Summary
In this chapter Kausalya requests Rama to take her to forest also. But Rama stops Kausalya saying that service of husband is the ultimate dharma of wife and he obtains her permission for him to go to forest.
Chapter [Sarga] 24 in Detail
tam samiiksya tu avahitam pitur nirdesha paalane |
kausalyaa baaspa samruddhaa vaco dharmistham abraviit || 2-24-1
Seeing him firm minded in protecting the command of his father, Kausalya in a choked voice spoke these righteous words:
adrista duhkho dharmaatmaa sarva bhuuta priyam vadah |
mayi jaatah dasharathaat katham unchena vartayet || 2-24-2
‘Rama who is born in me and Dasaratha, is a righteous person. He speaks lovingly to all beings. He has not faced grief at any time. How can such a person live in a forest, by gathering grains ?’
yasya bhrityaah ca daasaah ca mristaani annaani bhunjate |
katham sa bhoksyate naatho vane muula phalaani ayam || 2-24-3
"While the dependants and the servants of Lord Rama eat pleasant foods all the while, how can he eat roots and fruits himself in the forest ?"
ka etat shraddadhet shrutvaa kasya vaa na bhaved bhayam |
gunavaan dayitah raajno raaghavo yad vivaasyate || 2-24-4
“Hearing that Rama the beloved and virtuous is being thus sent to exile by the king , who will believe these words? Who will not develop fear ?”
nuunam tu balavaan loke kritaantah sarvamaadishan |
loke raamaabhiraamastvam vanam yatra gamishhyasi || 2-24-5
‘Oh, Rama ! If you , the charming in the world are to go to exile , then it can be certainly said that everything is ordered by a strong destiny’
ayam tu maamaatmabhavastavaadarshanamaarutah |
vilaapaduhkhasamidho ruditaashruhutaahutih || 2-24-6
cintaabaashhpamahaadhuustavaagamanacintajah |
karshayitvaa bhrisham putra nishvaasaayaasasambhavah || 2-24-7
tvayaa vihiinaam iha maam shoka agnir atulo mahaan |
pradhaksyati yathaa kaksam citra bhaanur hima atyaye || 2-24-8
"Oh, Son! Soon after your departure to a distant forest, a great and incomparable fire of sorrow will generate in my whole body. The wind which flares it up is your not being seen here. My lamentation and grief are the fire-sticks. My wailing tears will be the offerings as an oblation to fire. The choking and anxiety will be a great smoke .The thought that when you would return, will generate smoke again. Such a fire of grief will make me emaciated completely and will burn like dry wood by fire in winter.'
katham hi dhenuh svam vatsam gacchantam na anugacchati |
aham tvaa anugamisyaami yatra putra gamisyasi || 2-24-9
"Oh, Son! A cow follows its calf wherever it goes. So also, I shall come with you wherever you go."’
tathaa nigaditam maatraa tat vaakyam purusa rsabhah |
shrutvaa raamah abraviid vaakyam maataram bhrisha duhkhitaam ||
2/24/2010
"Kaikeyi already deceived the king. He will not be alive, when I leave for the forest and you also leave him. It is certain."
kaikeyyaa vancitah raajaa mayi ca aranyam aashrite |
bhavatyaa ca parityaktah na nuunam vartayisyati || 2-24-11
"Kaikeyi already deceived the king .He will not be alive, when I leave for the forest and you also leave him .It is certain."
bhartuh kila parityaago nrishamsah kevalam striyaah |
sa bhavatyaa na kartavyo manasaa api vigarhitah || 2-24-12
“To a woman, abandonment of husband is entirely a cruel act. That bad act is not to be perceived even by mind.”
yaavaj jiivati kaakutsthah pitaa me jagatii patih |
shushruusaa kriyataam taavat sa hi dharmah sanaatanah || 2-24-13
"Till Dasaratha, my father and the great king is alive, you should serve him well. It is eternal justice."
evam uktaa tu raamena kausalyaa shubha darshanaa |
tathaa iti uvaaca supriitaa raamam aklista kaarinam || 2-24-14
After Rama spoke thus, Kausalya with auspicious appearance, was very much pleased and spoke to Rama, who performs indefatigable actions, in consent.
evam uktah tu vacanam raamah dharmabhrtaam varah |
bhuuyah taam abraviid vaakyam maataram bhrisha duhkhitaam || 2-24-15
That Rama, the best among upholders of righteousness, after hearing the words of his mother ,spoke again to her who was very much distressed.
mayaa caiva bhavatyaa ca kartavyam vacanam pituh |
raajaa bhartaa guruh shresthah sarvesaam iishvarah prabhuh || 2-24-16
"The words of father are to be followed by you and me. For all, he is the king, the nourished, a venerable man, the best among men, the lord and the ruler."
imaani tu mahaa aranye vihrtya nava panca ca |
varsaani parama priitah sthaasyaami vacane tava || 2-24-17
"After roaming in the great forest for fourteen years, I shall come back and very gladly stand by your command."
evam uktaa priyam putram baaspa puurna aananaa tadaa |
uvaaca parama aartaa tu kausalyaa putra vatsalaa || 2-24-18
After hearing the words of Rama, Kausalya who was affectionate to her son , was in great sorrow with her face filled with tears and spoke thus to her beloved son Rama .
aasaam raama sapatniinaam vastum madhye na me ksamam |
naya maam api kaakutstha vanam vanyam mrgiim yathaa || 2-24-19
yadi te gamane buddhih kritaa pitur apeksayaa |
“Oh, Rama! I can not reside in the middle of these step-wives. If you have made up your mind to go to forest as per your father’s wish ,also take me, like taking a female deer of the forest ,to the woods ’’
taam tathaa rudatiim raamah rudan vacanam abraviit || 2-24-20
jiivantyaa hi striyaa bhartaa daivatam prabhur eva ca |
"Rama spoke thus these words bemoaningly [to express deep grief or distress over] to her, who was weeping “as long as a woman is alive, her husband is god and master to her”.
bhavatyaa mama caiva adya raajaa prabhavati prabhuh |
bharatah ca api dharmaatmaa sarva bhuuta priyam vadah || 2-24-21
"King Dasaratha, supreme commander has authority over you and me also now. When king, the lord of the earth and the wise man is there, we are not indeed master-less.’
bhavatiim anuvarteta sa hi dharma ratah sadaa |
yathaa mayi tu niskraante putra shokena paarthivah || 2-24-22
"Bharata also, who is a righteous person and who speaks lovingly to all beings will be obliging to you. He is indeed always devoted to righteousness.’
yathaa mayi tu nishhkraante putrashokena paarthivah || 2-24-23
shramam na avaapnuyaat kimcit apramattaa tathaa kuru |
"While I take leave, take care of the king attentively so that he will not get fatigued even a little with grief over his son."
daarunashchaapyayam shoko yathainam na vinaashayet || 2-24-24
raajjno vriddhasya satatam hitam cara samaahitaa |
"Act always soothingly for a well-being of the aged king, seeing that his terrible grief will not destroy him.”
vrata upavaasa nirataa yaa naarii parama uttamaa || 2-24-25
bhartaaram na anuvarteta saa ca paapa gatir bhavet |
‘Even if a woman is interested in religious vows and fasting in addition to being the best of the excellent ;if she does not obey her husband she will become ill-fated !’’
bhartuh shushruushhayaa naarii labhate svargamu ttamam || 2-24-26
api yaa nirnamaskaaraa nivrittaa devapuujanaat |
‘Even if a woman does not offer salutation to celestials and does not worship the gods, she will attain the highest heaven by service to her husband.”
shushruusam eva kurviita bhartuh priya hite rataa || 2-24-27
esa dharmah puraa drstah loke vede shrutah smrtah |
‘She has to do service, truly devoted in love and welfare of her husband. This is seen in the world from the beginning, was heard from ancient texts and mentioned as righteousness.’
agnikaaryeshhu ca sadaa sumanobhishca devataah || 2-24-28
puujyaah te mat krte devi braahmanaah caiva suvrataah |
Oh, Mother! You always worship gods by sacrificial fire and by flowers for my sake. Brahmanas also with right vows are to be worshipped.’
evam kaalam pratiiksasva mama aagamana kaanksinii || 2-24-29
praapsyase paramam kaamam mayi pratyaagate sati |
"Look forward for the time of my return in such a manner with restraint, being temperate in food and being devoted in the service of your husband."
praapsyase paramam kaamam mayi pratyaagate sati || 2-24-30
yadi dharmabhrtaam shrestho dhaarayisyati jiivitam |
"After my return, your best desire will be fulfilled if our father the best among protectors of righteousness, is still alive till then."
evam uktaa tu raamena baaspa paryaakula iiksanaa || 2-24-31
kausalyaa putra shoka aartaa raamam vacanam abraviit |
Kausalya who was afflicted with grief over her son, was with eyes full of tears after hearing Rama’s utterances and spoke thus to Rama.
gamane sukritaam buddhim na te shaknomi putraka || 2-24-32
vinivartayitum viira nuunam kaalo duratyayah |
"Oh, Brave son! I am not able to avert your well-made resolution, in the matter of your going to forest. Time is inscrutable .It is certain."
gaccha putra tvam eka agrah bhadram te astu sadaa vibho || 2-24-33
punastvayi nivritte tu bhavishhyaami gataklamaa |
"Oh, son! You go undisturbed. Let there be auspiciousness always to you .I shall become refreshed, when you return again."
pratyaagate mahaabhaage kritaarthe caritavrate || 2-24-34
pituraanrinyataam praaptetvayi lapsye param sukham |
"You, the illustrious after accomplishing a purpose, having observed a vow and having attained freedom from debt to your father, after having come again, I shall get great happiness".
kritaantasya gatih putra durvibhaavyaa sadaa bhuvi || 2-24-35
yastvaa samcodayati me vaca aaccidya raaghava |
"The path of the destiny, which extinguishes my words and impels you to go to the forest, is ever not imaginable on this earth"
gachchhedaaniim mahaabaaho kshemena punaraagatah || 2-24-36
nandayishhyasi maam putrah saamnaa vaakyena caarunaa |
"Oh, Rama the valiant! Go just now and come again safely, when you will rejoice me with your pleasing and tranquillizing words.”
apiidaaniim sa kaalah ssyaadvanaatpratyaagatam punah || 2-24-37
yattvaam putrakah pashyeyam jataavalkadhaarinam |
"How good it will be, if today itself is the day of your returning from the forest, wearing twisted hair and garment made of bark."
tathaa hi raamam vana vaasa nishcitam |
dadarsha devii paramena cetasaa |
uvaaca raamam shubha laksanam vaco|
babhuuva ca svastyayana abhikaanksinii || 2-24-38
"The queen Kausalya thus saw Rama who decided to go to forest .She spoke these words with most excellent mind to Rama having auspicious qualities, being desirous of averting evil by recitation of auspicious words."
|| ityaarshhe shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande caturvishah
sargah ||
Thus completes twenty fourth chapter of Ayodhya kanda in Srimad Ramayana.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate