Sloka & Translation

[Preservation of the king's body awaiting funeral rites --- Ayodhya plunges into darkness with the demise of the king.]

tamagnimiva saṅśāntamambuhīnamivārṇavam.

hataprabhamivā৷৷dityaṅ svargasthaṅ prēkṣya pārthivam৷৷2.66.1৷৷

kausalyā bāṣpapūrṇākṣī vividhāṅ śōkakarśitā.

upagṛhya śirō rājñaḥ kaikēyīṅ pratyabhāṣata৷৷2.66.2৷৷


saṅśāntam pacified, agnimiva like blazing fire, ambuhīnam without water, arṇavamiva like the ocean, hataprabham bereft of brightness, ādityamiva like the Sun, svargastham ascended heaven, taṅ pārthivam that king, prēkṣya on seeing, kauśalyā Kausalya, bāṣpapūrṇākṣī with her eyes filled with tears, vividhām in several ways, śōkakarśitā emaciated with sorrow, rājñaḥ king's, śiraḥ head, upagṛhya having grasped, kaikēyīṅ prati looking at Kaikeyi, abhāṣata uttered.

On seeing the king who ascended the heaven just as a blazing fire suddenly extinguishes, or like the ocean emptied of water or the Sun bereft of splendour Kausalya raised the head of the king on to her lap, her eyes filled with tears and body shrunk in sorrow, looked at Kaikeyi and said:
tamagnimiva saṅśāntamambuhīnamivārṇavam.

hataprabhamivā৷৷dityaṅ svargasthaṅ prēkṣya pārthivam৷৷2.66.1৷৷

kausalyā bāṣpapūrṇākṣī vividhāṅ śōkakarśitā.

upagṛhya śirō rājñaḥ kaikēyīṅ pratyabhāṣata৷৷2.66.2৷৷


saṅśāntam pacified, agnimiva like blazing fire, ambuhīnam without water, arṇavamiva like the ocean, hataprabham bereft of brightness, ādityamiva like the Sun, svargastham ascended heaven, taṅ pārthivam that king, prēkṣya on seeing, kauśalyā Kausalya, bāṣpapūrṇākṣī with her eyes filled with tears, vividhām in several ways, śōkakarśitā emaciated with sorrow, rājñaḥ king's, śiraḥ head, upagṛhya having grasped, kaikēyīṅ prati looking at Kaikeyi, abhāṣata uttered.

On seeing the king who ascended the heaven just as a blazing fire suddenly extinguishes, or like the ocean emptied of water or the Sun bereft of splendour Kausalya raised the head of the king on to her lap, her eyes filled with tears and body shrunk in sorrow, looked at Kaikeyi and said:
sakāmā bhava kaikēyi! bhuṅkṣva rājyamakaṇṭakam.

tyaktvā rājānamēkāgrā nṛśaṅsē! duṣṭacāriṇi!৷৷2.66.3৷৷


nṛśaṅsē! O cruel one!, duṣṭacāriṇi! O perverse wretch!, kaikēyi! O Kaikeyi!, sakāmā bhava remain with your wishes fulfilled, rājānam king, tyaktvā forsaking, ēkāgrā with one objective, akaṇṭakam without any obstacle, rājyam kingdom, bhuṅkṣva enjoy.

O cruel one! O perverse wretch, O Kaikeyi, your wishes have been fulfilled. You have forsaken the king, that was your only objective. (Now) enjoy the kingdom alone without any obstacles on your way.
vihāya māṅ gatō rāmaḥ bhartā ca svargatō mama.

vipathē sārthahīnēva nāhaṅ jīvitumutsahē৷৷2.66.4৷৷


rāmaḥ Rama, mām me, vihāya having left, gataḥ has gone, mama my, bhartā ca lord also, svargataḥ has ascended heaven, vipathē on a wrong path, sārthahīnēva without well-wishers aham I, jīvitum to live, na utsahē do not desire.

Rama has gone away leaving me. My lord has ascended the heaven, traversing the wrong road. With my well-wishers gone, I do not want to live.
bhartāraṅ taṅ parityajya kā strī daivatamātmanaḥ.

icchējjīvitumanyatra kaikēyyāstyaktadharmaṇaḥ৷৷2.66.5৷৷


tyaktadharmaṇaḥ one who has abandoned righteousness, kaikēyyāḥ anyatra other than Kaikeyi, kā strī which woman, ātmanaḥ her own, daivatam god, taṅ bhartāram her husband, parityajya having abandoned, jīvitum to live, icchēt desires.

Which woman wishes to live, leaving her god-like husband, except Kaikeyi who has given up her sense of duty?
na lubdhō budhyatē dōṣān kimpākamiva bhakṣayan.

kubjānimittaṅ kaikēyyā rāghavāṇāṅ kulaṅ hatam৷৷2.66.6৷৷


lubdha: a greedy man, kimpākam a poisonous fruit of bad taste, bhakṣayanniva as if one has eaten, dōṣān faults, na budhyatē does not know, kubjānimittam on account of the hunchback, kaikēyyā by Kaikeyi, rāghavāṇām of Raghus, kulam race, hatam is destroyed.

Like a greedy man who eats the (poisonous) kimpaka fruit without realising the defects of the fruit, Kaikeyi has destroyed the Raghu race on account of the hunchback (Manthara).
aniyōgē niyuktēna rājñā rāmaṅ vivāsitam.

sabhāryaṅ janakaśśrutvā paritapsyatyahaṅ yathā৷৷2.66.7৷৷


sabhāryam with wife, rāmam Rama, aniyōgē is an unworthy act, niyuktēna ordered, rājñā by the king, vivāsitam has been banished, śrutvā having heard, janakaḥ Janaka, ahaṅ yathā like me, paritapsyati will suffer.

Hearing the unrighteous action ordered by the king in banishing Rama and his wife king Janaka will suffer great agony like me.
sa māmanāthāṅ vidhavāṅ nādya jānāti dhārmikaḥ.

rāmaḥ kamalapatrākṣaḥ jīvannāśamitō gataḥ৷৷2.66.8৷৷


dhārmikaḥ virtuous, kamalapatrākṣaḥ who has lotus-petal like eyes, jīvan even though alive, itaḥ from here, nāśam destruction, gataḥ obtained, saḥ rāmaḥ that Rama, adya now, mām me, anāthām without protector, vidhavām without husband, na jānāti does not know.

That virtuous Rama of lotus-petal-eyes has left this place for good, and does not know that I am without a protector, being a widow now.
vidēharājasya sutā tathā sītā tapasvinī.

duḥkhasyānucitā duḥkhaṅ vanē paryudvijiṣyati৷৷2.66.9৷৷


tathā also, tapasvinī a miserable woman, duḥkhasya of hardships, anucitā unworthy, vidēharājasya king Videha's, sutā daughter, sītā Sita, vanē in the forest, duḥkham great sorrow, paryudvijiṣyati will be agitated in her mind.

In the same way Sita, daughter of the king of Videha, who does not deserve hardships will be in deep agony.
nadatāṅ bhīmaghōṣāṇāṅ niśāsu mṛgapakṣiṇām.

niśamya nūnaṅ santrastā rāghavaṅ saṅśrayiṣyati৷৷2.66.10৷৷


niśām at night, bhīmaghōṣāṇām ghastly sounds, mṛgapakṣiṇām of animals and birds, nadatām by those making sounds, niśamya having heard, santrastā frightened, nūnam surely, rāghavam Rama, saṅśrayiṣyati will take shelter.

Hearing the ghastly sounds of animals and birds, Sita will surely get frightened and take shelter in Rama.
vṛddhaścaivālpaputraśca vaidēhīmanucintayan.

sō.pi śōkasamāviṣṭō nanu tyakṣyati jīvitam৷৷2.66.11৷৷


vṛddhaścaiva aged, alpaputraśca not having sons, sō.pi that Janaka too, śōkasamāviṣṭaḥ overpowered by grief, vaidēhīm Sita, anucintayan constantly thinking, jīvitam life, tyakṣyati nanu will give up indeed.

Old and sonless Janaka, constantly thinking of Sita and overpowered with grief will surely give up his life.
sā.hamadyaiva diṣṭāntaṅ gamiṣyāmi pativratā.

idaṅ śarīra māliṅgya pravēkṣyāmi hutāśanam৷৷2.66.12৷৷


pativratā of faithful wife, sā aham such as myself, adyaiva now itself, diṣṭāntam death, gamiṣyāmi will go to, idam this, śarīram body, āliṅgya clasping, hutāśanam in the fire, pravēkṣyāmi I shall enter.

As his faithful wife, I shall enter the fire by clasping this (Dasaratha's) body and go to death today itself
tāṅ tatassampariṣvajya vilapantīṅ tapasvinīm.

vyapanīya suduḥkhārtāṅ kausalyāṅ vyāvahārikāḥ৷৷2.66.13৷৷


vyāvahārikāḥ maidservants (those who customarily attend on the queens), sampariṣvajya having embraced, vilapantīm lamenting, tapasvinīm unfortunate, suduḥkhārtām deeply distressed, tāṅ kauśalyām to that Kausaya, tataḥ from there, vyapanīya removed.

The servants led away that unfortunate Kausalya who was lamenting in great anguish embracing the body of Dasaratha.
tailadrōṇyāmathāmātyā samvēśya jagatīpatim.

rājñassarvāṇyathādiṣṭāścakruḥ karmāṇyanantaram৷৷2.66.14৷৷


atha thereafter, ādiṣṭāḥ having been instructed, amātyāḥ counsellors, jagatīpatim the (corpse) of the lord of the world (Dasartha), tailadrōṇyām in an oil tub, saṅvēśya keeping, anantaram thereafter, karmāṇi ceremonies, sarvāṇi all, cakruḥ performed.

The counsellors, instructed (by Vasistha and others), placed the king's body in an oil tub with the understanding that the funeral rites were to be performed hereafter.
na tu saṅkalanaṅ rājñō vinā putrēṇa mantriṇaḥ.

sarvajñāḥ kartumīṣustē tatō rakṣanti bhūmipam৷৷2.66.15৷৷


sarvajñāḥ conversant with all such matters (relating to the obsequies), mantriṇaḥ counsellors, vinā putrēṇa without sons, rājñaḥ king's, saṅkalanam funeral obsequies, kartum to do, na īṣuḥ did not desire, tataḥ then, bhūmipam king's body, rakṣanti they are protecting.

The counsellors who were acquainted with all such matters (relating to the king's funeral) were unwilling to perform the obsequies in the absence of any of the king's sons. Meanwhile, they kept watch over the deadbody of the king.
tailadrōṇyāṅ tu sacivaiśśāyitaṅ taṅ narādhipam.

hā mṛtō.yamiti jñātvā striyastāḥ paryadēvayan৷৷2.66.16৷৷


sacivaiḥ by counsellors, tailadrōṇyām in the oil vat, śāyitam made to lay down, taṅ narādhipam that king, jñātvā on knowing (having seen), hā alas, ayam this, mṛtaḥ is dead, iti in this way, tāḥ those, striyaḥ women, paryadēvayan cried.

On seeing the king's body laid in the oil vat by the counsellors, the women cried Alas, the king is dead.
bāhūnudyamya kṛpaṇāḥ nētraprasravaṇairmukhaiḥ.

rudantya śśōkasantaptāḥ kṛpaṇaṅ paryadēvayan৷৷2.66.17৷৷


nētraprasravaṇaiḥ tears flowing from their eyes, mukhaiḥ with faces, kṛpaṇāḥ piteously, bāhūn hands, udyamya raising, rudantyaḥ groaning, śōkasantaptāḥ burning in grief, kṛpaṇam helplessly, paryadēvayan lamented.

With tears flowing down their faces, piteously raising their arms, groaning in their burning grief, the women lamented helplessly.
hā mahārāja! rāmēṇa satataṅ priyavādinā.

vihīnāssatyasandhēna kimarthaṅ vijahāsi naḥ৷৷2.66.18৷৷


hā mahārāja! Alas, the great king, satatam always, priyavādinā by a man speaking pleasing words, satyasandhēna by one firm in promise, rāmēṇa by Rama, vihīnāḥ deprived of, naḥ us, kimartham why, vijahāsi are you leaving us?

When we were already deprived of Rama who was always pleasing and truthful, alas, o great king, why did you leave us?
kaikēyyā duṣṭabhāvāyāḥ rāghavēṇa viyōjitāḥ.

kathaṅ patighnayā vatsyāma ssamīpē vidhavā vayam৷৷2.66.19৷৷


rāghavēṇa by Rama, viyōjitāḥ separated, vayam we, vidhavāḥ widows, duṣṭabhāvāyāḥ one of evil intentions, patighnayāḥ slayer of husband, kaikēyyāḥ Kaikeyi, samīpē near, katham how?,
vatsyāghnayāma can we stay?

A woman of evil intentions, Kaikeyi, at first separated us from Rama. Now she deprived us of our husband. How can we live with one who is a slayer of her husband?
sa hi nāthassadāsmākaṅ tava ca prabhurātmavān.

vanaṅ rāmō gataśśrīmānvihāya nṛpatiśriyam৷৷2.66.20৷৷


asmākam for us, tava ca to you also, sadā always, nāthaḥ protector, prabhuḥ master, ātmavān self-possessed, śrīmān prosperous, saḥ that, rāmaḥ Rama, nṛpatiśriyam royal wealth, vihāya
leaving, vanam to the forest, gataḥ hi has gone indeed.

Rama, who was always our and your self-possessed master and protector has gone to the forest, indeed, abandoning royal wealth.
tvayā tēna ca vīrēṇa vinā vyasanamōhitāḥ.

kathaṅ vayaṅ nivatsyāmaḥ kaikēyyā ca vidūṣitāḥ৷৷2.66.21৷৷


tvayā vinā without you, tēna vīrēṇa vinā without that hero, vyasanamōhitāḥ overwhelmed with grief, vayam we, kaikēyyā by Kaikeyi, vidūṣitāḥ ca having being abused, katham how, nivatsyāmaḥ can we live?

Without you and without the heroic Rama, how can we live overwhelmed with grief and enduring the abuses of Kaikeyi?
yayā tu rājā rāmaśca lakṣmaṇaśca mahābalaḥ.

sītayā saha santyaktā ssākamanyaṅ na hāsyati৷৷2.66.22৷৷


yayā by such a person (Kaikeyi), rājā the king, rāmaśca Rama, mahābalaḥ valiant, lakṣmaṇaśca also Lakshmana, sītayā saha along with Sita, santyaktāḥ have been abandoned, sā that Kaikeyi, anyam other, kam whom, na hāsyati will not cast aside?

Why will not Kaikeyi who has abandoned the king, valiant Rama and Lakshmana along with Sita cast aside others?
tā bāṣpēṇa ca saṅvītāśśōkēna vipulēna ca.

vyavēṣṭanta nirānandā rāghavasya varastriyaḥ৷৷2.66.23৷৷


rāghavasya Dasaratha's, tāḥ varastriyaḥ those excellent wives, bāṣpēṇa shedding tears, vipulēna with profound, śōkēna ca grief, saṅvītāḥ overwhelmed, nirānandāḥ cheerlessly, vyavēṣṭanta are lying unconscious on the floor.

The excellent wives of Dasaratha, overwhelmed with profound grief and tears, are lying unconcious on the floor.
niśā candravihīnēva strīva bhartṛvivarjitā.

purī nārājatāyōdhyā hīnā rājñā mahātmanā৷৷2.66.24৷৷


mahātmanā by the great, rājñā king, hīnā deprived, ayōdhyāpurī city of Ayodhya, candravihīnā devoid of moon, niśēva night, bhartṛvivarjitā forsaken by husband, strīva like woman, nārājata did not shine.

Like night without the Moon, like a woman forsaken by her husband, this city of Ayodhya without that magnanimous king has lost its earlier splendour.
bāṣpaparyākulajanā hāhābhūtakulāṅganā.

śūnyacatvaravēśmāntā na babhrāja yathāpuram৷৷2.66.25৷৷


bāṣpaparyākulajanā filled with people shedding tears, hāhābhūtakulāṅganā with the cries of anguish of housewives, śūnyacatvaravēśmāntā infront of their houses and the public squares in between the houses, yathā puram city with its earlier brilliance, na babhrāja does not shine.

With the people of Ayodhya shedding tears, the housewives crying, in anguish, 'alas alas' the courtyards houses and squares of the roads deserted, the city has lost its
earlier brilliance.
gatē tu śōkāt tridivaṅ narādhipē mahītalasthāsu nṛpāṅganāsu ca.

nivṛttacārassahasā gatō raviḥ pravṛttacārā rajanī hyupasthitā৷৷2.66.26৷৷


narādhipē when the king, śōkāt due to grief, tridivam towards heaven, gatē tu having gone, nṛpāṅganāsu wives of the king, mahītalasthāsu ca lying on the ground, raviḥ the Sun, sahasā instantly, nivṛttacāraḥ ceased his journey, gataḥ gone, pravṛttacārāḥ favourable to night-rangers, rajanī night, upasthitā set in.

When king Dasaratha ascended to heaven due to grief over his son and when his wives were lying on the ground, the Sun ceased his journey and the night favourable to creatures of darkness suddenly set in.
ṛtē tu putrāddhahanaṅ mahīpatērnarōcayantē suhṛdassamāgatāḥ.

itīva tasmin śayanē nyavēśayan vanicintya rājānamacintya darśanam৷৷2.66.27৷৷


samāgatāḥ people who assembled there, suhṛdaḥ friends, putrāt ṛtē in the absence of a son, mahīpatēḥ king's, dahanam for igniting funeral pyre, na rōcayantē do not agree, itīva thus, vicintya having thought, acintya darśanam in an unexpected form, rājānam king, tasmin śayanē on that bed (in that oil trough), nyavēśayan laid.

The well-wishers who asembled, unwilling to ignite the funeral pyre of the king in the absence of any one of his sons laid the king's deadbody in that oil trough in an unexpected manner.
gataprabhā dyauriva bhāskaraṅ vinā vyapētanakṣatragaṇēva śarvarī.

purī babhāsē rahitā mahātmanā na cāsrakaṇṭhā.kulamārgacatvarā৷৷2.66.28৷৷


mahātmanā by the great Dasaratha, rahitā bereft of, asrakaṇṭhākulamārgacatvarā courtyards in front of their houses and the squares on the roads filled with people sobbing, purī Ayodhya, bhāskaraṅ vinā without the Sun, dyauriva like the sky, vyapētanakṣatragaṇāḥ with crowds of stars, śarvarīva
like night, gataprabhā having lost the brightness, na babhāsē did not shine.

The city, bereft of illustrious Dasaratha was filled with people sobbing in the courtyards in front of their houses and in the squares in between. That city of Ayodhya bereft of brightness, appeared like the day without the Sun and the night without constellations of stars.
narāśca nāryaśca samētya saṅghaśaḥ vigarhamāṇā bharatasya mātaram.

tadā nagaryāṅ naradēvasaṅkṣayē babhūvurārtā na ca śarma lēbhirē৷৷2.66.29৷৷


tadā then, naradēvasaṅkṣayē after the demise of the king, nagaryām in the city, narāśca men, nāryaśca women, saṅghaśaḥ in groups, samētya assembled, bharatasya Bharata's, mātaram mother, vigarhamāṇāḥ denounced, ārtāḥ babhūvuḥ became extremely distressed, śarma peace, na ca lēbhirē did not have

After the demise of the king, men and women in the city assembled in groups and denounced the mother of Bharata. Extremely distressed, they had no peace of mind.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē ṣaṭṣaṣṭitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the sixtysixth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.