Sloka & Translation

[Rama convinces Lakshmana that destiny is allpowerful--cancels all arrangements for his consecration ceremony.]

अथ तं व्यथया दीनं सविशेषममर्षितम्।

श्वसन्तमिव नागेन्द्रं रोषविस्फारितेक्षणम्।।2.22.1।।

आसाद्य रामस्सौमित्रिं सुहृदं भ्रातरं प्रियम्।

उवाचेदं स धैर्येण धारयन्सत्त्वमात्मवान्।।2.22.2।।


अथ thereafter, आत्मवान् selfpossessed, सः रामः that Rama, धैर्येण with fortitude, सत्त्वम् composure, धारयन् holding, व्यथया with mental agony, दीनम् miserable, सविशेषम् especially, अमर्षितम् indignant, नागेन्द्रमिव like a king cobra, श्वसन्तम् hissing, रोषविस्फारितेक्षणम् eyes widened with wrath, सुहृदम् to the intimate, प्रियं भ्रातरम् beloved brother, सौमित्रिम् to Lakshmana, आसाद्य having approached, इदम् these words, उवाच said.

The selfpossessed Rama held his composure and approached his beloved, intimate brother Lakshmana who was (looking) miserable with his mental agony. To him, who was hissing like a king cobra, he said:
अथ तं व्यथया दीनं सविशेषममर्षितम्।

श्वसन्तमिव नागेन्द्रं रोषविस्फारितेक्षणम्।।2.22.1।।

आसाद्य रामस्सौमित्रिं सुहृदं भ्रातरं प्रियम्।

उवाचेदं स धैर्येण धारयन्सत्त्वमात्मवान्।।2.22.2।।


अथ thereafter, आत्मवान् selfpossessed, सः रामः that Rama, धैर्येण with fortitude, सत्त्वम् composure, धारयन् holding, व्यथया with mental agony, दीनम् miserable, सविशेषम् especially, अमर्षितम् indignant, नागेन्द्रमिव like a king cobra, श्वसन्तम् hissing, रोषविस्फारितेक्षणम् eyes widened with wrath, सुहृदम् to the intimate, प्रियं भ्रातरम् beloved brother, सौमित्रिम् to Lakshmana, आसाद्य having approached, इदम् these words, उवाच said.

The selfpossessed Rama held his composure and approached his beloved, intimate brother Lakshmana who was (looking) miserable with his mental agony. To him, who was hissing like a king cobra, he said:
निगृह्य रोषं शोकं च धैर्यमाश्रित्य केवलम्।

अवमानं निरस्येमं गृहीत्वा हर्षमुत्तमम्।।2.22.3।।

उपक्लृप्तं हि यत्किञ्चिदभिषेकार्थमद्य मे

सर्वं विसर्जय क्षिप्रं कुरु कार्यं निरत्ययम्।।2.22.4।।


रोषम् anger, शोकं च also sorrow, निगृह्य after restraining, केवलम् only, धैर्यम् fortitude, आश्रित्य resorting to, इमम् this, अवमानम् insult, निरस्य after discarding, उत्तमम् great, हर्षम् happiness, गृहीत्वा after securing, अद्य today, मे my, अभिषेकार्थम् for the purpose of consecration, यत्किञ्चित् whatever, उपक्लुप्तम् is arranged, सर्वम् all that, विसर्जय you may
discard, क्षिप्रम् quickly, निरत्ययम् safe, कार्यम् act, कुरु perform.

Restrain your anger and sorrow. Dismiss this humiliation (from the mind). Achieve great happiness through fortitude. Remove whatever preparations have been made for the purpose of (my) consecration today, and act quickly so that there is no obstacle.
सौमित्रे योऽभिषेकार्थे मम सम्भार सम्भ्रमः।

अभिषेकनिवृत्त्यर्थे सोऽस्तु संभारसम्भ्रमः।।2.22.5।।


सौमित्रे O Lakshmana मम my, अभिषेकार्थे for (my) consecration, यः which, संभारसम्भ्रमः perseverance with which preparations have been made, सः that, अभिषेकनिवृत्यर्थे for cessation of those arrangements, अस्तु let there be.

O Lakshmana the same enthusiasm with which preparations for my consecration were made be shown for the cessation of those arrangements.
यस्या मदभिषेकार्थे मानसं परितप्यते।

माता मे सा यथा न स्यात्सविशङ्का तथा कुरु।।2.22.6।।


मदभिषेकार्थे in the matter of my consecration, यस्याः whose, मानसम् (heart), परितप्यते ached, सा मे माता that my mother (Kaikeyi), सविशङ्का with doubt, यथा how, न स्यात् will not entertain, तथा accordingly, कुरु act.

Act in such a way that our mother (Kaikeyi), whose heart ached due to my consecration should not entertain any doubt.
तस्याश्शङ्कामयं दुःखं मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे।

मनसि प्रतिसंजातं सौमित्रेऽहमुपेक्षितुम्।।2.22.7।।


सौमित्रे O Lakshmana, अहम् I, तस्याः her, मनसि in mind, प्रतिसंजातम् arisen, शङ्कामयम् apprehensive, दुःखम् sorrow, मुहूर्तमपि even for a moment, उपेक्षितुम् to neglect, नोत्सहे I am
not inclined.

Even for a moment, O Lakshmana I am not inclined to ignore her sorrow caused by the apprehension in her mind (about the possibility of Rama's coronation).
न बुद्धिपूर्वं नाबुद्धं स्मरामीह कदाचन।

मातृ़णां वा पितुर्वाऽहं कृतमल्पं च विप्रियम्।।2.22.8।।


अहम् I, मातृणां of mothers, पितुर्वा or of father, इह here, कदाचन at any time, बुद्धिपूर्वम् intentional, कृतम् done, अल्पम् little, विप्रियं च displeasure, न स्मरामि I do not remember, अबुद्धम् anything done for want of understanding, न not.

I do not remember to have done anything any time with a motive or without understanding which might have caused even a little displeasure to father or mothers.
सत्यस्सत्याभिसन्धश्च नित्यं सत्यपराक्रमः।

परलोकभयाद्भीतो निर्भयोऽस्तु पिता मम।।2.22.9।।


सत्यः one who is truthful, सत्यपराक्रमः truly valiant, परलोकभयात् for fear of the other world, भीतः frightened, मम पिता my father, नित्यम् always, सत्याभिसन्धः a man striving for truth, निर्भयः fearless, अस्तु let him be.

Let my father who is always truthful, who is really valiant, who is always striving for truth and who is afraid of the next world, be fearless.
तस्याऽपि हि भवेदस्मिन्कर्मण्यप्रतिसंहृते।

सत्यं नेति मनस्तापस्तस्य तापस्तपेच्च माम्।।2.22.10।।


अस्मिन् कर्मणि if this act (my consecration), अप्रतिसंहृते if not withdrawn, तस्यापि for him also, सत्यं न his word has not come true, इति thus, मनस्तापः mental agony, भवेत् he will experience, तस्य his, तापः pain, माम् me, तपेच्च will torment.

If the preparations for the consecration are not withdrawn, my father will suffer mental agony for the fear that his word has not come true and his agony will torment me.
अभिषेकविधानं तु तस्मात्संहृत्य लक्ष्मण।

अन्वगेवाहमिच्छामि वनं गन्तुमितःपुनः।।2.22.11।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana, तस्मात् therefore, अभिषेकविधानम् this arrangement for consecration, संहृत्य after withdrawing, अहम् I, अन्वगेव afterwards, इतः from here, वनम् to the forest, गन्तुम् to go, इच्छामि I am desiring.

Therefore, O Lakshmana I want the arrangement for coronation withdrawn before I proceed to the forest from here itself.
मम प्रव्राजनादद्य कृतकृत्या नृपात्मजा।

सुतं भरतमव्यग्रमभिषेचयिता ततः।।2.22.12।।


नृपात्मजा king's daughter (Kaikeyi), अद्य now, मम my, प्रव्राजनात् departure, कृतकृत्या having accomplished her purpose, ततः afterwards, अव्यग्रम् without any distraction, सुतम् son, भरतम् Bharata, अभिषेचयिता will coronate.

Immediately after my departure to the forest, the king's (Kekaya's) daughter having accomplished her objective, will enthrone Bharata without any distraction.
मयि चीराजिनधरे जटामण्डलधारिणि।

गतेऽरण्यं च कैकेय्या भविष्यति मनस्सुखम्।।2.22.13।।


मयि I, चीराजिनधरे wearing tattered clothes (bark) and antelope skin, जटामण्डलधारिणि wearing a crown of matted hair, अरण्यम् to the forest, गते when I leave, कैकेय्याः Kaikeyi, मनस्सुखम् peace of mind, भविष्यति will attain.

Kaikeyi will attain peace of mind only after my departure to the forest in tattered
clothes, an antelope skin and a crown of matted locks.
बुद्धिः प्रणीता येनेयं मनश्च सुसमाहितम्।

तं तु नार्हामि संक्लेष्टुं प्रव्रजिष्यामि मा चिरम्।।2.22.14।।


येन since, इयम् this, बुद्धि: intellect, प्रणीता is advanced, मनश्च mind also, सुसमाहितम् is wellcomposed, तम् him, संक्लेष्टुम् to inflict pain, नार्हामि I do not deserve, प्रव्रजिष्यामि I shall depart, चिरम् delay, मा not.

With wellcomposed mind this decision has been taken. I do not like to inflict pain (on Dasaratha or Kaikeyi). I shall, therefore, depart to the forest without delay.
कृतान्तस्त्वेव सौमित्रे द्रष्टव्यो मत्प्रवासने।

राज्यस्य च वितीर्णस्य पुनरेव निवर्तने।।2.22.15।।


सौमित्रे O Lakshmana, मत्प्रवासने in my exile, वितीर्णस्य of the awarded, राज्यस्य kingdom, पुनरेव again, निवर्तने च in revocation, कृतान्तस्त्वेव destiny (as cause), द्रष्टव्यः should be seen.

If the award of the kingdom to me is revoked, O Lakshmana, and if I am banished in this manner, see, it is destiny.
कैकेय्याः प्रतिपत्तिर्हि कथं स्यान्मम पीडने।

यदि भावो न दैवोऽयं कृतान्तविहितो भवेत्।।2.22.16।।


अयम् this, भावः thought, (तस्याः for her), कृतान्तविहितः is caused by destiny, दैवः misfortune, न भवेत् यदि if it were not to be so, कैकेय्याः for Kaikeyi, मम my, पीडने in inflicting pain, प्रतिपत्तिः determination, कथम् how, स्यात् will ever take place.

If this thought and my misfortune were not caused in Kaikeyi by destiny, how could she muster such determination to inflict pain on me?
जानासि हि यथा सौम्य न मातृषु ममान्तरम्।

भूतपूर्वं विशेषो वा तस्या मयि सुतेऽपि वा।।2.22.17।।


सौम्य O gentle (Lakshmana), मातृषु amongst my mothers, मम to me, यथा how, अन्तरम् feeling of distinction, न भूतपूर्वम् was never in the past, तस्याः for her, मयि in me, सुते पि वा or in her son Bharata, विशेषः difference, जानासि you know.

You know, O gentle Lakshmana that never in the past had I any feeling of distinction amongst my mothers. And Kaikeyi never differentiated between me and her son.
सोऽभिषेकनिवृत्त्यर्थैप्रवासार्थैश्च दुर्वचैः।

उग्रैर्वाक्यैरहं तस्या नान्यद्दैवात्समर्थये।।2.22.18।।


सः अहम् such me, अभिषेकनिवृर्त्त्थैः to prevent my consecration, प्रवासार्थैश्च for my banishment also, दुर्वचैः by the harsh words, उग्रैः cruel, तस्याः her, वाक्यैः with words, दैवात् other than destiny, अन्यत् any other, न समर्थये I will not propose.

I do not find any reason other than destiny for the cruel and brutal words spoken by Kaikeyi with the objective of preventing my coronation and exiling me.
कथं प्रकृतिसम्पन्ना राजपुत्री तथागुणा।

ब्रूयात्सा प्राकृतेव स्त्री मत्पीडां भर्तृसन्निधौ।।2.22.19।।


प्रकृतिसम्पन्ना noble natured, तथागुणा having such virtues, राजपुत्री princess, सा she, प्राकृता ordianry, स्त्री इव like a woman, भर्तृ सन्निधौ in the presence of her husband, मत्पीडाम् words causing me pain, कथम् how, ब्रूयात् will say.

If destiny is not the cause behind this, how could Kaikeyi who is gifted with virtues and a noble nature speak such painful words to me before her husband, like an ordinary woman?
यदचिन्त्यन्तु तद्दैवं भूतेष्वपि न विहन्यते।

व्यक्तं मयि च तस्यां च पतितो हि विपर्ययः।।2.22.20।।


अचिन्त्यम् inconceivable, यत् such, दैवम् destiny, तत् that one, भूतेष्वपि in all beings, न (वि)हन्यते cannot be averted, मयि च in me also, तस्यां च in her as well, विपर्ययः adversity, पतितः हि had fallen indeed, व्यक्तम् this is evident.

Inconceivable is the power of destiny. Its impact on all beings cannot be averted. That an adversity has befallen me and Kaikeyi is (therefore) evident.
कश्चिद्दैवेन सौमित्रे योद्धुमुत्सहते पुमान्।

यस्य न ग्रहणं किञ्चित्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र दृश्यते।।2.22.21।।


सौमित्रे O Lakshmana, पुमान् (कः) which man, दैवेन with destiny, योद्धुम् to fight, उत्सहते can attempt, यस्य destiny's, ग्रहणम् grip, कर्मणः by following it course, अन्यत्र any other, किञ्चित् nothing, न दृश्यते cannot be seen.

O Lakshmana which mortal has the power to fight with destiny the grip of which can be comprehended by following its course only through its effect and nowhere else.
सुखदुःखे भयक्रोधौ लाभालाभौ भवाभवौ।

यच्च किञ्चित्तथाभूतं ननु दैवस्य कर्म तत्।।2.22.22।।


सुखदुःखे happiness or misery, भयक्रोधौ fear or anger, लाभालाभौ gain or loss, भवाभवौ birth or death, तथाभूतम् that happens, यच्च किञ्चित् whatever is there, तत् that, दैवस्य destiny's, कर्म ननु is surely its act.

Happiness or misery, fear or anger, gain or loss, birth or death, and all such things are surely the acts of destiny.
ऋषयोऽप्युग्रतपसो दैवेनाभिप्रपीडिताः।

उत्सृज्य नियमांस्तीव्रान्भ्रश्यन्ते काममन्युभिः।।2.22.23।।


उग्रतपसः practising severe austerities, ऋषयोऽपि rishis also, दैवेन by destiny, अभिप्रपीडिताः tormented, तीव्रान् severe, नियमान् observances, उत्सृज्य setting aside, काममन्युभिः with anger and passion, भ्रश्यन्ते are fallen.

Even rishis with severe austerities are tormented by destiny and are swerved from their observances because of anger and passion.
असङ्कल्पितमेवेह यदकस्मात्प्रवर्तते।

निवर्त्यारम्भमारब्धं ननु दैवस्य कर्म तत्।।2.22.24।।


इह here, आरब्धम् undertaken, आरम्भम् initiation, निवर्त्य having stopped, असङ्कल्पितम् एव unanticipated, अकस्मात् suddenly, यत् such hindrance, प्रवर्तते takes place, तत् that one, दैवस्य destiny's, कर्म ननु is the result of action.

Any unanticipated and sudden hindrance to the action undertaken shall be deemed to be the act of destiny.
एतया तत्त्वया बुद्ध्या संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना।

व्याहतेऽप्यभिषेके मे परितापो न विद्यते।।2.22.25।।


अभिषेके when my consecration, व्याहतेऽपि even though prevented, तत्त्वया in principle, एतया बुद्ध्या with the intellect, आत्मानम् my mind, आत्मना by myself, संस्तभ्य after controlling, मे my, परितापः sorrow, न विद्यते not there.

Even though my consecration was thwarted, there is no feeling of sadness in me. In fact I controlled my mind by my intellect.
तस्मादपरितापस्संस्त्वमप्यनुविधाय माम्।

प्रतिसंहारय क्षिप्रमाभिषेचनिकीं क्रियाम्।।2.22.26।।


तस्मात् therefore, त्वमपि you also, माम् me, अनुविधाय having followed, अपरितापः bereft of grief, क्षिप्रम् immediately, अभिषेचनिकीम् relating to coronation, क्रियाम् acts, प्रतिसंहारय withdraw.

Therefore, be free from grief like me and revoke all the arrangements made for the consecration ceremony immediately.
एभिरेव घटै स्सर्वैरभिषेचनसम्भृतैः।

मम लक्ष्मण तापस्ये व्रतस्नानं भविष्यति।।2.22.27।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana, अभिषेचनसम्भृतैः brought for the consecration, एभिः by these, सर्वैः by all, घटैरेव with pots of water, मम my, तापस्ये fit for practising penance, व्रतस्नानम् bathing before the commencement of a vow, भविष्यति will be.

With these very pots (of holy water) brought for the purpose of consecration, O Lakshmana I shall take bath at the time of taking vow for practising penance.
अथवा किं ममैतेन राजद्रव्यमयेन तु।

उद्धृतं मे स्वयं तोयं व्रतादेशं करिष्यति।।2.22.28।।


अथवा otherwise, राजद्रव्यमयेन with the royal property, एतेन with this, मम for me, किम् what is the use, स्वयम् myself, उद्धृतम् drawn, तोयम् water, मे for me, व्रतादेशम् direction for observance of vows, करिष्यति will be made.

Or else, for me what is the use of these pots of holy water which are the king's property? The water drawn with my own hands will be made use of for my religious bath.
मा च लक्ष्मण सन्तापं कार्षीर्लक्ष्म्या विपर्यये।

राज्यं वा वनवासो वा वनवासो महोदयः।।2.22.29।।


लक्ष्मण Lakshmana, लक्ष्म्याः of kingdom, विपर्यये due to its loss, सन्तापम् sorrow, मा कार्षीः do not experience, राज्यं वा either kingdom, वनवासो वा or exile, वनवासः dwelling in the forest, महोदयः is glorious.

Do not grieve, O Lakshmana, over the loss of the kingdom. Living in exile is more glorious than running the kingdom.
न लक्ष्मणास्मिन्खलु कर्मविघ्ने

माता यवीयस्यतिशङ्कनीया।

दैवाभिपन्ना हि वदत्यनिष्टं

जानासि दैवं च तथा प्रभावम्।।2.22.30।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana अस्मिन् in this matter, कर्मविघ्ने obstruction to my coronation, यवीयसी माता younger mother, न अतिशङ्कनीया खलु should not by apprehensive, दैवाभिपन्ना overpowered by destiny, अनिष्टम् unpleasant (words), वदति हि is speaking, दैवं च for destiny, तथा प्रभावम् has such influence, जानासि you know.

O Lakshmana our younger mother (Kaikeyi) cannot be blamed for her obstruction to my coronation. Overpowered by destiny, she is speaking such unpleasant words. This you know is the impact of destiny.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे द्वाविंशस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the twentysecond sarga of Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.