Minister Sumantra requests and reproaches Queen Kaikeyi and asks her to take back her impositions. Even the elderly minister and a scholar named Siddhartha tries to pacify Kaikeyi by telling the legend of Sagara, the ancestor of Dasharatha, quoting the exile of his notorious son Asamanja. But she is adamant to all holy advices, but wants Rama to go to forests.
Chapter [Sarga] 35 in Detail
tato nirdhuuya sahasaa shiro nihshvasva chaasakrit |
paanau paanim vinishhpishhya dantaan katakataayya cha || 2-35-1
lochane kopasamrakte varnam puurvochitam jahat |
kopaabhibhuutah sahasaa samtaapamashubham gatah || 2-35-2
manah samiikshamaanashcha suuto dasharathasya sah |
kampayanniva kaikeyyaa hridayam vaakchharaishshitaih || 2-35-3
vaakyavajrairanupamairnirbhindanniva chaashugaih |
kaikeyyaa sarvamarmaani sumantrah pratyabhaashhata || 2-35-4
Then, moving his head all of a sudden sighing again and again, rubbing his hand in hand, grinding his teeth, turning his eyes red with anger shedding his normal color, overwhelmed with wrath, suddenly getting the evil grief, carefully reading Dasaratha's mind, Sumantra the charioteer spoke(as follows) as though shaking Kaikeyi's heart with sharp arrows, in the form of thunder bolting words speedily piercing all her vitals.
yashyaastava patistyaktoraajaa dasharathah svayam |
bhartaa sarvasya jagatah sthaavarasya charashya cha || 2-35-5
na hyakaaryatamam kimchit tava deviiha vidyate |
"There is nothing on earth, anything which is most disgraceful for you by whom your husband king Dasaratha the supporter of the entire creation the unmoving and the moving, is betrayed, Oh, Kaikeyi!"
patighniim tvaamaham manye kulaghniimapi chaantatah || 2-35-6
yanma hemdramivaajayyam dushhprakampyamivaachalam |
mahodadhimivaakshobhyam santaapayasi karmabhih || 2-35-7
"King Dasaratha is unconquerable as great Indra, unshakable as mountain and imperturbable as a great ocean. By tormenting him with your actions, you are considered by me as murderess of your husband and ultimately the exterminator of your race too."
maavamamsthaa dasharatham bhartaaram varadam patim |
bharturichchhaa hi naariinaamputrakotyaa vishishhyate || 2-35-8
"Do not despise Dasaratha the supporter, the bestower of boons and your husband. For women, will of the husband is superior to that of ten million sons."
yathaavayo hi raajyaani praapnuvanti nripakshaye |
ikshvaakukulanaathe.asmimstallopayitumichchhasi || 2-35-9
"After death of a king, kingdoms are obtained as per the age of the princes. But, you want to deprive this condition in the case of Rama the lord of Ikshvaku dynasty."
raajaa bhavatu te putro bharatashshaastu mediniim |
vayam tatra gamishhyaamo raamo yatra gamishhyati || 2-35-10
"Let your son Bharata become the king and rule the earth. Wherever Rama goes, we (on our part) shall go there".
na hi te vishhaye kashchidbraahmano vastumarhati |
taadrisham tvamamaryaadamadya karma chikiirshhasi || 2-35-11
"Now any Brahmana cannot indeed dwell in your kingdom as now you want to do such an act, transgressing the due limits."
nuunam sarve gamishhyaamo maargam raamanishhevitam |
tyaktaayaa baandhavaih sarvairbraahmanaih saadhubhih sadaa || 2-35-12
kaa priitii raajyalaabhena tava devi bhavishhyati |
taadrisham tvamamaryaadam karma kartum chikiirshhasi || 2-35-13
"Certainly, all of us will proceed in the path followed by Rama. Oh, queen Kaikeyi! What pleasure will be derived through attainment of sovereignty, when your relatives, all Brahmanas and pious souls desert you forever? Now, you want to do such an act of impropriety"
aashcharyamiva pashyaami yasyaaste vrittamiidrisham |
aacharantyaa na vidritaa sadyo bhavati medinii || 2-35-14
"I am looking only with surprise, why the earth is not immediately rent asunder, while you conduct yourself with such an act"
mahaabrahmarshhisrishhtaa vaa jvalanto bhiimadarshanaa |
dhigvaagdandanaa na himsanti raamapravraajane sthitaam || 2-35-15
"It is also surprising me why rods of reproaching words fiery and fearful to look at uttered by great Brahmana sages are not killing you, who are bent on sending Rama to exile."
aamram chitvaa kuthaarena nimbam paricharettu yah |
yashchenam payasaa sijnchennaivaasya madhuro bhavet || 2-35-16
"Who will nurture a Neem tree, cutting down a mango tree with an axe? And a Neem tree will not turn sweet for him who nourishes it with milk."
abhijaatyam hi te manye yathaa maatustathaiva cha |
na hi nimbaatsravetkshaudram loke nigaditam vachah || 2-35-17
"I think, by birth your nature is as exactly as that of your mother. a proverb is quoted in the world saying that honey does not ooze from a Neem tree."
tava maaturasadgraaham vidmah puurvam yathaashrutam |
pituste varadah kashchiddadau varamanuttamam || 2-35-18
sarvabhuutarutam tasmaatsamjajjne vasudhaadhipah |
tena tiryaggataanaam cha bhuutaanaam viditam vachah || 2-35-19
"We know, as heard of in the past, your mother's conduct of evil satisfaction. Someone capable of giving boons granted a great boon to your father. By that boon he could identify the language of all created beings. The talk of those beings belonging to sub human species could be known by him."
tato jrimbhasya shayane virutaadbhuurivarchasaa |
pituste vidito bhaavah sa tatra bahudhaa.ahasat || 2-35-20
"From the sound of an ant called Jrimbha near his bed, the meaning of that sound was deciphered by your exceedingly brilliant father and he laughed over it repeatedly."
tatra te jananii kruddhaa mrityupaashamabhiipsatii |
haasam te nripate saumya jijjnaasaamiiti bhaabraviit || 2-35-21
Your mother, becoming angry over his laugh, wishing even to hand him to death(in case he refuses to disclose the reason for his laughter), spoke thus: "Oh king, the gentle sir! I want to know the meaning of your laughter."
nripashchovaacha taam deviim devi shamsaami te yadi |
tato me maranam sadyo bhavishhyati na samshayah || 2-35-22
"The king replied to that queen as follows: "Oh, royal lady! If I tell you the reason of my laughter, my death will immediately follow thereafter. There is no doubt about it."
maataa te pitaram devi tatah kekayamabraviit |
shamsa me jiiva vaa maa vaa na maamapahasishhyasi || 2-35-23
"Your mother then said to your father, the king of Kekayas, Live or die as you will. tell me the laughter. Do not ridicule me."
priyayaa cha tathoktah san kekayah prithiiviipatih |
tasmai tam varadaayaartham kathayaamaasa tattvatah || 2-35-24
Having been spoken thus by his beloved consort, the said king of the Kekayas on his part correctly reported the matter to the sage who had bestowed the boon on him.
tatah sa varadah saadhu raajaanam pratyabhaashhata |
mriyataam dhvamsataam veyam maa krithaastvam mahiipate || 2-35-25
Then the sage who had bestowed the boon replied to the king as follows: "Oh, lord of the earth! Let her die or ruin. Do not reveal the reason to her."
sa tachchhrutvaa vachastasya prasannamanaso nripah |
maataram te nirasyaashu vijahaara kuberavat || 2-35-26
"Having heard the words of that sage who was pure-minded, the king repudiated your mother and lived happily like Kubera the Lord of riches."
tathaa tvamapi raajaanam durjanaacharite pathi |
asadgraahamimam mohaatkurushhe paapadarshini || 2-35-27
"Oh, Kaikeyi, seeing evil everywhere! You, too, thus following the path trodden by wicked men, are making this bad resolution by ignorance."
satyashchaadya pravaado.ayam laukikah pratibhaati maa |
pitruun samanujaayante naraa maataramaganaah || 2-35-28
"The popular saying that males are born confirming to their fathers and females to their mothers occurs to me as true."
naivam bhava grihaanedam yadaaha vasudhaadhipah |
bharturichchaamupaasveha janasyaasya gatirbhava || 2-35-29
Do not conform to the traits of your mother. Understand that which is said by the king. Following the desire of your husband, be a protectress to these people here."
maa tvam protsaahitaa paapairdevaraajasamaprabham |
bhartaaram lokabhartaaramasaddharmamupaadadhaah || 2-35-30
"Incited by the evil minded, do not put before the public an improper course of conduct of your husband who splendor is equal to that of king Devendra and who is a protector of this world.
na hi mithyaa pratijjnaatam karishhyati tavaanaghah |
shriimaandasharatho raajaa devi raajiivalochanah || 2-35-31
"Oh, Kaikeyi! Dasaratha the faultless man, the majesty, the lotus-eyed man and the king cannot indeed belie the promise given to you (Hence, you alone has to change your opinion)"
jyeshhtho vadaanyah karmanyah svadharmaparirakshitaa |
rakshitaa jiivalokasya balii raamo.abhishhichyataam || 2-35-32
"Let Rama the eldest (of the sons) who is generous strong skilled, capable of protecting his own duty as Kshatriya but also of protecting the world of living beings, be installed on the throne of Ayodhya"
parivaado hi te devi mahaanloke charishhyati |
yadi raamo vanam yaati vihaaya pitaram nripam || 2-35-33
"Oh, Kaikeyi! A great accusation will surely roam about you in the world, if Rama leaving his royal father goes to the forest.
sa raajyam raaghavah paatu bhavatvam vigatajvaraa |
na hi te raaghavaadanyah kshamah puravare vaset || 2-35-34
"Let Rama of that character protect this kingdom! Be you free from distress. There is none other than Rama living in your excellent city that is competent to rule this Ayodhya"
raame hi yauvaraajyasthe raajaa dasharatho vanam |
pravekshyati maheshhvaasah puurvavrittamanusmaran || 2-35-35
"In the event of Rama being installed in the office of the prince Regent, King Dasaratha wielder of the great bow will surely have recourse to the forest, cherishingly recollecting the conduct of his forebears"
iti saanvaishcha tiikshnai kaikeyiim raajasamsadi |
suvantrah kshobhayaamaasa bhuuya eva kritaajnjalih || 2-35-36
Thus, Sumantra repeatedly with joint palms caused a shaking to Kaikeyi in the royal assembly, by his kind words as well as bitter words.
naivasaakshubhyate devii na cha sma pariduuyate |
na chaasyaa mukhavarnasya vikriyaa lakshyate tadaa || 2-35-37
That queen Kaikeyi, however, was neither excited nor repented in her heart nor was any change observed in the color of her face.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye ayodhya kaande pa.nca tri.mshah sargah
Thus completes 35th chapter in Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate