Sloka & Translation

[Disappointed citizens return to Ayodhya.]

ಪ್ರಭಾತಾಯಾಂ ತು ಶರ್ವರ್ಯಾಂ ಪೌರಾಸ್ತೇ ರಾಘವಂ ವಿನಾ.

ಶೋಕೋಪಹತನಿಶ್ಚೇಷ್ಟಾ ಬಭೂವುರ್ಹತಚೇತಸಃ৷৷2.47.1৷৷


ಪ್ರಭಾತಾಯಾಂ ಶರ್ವರ್ಯಾಮ್ when the night advanced towards dawn, ತೇ ಪೌರಾಃ those citizens, ರಾಘವಂ ವಿನಾ not beholding Rama, ಹತಚೇತಸಃ deprived of their senses, ಶೋಕೋಪಹತಚೇತಸಃ crushed with grief, ನಿಶ್ಚೇಷ್ಟಾಃ ಬಭೂವುಃ were stunned.

When the night advanced towards dawn the citizens were stunned not to see the scion of the Raghus (Rama). Overwhelmed with sorrow they lost their senses.
ಶೋಕಜಾಶ್ರುಪರಿದ್ಯೂನಾ ವೀಕ್ಷಮಾಣಾಸ್ತತಸ್ತತಃ.

ಆಲೋಕಮಪಿ ರಾಮಸ್ಯ ನ ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಸ್ಮ ದುಃಖಿತಾಃ৷৷2.47.2৷৷


ಶೋಕಜಾಶ್ರುಪರಿದ್ಯೂನಾಃ drenched in the tears of grief, ತತಸ್ತತಃ hither and thither, ವೀಕ್ಷಮಾಣಾಃ
looking, ದುಃಖಿತಾಃ anguished, ರಾಮಸ್ಯ Rama's, ಆಲೋಕಮಪಿ even his light (trace), ನ ಪಶ್ಯನ್ತಿ ಸ್ಮ could not see.

Anguished and drenched with tears of grief they looked hither and thither but could not find even a trace of Rama.
ತೇ ವಿಷಾದಾರ್ತವದನಾ ರಹಿತಾಸ್ತೇನ ಧೀಮತಾ.

ಕೃಪಣಾಃ ಕರುಣಾ ವಾಚೋ ವದನ್ತಿ ಸ್ಮ ಮನಸ್ವಿನಃ৷৷2.47.3৷৷


ಮನಸ್ವಿನಃ high-minded people, ತೇ those men, ಧೀಮತಾ by the sagacious, ತೇನ ರಹಿತಾಃ separated from him (Rama), ವಿಷಾದಾರ್ತವದನಾಃ with faces marked with grief, ಕೃಪಣಾಃ piteous, ಕರುಣಾಃ evoking compassion, ವಾಚಃ words, ವದನ್ತಿ ಸ್ಮ talked about.

Those high-minded people with sorrowful faces due to separation from sagacious Rama expressed themselves in piteous words:
ಧಿಗಸ್ತು ಖಲು ನಿದ್ರಾಂ ತಾಂ ಯಯಾಪಹೃತಚೇತಸಃ.

ನಾದ್ಯ ಪಶ್ಯಾಮಹೇ ರಾಮಂ ಪೃಥೂರಸ್ಕಂ ಮಹಾಭುಜಮ್৷৷2.47.4৷৷


ಯಯಾ by which, ಅಪಹೃತಚೇತಸಃ senses robbed of, ಅದ್ಯ now, ಪೃಥೂರಸ್ಕಮ್ broad-chested, ಮಹಾಭುಜಮ್ mighty-armed, ರಾಮಮ್ Rama, ನ ಪಶ್ಯಾಮಹೇ we cannot see, ತಾಂ ನಿದ್ರಾಮ್ to that sleep, ಧಿಕ್ ಅಸ್ತು fie on it.

Fie on this sleep which robbed us of our senses. We are unable to see (now) that broad-chested and mighty-armed Rama.
ಕಥಂ ನಾಮ ಮಹಾಬಾಹು ಸ್ಸ ತಥಾವಿತಥಕ್ರಿಯಃ.

ಭಕ್ತಂ ಜನಂ ಪರಿತ್ಯಜ್ಯ ಪ್ರವಾಸಂ ರಾಘವೋ ಗತಃ৷৷2.47.5৷৷


ತಥಾ in that way, ಅವಿತಥಕ್ರಿಯಃ one to whom services rendered never go fruitless, ಮಹಾಬಾಹುಃ mighty-armed, ಸಃ ರಾಘವಃ that Rama, ಭಕ್ತಮ್ devoted, ಜನಮ್ people, ಪರಿತ್ಯಜ್ಯ abandoning, ಕಥಂ ನಾಮ how, ಪ್ರವಾಸಮ್ exile, ಗತಃ has gone.

How is it that the mighty-armed Rama who never renders services done to him fruitless has deserted his devoted people and gone into exile?
ಯೋ ನಃ ಸದಾ ಪಾಲಯತಿ ಪಿತಾ ಪುತ್ರಾನಿವೌರಸಾನ್.

ಕಥಂ ರಘೂಣಾಂ ಸ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠಸ್ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವಾ ನೋ ವಿಪಿನಂ ಗತಃ৷৷2.47.6৷৷


ರಘೂಣಾಮ್ among the kings of Raghu dynasty, ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠಃ the best, ಯಃ such Rama, ಪಿತಾ father, ಔರಸಾನ್ ಪುತ್ರಾನ್ sons born to him, ನಃ us, ಸದಾ always, ಪಾಲಯತಿ protect, ಸಃ such Rama , ನಃ us, ತ್ಯಕ್ತ್ವಾ deserting, ವಿಪಿನಮ್ to the forest, ಕಥಮ್ how, ಗತಃ could he go?

How could he, the best among the kings of Raghu dynasty, who used to protect us as a father protects his own children, go to the forest, abandoning us?
ಇಹೈವ ನಿಧನಂ ಯಾಮೋ ಮಹಾಪ್ರಸ್ಥಾನಮೇವ ವಾ.

ರಾಮೇಣ ರಹಿತಾನಾಂ ಹಿ ಕಿಮರ್ಥಂ ಜೀವಿತಂ ಹಿ ನಃ৷৷2.47.7৷৷


ಇಹೈವ here itself, ನಿಧನಮ್ death, ಯಾಮಃ we will meet with, ಮಹಾಪ್ರಸ್ಥಾನಮೇವ ವಾ everlasting journey, ರಾಮೇಣ by Rama, ರಹಿತಾನಾಮ್ bereft of, ನಃ for us, ಜೀವಿತಮ್ life, ಕಿಮರ್ಥಮ್ what is the use?

We all will die here. We will go on the everlasting journey to death. Of what use is this life to us without Rama?
ಸನ್ತಿ ಶುಷ್ಕಾಣಿ ಕಾಷ್ಠಾನಿ ಪ್ರಭೂತಾನಿ ಮಹಾನ್ತಿ ಚ.

ತೈಃ ಪ್ರಜ್ವಾಲ್ಯ ಚಿತಾಂ ಸರ್ವೇ ಪ್ರವಿಶಾಮೋಥ ಪಾವಕಮ್৷৷2.47.8৷৷


ಮಹಾನ್ತಿ huge, ಪ್ರಭೂತಾನಿ plenty, ಶುಷ್ಕಾಣಿ dry, ಕಾಷ್ಠಾನಿ ಸನ್ತಿ are logs here, ಅಥ or, ತೈಃ with them, ಚಿತಾಮ್ pyre, ಪ್ರಜ್ವಾಲ್ಯ flaming it, ಸರ್ವೇ all, ಪಾವಕಮ್ fire, ಪ್ರವಿಶಾಮಃ will enter.

There are plenty of dry logs of wood. We will prepare a pyre with them, set fire to it and we all will enter it.
ಕಿಂ ವಕ್ಷ್ಯಾಮೋ ಮಹಾಬಾಹುರನಸೂಯಃ ಪ್ರಿಯಂವದಃ.

ನೀತ ಸ್ಸ ರಾಘವೋಸ್ಮಾಭಿರಿತಿ ವಕ್ತುಂ ಕಥಂ ಕ್ಷಮಮ್৷৷2.47.9৷৷


ಕಿಮ್ what, ವಕ್ಷ್ಯಾಮಃ shall say, ಮಹಾಬಾಹುಃ mighty-armed, ಅನಸೂಯಃ free from malice, ಪ್ರಿಯಂವದಃ saying pleasing words, ಸಃ such, ರಾಘವಃ Rama, ಅಸ್ಮಾಭಿಃ by us, ನೀತಃ conducted to the forest, ಇತಿ thus, ಕಥಮ್ how, ವಕ್ತುಮ್ to tell, ಕ್ಷಮಮ್ is possible?

What shall we say (to the people)? How can we say, 'We have conducted him (to the forest), that scion of the Raghus, that mighty-armed Rama, who is of gentle speech and free from malice?
ಸಾ ನೂನಂ ನಗರೀ ದೀನಾ ದೃಷ್ಟ್ವಾಸ್ಮಾನ್ ರಾಘವಂ ವಿನಾ.

ಭವಿಷ್ಯತಿ ನಿರಾನನ್ದಾ ಸಸ್ತ್ರೀಬಾಲವಯೋಧಿಕಾ৷৷2.47.10৷৷


ರಾಘವಂ ವಿನಾ without Rama, ಅಸ್ಮಾನ್ us, ದೃಷ್ಟ್ವಾ having seen, ಸಸ್ತ್ರೀಬಾಲವಯೋಧಿಕಾ with women, children and the aged, ಸಾ ನಗರೀ that city, (Ayodhya), ನೂನಮ್ certainly, ದೀನಾ will be dejected, ನಿರಾನನ್ದಾ without joy, ಭವಿಷ್ಯತಿ will be.

Seeing us return without Rama, the women, children and the aged of the city (Ayodhya) will certainly feel miserable and cheerless.
ನಿರ್ಯಾತಾಸ್ತೇನ ವೀರೇಣ ಸಹ ನಿತ್ಯಂ ಜಿತಾತ್ಮನಾ.

ವಿಹೀನಾಸ್ತೇನ ಚ ಪುನಃ ಕಥಂ ಪಶ್ಯಾಮ ತಾಂ ಪುರೀಮ್৷৷2.47.11৷৷


ನಿತ್ಯಮ್ always, ಜಿತಾತ್ಮನಾ by the self-controlled, ತೇನ ವೀರೇಣ ಸಹ with that valiant one, ನಿರ್ಯಾತಾಃ having left (that city), ತೇನ ಚ with him, ವಿಹೀನಾಃ devoid of, ತಾಂ ಪುರೀಮ್ to that city, ಕಥಮ್ how, ಪಶ್ಯಾಮ will see.

Having left (that city) with the valiant and self-restrained Rama, how can we now return without him ?
ಇತೀವ ಬಹುಧಾ ವಾಚೋ ಬಾಹುಮುದ್ಯಮ್ಯ ತೇ ಜನಾಃ.

ವಿಲಪನ್ತಿ ಸ್ಮ ದುಃಖಾರ್ತಾ ವಿವತ್ಸಾ ಇವ ಧೇನವಃ৷৷2.47.12৷৷


ತೇ ಜನಾಃ those people, ದುಃಖಾರ್ತಾಃ distressed men with grief, ಬಾಹುಮ್ arms, ಉದ್ಯಮ್ಯ having uplifted, ಬಹುಧಾ in many ways, ಇತೀವ like this, ವಾಚಃ words, ವಿವತ್ಸಾಃ deprived of calves, ಧೇನವಃ ಇವ like cows, ವಿಲಪನ್ತಿ ಸ್ಮ lamented.

All of them with grief distressed, and with their arms thrown up lamented like cows deprived of their calves.
ತತೋ ಮಾರ್ಗಾನುಸಾರೇಣ ಗತ್ವಾ ಕಿಞ್ಚಿತ್ ಕ್ಷಣಂ ಪುನಃ.

ಮಾರ್ಗನಾಶಾದ್ವಿಷಾದೇನ ಮಹತಾ ಸಮಭಿಪ್ಲುತಾಃ৷৷2.47.13৷৷


ತತಃ then, ಕ್ಷಣಮ್ for a short while, ಮಾರ್ಗಾನುಸಾರೇಣ following the track, ಕಿಞ್ಚಿತ್ for a little, ಗತ್ವಾ having gone, ಮಾರ್ಗನಾಶಾತ್ by missing the way, ಪುನಃ again, ಮಹತಾ great, ವಿಷಾದೇನ with grief, ಸಮಭಿಪ್ಲುತಾಃ were overcome.

For a short while they followed the tracks (of the chariot) and after having gone a little distance, they missed the way. They were again submerged in deep sorrow.
ರಥಸ್ಯ ಮಾರ್ಗನಾಶೇನ ನ್ಯವರ್ತನ್ತ ಮನಸ್ವಿನಃ.

ಕಿಮಿದಂ ಕಿಂ ಕರಿಷ್ಯಾಮೋ ದೈವೇನೋಪಹತಾ ಇತಿ৷৷2.47.14৷৷


ಮನಸ್ವಿನಃ high-minded people, ರಥಸ್ಯ chariot's, ಮಾರ್ಗನಾಶೇನ disappearance of the track, ಕಿಮಿದಮ್ what is this?, ದೈವೇನ by destiny, ಉಪಹತಾಃ struck, ಕಿಂ ಕರಿಷ್ಯಾಮಃ what are we to do?, ಇತಿ thus (saying), ನ್ಯವರ್ತನ್ತ returned.

When they could not find the tracks of the chariot, those high-minded people turned back and said to themselves 'What is this? We have been deceived by fate. What are we to do now?'
ತತೋ ಯಥಾಗತೇನೈವ ಮಾರ್ಗೇಣ ಕ್ಲಾನ್ತಚೇತಸಃ.

ಅಯೋಧ್ಯಾಮಾಗಮನ್ಸರ್ವೇ ಪುರೀಂ ವ್ಯಥಿತಸಜ್ಜನಾಮ್৷৷2.47.15৷৷


ತತಃ thereafter, ಸರ್ವೇ all of them, ಕ್ಲಾನ್ತಚೇತಸಃ with their minds, ಯಥಾಗತೇನೈವ they had come, ಮಾರ್ಗೇಣ way, ವ್ಯಥಿತಸಜ್ಜನಾಮ್ with virtuous people grieving, ಅಯೋಧ್ಯಾಮ್ to Ayodhya, ಪುರೀಮ್ city, ಆಗಮನ್ had come back.

Thereafter, all of them, the virtuous people grieving, their minds fatigued, returned to Ayodhya the same way they had come.
ಆಲೋಕ್ಯ ನಗರೀಂ ತಾಂ ಚ ಕ್ಷಯವ್ಯಾಕುಲಮಾನಸಾಃ.

ಆವರ್ತಯನ್ತ ತೇಶ್ರೂಣಿ ನಯನೈಃ ಶೋಕಪೀಡಿತೈಃ৷৷2.47.16৷৷


ತೇ they, ತಾಂ ನಗರೀಮ್ that city, ಆಲೋಕ್ಯ having seen, ಕ್ಷಯವ್ಯಾಕುಲಮಾನಸಾಃ minds agitated, ಶೋಕಪೀಡಿತೈಃ oppressed with sorrow, ನಯನೈಃ with eyes, ಅಶ್ರೂಣಿ tears, ಆವರ್ತಯನ್ತ shed.

On seeing the city the minds of the people were agitated due to the loss (of their prince). Tears streamed down their eyes, oppressed with sorrow.
ಏಷಾ ರಾಮೇಣ ನಗರೀ ರಹಿತಾ ನಾತಿಶೋಭತೇ.

ಆಪಗಾ ಗರುಡೇನೇವ ಹ್ರದಾದುದ್ಧೃತಪನ್ನಗಾ৷৷2.47.17৷৷


ರಾಮೇಣ ರಹಿತಾ without Rama, ಏಷಾ ನಗರೀ this city, ಹ್ರದಾತ್ from the deep, ಗರುಡೇನ by Garuda, ಉದ್ಧೃತಪನ್ನಗಾ the snakes having been lifted away, ಆಪಗಾ ಇವ like a river, ನಾತಿಶೋಭತೇ does not look beautiful.

This city without Rama just as a river with serpents lifted away by Garuda from its depths looks no longer beautiful.
ಚನ್ದ್ರಹೀನಮಿವಾಕಾಶಂ ತೋಯಹೀನಮಿವಾರ್ಣವಮ್.

ಅಪಶ್ಯನ್ನಿಹತಾನನ್ದಂ ನಗರಂ ತೇ ವಿಚೇತಸಃ৷৷2.47.18৷৷


ವಿಚೇತಸಃ overcome with grief, ತೇ they, ನಿಹತಾನನ್ದಮ್ with their joys destroyed , ನಗರಮ್ that city, ಚನ್ದ್ರಹೀನಮ್ without Moon, ಆಕಾಶಮ್ ಇವ like sky, ತೋಯಹೀನಮ್ without water, ಆರ್ಣವಮ್ ಇವ like an ocean, ಅಪಶ್ಯನ್ saw.

Plunged in grief, they saw the city deprived of all joy, looking like a sky without the Moon and an ocean without water.
ತೇ ತಾನಿ ವೇಶ್ಮಾನಿ ಮಹಾಧನಾನಿ

ದುಃಖೇನ ದುಃಖೋಪಹತಾ ವಿಶನ್ತಃ.

ನೈವ ಪ್ರಜಜ್ಞುಃ ಸ್ವಜನಂ ಜನಂ ವಾ

ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಮಾಣಾಃ ಪ್ರವಿನಷ್ಟಹರ್ಷಾಃ৷৷2.47.19৷৷


ಪ್ರವಿನಷ್ಟಹರ್ಷಾಃ with their happiness destroyed, ತೇ they, ಮಹಾಧನಾನಿ endowed with plenty of wealth, ತಾನಿ such, ವೇಶ್ಮಾನಿ houses, ದುಃಖೇನ with great difficulty, ವಿಶನ್ತಃ while entering, ದುಃಖೋಪಹತಾಃ stricken with sorrow, ನಿರೀಕ್ಷಮಾಣಾಃ looking at, ಸ್ವಜನಮ್ their own people, ಜನಂ ವಾ or others, ನೈವ ಪ್ರಜಜ್ಞುಃ could not recognise.

Those people devoid of delight entered their rich mansions with great difficulty. Even though they, stricken with sorrow, looked at men and their own kinsmen they could not recognise them.
ಇತ್ಯಾರ್ಷೇ ಶ್ರೀಮದ್ರಾಮಾಯಣೇ ವಾಲ್ಮೀಕೀಯ ಆದಿಕಾವ್ಯೇ ಅಯೋಧ್ಯಾಕಾಣ್ಡೇ ಸಪ್ತಚತ್ವಾರಿಂಶಸ್ಸರ್ಗಃ৷৷
Thus ends the fortyseventh sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.