Dasharatha orders to send army and treasury with Rama to forests. Kaikeyi objects to such a lavish exile and she retorts the same legend of Sagara who exiled his son, Asamanja, without riches. Minister Siddhartha still ties to persuade her. Then vexed King Dasharatha also tries to embark on the exile along with Rama.
Chapter [Sarga] 36 in Detail
tatah sumantram aiksvaakah piiditah atra pratijnayaa |
sabaaspam atinihshvasya jagaada idam punah punah || 2-36-1
Then, Dasaratha the scion of Ikshvaku dynasty, squeezed by his own promise in the matter of sending Rama to exile, sighed heavily with tears and spoke the following words again and again to Sumantra.
suuta ratna susampuurnaa catur vidha balaa camuuh |
raagavasya anuyaatraa artham ksipram pratividhiiyataam || 2-36-2
"Oh, Sumantra! Let a military body consisting of (all) the four limbs of the arms, filled with the best of its kind, be arranged immediately"
ruupa aajiivaa ca shaalinyo vanijah ca mahaa dhanaah |
shobhayantu kumaarasya vaahiniim suprasaaritaah || 2-36-3
"Let courtesans well versed in speaking and merchants with great riches having exposure for extension of sales bestow elegance to the forces of the Prince"
ye ca enam upajiivanti ramate yaih ca viiryatah |
tesaam bahu vidham dattvaa taan api atra niyojaya || 2-36-4
Appoint in this contingent those too, by giving abundant money to them who were dependent on Rama and on whom he took delight in gallantry"
aayudhaani cha mukhyaani naagaraah shakataani cha |
anugachchhantu kaakutthsam vyaadhaashchaaranyagocharaah || 2-36-5
"Let important weapons, chiefs of police and vehicles, hunters knowing the secrets of forest accompany Rama (scion of Kakutsa)"
nighnan mrigaan kunjaraamh ca pibamh ca aaranyakam madhu |
nadiih ca vividhaah pashyan na raajyam samsmarisyati || 2-36-6
"Killing deer and elephants, drinking forest-honey, seeing various rivers, he would not remember of sovereignty"
dhaanya koshah ca yah kashcit dhana koshah ca maamakah |
tau raamam anugacchetaam vasantam nirjane vane || 2-36-7
"Let the granary and the treasury belonging to me be sent to Rama residing in the uninhabited forest."
yajan punyesu deshesu visrijamh ca aapta daksinaah |
risibhih ca samaagamya pravatsyati sukham vane || 2-36-8
"Rama can spend his exile happily, by performing sacrificial rite in holy places and disbursing appropriate gifts, along with sages living in the forest”
bharatah ca mahaa baahur ayodhyaam paalayisyati |
sarva kaamaih punah shriimaan raamah samsaadhyataam iti || 2-36-9
"The mighty armed Bharata will rule Ayodhya. Let the glorious Rama be sent along with all objects of enjoyment"
evam bruvati kaakutsthe kaikeyyaa bhayam aagatam |
mukham ca api agamaat shesam svarah ca api nyarudhyata || 2-36-10
While Dasaratha was speaking thus, fear drew near Kaikeyi. Her mouth too also got parched. Her voice also got choked.
saa visannaa ca samtrastaa kaikeyii vaakyam abraviit |
raajaanamevaabhimukhii kaikeyii vaakyamabraviit || 2-36-11
Feeling depressed and apprehensive, with her mouth getting parched and her face turned towards the king, Kaikeyi spoke as follows:
raajyam gata janam saadho piita mandaam suraam iva |
niraasvaadyatamam shuunyam bharatah na abhipatsyate || 2-36-12
"Bharata will not accept the kingdom, which will become uninhabited, hollow and which will be absolutely un-enjoyable like wine, quaffed of its spirituous part, Oh noble soul!"
kaikeyyaam mukta lajjaayaam vadantyaam atidaarunam |
raajaa dasharatho vaakyam uvaaca aayata locanaam || 2-36-13
While Kaikeyi who has cast off her shame was thus uttering the most cruel words, King Dasaratha spoke these words to that lady with large eyes:
vahantam kim tudasi maam niyujya dhuri maa aahite |
anaarye krityamaarbdham kim na puurvamupaarudhah || 2-36-14
Having charged me with a burden, Oh hostile woman, why do you prick me while I am carrying it? Why did you not check before (while asking the boons by putting a condition that Rama should not be allowed to take anything with him) the deed (of sending troops etc with Rama) in the beginning itself, Oh the vulgar woman!"
tasyaitatkrodhasamyuktamuktam shrutvaa varaaganaa |
kaikeyii dvi gunam kruddhaa raajaanam idam abraviit || 2-36-15
Doubly enraged in hearing this angry question of Dasaratha, Kaikeyi the beautiful woman replied to the king as follows:
tava eva vamshe sagarah jyestham putram upaarudhat |
asamanjaiti khyaatam tathaa ayam gantum arhati || 2-36-16
"In your dynasty itself, Sagara cast away his eldest son called Asmanja, Rama too is entitled to go like wise (without anything to bank upon)"
evam uktah dhig iti eva raajaa dasharatho abraviit |
vriiditah ca janah sarvah saa ca tan na avabudhyata || 2-36-17
Spoken to as above, king Dasaratha uttered only a word "Shame!” The entire people there were ashamed. But Kaikeyi did not perceive it"
tatra vriddho mahaa maatrah siddha artho naama naamatah |
shucir bahu matah raajnah kaikeyiim idam abraviit || 2-36-18
There, the aged and the upright chief minister Siddhartha by name who was highly esteemed by the king, spoke to Kaikeyi these words:
asamanjo grihiitvaa tu kriiditah pathi daarakaan |
sarayvaah praksipann apsu ramate tena durmatih || 2-36-19
"Asamanja the evil-minded, catching hold of children playing in the street and throwing them in the waters of Sarayu River, took delight in it"
tam dristvaa naagarah sarve kruddhaa raajaanam abruvan |
asamanjam vrisiinva ekam asmaan vaa raastra vardhana || 2-36-20
By watching him, all the citizens were angry and spoke to the king, "choose either to keep you Asamanja alone or to preserve us, Oh the promoter of the state!"
taan uvaaca tatah raajaa kim nimittam idam bhayam |
taah ca api raajnaa sampristaa vaakyam prakritayo abruvan || 2-36-21
Thereupon the king said to them, "For what reason is this fear? Duly asked by the king, those people also replied these words:
kriiditah tu esa nah putraan baalaan udbhraanta cetanah |
sarayvaam praksipan maurkhyaat atulaam priitim ashnute || 2-36-22
"He obtains incomparable delight by throwing, through stupidity, our playing children in Sarayu River in a whirled state of mind."
sa taasaam vacanam shrutvaa prakritiinaam nara adhipa |
tam tatyaaja ahitam putram taasaam priya cikiirsayaa || 2-36-23
Hearing the words of those people, that king abandoned the son repugnant to his subjects, in a bid to do well to them.
tam yaanam shriighramaaropya sabhaaryam saparichchhadam |
yaavajjiivam vivaasyo.ayamiti svaananvashaat pitaa || 2-36-24
Arranging immediately to place him along with his wife together with the paraphernalia (like utensils, implements etc) in a vehicle, the king instructed his persons thus: "He should be exiled for life."
sa phaalapitakam grihya giridurgaanyalodayat |
dishah sarvaastvanucharan sa yathaa paapakarmakrit || 2-36-25
Roaming in all directions as though he has done sinful deeds, he ransacked mountain passes, by taking a basket and a shovel.
iti evam atyajad raajaa sagarah vai sudhaarmikah |
raamah kim akarot paapam yena evam uparudhyate || 2-36-26
"The highly righteous King Sagara abandoned Asamanja for perpetration sinful deeds as above. But, what sin Rama has done, for which he was debarred in this way?"
na hi kamchana pashyaamo raaghavasyaagunam vayam |
durlabho yasya nirayah shshaakasyeva kalmashham || 2-36-27
We do not indeed perceive any fault in Rama. It is as difficult to find a taint in him as in a new moon.
athavaa devi doshham tvam kamchitpashyasi raaghave |
tamadya bruuhi tatvaina tadaa romo vivaasyataam || 2-36-28
"Or if you see any fault in Rama, Oh Kaikeyi you tell about it now correctly. Then, Rama will be exiled."
adushhtasya hi samtyaagah satpathe niratasya cha |
nirdahe dapi shakrasya dyutim dharmanirodhanaat || 2-36-29
As it is contradictory to righteousness to abandon one who is guilty and who is devoted to a good path, it would consume the splendor of even Indra (the ruler of gods)
tadalam devi raamasya shriyaa vihatayaa tvayaa |
lokatoap hi te rakshyah parivaadah shubhaanane || 2-36-30
"Oh, Kaikeyi! Hence, there is no need of impeding the royal fortune of Rama. Oh, lady with a charming face! Even blame from the public should be taken care of by you."
shrutvaa tu siddha artha vaco raajaa shraantatara svanah |
shoka upahatayaa vaacaa kaikeyiim idam abraviit || 2-36-31
Hearing the words of Siddhartha, king Dasaratha spoke to Kaikeyi in the most tiresome tone, with a voice choked with deep anguish, as follows.
etadvacho nechchhsi paapavritte |
hitam na jaanaasi mamaatmano vaa |
aasthaaya maargam kripanam kucheshhtaa |
cheshhtaa hi te saadhupadaadapetaa || 2-36-32
"Oh, the sinful being! Do you not agree with these words of Siddhartha? By resorting to the path of the deplorable, you with a bad behavior, are not alive to my interests or to your own. Your action is deprived of a righteous path."
anuvrajisyaamy aham adya raamam |
raajyam parityajya sukham dhanam ca |
saha eva raajnaa bharatena ca tvam |
yathaa sukham bhunksva ciraaya raajyam || 2-36-33
"I am accompanying Rama now, by abandoning my kingdom, happiness and wealth. You enjoy the kingdom for a long time, happily together with Bharata the King."
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye ayodhya kaande sat tri.mshah sargah
Thus completes 36th chapter in the Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate