Summary
Rama on hearing the harsh and cruel words of Kaikeyi remains unruffled. He asks Kaikeyi sorrowfully about the reason the king did not speak to him directly about the matter. He then immediately decides to leave for forest after duly saluting the king and Kaikeyi. On the way to forest He desires to visit his mother and Sita and inform them of his decision.
Chapter [Sarga] 19 in Detail
tat apriyam amitraghnah vacanam marana upamam |
shrutvaa na vivyathe raamah kaikeyiim ca idam abraviit || 2-19-1
Rama the annihilator of enemies heard those harsh and deadly words but was unruffled. He spoke these words to Kaikeyi.
evam astu gamisyaami vanam vastum aham tu atah |
jataa ciira dharah raajnah pratijnaam anupaalayan || 2-19-2
"Let it be, as you said it. I shall fulfill the king's promise, go to the forest from here to reside there, wearing braided hair and covered with a hide."
idam tu jnaatum icchaami kim artham maam mahii patih |
na abhinandati durdharso yathaa puram arim damah || 2-19-3
"But I want to know why the king, the inviolable and the subduer of enemies, is not greeting me today as before."
manyur na ca tvayaa kaaryo devi bruuhi tava agratah |
yaasyaami bhava supriitaa vanam ciira jataa dharah || 2-19-4
"Oh, queen! you need not be indignant. I am telling before you that I shall go to the forest, wearing rags and braided hair. Become delighted well."
hitena gurunaa pitraa krtajnena nrpena ca |
niyujyamaano vishrabdham kim na kuryaat aham priyam || 2-19-5
"How can I not do faithfully an action dear to my father, as commanded by him as well-wisher, venerable man, as person with right conduct and as king."
aliikam maanasam tu ekam hrdayam dahati iva me |
svayam yan na aaha maam raajaa bharatasya abhisecanam || 2-19-6
"My heart is burning indeed with one sorrowful feeling that king himself has not informed me about Bharata's coronation."
aham hi siitaam raajyam ca praanaan istaan dhanaani ca |
hrstah bhraatre svayam dadyaam bharataaya apracoditah || 2-19-7
"Without being asked, I myself would have gladly offered even Sita with kingdom, even my life, loved ones and wealth."
kim punar manuja indrena svayam pitraa pracoditah |
tava ca priya kaama artham pratijnaam anupaalayan || 2-19-8
"Being directed by king, who is my father himself, how much more should I tell that I can give everything to Bharata, duly obeying father's promise to fulfill your beloved desire."
tat aashvaasaya hi imam tvam kim nv idam yan mahii patih |
vasudhaa aasakta nayano mandam ashruuni muncati || 2-19-9
"That is why, you console him. Why indeed the king is thus slowly shedding tears, with eyes gazed upon the floor?"
gacchantu ca eva aanayitum duutaah shiighra javaih hayaih |
bharatam maatula kulaat adya eva nrpa shaasanaat || 2-19-10
"Let messengers go now itself on fleet horses to bring Bharata from maternal uncle's house as per orders of the king."
dandaka aranyam eso aham itah gacchaami satvarah |
avicaarya pitur vaakyam samaavastum catur dasha || 2-19-11
"Immediately, I shall go to live in forest of Dandaka for fourteen years, without reflecting on whether my father's words are right or wrong."
saa hrstaa tasya tat vaakyam shrutvaa raamasya kaikayii |
prasthaanam shraddadhaanaa hi tvarayaam aasa raaghavam || 2-19-12
Hearing Rama's words, Kaikeyi felt glad that he would certainly go and urged him to make haste at once.
evam bhavatu yaasyanti duutaah shiighra javaih hayaih |
bharatam maatula kulaat upaavartayitum naraah || 2-19-13
"Let it be so. Messengers can go on horses having rapid speed, to bring back Bharata from his maternal uncle's house."
tava tu aham ksamam manye na utsukasya vilambanam |
raama tasmaat itah shiighram vanam tvam gantum arhasi || 2-19-14
"But I think it is not quite appropriate for you who are enthusiastic to go to forest, to delay further."
vriidaa anvitah svayam yac ca nrpah tvaam na abhibhaasate |
na etat kimcin nara shrestha manyur eso apaniiyataam || 2-19-15
"It is nothing but shyness that the king is not able to speak to you. Oh Rama, the best of men! Do not worry about it."
yaavat tvam na vanam yaatah puraat asmaat abhitvaran |
pitaa taavan na te raama snaasyate bhoksyate api vaa || 2-19-16
"Oh, Rama! Your father will neither take his bath nor eat a meal until you leave the city for the forest immediately.
dhik kastam iti nihshvasya raajaa shoka pariplutah |
muurchitah nyapatat tasmin paryanke hema bhuusite || 2-19-17
Hearing these words, the king saying "what a pity! How much misery!" was overwhelmed with sorrow, fainted and fell in that couch adorned with gold.
raamah api utthaapya raajaanam kaikeyyaa abhipracoditah |
kashayaa iva aahatah vaajii vanam gantum krta tvarah || 2-19-18
Rama lifted up the king and soon got hurried up to leave for the forest he was again instigated by Kaikeyi as a horse was hit by a whip.
tat apriyam anaaryaayaa vacanam daaruna udaram |
shrutvaa gata vyatho raamah kaikeyiim vaakyam abraviit || 2-19-19
Rama after hearing that vulgar woman's words, which were harsh and having consequence, was unruffled and spoke these words to Kaikeyi.
na aham artha parah devi lokam aavastum utsahe |
viddhi maam rsibhis tulyam kevalam dharmam aasthitam || 2-19-20
"Oh queen! I am not concerned with wealth. I want to receive the world hospitable. Know me as equal to a sage, abiding in righteousness alone."
yad atrabhavatah kimcit shakyam kartum priyam mayaa |
praanaan api parityajya sarvathaa krtam eva tat || 2-19-21
"If I have to do whatever action is dearer to my revered father, that action is just done in all respects even by renouncing life."
na hi atah dharma caranam kimcit asti mahattaram |
yathaa pitari shushruusaa tasya vaa vacana kriyaa || 2-19-22
"There is not indeed anything of greater performance of duty than doing service to father or than doing what he commands."
anuktah api atrabhavataa bhavatyaa vacanaat aham |
vane vatsyaami vijane varsaani iha catur dasha || 2-19-23
"Even if our reverent father does not tell me, I shall reside in the forest, devoid of people, now for fourteen years as per your word."
na nuunam mayi kaikeyi kimcit aashamsase gunam |
yad raajaanam avocah tvam mama iishvarataraa satii || 2-19-24
“In the matter of coronation of Bharata, you told Dasaratha and not to me, even though you had every authority to tell, me directly. By this, it is known that you have not seen any merit in me. It is certain!"
yaavan maataram aaprcche siitaam ca anunayaamy aham |
tatah adya eva gamisyaami dandakaanaam mahad vanam || 2-19-25
“Today itself, I shall go to the forest of Dandaka after bidding, farewell to my mother and also after consoling Sita."
bharatah paalayed raajyam shushruusec ca pitur yathaa |
tahaa bhavatyaa kartavyam sa hi dharmah sanaatanah || 2-19-26
"While ruling the kingdom, see that Bharata serves our father well. It is indeed an age-old practice."
sa raamasya vacah shrutvaa bhrsham duhkha hatah pitaa |
shokaat ashaknuvan baaspam praruroda mahaa svanam || 2-19-27
Dasaratha after hearing Rama's words was hurt very much with grief was unable to talk and wept loudly.
vanditvaa caranau raamah visamjnasya pitus tadaa |
kaikeyyaah ca api anaaryaayaa nispapaata mahaa dyutih || 2-19-28
That Rama, with great brilliance, came out, after duly offering obeisance to the feet of his father who was fainted and also to the feet of that vulgar Kaikeyi.
sa raamah pitaram krtvaa kaikeyiim ca pradaksinam |
niskramya antah puraat tasmaat svam dadarsha suhrj janam || 2-19-29
Rama made circumambulatory salutation to his father as well as Kaikeyi, left that palace and saw his friends.
tam baaspa paripuurna aksah prsthatah anujagaama ha |
laksmanah parama kruddhah sumitra aananda vardhanah || 2-19-30
Lakshmana, the son of Sumitra, felt very angry with his eyes filled with tears and accompanied behind Rama.
aabhisecanikam bhaandam krtvaa raamah pradaksinam |
shanaih jagaama saapekso drstim tatra avicaalayan || 2-19-31
Rama did a circumbulatory [a circle] salutation around the auspicious materials collected for the propound coronation and having fixed his attention respectfully on them, moved away slowly.
na ca asya mahatiim laksmiim raajya naasho apakarsati |
loka kaantasya kaantatvam shiita rashmer iva ksapaa || 2-19-32
As Rama was a pleasing personality, he was loved by all the people. The loss of kingdom could not diminish such a great splendor of Rama as a night cannot diminish the splendor of the moon.
na vanam gantu kaamasya tyajatah ca vasumdharaam |
sarva loka atigasya iva laksyate citta vikriyaa || 2-19-33
In that Rama, who was leaving the kingdom after having decided to go to the forest, there was no perturbation of mind in him like in an ascetic who is beyond worldly pain and pleasure.
pratishhiddhya shubham chhatram vyajane cha svalamkrite |
visarjayitvaa svajanam ratham pauraastathaa jannaan || 2-19-34
dhaarayan manasaa duhkham indriyaani nigrhya ca |
pravivesha aatmavaan veshma maatura priya shamsivaan || 2-19-35
Rama, the man of great courage, refused fans and umbrella, sent away his friends, chariot and citizens kept back sorrow in his mind, subdued his senses and entered his mother's house to inform the unpleasant news.
sarvo hyabhijanah shriimaan shriimatah satyavaadinah |
naalakshayat raamasya kimchidaakaaramaanane || 2-19-36
The people adjacent to Rama could not visualize any change in the face of Rama who was dignified and truthful in his words.
uchitam cha mahaabaahurna jahau harshhamaatmanah |
shaaradah samudiirnaamshushchandrasteja ivaatmajam || 2-19-37
Rama did not lose his natural joy, as an autumnal moon with lofty rays does not lose its natural splendor.
vaachaa madhurayaa raamah srvam sammaanayan janam |
maatussamiipam dhiiraatmaa pravivesha mahaayashaah || 2-17-38
Rama with his courageous spirit and of great fame, paying his respects to the people with his sweet words, went nearer to his mother.
tam gunaissamataam praapto bhraataa vipulavikramah |
saumitriranuvavraaja dhaarayan duhkhamaatmajam || 2-19-39
Lakshmana, who got virtues equal to Rama, who was having great heroic valor and who was the brother, kept the grief within himself and went along with Rama.
pravishya veshma atibhrsham mudaa anvitam |
samiiksya taam ca artha vipattim aagataam |
na caiva raamah atra jagaama vikriyaam |
suhrj janasya aatma vipatti shankayaa || 2-19-40
When Rama entered, Kausalya's palace was filled with great joy. At that time, Rama did not show any displeasure for the mishap occurred in truth. He behaved like that because he had doubted about the possible shock to his friends even of fear of their life, if he showed any perturbation [disturbance].
|| ityaarshhe shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande ekonavimshah
sargah ||
Thus completes the nineteenth canto of Ayodhya in Srimad Ramayana.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate