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.
तामवेक्ष्य पुरीं सर्वां राममेवानुचिन्तयन्। विलपन् प्राविशद् राजा गृहं सूर्य इवाम्बुदम्
Beholding the entire city, thinking only of Rāma, the king entered his house, lamenting, like the sun entering a cloud.
महाह्रदमिवाक्षोभ्यं सुपर्णेन हृतोरगम्। रामेण रहितं वेश्म वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च
The house, deprived of Rāma, Vaidehī, and Lakṣmaṇa, seemed like a great, undisturbed lake whose serpent has been taken by Garuḍa.
अथ गद्गदशब्दस्तु विलपन् वसुधाधिपः। उवाच मृदु मन्दार्थं वचनं दीनमस्वरम्
Then the lord of the earth, his voice choked with emotion, spoke gentle, faint, and sorrowful words.
कौसल्याया गृहं शीघ्रं राममातुर्नयन्तु माम्। नह्यन्यत्र ममाश्वासो हृदयस्य भविष्यति
Quickly take me to Kausalyā's house, Rāma's mother; for nowhere else will my heart find comfort.
इति ब्रुवन्तं राजानमनयन् द्वारदर्शिनः। कौसल्याया गृहं तत्र न्यवेस्यत विनीतवत्
As the king was saying this, the doorkeepers led him to Kausalyā's house and respectfully settled him there.
ततस्तत्र प्रविष्टस्य कौसल्याया निवेशनम्। अधिरुह्यापि शयनं बभूव लुलितं मनः
But even after entering Kausalyā's dwelling and lying on the bed, his mind remained agitated.
पुत्रद्वयविहीनं च स्नुषया च विवर्जितम्। अपश्यद् भवनं राजा नष्टचन्द्रमिवाम्बरम्
The king saw the house deprived of his two sons and his daughter-in-law, like the sky bereft of the moon.
तच्च दृष्ट्वा महाराजो भुजमुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्। उच्चैःस्वरेण प्राक्रोशद्धा राम विजहासि नौ
Seeing that, the mighty king raised his arm and cried out in a loud voice, 'O Rāma, why have you abandoned us?'
सुखिता बत तं कालं जीविष्यन्ति नरोत्तमाः। परिष्वजन्तो ये रामं द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुनरागतम्
Happy indeed are those noble men who will live to see Rāma return and embrace him once more.
अथ रात्र्यां प्रपन्नायां कालरात्र्यामिवात्मनः। अर्धरात्रे दशरथः कौसल्यामिदमब्रवीत्
Then, as night fell, like the night of destruction for his soul, at midnight Daśaratha spoke these words to Kausalyā.
न त्वां पश्यामि कौसल्ये साधु मां पाणिना स्पृश। रामं मेऽनुगता दृष्टिरद्यापि न निवर्तते
I do not see you, Kausalyā; kindly touch me with your hand, for my gaze still follows Rāma and does not return.
तं राममेवानुविचिन्तयन्तं समीक्ष्य देवी शयने नरेन्द्रम्। उपोपविश्याधिकमार्तरूपा विनिश्वसन्तं विललाप कृच्छ्रम्
Seeing the king lying there, thinking only of Rāma, the queen sat beside him, overwhelmed with grief, sighing deeply and lamenting bitterly.
thumb|त्रिचत्वारिशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे त्रिचत्वारिशः सर्गः ॥२-
Here begins the forty-third sarga in the Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.
ततः समीक्ष्य शयने सन्नं शोकेन पार्थिवम्। कौसल्या पुत्रशोकार्ता तमुवाच महीपतिम्
Then, seeing the king lying weakened by grief on his bed, Kausalyā, tormented by sorrow for her son, spoke to the ruler of the earth.
राघवे नरशार्दूले विषं मुक्त्वाहिजिह्मगा। विचरिष्यति कैकेयी निर्मुक्तेव हि पन्नगी
O tiger among men, now that she has expelled her poison against Rāghava, Kaikeyī will roam about, twisted in her ways, just like a serpent freed from its slough.
विवास्य रामं सुभगा लब्धकामा समाहिता। त्रासयिष्यति मां भूयो दुष्टाहिरिव वेश्मनि
Having exiled Rāma, the fortunate one, and achieved her desire, that wicked woman, intent on her purpose, will terrify me again, like a venomous snake in the house.
अथास्मिन् नगरे रामश्चरन् भैक्षं गृहे वसेत्। कामकारो वरं दातुमपि दासं ममात्मजम्
Now, in this city, Rāma will go from house to house begging for alms; you, at her whim, would even grant my own son as a servant.
पातयित्वा तु कैकेय्या रामं स्थानाद् यथेष्टतः। प्रविद्धो रक्षसां भागः पर्वणीवाहिताग्निना
Having cast Rāma down from his position at Kaikeyī’s will, just as she pleased, he has been thrown away like an offering to demons at a sacrifice by the fire-priest.
नागराजगतिर्वीरो महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरः। वनमाविशते नूनं सभार्यः सहलक्ष्मणः
That heroic, broad-armed, bow-bearing lord, whose gait is like a king of serpents, surely now enters the forest with his wife and with Lakṣmaṇa.
वने त्वदृष्टदुःखानां कैकेय्यनुमते त्वया। त्यक्तानां वनवासाय कान्यावस्था भविष्यति
For those who have never known such sorrow, abandoned to the forest by your consent at Kaikeyī’s urging, what fate awaits them there?