The ladies of the royal gymnasium lament over the exile of Rama and others. The citizens of Ayodhya also are reduced to a miserable plight. All Nature mourns at Rama’s departure.
Chapter [Sarga] 41 in Detail
tasmimstu purushhavyaaghre viniryaati kritaajnjalau |
aartashabdo.atha samjajjne striinaamantahpute tadaa || 2-41-1
As Rama the tiger among men, having paid obeisance with joined palms departed, a great cry of distress arose among women of inner apartments.
anaathasya janasya asya durbalasya tapasvinah |
yo gatim sharanam ca aasiit sa naathah kva nu gacchati || 2-41-2
Where is he going, who was the path, who became the protector of the people, who are now defenseless weak and unhappy?”
na krudhyati abhishastah api krodhaniiyaani varjayan |
kruddhaan prasaadayan sarvaan sama duhkhah kva gacchati || 2-41-3
“Where has he gone, who was not angry even when provoked, who resolved every misunderstanding and who propitiated all those who were angry by sharing their suffering?
kausalyaayaam mahaa tejaa yathaa maatari vartate |
tathaa yo vartate asmaasu mahaatmaa kva nu gacchati || 2-41-4
That illustrious and great-souled Rama, who treated us with the same reverence he paid to his own mother, where has he gone?”
kaikeyyaa klishyamaanena raajnaa samcoditah vanam |
paritraataa janasya asya jagatah kva nu gacchati || 2-41-5
"Where has he gone, he the protector of the people and the whole world, driven to the forest by the king, goaded on by Kaikeyi? ''
aho nishcetano raajaa jiiva lokasya sampriyam |
dharmyam satya vratam raamam vana vaaso pravatsyati || 2-41-6
“Alas! In his folly, the king has banished the virtuous the beloved and the strictly truthful Rama to the forest!”
iti sarvaa mahisyah taa vivatsaaiva dhenavah |
ruruduh caiva duhkha aartaah sasvaram ca vicukrushuh || 2-41-7
Thus did all the queens lament, like unto cows deprived of their calves and in there affection cried out loudly.
sa tam antah pure ghoram aarta shabdam mahii patih |
putra shoka abhisamtaptah shrutvaa ca aasiit suduhkhitah || 2-41-8
Hearing those terrible crying sounds in the private apartments, the king profoundly afflicted by the departure of his son, became increasingly depressed.
na agni hotraani ahuuyanta suuryah ca antar adhiiyata |
vyasrijan kavalaan naagaa gaavo vatsaan na paayayan || 2-41-9
On the departure of Rama to the forest, the sacred fires were no longer performed, no house holder prepared food, the people did not do their acts and even the sun went into eclipse.
vyasrijan kabalaannaagaa gaavo vatsaanna paayayan |
putram prathamajam labdhvaa jananii naabhyanandata || 2-41-10
Elephants threw out the morsels of food they had taken into their mouths. Cows did not give suck to their calves. Mother did not rejoice, for having got a son born for the first time.
trishankur lohita angah ca brihaspati budhaav api |
daarunaah somam abhyetya grahaah sarve vyavasthitaah || 2-41-11
Trishanku, Lohintanga, Brihaspati as also Budha and all other planets assumed a menacing aspect and got stayed with the moon.
naksatraani gata arciimsi grahaah ca gata tejasah |
vishaakhaah ca sadhuumaah ca nabhasi pracakaashire || 2-41-12
Stars ceased to twinkle. Planets were deprived of their splendor. The stars of Vishakha appeared in the heaven, veiled in the mist.
kaalikaanilavegena mahodadhirivotthitah |
raame vanam pravrajite nagaram prachachaala tat || 2-41-13
The great ocean rose, as by a speed of a long-lasting tempest. While Rama went to the forest, that city was shaken.
dishah paryaakulaah sarvaa stimireneva samvritaah |
na graho naapi nakshatram prachakaashe na kimchana || 2-41-14
All the cardinal points, having been disturbed, were covered by darkness. Planets did not become visible, nor the stars nor any other thing in heaven.
akasmaan naagarah sarvo jano dainyam upaagamat |
aahaare vaa vihaare vaa na kashcit akaron manah || 2-41-15
All the people of the city suddenly became apathetic. No one was interested in either food or in pastime.
shokaparyaayasantaptah satatam diirghamuchchhvasan |
ayodhyaayaam janah sarvah shushocha jagatiipatim || 2-41-16
All the people of Ayodhya, afflicted by grief in succession, heaved profound and burning sighs and bewailed about the departure of the Lord of the earth.
baaspa paryaakula mukho raaja maarga gatah janah |
na hristah laksyate kashcit sarvah shoka paraayanah || 2-41-17
The people in the king's way were wearing distressed faces filled with tears. No one appeared rejoicing. All were possessed by grief.
na vaati pavanah shiitah na shashii saumya darshanah |
na suuryah tapate lokam sarvam paryaakulam jagat || 2-41-18
The wind was not blowing coolly. The moon did not appear beneficent. The sun did not give out warmth to the earth. The entire world was in disorder
anarthinah sutaah striinaam bhartaarah bhraatarah tathaa |
sarve sarvam parityajya raamam eva anvacintayan || 2-41-19
Sons did not ask for their mothers and husbands did not ask for their wives. Brothers did not enquire about their sisters. All gave up every thing and thought of Rama alone.
ye tu raamasya suhridah sarve te muudha cetasah |
shoka bhaarena ca aakraantaah shayanam na juhus tadaa || 2-41-20
Then, all of Rama's own friends were bewildered in mind and the weight of their agony overwhelmed them. They did not leave their beds.
tatah tu ayodhyaa rahitaa mahaatmanaa |
puramdarena iva mahii saparvataa |
cacaala ghoram bhaya bhaara piiditaa |
sanaaga yodha ashva ganaa nanaada ca || 2-41-21
Afflicted by fear and grief, the earth with its mountains, deprived of that great souled Rama, suffered a terrible convulsion, as when it is abandoned by Indra the lord of rain, and a great uproar reigned in the city which was filled with elephants, warriors and horses.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye ayodhya kaande ekachatvaarimshah sargah
Thus completes 41st chapter in the Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate