Dialogue between Śrī Rāma and His father; the sadness of the people of Ayodhyā; their remonstrances with Kaikeyī
Dohas
gai muruchā rāmahi sumiri nṛpa phiri karavaṭa līnha.
saciva rāma āgamana kahi binaya samaya sama kīnha..43.. [2-43]
The king’s spell of unconsciousness now left him; he remembered Rāma and then changed sides. And the minister (Sumantra) informed him of Śrī Rāma’s arrival and made humble submission to him in words appropriate to the occasion.
Chaupais
avanipa akani rāmu pagu dhārē. dhari dhīraju taba nayana ughārē..
sacivaom saombhāri rāu baiṭhārē. carana parata nṛpa rāmu nihārē.. [2-43-1]
liē sanēha bikala ura lāī. gai mani manahu phanika phiri pāī..
rāmahi citai rahēu naranāhū. calā bilōcana bāri prabāhū.. [2-43-2]
sōka bibasa kachu kahai na pārā. hṛdayaom lagāvata bārahiṃ bārā..
bidhihi manāva rāu mana māhīṃ. jēhiṃ raghunātha na kānana jāhīṃ.. [2-43-3]
sumiri mahēsahi kahai nihōrī. binatī sunahu sadāsiva mōrī..
āsutōṣa tumha avaḍhara dānī. ārati harahu dīna janu jānī.. [2-43-4]
Hearing that Śrī Rāma had come, the king recovered himself and opened his eyes. The minister (Sumantra) helped his sovereign to a sitting posture, when the latter beheld Rāma falling at his feet. Overwhelmed with emotion the king clasped Him to his bosom as though a serpent had regained its lost gem. The monarch kept gazing on Śrī Rāma and a torrent of tears streamed forth from his eyes. Overpowered with grief he could not utter a word and pressed the prince to his heart again and again. He inwardly prayed to God that the Lord of Raghus (Śrī Rāma) might not be able to proceed to the woods. Invoking the mighty Lord Śiva he solicited Him saying, “Hear my prayer, O ever-blissful Lord! Quickly pleased and indiscreetly generous as You are, pray relieve my affliction knowing me to be in distress.
Dohas
tumha prēraka saba kē hṛdayaom sō mati rāmahi dēhu.
bacanu mōra taji rahahi ghara parihari sīlu sanēhu..44.. [2-44]
“Dwelling as You do in the heart of all as the prompter of actions, so inspire Rāma that he may flout my word and stay at home casting to the wind all sense of propriety and filial affection.”
Chaupais
ajasu hōu jaga sujasu nasāū. naraka parau baru surapuru jāū..
saba dukha dusaha sahāvahu mōhī. lōcana ōṭa rāmu jani hōṃhī.. [2-44-1]
asa mana gunai rāu nahiṃ bōlā. pīpara pāta sarisa manu ḍōlā..
raghupati pitahi prēmabasa jānī. puni kachu kahihi mātu anumānī.. [2-44-2]
dēsa kāla avasara anusārī. bōlē bacana binīta bicārī..
tāta kahau kachu karau ḍhiṭhāī. anucitu chamaba jāni larikāī.. [2-44-3]
ati laghu bāta lāgi dukhu pāvā. kāhu na mōhi kahi prathama janāvā..
dēkhi gōsāiomhi pūomchiu mātā. suni prasaṃgu bhaē sītala gātā.. [2-44-4]
“Let world-wide disrepute be my lot and let my good name perish; I would fain be damned to perdition and forgo heaven (the abode of immortals). Subject me to all severe hardships; but let not Rāma be screened from my view.” The king thus prayed within his heart but did not open his lips; his mind quivered like an aspen leaf. Perceiving that His father was overpowered with affection, and apprehending that mother Kaikeyī might utter something again, the Lord of Raghus (Śrī Rāma) spoke after due deliberation words which were not only humble but also suited to the place, time and circumstances. “Dear father, I make bold to submit something; pray forgive this impropriety on my part knowing that I am yet tender of age. You have suffered for a most trifling matter; and the pity of it is that nobody apprized me of it before. When I saw you I asked mother Kaikeyī, and was consoled to hear what she has told me.”
Dohas
maṃgala samaya sanēha basa sōca pariharia tāta.
āyasu dēia haraṣi hiyaom kahi pulakē prabhu gāta..45.. [2-45]
“Grieve not out of affection at a time of rejoicing, dear father, and command me with a glad heart.” The Lord felt a thrill of joy all over his body as He spoke these words.
Chaupais
dhanya janamu jagatītala tāsū. pitahi pramōdu carita suni jāsū..
cāri padāratha karatala tākēṃ. priya pitu mātu prāna sama jākēṃ.. [2-45-1]
āyasu pāli janama phalu pāī. aihau bēgihiṃ hōu rajāī..
bidā mātu sana āvau māgī. calihau banahi bahuri paga lāgī.. [2-45-2]
asa kahi rāma gavanu taba kīnhā. bhūpa sōka basu utaru na dīnhā..
nagara byāpi gai bāta sutīchī. chuata caḍhaī janu saba tana bīchī.. [2-45-3]
suni bhaē bikala sakala nara nārī. bēli biṭapa jimi dēkhi davārī..
jō jahaom sunai dhunai siru sōī. baḍa biṣādu nahiṃ dhīraju hōī.. [2-45-4]
“Blessed is his birth on the surface of this earth, whose father is rejoiced to hear of his doings. He has in his hand all the four prizes of life, (viz., religious merit, material riches, sensuous gratification and final beatitude), to whom his parents are dear as life. After carrying out your order and having obtained the reward of my life I shall come back soon; therefore be pleased to command me. In the meantime I shall ask leave of mother Kausalyā and return forthwith; then I shall proceed to the woods after throwing myself once more at your feet.” So spoke Śrī Rāma and then departed; while the king was too overpowered with grief to make any answer. This most unwelcome news spread throughout the city as though the sting of a scorpion had circulated its poison throughout the body. Every man and woman who heard this was distressed even as trees and creepers are blasted at the very sight of a forest fire. Whoever heard it beat his head wherever he happened to be; the grief was too great to be borne.
Dohas
mukha sukhāhiṃ lōcana stravahi sōku na hṛdayaom samāi.
manahu karuna rasa kaṭakaī utarī avadha bajāi..46.. [2-46]
Their mouths were parched, their eyes streamed and their heart could not contain their sorrow; it seemed as though the army of Pathos had openly pitched its camp at Ayodhyā. (46)
Chaupais
milēhi mājha bidhi bāta bēgārī. jahaom tahaom dēhiṃ kaikēihi gārī..
ēhi pāpinihi būjhi kā parēū. chāi bhavana para pāvaku dharēū.. [2-46-1]
nija kara nayana kāḍhai caha dīkhā. ḍāri sudhā biṣu cāhata cīkhā..
kuṭila kaṭhōra kubuddhi abhāgī. bhai raghubaṃsa bēnu bana āgī.. [2-46-2]
pālava baiṭhi pēḍau ēhiṃ kāṭā. sukha mahu sōka ṭhāṭu dhari ṭhāṭā..
sadā rāmu ēhi prāna samānā. kārana kavana kuṭilapanu ṭhānā.. [2-46-3]
satya kahahiṃ kabi nāri subhāū. saba bidhi agahu agādha durāū..
nija pratibiṃbu baruku gahi jāī. jāni na jāi nāri gati bhāī.. [2-46-4]
“When everything was ready, God upset the whole plan!” Everywhere people abused Kaikeyī. “What sense could there be in this wicked woman having set fire to a house that had been newly thatched! She seeks to perceive after tearing out her eyes with her own hands, and wishes to taste poison throwing away nectar. This crooked hard-hearted and evil-minded wretch has appeared as fire to burn the cluster of bamboos in the shape of Raghu’s race. Sitting on a twig she has hewn the tree itself; in the midst of joy she has raised a structure of sorrow. Śrī Rāma had always been dear to her as life: What has led her to resort to such perversity? Seers have truly said that a woman’s mind is altogether incomprehensible, unfathomable and shrouded in mystery. Sooner may a man catch his own reflection than know the ways of a woman.
Dohas
kāha na pāvaku jāri saka kā na samudra samāi.
kā na karai abalā prabala kēhi jaga kālu na khāi..47.. [2-47]
“What is there that fire cannot consume; what is there that cannot be engulfed by the ocean? What is there that a powerful woman, miscalled powerless (Abalā) in common parlance, cannot accomplish and what creature is there in this perishable world, that death cannot devour?”
Chaupais
kā sunāi bidhi kāha sunāvā. kā dēkhāi caha kāha dēkhāvā..
ēka kahahiṃ bhala bhūpa na kīnhā. baru bicāri nahiṃ kumatihi dīnhā.. [2-47-1]
jō haṭhi bhayau sakala dukha bhājanu. abalā bibasa gyānu gunu gā janu..
ēka dharama paramiti pahicānē. nṛpahi dōsu nahiṃ dēhiṃ sayānē.. [2-47-2]
sibi dadhīci haricaṃda kahānī. ēka ēka sana kahahiṃ bakhānī..
ēka bharata kara saṃmata kahahīṃ. ēka udāsa bhāyaom suni rahahīṃ.. [2-47-3]
kāna mūdi kara rada gahi jīhā. ēka kahahiṃ yaha bāta alīhā..
sukṛta jāhiṃ asa kahata tumhārē. rāmu bharata kahu prānapiārē.. [2-47-4]
“Having first ordained one thing the Creator has now ordained quite the reverse of it; having shown us one spectacle he would now show us quite another.” Some people said, “The king has not done well; he has not been discreet in granting the wicked woman her request, whereby he has wilfully courted all this tragedy. By allowing himself to be ruled by a woman he has lost his wisdom and goodness as it were.” Others who were saner did not blame the king, recognizing as they did his high standard of morality. They repeated at length to one another the narratives of Śibi, Dadhīci and Hariścandra*. Some suggested Bharata’s connivance, while still others passively heard what their companions said. Others stopped their ears with their hands and bit their tongue as they exclaimed, “This is untrue. All your merits will be destroyed as Śrī Rāma is dear to Bharata as his own life.” (1-4)
- * Hariścandra, son of Triśaṅku, was a king of Ayodhyā and the twenty-eighth in descent from Ikṣvāku, the founder of the solar dynasty. In order to satisfy the claims of the sage Viśvāmitra, who wanted to test his integrity, he parted with his kingdom and all that he had, sold his wife and only son and hired himself out as the employee of a pariah who kept a burning Ghāṭa. Whenever a dead body was brought for cremation there, Hariścandra used to recover the toll and make it over to his master. One day it so happened that a snake bit his only son, Rohita, and the ex-queen brought the dead prince for cremation to the same Ghāṭa. Even though the ex-king recognized them to be his own wife and child, he would not allow the child to be burnt without recovering the usual toll. At last the penniless woman offered to part with the rag with which she had covered her shame and the heartless ex-monarch was going to strip her naked when the gods interposed and restored the pious king to his throne and all his former prosperity.
Dohas
caṃdu cavai baru anala kana sudhā hōi biṣatūla.
sapanēhu kabahu na karahiṃ kichu bharatu rāma pratikūla..48.. [2-48]
“Sooner shall the moon rain sparks of fire or nectar have the same effect as poison than Bharata ever dream of doing anything prejudicial to the interests of Śrī Rāma.” (48)
Chaupais
ēka bidhātahiṃ dūṣanu dēṃhīṃ. sudhā dēkhāi dīnha biṣu jēhīṃ..
kharabharu nagara sōcu saba kāhū. dusaha dāhu ura miṭā uchāhū.. [2-48-1]
biprabadhū kulamānya jaṭhērī. jē priya parama kaikēī kērī..
lagīṃ dēna sikha sīlu sarāhī. bacana bānasama lāgahiṃ tāhī.. [2-48-2]
bharatu na mōhi priya rāma samānā. sadā kahahu yahu sabu jagu jānā..
karahu rāma para sahaja sanēhū. kēhiṃ aparādha āju banu dēhū.. [2-48-3]
kabahu na kiyahu savati ārēsū. prīti pratīti jāna sabu dēsū..
kausalyāom aba kāha bigārā. tumha jēhi lāgi bajra pura pārā.. [2-48-4]
Some blamed the Creator, who had offered nectar but actually given them poison. The whole city was astir and everyone felt distressed. There was deep agony in their heart and their briskness was gone. Brāhmaṇa matrons and other venerable and elderly ladies of the royal family and such other ladies as were most dear to Kaikeyī began to expostulate with her praising her amiability; but their words pierced her like shafts. “You have always said, and the whole world knows it, that Bharata is not so dear to you as Rāma. You have borne natural affection towards Rāma; for what offence do you exile him to the woods today? You have never harboured jealousy towards your co-wives; your loving disposition and credulity are known throughout the land. What wrong has Kausalyā done you now due to which you should have hurled this thunderbolt against the whole city.
Dohas
sīya ki piya saomgu pariharihi lakhanu ki rahihahiṃ dhāma.
rāju ki bhūomjaba bharata pura nṛpu ki jiihi binu rāma..49.. [2-49]
“Will Sītā forgo the company of Śrī Rāma or Lakṣmaṇa choose to stay at home? Will Bharata enjoy the sovereignty of Ayodhyā or the king survive without Rāma?
Chaupais
asa bicāri ura chāḍahu kōhū. sōka kalaṃka kōṭhi jani hōhū..
bharatahi avasi dēhu jubarājū. kānana kāha rāma kara kājū.. [2-49-1]
nāhina rāmu rāja kē bhūkhē. dharama dhurīna biṣaya rasa rūkhē..
gura gṛha basahu rāmu taji gēhū. nṛpa sana asa baru dūsara lēhū.. [2-49-2]
jauṃ nahiṃ lagihahu kahēṃ hamārē. nahiṃ lāgihi kachu hātha tumhārē..
jauṃ parihāsa kīnhi kachu hōī. tau kahi pragaṭa janāvahu sōī.. [2-49-3]
rāma sarisa suta kānana jōgū. kāha kahihi suni tumha kahu lōgū..
uṭhahu bēgi sōi karahu upāī. jēhi bidhi sōku kalaṃku nasāī.. [2-49-4]
“Pondering thus banish anger from your breast nor make yourself a storehouse of grief and infamy. By all means instal Bharata as the Prince-Regent; but what need is there for exiling Rāma to the forest? Rāma is not covetous of sovereignty; he is a champion of righteousness and has no relish for sensuous pleasures. Let Rāma abandon his home and live with his preceptor; ask this of the king as your second boon. In case you do not follow our advice, you will gain nothing. If you have only played some joke, let us know by openly declaring it. Does a son like Rāma deserve to be exiled to the woods? What will the world say about you when they hear of it? Up quickly and devise some means to avert grief and obloquy.”
Chhands
jēhi bhāomti sōku kalaṃku jāi upāya kari kula pālahī.
haṭhi phēru rāmahi jāta bana jani bāta dūsari cālahī..
jimi bhānu binu dinu prāna binu tanu caṃda binu jimi jāminī.
timi avadha tulasīdāsa prabhu binu samujhi dhauṃ jiyaom bhāminī..
“Devise some means to avert grief and infamy and save your family. Forcibly dissuade Rāma from proceeding to the woods and make no other suggestion. As the day without the sun, as the body without life and the night without the moon, so the city of Ayodhyā without the Lord of Tulasīdāsa, Śrī Rāma! just consider this, O irascible lady.”
Sortas
sakhinha sikhāvanu dīnha sunata madhura parināma hita.
tēiom kachu kāna na kīnha kuṭila prabōdhī kūbarī..50.. [2-49-50]
The advice that Kaikeyī’s friends gave her was agreeable to hear and salutary in consequence. But she gave no ear to it, tutored as she was by the mischievous humpback.
Chaupais
utaru na dēi dusaha risa rūkhī. mṛginha citava janu bāghini bhūkhī..
byādhi asādhi jāni tinha tyāgī. calīṃ kahata matimaṃda abhāgī.. [2-49-1]
rāju karata yaha daiaom bigōī. kīnhēsi asa jasa karai na kōī..
ēhi bidhi bilapahiṃ pura nara nārīṃ. dēhiṃ kucālihi kōṭika gārīṃ.. [2-49-2]
jarahiṃ biṣama jara lēhiṃ usāsā. kavani rāma binu jīvana āsā..
bipula biyōga prajā akulānī. janu jalacara gana sūkhata pānī.. [2-49-3]
ati biṣāda basa lōga lōgāī. gaē mātu pahiṃ rāmu gōsāī..
mukha prasanna cita cauguna cāū. miṭā sōcu jani rākhai rāū.. [2-49-4]
She gave no reply and wore a sullen look due to anger that could not be easily curbed. She stared at them as a hungry tigress would gaze on a herd of does. Finding her disease incurable, her friends left her saying as they went, ‘Wretched fool! Fate could not brook her sovereignty and has betrayed her. She has done what nobody else would do.” Men and women of the city thus lamented and showered numberless abuses on the wicked woman. They burned with terrible agony and sighed. “There can be no hope of life without Rāma,” they said. The people were disconcerted at the thought of long separation even as aquatic creatures get disturbed when water in which they live begins to fail. Men and women alike were overcome with excessive grief. In the meantime Lord Śrī Rāma called on His mother (Kausalyā). He wore a cheerful look and had fourfold joy in his heart; He no longer feared lest the king should detain him.