Sloka & Translation

[Rama's correction of Lakshmana's judgement -- Bharata's army encamped round Chitrakuta.]

सुसंरब्धं तु सौमित्रिं लक्ष्मणं क्रोधमूर्छितम्।

रामस्तु परिसान्त्व्याथ वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्।।2.97.1।।


अथ thereafter, रामस्तु as for Rama, सुसंरब्धम् violently agitated, क्रोधमूर्छितम् swooned with rage, सौमित्रिम् to Sumitra's son, लक्ष्मणम् to Lakshmana, परिसान्त्व्य having pacified, इदम् this, वचनं च word, अब्रवीत् said.

Thereafter, Rama pacified Lakshmana, son of Sumitra who was violently agitated. He said to him who had swooned with rage:
किमत्र धनुषा कार्यमसिना वा सचर्मणा।

महेष्वासे महाप्राज्ञे भरते स्वयमागते।।2.97.2।।


महेष्वासे of great strength, महाप्राज्ञे sagacious, भरते Bharata, स्वयम् himself, अत्र here, आगते has come, धनुषा with bow, सचर्मणा with shield, असिना वा or with sword, किं कार्यम् where is the need?

When sagacious Bharata of great strength has come here, where is the need for a bow or a sword or a shield.
पितुस्सत्यं प्रतिश्रुत्य हत्वा भरतमागतम्।

किं करिष्यामि राज्येन सापवादेन लक्ष्मण।।2.97.3।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana, पितुः father's, सत्यम् truth, प्रतिश्रुत्य having sworn, आगतम् one who has come here, भरतम् Bharata, हत्वा having slain, सापवादेन with slander, राज्येन with a kingdom, किं करिष्यामि what shall I do?

O Lakshmana, having sworn that I would make father's word true, what shall I do with the kingdom earned slanderously by slaying Bharata who has come (to see me)?
यद्द्रव्यं बान्धवानां वा मित्राणां वा क्षये भवेत्।

नाहं तत्प्रतिगृह्णीयां भक्षान्विषकृतानिव।।2.97.4।।


यत् द्रव्यम् the wealth, बान्धवानां वा of kith and kin, मित्राणां वा or friends', क्षये भवेत् is obtaind through destruction, तत् that one, अहम् I, विषकृतान् prepared with poison, भक्षान् इव like
eatables, न प्रतिगृह्णीयाम् I shall not accept.

I shall never accept any wealth obtained by destroying kith and kin or friends which is akin to taking food prepared with poison.
धर्ममर्थं च कामं च पृथिवीं चापि लक्ष्मण।

इच्छामि भवतामर्थे एतत् प्रतिशृणोमि ते।।2.97.5।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana, धर्मम् righteousness, अर्थं च prosperity (wealth) also, कामं च desire, पृथिवीं चापि earth (kingdom) also, भवताम् अर्थे for your sake, इच्छामि I want, एतत् all this, ते to you, प्रतिशृणोमि I swear.

O Lakshmana, on the oath of righteousness, I wish wealth and pleasure as well as this kingdom for the sake of you all.
भ्रात्रूणां संग्रहार्थं च सुखार्थं चापि लक्ष्मण।

राज्यमप्यहमिच्छामि सत्येनाऽयुधमालभे।।2.97.6।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana, भ्रात्रूणाम् brothers', संग्रहार्थम् remain united, सुखार्थं चापि and also for happiness, अहम् I, राज्यमपि even kingdom, इच्छामि I desire, सत्येन truly, आयुधम् weapons, अलभे I hold.

O Lakshmana, I desire this kingdom only for the unity and happiness of my brothers. I
swear on the weapon I hold.
नेयं मम मही सौम्य दुर्लभा सागराम्बरा।

न हीच्छेयमधर्मेण शक्रत्वमपि लक्ष्मण।।2.97.7।।


सौम्य O gentle, लक्ष्मण Lakshmana, सागराम्बरा with the sea as garment, इयम् this, मही earth, मम to me, दुर्लभा difficult, न not, अधर्मेण unrighteously, शक्रत्वमपि even Indrahood, न इच्छेयं हि I do not desire.

O gentle Lakshmana, lordship of this earth with the sea as its garment is not difficult to obtain (for me). But I do not desire even Indrahood by unrighteous means.
यद्विना भरतं त्वां च शत्रुघ्नं चापि मानद।

भवेन्मम सुखं किञ्चिद्भस्म तत्कुरुतां शिखी।।2.97.8।।


मानद O bestower of honour (Lakshmana), यत् any happiness, भरतम् Bharata, त्वां च you also, शतृघ्नं चापि Satrughna too, विना without leaving, मम to me, भवेत् happens, तत् that, किञ्चित् सुखम् some happines, शिखी fire, भस्म as ashes, कुरुताम् let it be reduced.

O protector of honour even if there were to be some happiness which I could enjoy without you, Bharata, and Satrughna, let it be reduced to ashes by fire.
मन्येऽहमागतोऽयोध्यां भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः।

मम प्राणात्प्रियतरः कुलधर्ममनुस्मरन्।।2.97.9।।

श्रुत्वा प्रव्राजितं मां हि जटावल्कलधारिणम्।

जानक्यासहितं वीर त्वया च पुरुषर्षभ।।2.97.10।।

स्नेहेनाऽक्रान्तहृदय श्शोकेनाकुलितेन्द्रियः।

द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो ह्येष भरतो नान्यथाऽगतः।।2.97.11।।


वीर O valiant one, पुरुषर्षभ best among men, भ्रातृवत्सलः affectionate towards brothers, मम to me, प्राणात् more than life, प्रियतरः dearer, भरतः Bharata, अयोध्याम् to Ayodhya, आगतः had returned, माम् me, जानक्या with Janaki, त्वया च with you, सहितम् in the company of, जटावल्कलधारिणम् wearing barks and matted locks, प्रव्राजितम् having been exiled, श्रुत्वा hearing, कुलधर्मम् duties of race, अनुस्मरन् remembering, स्नेहेन with devotion, आक्रान्तहृदय: mind possessed by, शोकेन with distress, आकुलितेन्द्रियः with agitated senses, द्रष्टुम् to see, अभ्यागतः has arrived, अहम् I, मन्ये consider, एषः भरतः this Bharata, अन्यथा for any other reason, न आगतः has not come.

O best among men, O valiant one I think Bharata who is affectionate towards his
brothers and who is dearer to me than my life, must have returned to Ayodhya and has heard that I had been exiled along with you and Janaki, wearing barks and matted locks. Remembering the duties of the race with an afflicted mind and with agitated senses he has come here to see me. He has not come with any other intention.
अम्बां च कैकयीं रुष्य परुषं चाप्रियं वदन्।

प्रसाद्य पितरं श्रीमार्नाज्यं मे दातुमागतः।।2.97.12।।


श्रीमान् auspicious Bharata, अम्बाम् mother, कैकयीम् at Kaikeyi, रुष्य angered, परुषम् harshly, अप्रियं च bitterly, वदन् speaking, पितरम् father, प्रसाद्य having propitiated, मे to me, राज्यम् kingdom, दातुम् to offer, आगतः has come.

Auspicious Bharata, angry with Kaikeyi and having spoken to her unpleasant, bitter words and having propitiated our father, has come here to offer me the kingdom.
प्राप्तकालं यदेषोऽस्मान्भरतो द्रष्टुमिच्छति।

अस्मासु मनसाऽप्येष नाप्रियं किञ्चिदाचरेत्।।2.97.13।।


एषः भरतः this Bharata, अस्मान् us, यत् द्रष्टुम् इच्छति should he desire to see, प्राप्तकालम् this is appropriate time, एषः he, अस्मासु in us, मनसा अपि even by thought, किंचित् even a little, अप्रियम् harm, नाचरेत् will not do.

Finding the time appropriate, Bharata has come to see us. Even in his mind he would have never thought of causing any harm to us in any way.
विप्रियं कृतपूर्वं ते भरतेन कदा नु किम्।

ईदृशं वा भयं तेऽद्य भरतं योऽत्र शङ्कसे।।2.97.14।।


अत्र here, यः such you, अद्य now, भरतम् about Bharata, शङ्कसे you suspect, ते to you, भरतेन by Bharata, कदा नु at any time anything, किम् विप्रियम् anything disagreeable, ईदृशम् such, भयं वा or fear, कृतपूर्वम् has been done in the past.

Why are you suspicious of Bharata? Has he done anything disagreeable to you any time in the past?
न हि ते निष्ठुरं वाच्यो भरतो नाप्रियं वचः।

अहं ह्यप्रियमुक्त स्स्यां भरतस्याप्रिये कृते।।2.97.15।।


भरतः Bharata, ते to you, निष्ठुरम् harsh word, न वाच्यः must not speak, अप्रियम् harsh, वचः words, न not, भरतस्य to Bharata, अप्रिये unpleasant act, कृते if it has been done, अहम् I, अप्रियम् harsh words, उक्तः स्यां हि has been told.

You must not speak any harsh or unpleasant words against Bharata. If you do, they will be deemed to be directed against me.
कथं नु पुत्राः पितरं हन्युः कस्यां चिदापदि।

भ्राता वा भ्रातरं हन्यात्सौमित्रे प्राणमात्मनः।।2.97.16।।


सौमित्रे O Lakshmana, कस्यां चित् आपदि in whatever calamity, पुत्र: son, पितरम् father, कथं नु how, हन्युः can slay, भ्राता वा or a brother, आत्मनः as his own, प्राणम् life, भ्रातरम् his own brother, हन्यात् will kill?

Whatever be the calamity, O Lakshmana, how will sons slay their father, or a brother kill his own brother who is as dear to him as his own life?
यदि राज्यस्य हेतोस्त्वमिमां वाचं प्रभाषसे।

वक्ष्यामि भरतं दृष्ट्वा राज्यमस्मै प्रदीयताम्।।2.97.17।।


राज्यस्य हेतोः for the sake of a kingdom, त्वम् you, इमां वाचम् these words, प्रभाषसे यदि if you are saying भरतम् Bharata, दृष्टवा seeing, अस्मै for him, राज्यम् kingdom, प्रदीयताम् be given, वक्ष्यामि I shall tell.

If you are saying all these words only for the sake of the kingdom, then I shall ask Bharata when I see him to offer this kingdom to you.
उच्यमानोऽपि भरतो मया लक्ष्मण तद्वचः।

राज्यमस्मै प्रयच्छेति बाढमित्येव वक्ष्यति।।2.97.18।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana, भरतोऽपि Bharata also, अस्मै to him, राज्यम् kingdom, प्रयच्छ give, इति thus, उच्यमानः having been told, तद्वच: that word, बाढम् इत्येव certainly so, वक्ष्यति will say.

O Lakshmana if I earnestly exhort Bharata to offer this kingdom to you, then on hearing those words, he would say, 'Certainly so'.
तथोक्तो धर्मशीलेन भ्रात्रा तस्य हिते रतः।

लक्ष्मणः प्रविवेशेव स्वानि गात्राणि लज्जया।।2.97.19।।


धर्मशीलेन by a man of virtuous disposition, भ्रात्रा by brother, तथा thus, उक्तः uttered, तस्य his brother's, हिते in welfare, रतः devoted, लक्ष्मणः Lakshamana, लज्जया with a sense of shame, स्वानि his own, गात्राणि limbs, प्रविवेशेव entered.

Having heard the words uttered by his brother, Rama of virtuous disposition, Lakshmana who was devoted to his brother's welfare, shrank.
तद्वाक्यं लक्ष्मण श्श्रुत्वा व्रीलितः प्रत्युवाच ह।

त्वां मन्ये द्रष्टुमायातः पिता दशरथ स्स्वयम्।।2.97.20।।


लक्ष्मणः Lakshmana, तद्वाक्यम् those words, श्रुत्वा having heard, व्रीलितः abashed, प्रत्युवाच ह replied, पिता father, दशरथः Dasaratha, त्वां you, द्रष्टुम् to see, स्वयम् personally, आयातः has come, मन्ये I think.

Hearing the words of Rama, Lakshmana was abashed and said I think it is our father, king Dasaratha who has come here personally to see you.
व्रीलितं लक्ष्मणं दृष्ट्वा राघवः प्रत्युवाच ह।

एष मन्ये महाबाहुरिहास्मान्द्रष्टुमागतः।।2.97.21।।


व्रीलितम् ashamed, लक्ष्मणम् Lakshmana, दृष्ट्वा seeing, राघवः Rama, प्रत्युवाच ह replied, महाबाहुः mightyarmed, एषः this king Dasaratha, अस्मान् us, द्रष्टुम् to see, इह here, आगतः has come, मन्ये I think.

Observing Lakshmana's abashment, Rama said I think the mightyarmed king Dasaratha has come to see all of us here.
अथवा नौ ध्रुवं मन्ये मन्यमान स्सुखोचितौ।

वनवासमनुध्याय गृहाय प्रतिनेष्यति।।2.97.22।।


अथवा or rather, नौ both of us, सुखोचितौ accustomed to comforts, मन्यमानः treating, वनवासम् dwelling in the forest, अनुध्याय having thought of, गृहाय to home, प्रतिनेष्यति take back, ध्रुवम् this is certain, मन्ये I think.

Or rather having thought of the adversities of dwelling in a forest and also by realising that both of us are accustomed to comforts, I think he has certainly come to take us back home.
इमां वाप्येष वैदेहीमत्यन्तसुखसेविनीम्।

पिता मे राघव श्श्रीमान्वनादादाय यास्यति।।2.97.23।।


मे पिता my father, श्रीमान् prosperous, एषः राघवः this Raghava, अत्यन्त सुखसेविनीम् brought up in every luxury, इमाम् this lady, वैदेहीम् वा or princess Vaidehi, वनात् from the forest, आदाय यास्यति will take her back.

Our father, the prosperous Dasaratha, after withdrawing this princess Vaidehi who is brought up in luxury from the forest (to Ayodhya), will return.
एतौ तौ सम्प्रकाशेते गोत्रवन्तौ मनोरमौ।

वायुवेगसमौ वीर जवनौ तुरगोत्तमौ।।2.97.24।।


वीर O valiant one, गोत्रवन्तौ both of them of high pedigree, मनोरमौ charming, वायुवेगसमो windswift, जवनौ both swift, तौ those, एतौ these two, तुरगोत्तमौ splendid horses, सम्प्रकाशेते are shining.

O valiant warrior, you can see those two splendid horses of high pedigree, charming, swift and equal to wind in speed are shining (in the army).
स एष सुमहाकायः कम्पते वाहिनीमुखे।

नागश्शत्रुञ्जयो नाम वृद्धस्तातस्य धीमतः।।2.97.25।।


सुमहाकायः huge, शत्रुञ्जयः named Satrunjaya, धीमतः of the sagacious, तातस्य father's, सः that, वृद्धः aged, नागः elephant, एषः here it is, वाहिनीमुखे at the head of the army, कम्पते moving about.

There is that huge and aged elephant named Satrunjaya which belogns to our sagacious father proceeding at the head of the army.
न तु पश्यामि तच्छत्रं पाण्डुरं लोकसत्कृतम् |

पितुर्दिव्यं महाबाहो संशयो भवतीह मे।।2.97.26।।
 

महाबाहो O long-armed one, पाण्डुरम् white in colour, लोकसत्कृतम् well-respected by men, दिव्यम् splendid, पितुः father's, तत् then, छत्रं तु canopy, न पश्यामि I do not see, इह in this matter, मे to me, संशयः doubt, भवति is arising.

I do not see, O long-armed one! that splendid white canopy of my father, well-respected by men. And this gives rise to doubts in my mind.
वृक्षाग्रादवरोह त्वं कुरु लक्ष्मण मद्वचः।

इतीव रामो धर्मात्मा सौमित्रिं तमुवाच ह।।2.97.27।।


लक्ष्मण O Lakshmana, त्वम् you, वृक्षाग्रात् from the tree top, अवरोह climb down, मद्वचः my words, कुरु follow, इतीव thus, धर्मात्मा the righteous one, रामः Rama, तं सौमित्रम् to that Lakshmana, उवाच ह said.

Get off the treetop, O Lakshmana, and do what I say said the righteous Rama.
अवतीर्य तु सालाग्रात्तस्मात्स समितिञ्जयः।

लक्ष्मणः प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा तस्थौ रामस्य पार्श्वतः।।2.97.28।।


समितिञ्जयः conqueror of the enemy, सः लक्ष्मणः that Lakshmana, तस्मात् सालाग्रात् from the top of that sala tree, अवतीर्य having descended, प्राञ्जलिः भूत्वा with folded palms, रामस्य Rama's, पार्श्वतः by the side of, तस्थौ stood.

Lakshmana, the conqueror of foes, descended from the top of the sala tree and stood by the side of Rama with folded palms.
भरतेनापि सन्दिष्टा सम्मर्दो न भवेदिति।

समन्तात्तस्य शैलस्य सेना वासमकल्पयत्।।2.97.29।।


सम्मर्दः crowding, न भवेत् let it not happen, इति thus, भरतेनापि by Bharata also, सन्दिष्टा instructed, सेना army, तस्य शैलस्य that mountain's, समन्तात् around, आवासम् encampment, अकल्पयत् made.

Let not the hermitage be crowded commanded Bharata, and the army encamped around the mountain.
अध्यर्धमिक्ष्वाकुचमूर्योजनं पर्वतस्य सा।

पार्श्वे न्यविशदावृत्य गजवाजिरथाकुला।।2.97.30।।


गजवाजिरथाकुला with throngs of horses, elephants and chariots, सा that, इक्ष्वाकुचमूः the army of the descendant of Ikshvaku, अध्यर्धयोजनम् a distance more than one and a half yojanas, पर्वतस्य mountain's, पार्श्वे by the side of, आवृत्य having surrounded, न्यविशत्
encamped.

Bharata's army full of horses, elephants and chariots covering a distance of more than one and a half yojanas encamped by the side of the mountain.
सा चित्रकूटे भरतेन सेना धर्मं पुरस्कृत्य विधूय दर्पम्।

प्रसादनार्थं रघुनन्दनस्य विराजते नीतिमता प्रणीता।।2.97.31।।


धर्मम् righteousness, पुरस्कृत्य adopting, दर्पम् pride, विधूय casting aside, रघुनन्दनस्य Rama's, प्रसादनार्थम् to propitiate, नीतिमता by a moralist, भरतेन by Bharata, प्रणीता having been brought, सा that, सेना army, चित्रकूटे on Chitrakuta, विराजते was shining.

The army brought by Bharata, the great moralist, was shining around Chitrakuta mountain following dharma, and casting off all pride, in order to please Rama.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तनवतितमस्सर्गः।।
Thus ends the ninetyseventh sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.