Sloka & Translation

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

susaṅrabdhaṅ tu saumitriṅ lakṣmaṇaṅ krōdhamūrchitam.

rāmastu parisāntvyātha vacanaṅ cēdamabravīt৷৷2.97.1৷৷


atha thereafter, rāmastu as for Rama, susaṅrabdham violently agitated, krōdhamūrchitam swooned with rage, saumitrim to Sumitra's son, lakṣmaṇam to Lakshmana, parisāntvya having pacified, idam this, vacanaṅ ca word, abravīt said.

Thereafter, Rama pacified Lakshmana, son of Sumitra who was violently agitated. He said to him who had swooned with rage:
kimatra dhanuṣā kāryamasinā vā sacarmaṇā.

mahēṣvāsē mahāprājñē bharatē svayamāgatē৷৷2.97.2৷৷


mahēṣvāsē of great strength, mahāprājñē sagacious, bharatē Bharata, svayam himself, atra here, āgatē has come, dhanuṣā with bow, sacarmaṇā with shield, asinā vā or with sword, kiṅ kāryam 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.
pitussatyaṅ pratiśrutya hatvā bharatamāgatam.

kiṅ kariṣyāmi rājyēna sāpavādēna lakṣmaṇa৷৷2.97.3৷৷


lakṣmaṇa O Lakshmana, pituḥ father's, satyam truth, pratiśrutya having sworn, āgatam one who has come here, bharatam Bharata, hatvā having slain, sāpavādēna with slander, rājyēna with a kingdom, kiṅ kariṣyāmi 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)?
yaddravyaṅ bāndhavānāṅ vā mitrāṇāṅ vā kṣayē bhavēt.

nāhaṅ tatpratigṛhṇīyāṅ bhakṣānviṣakṛtāniva৷৷2.97.4৷৷


yat dravyam the wealth, bāndhavānāṅ vā of kith and kin, mitrāṇāṅ vā or friends', kṣayē bhavēt is obtaind through destruction, tat that one, aham I, viṣakṛtān prepared with poison, bhakṣān iva like
eatables, na pratigṛhṇīyām 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.
dharmamarthaṅ ca kāmaṅ ca pṛthivīṅ cāpi lakṣmaṇa.

icchāmi bhavatāmarthē ētat pratiśṛṇōmi tē৷৷2.97.5৷৷


lakṣmaṇa O Lakshmana, dharmam righteousness, arthaṅ ca prosperity (wealth) also, kāmaṅ ca desire, pṛthivīṅ cāpi earth (kingdom) also, bhavatām arthē for your sake, icchāmi I want, ētat all this, tē to you, pratiśṛṇōmi 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.
bhrātrūṇāṅ saṅgrahārthaṅ ca sukhārthaṅ cāpi lakṣmaṇa.

rājyamapyahamicchāmi satyēnā.yudhamālabhē৷৷2.97.6৷৷


lakṣmaṇa O Lakshmana, bhrātrūṇām brothers', saṅgrahārtham remain united, sukhārthaṅ cāpi and also for happiness, aham I, rājyamapi even kingdom, icchāmi I desire, satyēna truly, āyudham weapons, alabhē I hold.

O Lakshmana, I desire this kingdom only for the unity and happiness of my brothers. I
swear on the weapon I hold.
nēyaṅ mama mahī saumya durlabhā sāgarāmbarā.

na hīcchēyamadharmēṇa śakratvamapi lakṣmaṇa৷৷2.97.7৷৷


saumya O gentle, lakṣmaṇa Lakshmana, sāgarāmbarā with the sea as garment, iyam this, mahī earth, mama to me, durlabhā difficult, na not, adharmēṇa unrighteously, śakratvamapi even Indra-hood, na icchēyaṅ hi 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.
yadvinā bharataṅ tvāṅ ca śatrughnaṅ cāpi mānada.

bhavēnmama sukhaṅ kiñcidbhasma tatkurutāṅ śikhī৷৷2.97.8৷৷


mānada O bestower of honour (Lakshmana), yat any happiness, bharatam Bharata, tvāṅ ca you also, śatṛghnaṅ cāpi Satrughna too, vinā without leaving, mama to me, bhavēt happens, tat that, kiñcit sukham some happines, śikhī fire, bhasma as ashes, kurutām 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.
manyē.hamāgatō.yōdhyāṅ bharatō bhrātṛvatsalaḥ.

mama prāṇātpriyataraḥ kuladharmamanusmaran৷৷2.97.9৷৷

śrutvā pravrājitaṅ māṅ hi jaṭāvalkaladhāriṇam.

jānakyāsahitaṅ vīra tvayā ca puruṣarṣabha৷৷2.97.10৷৷

snēhēnā.krāntahṛdaya śśōkēnākulitēndriyaḥ.

draṣṭumabhyāgatō hyēṣa bharatō nānyathā.gataḥ৷৷2.97.11৷৷


vīra O valiant one, puruṣarṣabha best among men, bhrātṛvatsalaḥ affectionate towards brothers, mama to me, prāṇāt more than life, priyataraḥ dearer, bharataḥ Bharata, ayōdhyām to Ayodhya, āgataḥ had returned, mām me, jānakyā with Janaki, tvayā ca with you, sahitam in the company of, jaṭāvalkaladhāriṇam wearing barks and matted locks, pravrājitam having been exiled, śrutvā hearing, kuladharmam duties of race, anusmaran remembering, snēhēna with devotion, ākrāntahṛdaya: mind possessed by, śōkēna with distress, ākulitēndriyaḥ with agitated senses, draṣṭum to see, abhyāgataḥ has arrived, aham I, manyē consider, ēṣaḥ bharataḥ this Bharata, anyathā for any other reason, na āgataḥ 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.
ambāṅ ca kaikayīṅ ruṣya paruṣaṅ cāpriyaṅ vadan.

prasādya pitaraṅ śrīmārnājyaṅ mē dātumāgataḥ৷৷2.97.12৷৷


śrīmān auspicious Bharata, ambām mother, kaikayīm at Kaikeyi, ruṣya angered, paruṣam harshly, apriyaṅ ca bitterly, vadan speaking, pitaram father, prasādya having propitiated, mē to me, rājyam kingdom, dātum to offer, āgataḥ 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.
prāptakālaṅ yadēṣō.smānbharatō draṣṭumicchati.

asmāsu manasā.pyēṣa nāpriyaṅ kiñcidācarēt৷৷2.97.13৷৷


ēṣaḥ bharataḥ this Bharata, asmān us, yat draṣṭum icchati should he desire to see, prāptakālam this is appropriate time, ēṣaḥ he, asmāsu in us, manasā api even by thought, kiṅcit even a little, apriyam harm, nācarēt 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.
vipriyaṅ kṛtapūrvaṅ tē bharatēna kadā nu kim.

īdṛśaṅ vā bhayaṅ tē.dya bharataṅ yō.tra śaṅkasē৷৷2.97.14৷৷


atra here, yaḥ such you, adya now, bharatam about Bharata, śaṅkasē you suspect, tē to you, bharatēna by Bharata, kadā nu at any time anything, kim vipriyam anything disagreeable, īdṛśam such, bhayaṅ vā or fear, kṛtapūrvam has been done in the past.

Why are you suspicious of Bharata? Has he done anything disagreeable to you any time in the past?
na hi tē niṣṭhuraṅ vācyō bharatō nāpriyaṅ vacaḥ.

ahaṅ hyapriyamukta ssyāṅ bharatasyāpriyē kṛtē৷৷2.97.15৷৷


bharataḥ Bharata, tē to you, niṣṭhuram harsh word, na vācyaḥ must not speak, apriyam harsh, vacaḥ words, na not, bharatasya to Bharata, apriyē unpleasant act, kṛtē if it has been done, aham I, apriyam harsh words, uktaḥ syāṅ hi 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.
kathaṅ nu putrāḥ pitaraṅ hanyuḥ kasyāṅ cidāpadi.

bhrātā vā bhrātaraṅ hanyātsaumitrē prāṇamātmanaḥ৷৷2.97.16৷৷


saumitrē O Lakshmana, kasyāṅ cit āpadi in whatever calamity, putra: son, pitaram father, kathaṅ nu how, hanyuḥ can slay, bhrātā vā or a brother, ātmanaḥ as his own, prāṇam life, bhrātaram his own brother, hanyāt 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?
yadi rājyasya hētōstvamimāṅ vācaṅ prabhāṣasē.

vakṣyāmi bharataṅ dṛṣṭvā rājyamasmai pradīyatām৷৷2.97.17৷৷


rājyasya hētōḥ for the sake of a kingdom, tvam you, imāṅ vācam these words, prabhāṣasē yadi if you are saying bharatam Bharata, dṛṣṭavā seeing, asmai for him, rājyam kingdom, pradīyatām be given, vakṣyāmi 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.
ucyamānō.pi bharatō mayā lakṣmaṇa tadvacaḥ.

rājyamasmai prayacchēti bāḍhamityēva vakṣyati৷৷2.97.18৷৷


lakṣmaṇa O Lakshmana, bharatō.pi Bharata also, asmai to him, rājyam kingdom, prayaccha give, iti thus, ucyamānaḥ having been told, tadvaca: that word, bāḍham ityēva certainly so, vakṣyati 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'.
tathōktō dharmaśīlēna bhrātrā tasya hitē rataḥ.

lakṣmaṇaḥ pravivēśēva svāni gātrāṇi lajjayā৷৷2.97.19৷৷


dharmaśīlēna by a man of virtuous disposition, bhrātrā by brother, tathā thus, uktaḥ uttered, tasya his brother's, hitē in welfare, rataḥ devoted, lakṣmaṇaḥ Lakshamana, lajjayā with a sense of shame, svāni his own, gātrāṇi limbs, pravivēśēva entered.

Having heard the words uttered by his brother, Rama of virtuous disposition, Lakshmana who was devoted to his brother's welfare, shrank.
tadvākyaṅ lakṣmaṇa śśrutvā vrīlitaḥ pratyuvāca ha.

tvāṅ manyē draṣṭumāyātaḥ pitā daśaratha ssvayam৷৷2.97.20৷৷


lakṣmaṇaḥ Lakshmana, tadvākyam those words, śrutvā having heard, vrīlitaḥ abashed, pratyuvāca ha replied, pitā father, daśarathaḥ Dasaratha, tvāṅ you, draṣṭum to see, svayam personally, āyātaḥ has come, manyē 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.
vrīlitaṅ lakṣmaṇaṅ dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ pratyuvāca ha.

ēṣa manyē mahābāhurihāsmāndraṣṭumāgataḥ৷৷2.97.21৷৷


vrīlitam ashamed, lakṣmaṇam Lakshmana, dṛṣṭvā seeing, rāghavaḥ Rama, pratyuvāca ha replied, mahābāhuḥ mighty-armed, ēṣaḥ this king Dasaratha, asmān us, draṣṭum to see, iha here, āgataḥ has come, manyē I think.

Observing Lakshmana's abashment, Rama said I think the mighty-armed king Dasaratha has come to see all of us here.
athavā nau dhruvaṅ manyē manyamāna ssukhōcitau.

vanavāsamanudhyāya gṛhāya pratinēṣyati৷৷2.97.22৷৷


athavā or rather, nau both of us, sukhōcitau accustomed to comforts, manyamānaḥ treating, vanavāsam dwelling in the forest, anudhyāya having thought of, gṛhāya to home, pratinēṣyati take back, dhruvam this is certain, manyē 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.
imāṅ vāpyēṣa vaidēhīmatyantasukhasēvinīm.

pitā mē rāghava śśrīmānvanādādāya yāsyati৷৷2.97.23৷৷


mē pitā my father, śrīmān prosperous, ēṣaḥ rāghavaḥ this Raghava, atyanta sukhasēvinīm brought up in every luxury, imām this lady, vaidēhīm vā or princess Vaidehi, vanāt from the forest, ādāya yāsyati 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.
ētau tau samprakāśētē gōtravantau manōramau.

vāyuvēgasamau vīra javanau turagōttamau৷৷2.97.24৷৷


vīra O valiant one, gōtravantau both of them of high pedigree, manōramau charming, vāyuvēgasamō wind-swift, javanau both swift, tau those, ētau these two, turagōttamau splendid horses, samprakāśētē 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).
sa ēṣa sumahākāyaḥ kampatē vāhinīmukhē.

nāgaśśatruñjayō nāma vṛddhastātasya dhīmataḥ৷৷2.97.25৷৷


sumahākāyaḥ huge, śatruñjayaḥ named Satrunjaya, dhīmataḥ of the sagacious, tātasya father's, saḥ that, vṛddhaḥ aged, nāgaḥ elephant, ēṣaḥ here it is, vāhinīmukhē at the head of the army, kampatē moving about.

There is that huge and aged elephant named Satrunjaya which belogns to our sagacious father proceeding at the head of the army.
piturdivyaṅ mahābāhō saṅśayō bhavatīha mē৷৷2.97.26৷৷


mahābāhō O long-armed one, pāṇḍuram white in colour, lōkasatkṛtam well-respected by men, divyam splendid, pituḥ father's, tat then, chatraṅ tu canopy, na paśyāmi I do not see, iha in this matter, mē to me, saṅśayaḥ doubt, bhavati 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.
vṛkṣāgrādavarōha tvaṅ kuru lakṣmaṇa madvacaḥ.

itīva rāmō dharmātmā saumitriṅ tamuvāca ha৷৷2.97.27৷৷


lakṣmaṇa O Lakshmana, tvam you, vṛkṣāgrāt from the tree top, avarōha climb down, madvacaḥ my words, kuru follow, itīva thus, dharmātmā the righteous one, rāmaḥ Rama, taṅ saumitram to that Lakshmana, uvāca ha said.

Get off the tree-top, O Lakshmana, and do what I say said the righteous Rama.
avatīrya tu sālāgrāttasmātsa samitiñjayaḥ.

lakṣmaṇaḥ prāñjalirbhūtvā tasthau rāmasya pārśvataḥ৷৷2.97.28৷৷


samitiñjayaḥ conqueror of the enemy, saḥ lakṣmaṇaḥ that Lakshmana, tasmāt sālāgrāt from the top of that sala tree, avatīrya having descended, prāñjaliḥ bhūtvā with folded palms, rāmasya Rama's, pārśvataḥ by the side of, tasthau stood.

Lakshmana, the conqueror of foes, descended from the top of the sala tree and stood by the side of Rama with folded palms.
bharatēnāpi sandiṣṭā sammardō na bhavēditi.

samantāttasya śailasya sēnā vāsamakalpayat৷৷2.97.29৷৷


sammardaḥ crowding, na bhavēt let it not happen, iti thus, bharatēnāpi by Bharata also, sandiṣṭā instructed, sēnā army, tasya śailasya that mountain's, samantāt around, āvāsam encampment, akalpayat made.

Let not the hermitage be crowded commanded Bharata, and the army encamped around the mountain.
adhyardhamikṣvākucamūryōjanaṅ parvatasya sā.

pārśvē nyaviśadāvṛtya gajavājirathākulā৷৷2.97.30৷৷


gajavājirathākulā with throngs of horses, elephants and chariots, sā that, ikṣvākucamūḥ the army of the descendant of Ikshvaku, adhyardhayōjanam a distance more than one and a half yojanas, parvatasya mountain's, pārśvē by the side of, āvṛtya having surrounded, nyaviśat
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.
sā citrakūṭē bharatēna sēnā dharmaṅ puraskṛtya vidhūya darpam.

prasādanārthaṅ raghunandanasya virājatē nītimatā praṇītā৷৷2.97.31৷৷


dharmam righteousness, puraskṛtya adopting, darpam pride, vidhūya casting aside, raghunandanasya Rama's, prasādanārtham to propitiate, nītimatā by a moralist, bharatēna by Bharata, praṇītā having been brought, sā that, sēnā army, citrakūṭē on Chitrakuta, virājatē 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.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē ayōdhyākāṇḍē saptanavatitamassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends the ninetyseventh sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.