न किंचिदाहाहितमप्रियं वचो न वेत्ति रामः परुषाणि भाषितुम्। कथं तु रामे ह्यभिरामवादिनि ब्रवीषि दोषान् गुणनित्यसम्मते
Rāma has never spoken a single harsh or unpleasant word, nor does he know how to speak cruelly. How, then, can you find fault with Rāma, who always speaks pleasingly and is ever praised for his virtues?
प्रताम्य वा प्रज्वल वा प्रणश्य वा सहस्रशो वा स्फुटितां महीं व्रज। न ते करिष्यामि वचः सुदारुणं ममाहितं केकयराजपांसने
Collapse, burn, perish, or shatter the earth a thousand times over—I will not carry out your dreadful command, O dust of the Kekaya king, which brings me harm.
क्षुरोपमां नित्यमसत्प्रियंवदां प्रदुष्टभावां स्वकुलोपघातिनीम्। न जीवितुं त्वां विषहेऽमनोरमां दिधक्षमाणां हृदयं सबन्धनम्
You, whose words are ever sharp as razors, who delight in falsehood, whose mind is corrupted, who bring ruin to your own family—I cannot bear to live with you, so unlovely, who seek to burn my heart and all bonds.
न जीवितं मेऽस्ति कुतः पुनः सुखं विनात्मजेनात्मवतां कुतो रतिः। ममाहितं देवि न कर्तुमर्हसि स्पृशामि पादावपि ते प्रसीद मे
I have no life left—how then could I have happiness? Without my son, what joy is there for those who love their children as themselves? O lady, do not do me this harm—I touch your feet, have mercy on me.
स भूमिपालो विलपन्ननाथवत् स्त्रिया गृहीतो हृदयेऽतिमात्रया। पपात देव्याश्चरणौ प्रसारिता- वुभावसम्प्राप्य यथाऽऽतुरस्तथा
That lord of the earth, lamenting like one bereft, was seized in his heart by the woman’s overwhelming force; he fell at the queen’s outstretched feet, just as a stricken man might collapse.
thumb|त्रयोदशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः ॥२-
Listen now to the thirteenth chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Ayodhyā section.
अतदर्हं महाराजं शयानमतथोचितम्। ययातिमिव पुण्यान्ते देवलोकात् परिच्युतम्
He lay there, the great king, in a state unfit for him, like Yayāti cast down from heaven at the end of his merit.
अनर्थरूपासिद्धार्था ह्यभीता भयदर्शिनी। पुनराकारयामास तमेव वरमङ्गना
That woman, fearless yet seeing danger, whose wishes brought only harm, again demanded the very boon she had sought.
त्वं कत्थसे महाराज सत्यवादी दृढव्रतः। मम चेदं वरं कस्माद् विधारयितुमिच्छसि
You boast, O king, of being truthful and firm in your vows—then why do you hesitate to grant me this boon?
एवमुक्तस्तु कैकेय्या राजा दशरथस्तदा। प्रत्युवाच ततः क्रुद्धो मुहूर्तं विह्वलन्निव
Thus addressed by Kaikeyī, King Daśaratha, overcome and angered, replied after a moment, as if bewildered.
मृते मयि गते रामे वनं मनुजपुङ्गवे। हन्तानार्ये ममामित्रे सकामा सुखिनी भव
When I am dead and Rāma has gone to the forest, O unworthy one, fulfill your desire and be happy, having destroyed my enemies.
स्वर्गेऽपि खलु रामस्य कुशलं दैवतैरहम्। प्रत्यादेशादभिहितं धारयिष्ये कथं बत
Even in heaven, I will have to endure the gods’ reproach for Rāma’s sake—how shall I bear it, alas?
कैकेय्याः प्रियकामेन रामः प्रव्राजितो वनम्। यदि सत्यं ब्रवीम्येतत् तदसत्यं भविष्यति
If, out of affection for Kaikeyi, I send Rāma into exile in the forest, and I say this is true, then it will become untrue.
अपुत्रेण मया पुत्रः श्रमेण महता महान्। रामो लब्धो महातेजाः स कथं त्यज्यते मया
Through great effort, though I was childless, I gained the mighty and radiant Rāma as my son; how then can I abandon him?
शूरश्च कृतविद्यश्च जितक्रोधः क्षमापरः। कथं कमलपत्राक्षो मया रामो विवास्यते
How can I banish Rāma, lotus-eyed, valiant, learned, conqueror of anger, devoted to forgiveness, by my own hand?
कथमिन्दीवरश्यामं दीर्घबाहुं महाबलम्। अभिराममहं रामं स्थापयिष्यामि दण्डकान्
How can I send away Rāma, so pleasing, dark as a blue lotus, long-armed, of great strength, to dwell in Daṇḍaka forest?
सुखानामुचितस्यैव दुःखैरनुचितस्य च। दुःखं नामानुपश्येयं कथं रामस्य धीमतः
How could I ever witness suffering befall wise Rāma, who is accustomed only to happiness and unfit for sorrow?
यदि दुःखमकृत्वा तु मम संक्रमणं भवेत्। अदुःखार्हस्य रामस्य ततः सुखमवाप्नुयाम्
If only this transition could occur without causing him pain, then I would attain happiness, for Rāma, who deserves no suffering.
अकीर्तिरतुला लोके ध्रुवं परिभविष्यति। तथा विलपतस्तस्य परिभ्रमितचेतसः
Certainly, unparalleled disgrace will befall me in the world, as I lament in this way, my mind bewildered.
अस्तमभ्यागमत् सूर्यो रजनी चाभ्यवर्तत। सा त्रियामा तदार्तस्य चन्द्रमण्डलमण्डिता
The sun set, and night arrived; that night, adorned with the moon's disk, passed for the tormented king.
राज्ञो विलपमानस्य न व्यभासत शर्वरी। सदैवोष्णं विनिःश्वस्य वृद्धो दशरथो नृपः
For the king, Daśaratha, who kept sighing in anguish, the night did not seem to pass as he grieved ceaselessly.
क्रियतां मे दया भद्रे मयायं रचितोऽञ्जलिः। अथवा गम्यतां शीघ्रं नाहमिच्छामि निर्घृणाम्
Show me compassion, O gentle one; I have joined my hands in supplication. Otherwise, go away at once—I do not wish to see one so merciless.
नृशंसां केकयीं द्रष्टुं यत्कृते व्यसनं मम। एवमुक्त्वा ततो राजा कैकेयीं संयताञ्जलिः
It is for the sake of that cruel Kaikeyi, the cause of my misfortune, that I must see her; having spoken thus, the king, with joined palms, addressed Kaikeyi.
प्रसादयामास पुनः कैकेयीं राजधर्मवित्। साधुवृत्तस्य दीनस्य त्वद्गतस्य गतायुषः
Knowing royal duty, the king again sought to appease Kaikeyi, though he was wretched, of good conduct, devoted to you, and his life nearly spent.
प्रसादः क्रियतां भद्रे देवि राज्ञो विशेषतः। शून्ये न खलु सुश्रोणि मयेदं समुदाहृतम्
Show favor, O gentle lady, especially to the king; I have not spoken these words to you in vain, O fair-hipped one.
कुरु साधुप्रसादं मे बाले सहृदया ह्यसि। प्रसीद देवि रामो मे त्वद्दत्तं राज्यमव्ययम्
Grant me your gracious favor, O young one, for you are compassionate; be pleased, lady, let Rāma receive from you the undiminished kingdom.
लभतामसितापाङ्गे यशः परमवाप्स्यसि। मम रामस्य लोकस्य गुरूणां भरतस्य च। प्रियमेतद् गुरुश्रोणि कुरु चारुमुखेक्षणे
Let Rāma, dark-eyed, obtain the kingdom; you will gain supreme renown. O noble-hipped, lovely-faced one, do this which is dear to me, to Rāma, to the people, to the elders, and to Bharata.
विशुद्धभावस्य हि दुष्टभावा दीनस्य ताम्राश्रुकलस्य राज्ञः। श्रुत्वा विचित्रं करुणं विलापं भर्तुर्नृशंसा न चकार वाक्यम्
But Kaikeyi, of wicked intent, hearing her husband's varied and pitiful lament, though his heart was pure and he wept with coppery tears, spoke not a word.
ततः स राजा पुनरेव मूर्च्छितः प्रियामतुष्टां प्रतिकूलभाषिणीम्। समीक्ष्य पुत्रस्य विवासनं प्रति क्षितौ विसंज्ञो निपपात दुःखितः
Then the king, seeing his beloved wife speak harshly and opposed to him regarding his son's exile, again lost consciousness and fell to the ground in grief.
इतीव राज्ञो व्यथितस्य सा निशा जगाम घोरं श्वसतो मनस्विनः। विबोध्यमानः प्रतिबोधनं तदा निवारयामास स राजसत्तमः
Thus, for the tormented king, that night passed as he gasped in anguish; and when they tried to rouse him, the best of kings forbade them.