitāḥ praviśemahi

Can we ever reenter Ayodhya happily after safely fulfilling the vow and completing the term of exile?

परिदेवयमानस्य तस्यैवं सुमहात्मनः। तिष्ठतो राजपुत्रस्य शर्वरी साऽत्यवर्तत।।2.86.23।।

paridevayamānasya tasyaivaṃ sumahātmanaḥ| tiṣṭhato rājaputrasya śarvarī sā'tyavartata

While the highminded prince was lamenting this way and was waiting, the night passed off.

प्रभाते विमले सूर्ये कारयित्वा जटा उभौ। अस्मिन् भागीरथीतीरे सुखं सन्तारितौ मया।।2.86.24।।

prabhāte vimale sūrye kārayitvā jaṭā ubhau| asmin bhāgīrathītīre sukhaṃ santāritau mayā

The next morning when the Sun shone bright, both of them matted their hair on the bank of the river Bhagirathi (Ganga) and I ferried them across comfortably.

जटाधरौ तौ द्रुमचीरवाससौ महाबलौ कुञ्जरयूथपोपमौ। वरेषुचापासिधरौ परन्तपौ व्यपेक्षमाणौ सह सीतया गतौ।।2.86.25।।

jaṭādharau tau drumacīravāsasau mahābalau kuñjarayūthapopamau| vareṣucāpāsidharau parantapau vyapekṣamāṇau saha sītayā gatau

Rama and Lakshmana, slayers of enemies, who are as strong as bull elephants, with their hair matted, wearing robes made of bark, armed with excellent bows, arrows and swords went along with Sita looking around (vigilantly). इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे षडशीतितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the eightysixth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.