Rama requests the citizens to return to Ayodhya and to show respect to Bharata the prince Regent and Dasaratha the king. The citizens try to persuade Rama to return to Ayodhya, but in vain. Rama along with all of them reach the bank of Tamasa.
Chapter [Sarga] 45 in Detail
anuraktaa mahaatmaanam raamam satya parakramam |
anujagmuh prayaantam tam vana vaasaaya maanavaah || 2-45-1
The people devoted to the high- soled Rama of unfailing bravery accompanied him on his way to the forest for exile.
nivartite api ca balaat suhrid varge ca raajini |
na eva te samnyavartanta raamasya anugataa ratham || 2-45-2
When the king was forced (in the interests of his son) to turn back, the group of friends who were following Rama’s chariot did not return.
ayodhyaa nilayaanaam hi purusaanaam mahaa yashaah |
babhuuva guna sampannah puurna candraiva priyah || 2-45-3
Rama who enjoyed great celebrity and who was richly endowed with every virtue, resembling the full moon, had indeed become the favorite for the people living in Ayodhya.
sa yaacyamaanah kaakutsthah svaabhih prakritibhis tadaa |
kurvaanah pitaram satyam vanam eva anvapadyata || 2-45-4
Despite the entreaties of the people of his own, Rama(the scion of the Kakutstha), in order to honor his father’s vow; proceeded towards the forest.
aveksamaanah sasneham caksusaa prapibann iva |
uvaaca raamah snehena taah prajaah svaah prajaaiva || 2-45-5
Fondly gazing on the people as though drinking with his eyes, Rama lovingly spoke (as follows) as though they were his own children:
yaa priitir bahumaanah ca mayy ayodhyaa nivaasinaam |
mat priya artham vishesena bharate saa niveshyataam || 2-45-6
“The respect and affection that has been bestowed upon me by you (the residents of Ayodhya) may for my satisfaction be bestowed in a special measure on Bharata.
sa hi kalyaana caaritrah kaikeyyaa aananda vardhanah |
karisyati yathaavad vah priyaani ca hitaani ca || 2-45-7
“Bharata who enhances the delight of Kaikeyi and who possesses excellent conduct, will indeed do pleasing and beneficial things to you appropriately."
jnaana vriddho vayo baalo mridur viirya guna anvitah |
anuruupah sa vo bhartaa bhavisyati bhaya apahah || 2-45-8
“Bharata who is matured in knowledge but young in age, who is gentle but endowed with virility and virtue, will become your worthy master who can dispel your fears"
sa hi raaja gunaih yuktah yuva raajah samiiksitah |
api ca api mayaa shistaih kaaryam vo bhartri shaasanam || 2-45-9
“Bharata who is endowed with royal virtues is being marked as the prince. Further, king’s command is to be carried out by me and the rest of you.
na ca tapyed yathaa ca asau vana vaasam gate mayi |
mahaa raajah tathaa kaaryo mama priya cikiirsayaa || 2-45-10
“If you desire to please me, see that the king does not suffer agony when I have gone to forest for exile”
yathaa yathaa daasharathir dharmam eva aasthitah abhavat |
tathaa tathaa prakritayo raamam patim akaamayan || 2-45-11
The more Rama the son of Dasaratha, showed himself to be faithful to his duty, the more the people wished to have him as their master “
baaspena pihitam diinam raamah saumitrinaa saha |
cakarsa iva gunaih baddhvaa janam punar iva aasanam || 2-45-12
Rama accompanied by son of Sumitra, drew the people of the city, who were weeping piteously, after him as if tied and pulled with cords.
te dvijaah trividham vriddhaa jnaanena vayasaa ojasaa |
vayah prakampa shiraso duuraat uucur idam vacah || 2-45-13
Those Brahmanas, who were triply revered for their learning, their age and their spirituality, their heads shaking with advanced years, cried out:
vahantah javanaa raamam bho bho jaatyaah turam gamaah |
nivartadhvam na gantavyam hitaa bhavata bhartari || 2-45-14
“Oh Noble Steeds, of speedy breed! You who are carrying Rama, do come back! Do not proceed! Be friendly to your master (since by taking Rama against our wishes, you will be doing a disservice to him)”
karnavanti hi bhuutaani visheshhana turamgamaah |
yuuyam tasmaannivartadhvam yaachanaam prativeditaah || 2-45-15
“Indeed all things, which are endowed with ears, more so horses, stand appraised of our entreaty. Therefore, you return.”
dharmatah sa vishuddhaatmaa viirah shubhadridhapratah |
upavaahyah tu vo bhartaa na apavaahyah puraat vanam || 2-45-16
“That hero of the pure soul, of virtuous and auspicious firm resolve, that master, deserves to be brought back to the city and not to be taken to the forest.”
evam aarta pralaapaams taan vriddhaan pralapatah dvijaan |
aveksya sahasaa raamah rathaat avatataara ha || 2-45-17
Seeing those aged Brahmanas uttering those painful words, Rama quickly got down from the chariot.
padbhyaam eva jagaama atha sasiitah saha laksmanah |
samnikrista pada nyaaso raamah vana paraayanah || 2-45-18
Rama with Sita and Lakshmana, taking close strides, proceeded on foot towards the forest.
dvijaatiims tu padaatiims taan raamah caaritra vatsalah |
na shashaaka ghrinaa caksuh parimoktum rathena sah || 2-45-19
That Rama, who was affectionate in his disposition and had compassion in his eyes, could not abandon those Brahmanas walking on foot, far behind the chariot.
gacchantam eva tam dristvaa raamam sambhraanta maanasaah |
uucuh parama samtaptaa raamam vaakyam idam dvijaah || 2-45-20
Perceiving Rama still going towards the forest, those Brahmanas perplexed in mind and greatly distressed, spoke the following words:
braahmanyam kritsnam etat tvaam brahmanyam anugacchati |
dvija skandha adhiruudhaah tvaam agnayo api anuyaanti amii || 2-45-21
“The whole of this Brahmana community is following you, devoted (as you are) to the Brahmanas. See, they are bearing the sacred fires on their shoulders”
vaajapeya samutthaani chatraani etaani pashya nah |
pristhatah anuprayaataani hamsaan iva jala atyaye || 2-45-22
“Look at these canopies (obtained by us while observing Vajpeya sacrifice*) accompanying our backs like clouds at the end of the rainy season”
anavaapta aatapatrasya rashmi samtaapitasya te |
ebhih chaayaam karisyaamah svaih chatraih vaajapeyikaih || 2-45-23
“With these canopies of ours, we shall give shade to you, who have got no canopy and are being scored with rays (of the sun.)”
yaa hi nah satatam buddhir veda mantra anusaarinii |
tvat krite saa kritaa vatsa vana vaasa anusaarinii || 2-45-24
“Oh, Dear child! The intellect of ours, which was forever engaged in perusing the study of Vedic texts, has been now made to follow the course of exile to the forest”
hridayesv avatisthante vedaa ye nah param dhanam |
vatsyanti api grihesv eva daaraah caaritra raksitaah || 2-45-25
“We will carry the Vedas in our hearts as our excellent treasure and our wives too will remain at home, protected by their character”
na punar nishcayah kaaryah tvad gatau sukritaa matih |
tvayi dharma vyapekse tu kim syaat dharmam aveksitum || 2-45-26
“We shall not revoke our decision. Our mind is fully determined to go along with you (to the forest). If you do not pay attention to piety, what being will remain devoted to the path of virtue?”
yaacitah no nivartasva hamsa shukla shirah ruhaih |
shirobhir nibhrita aacaara mahii patana paamshulaih || 2-45-27
“Oh, prince of resolute conduct! We entreat you by our heads having gray hair like the white color of the swans, that are soiled with dust as a result of their falling on the ground (in the course of our prostration to you) (pray) turn back.”
bahuunaam vitataa yajnaa dvijaanaam yaiha aagataah |
tesaam samaaptir aayattaa tava vatsa nivartane || 2-45-28
“Sacrifices have been commenced by many of those Brahmanas that have come here. Their completion, oh dear child, depends on your return”
bhaktimanti hi bhuutaani jamgama ajamgamaani ca |
yaacamaanesu tesu tvam bhaktim bhaktesu darshaya || 2-45-29
“Beings both animate and inanimate, Oh, Rama, are indeed devoted to you. Show affection to those devotees, who entreat you to return.”
anugamtum ashaktaah tvaam muulaih uddhirita vegibhih |
unnataa vaayu vegena vikroshanti iva paadapaah || 2-45-30
“The trees held by their roots, unable to accompany you, seen to be weeping, hump-backed by the force of wind”
nishcesta aahaara samcaaraa vriksa eka sthaana visthitaah |
paksino api prayaacante sarva bhuuta anukampinam || 2-45-31
“Birds too, which sit motionless and are unable to go out in search of food and which remain fixed at one spot on trees, are supplicating you to return, compassionate as you are to all created beings”
evam vikroshataam tesaam dvijaatiinaam nivartane |
dadrishe tamasaa tatra vaarayanti iva raaghavam || 2-45-32
While those Brahmanas were crying thus with a view to persuading Rama to return, the river Tamasa appeared there, as though retarding the progress of Rama “
tatah sumantro.api rathaadvimuchya |
shraantaanhayaansamparivartya shriighraam |
piitodakaamstoyapariplutaagaa |
nachaarayadvai tamasaaviduure || 2-45-33
Thereafter Sumantra the charioteer too released the horses, tired as they were, from the chariot and quickly making them roll, allowed them to graze not very far from the (bank of) Tamasa once they had drunk water and had their body washed in the river.”
iti vaalmiiki raamaayane aadi kaavye ayodhya kaande ekachatvaarimshah sargah
Thus completes 45th chapter in the AyodhyaKanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate