शोकपर्यायसंतप्तः सततं दीर्घमुच्छ्वसन्। अयोध्यायां जनः सर्वश्चुक्रोश जगतीपतिम्
Constantly sighing deeply, afflicted by waves of grief, all the people of Ayodhya lamented for the lord of the earth.
बाष्पपर्याकुलमुखो राजमार्गगतो जनः। न हृष्टो लभ्यते कश्चित् सर्वः शोकपरायणः
People on the royal road, their faces wet with tears, were not seen rejoicing; everyone was absorbed in sorrow.
न वाति पवनः शीतो न शशी सौम्यदर्शनः। न सूर्यस्तपते लोकं सर्वं पर्याकुलं जगत्
The cool wind did not blow, the moon was not pleasant to behold, the sun did not warm; the whole world was disturbed.
अनर्थिनः सुताः स्त्रीणां भर्तारो भ्रातरस्तथा। सर्वे सर्वं परित्यज्य राममेवान्वचिन्तयन्
Women’s sons, husbands, and brothers, though not seeking anything, abandoned everything and thought only of Rama.
ये तु रामस्य सुहृदः सर्वे ते मूढचेतसः। शोकभारेण चाक्रान्ताः शयनं नैव भेजिरे
All those who were Rama’s friends, their minds bewildered and overwhelmed by the weight of grief, did not even lie down to sleep.
ततस्त्वयोध्या रहिता महात्मना पुरन्दरेणेव मही सपर्वता। चचाल घोरं भयशोकदीपिता सनागयोधाश्वगणा ननाद च
Then Ayodhya, bereft of the great soul, shook like the earth with its mountains deprived of Indra, ignited by terrible fear and sorrow, and the groups of elephants, warriors, and horses roared.
thumb|द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे द्विचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥२-
This is the forty-second chapter in the Ayodhyākāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
यावत् तु निर्यतस्तस्य रजोरूपमदृश्यत। नैवेक्ष्वाकुवरस्तावत् संजहारात्मचक्षुषी
As long as the dust raised by his departure was visible, the king of the Ikshvakus did not withdraw his gaze.
यावद् राजा प्रियं पुत्रं पश्यत्यत्यन्तधार्मिकम्। तावद् व्यवर्धतेवास्य धरण्यां पुत्रदर्शने
For as long as the king could see his beloved son, supremely righteous, so long did his longing to see his son on earth only grow.
न पश्यति रजोऽप्यस्य यदा रामस्य भूमिपः। तदार्तश्च निषण्णश्च पपात धरणीतले
But when the king could no longer see even the dust of Rama, he, stricken with grief, collapsed to the ground.
तस्य दक्षिणमन्वागात् कौसल्या बाहुमङ्गना। परं चास्यान्वगात् पार्श्वं कैकेयी सा सुमध्यमा
Kausalya, her arms adorned, followed at his right side; and at his other side, Kaikeyi, slender-waisted, accompanied him.
तां नयेन च सम्पन्नो धर्मेण विनयेन च। उवाच राजा कैकेयीं समीक्ष्य व्यथितेन्द्रियः
Endowed with wisdom, righteousness, and humility, the king, his senses distressed, looked at Kaikeyi and spoke to her.
कैकेयि मामकाङ्गानि मा स्प्राक्षीः पापनिश्चये। नहि त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छामि न भार्या न च बान्धवी
Kaikeyi, do not touch my body—you who are resolved on evil; I do not wish to see you, neither as wife nor as kinswoman.
ये च त्वामनुजीवन्ति नाहं तेषां न ते मम। केवलार्थपरां हि त्वां त्यक्तधर्मां त्यजाम्यहम्
Those who live dependent on you—I am not theirs, nor are they mine; for you are concerned only with your own gain, having abandoned righteousness, and I renounce you.
अगृह्णां यच्च ते पाणिमग्निं पर्यणयं च यत्। अनुजानामि तत् सर्वमस्मिंल्लोके परत्र च
Whatever vows I took with you, whatever fire I circled, I release you from all of it, in this world and the next.
भरतश्चेत् प्रतीतः स्याद् राज्यं प्राप्यैतदव्ययम्। यन्मे स दद्यात् पित्रर्थं मा मां तद्दत्तमागमत्
If Bharata, having obtained this imperishable kingdom, were to give me anything for the sake of his father, let not that gift come to me.
अथ रेणुसमुद्ध्वस्तं समुत्थाप्य नराधिपम्। न्यवर्तत तदा देवी कौसल्या शोककर्शिता
Then, raising the king who had fallen, covered in dust, Queen Kausalya, consumed by grief, withdrew.
हत्वेव ब्राह्मणं कामात् स्पृष्ट्वाग्निमिव पाणिना। अन्वतप्यत धर्मात्मा पुत्रं संचिन्त्य राघवम्
Like one who has slain a Brahmin out of desire, or touched fire with his hand, the righteous king was tormented, thinking of his son Raghava.
निवृत्यैव निवृत्यैव सीदतो रथवर्त्मसु। राज्ञो नातिबभौ रूपं ग्रस्तस्यांशुमतो यथा
Again and again turning back, seated along the chariot's path, the king's appearance was diminished, like the moon when its light is swallowed.
विललाप स दुःखार्तः प्रियं पुत्रमनुस्मरन्। नगरान्तमनुप्राप्तं बुद्ध्वा पुत्रमथाब्रवीत्
Afflicted with sorrow, he lamented, recalling his beloved son; learning that his son had reached the city's outskirts, he spoke.
वाहनानां च मुख्यानां वहतां तं ममात्मजम्। पदानि पथि दृश्यन्ते स महात्मा न दृश्यते
The tracks of the finest vehicles that carried my son are visible on the road, but that great-souled one himself is not seen.
यः सुखेनोपधानेषु शेते चन्दनरूषितः। वीज्यमानो महार्हाभिः स्त्रीभिर्मम सुतोत्तमः
He who used to sleep comfortably on beds scented with sandalwood, fanned by women of great worth—my most excellent son—
स नूनं क्वचिदेवाद्य वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः। काष्ठं वा यदि वाश्मानमुपधाय शयिष्यते
Today, surely, somewhere he must be resting at the foot of a tree, lying on wood or perhaps on stone.
उत्थास्यति च मेदिन्याः कृपणः पांसुगुण्ठितः। विनिःश्वसन् प्रस्रवणात् करेणूनामिवर्षभः
He will rise from the earth, pitiable, covered in dust, sighing deeply, like a lordly elephant emerging from a lotus pond.
द्रक्ष्यन्ति नूनं पुरुषा दीर्घबाहुं वनेचराः। राममुत्थाय गच्छन्तं लोकनाथमनाथवत्
Surely, the forest-dwellers will see that long-armed man, Rāma, the lord of the people, walking forth as if he were without protection.
सा नूनं जनकस्येष्टा सुता सुखसदोचिता। कण्टकाक्रमणक्लान्ता वनमद्य गमिष्यति
That beloved daughter of Janaka, accustomed to comfort, will now, weary from treading on thorns, go to the forest.
अनभिज्ञा वनानां सा नूनं भयमुपैष्यति। श्वपदानर्दितं श्रुत्वा गम्भीरं रोमहर्षणम्
Unfamiliar with the forests, she will surely experience fear, hearing the deep, hair-raising roars of wild beasts.
सकामा भव कैकेयि विधवा राज्यमावस। नहि तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं विना जीवितुमुत्सहे
Be satisfied, Kaikeyī, live as a widow and rule the kingdom; for without that tiger among men, I cannot endure life.
इत्येवं विलपन् राजा जनौघेनाभिसंवृतः। अपस्नात इवारिष्टं प्रविवेश गृहोत्तमम्
Thus lamenting, the king, surrounded by a multitude of people, entered his splendid house like one who has bathed after a misfortune.
शून्यचत्वरवेश्मान्तां संवृतापणवेदिकाम्। क्लान्तदुर्बलदुःखार्तां नात्याकीर्णमहापथाम्
He saw the city, with its courtyards and houses empty, its markets and squares closed, its people weary, weak, and distressed, and its great roads not crowded.