Kausalya, while weeping, rebukes Dasaratha for his evil act of sending Rama to exile. She explains various difficulties being faced by Rama, Lakshmana and Seetha in their forest-life. She says that even if Rama returns to Ayodhya in the fifteenth year, he may not accept the kingdom since enjoyed by Bharata.
Chapter [Sarga] 61
vanam gate dharma pare raame ramayataam vare |
kausalyaa rudatii svaartaa bhartaaram idam abraviit || 2-61-1
When Rama, who is excellent in virtue and outstanding among those causing delight, having left for the forest, Kausalya who was feeling pained, spoke, weeping to her husband as follows:
yadyapi trisu lokesu prathitam te mayad yashah |
saanukrosho vadaanyah ca priya vaadii ca raaghavah || 2-61-2
katham nara vara shrestha putrau tau saha siitayaa |
duhkhitau sukha samvriddhau vane duhkham sahisyatah || 2-61-3
“Despite the fame in the three worlds of your great glory that Dasaratha is compassionate, bountiful and kind in his words, how your two sons along with Seetha who grew comfortably can bear suffering in the forest when faced with hardships, O the best among the foremost of men!”
saa nuunam tarunii shyaamaa sukumaarii sukha ucitaa |
katham usnam ca shiitam ca maithilii prasahisyate || 2-61-4
“That Seetha, who is a young lady in the prime of her youth and very delicate, can really tolerate heat and cold?”
bhuktvaa ashanam vishaala aksii suupa damsha anvitam shubham |
vanyam naivaaram aahaaram katham siitaa upabhoksyate || 2-61-5
“How the large-eyed Seetha can eat a food prepared with wild rice, she having eaten here a good food containing soups and snacks?”
giita vaaditra nirghosam shrutvaa shubham aninditaa |
katham kravya ada simhaanaam shabdam shrosyati ashobhanam || 2-61-6
“How that irreproachable Seetha can hear the horrid sounds of cruel animals and lions, after hearing the auspicious sounds of singing and music here?”
mahaa indra dhvaja samkaashah kva nu shete mahaa bhujah |
bhujam parigha samkaasham upadhaaya mahaa balah || 2-61-7
Where Rama the mighty hero, resplendent as Mahendra’s standard and the mighty armed is sleeping indeed with his arm as a pillow?”
padma varnam sukesha antam padma nihshvaasam uttamam |
kadaa draksyaami raamasya vadanam puskara iiksanam || 2-61-8
“When can I see the face of Rama with the color of a lotus, framed with marvelous locks of lotus-perfume, with eyes resembling lotus-petals and excellent?”
vajra saaramayam nuunam hridayam me na samshayah |
apashyantyaa na tam yad vai phalati idam sahasradhaa || 2-61-9
There is no doubt that my heart is fully made of the solid-interior of a diamond, for which reason this heart is not shattered into a thousand pieces, even in my not seeing of that Rama.”
yattvayaa karunam karma vyapohya mama baandhavaah |
nirastaa paridhaavanti sukhaarhah kripanaa vane || 2-61-10
“It was not a kindly act by you that you banished my kith and kin, who were worthy of comforts to wander around in the forest in such a miserable condition.”
yadi pajncadashe varse raaghavah punaresyati |
jahyaadraajyam ca kosham ca bharato nopalskhyate || 2-61-11
“Even if Rama comes back in the fifteenth year, it cannot be inferred that Bharata will abandon the kingdom and the treasury.”
bhojayanti kila shraaddhe kecitsvaneva baandhavaan |
tatah pashcaatsamiikshante kritakaaryaa dvijarsabhaan || 2-61-12
“There are those who in a ceremony in hour of dead relatives, first feed their relatives and thereafter, to fulfill their duty, remember to invite the illustrious Twice-born.
tatra ye gunavantashca vidvaamsashca dvijaatayah |
na pashcaatte.abhimanyante sudhaamapi suropamaah || 2-61-13
“The virtuous and the learned Brahmins, who are like unto gods, do not accept afterwards even food as delicious as ambrosia.”
braahmanesvapi triptesu pashcaadbhoktum dvijarsabhaah |
naabhyupaitumalam praajjnaah shrigacchedamivarsbhaah || 2-61-14
“The best of Brahmins in their wisdom, will not accept what remains of the food of which other Brahmins have partaken, regarding it as a bull shorn of its horns.”
evam kaniiyasaa bhraatraa bhuktam raajyam vishaam pate |
bhraataa jyesthaa varisthaah ca kim artham na avamamsyate || 2-61-15
“O, king! Why not the eldest and the best brother refuse to accept the kingdom enjoyed by the younger brother?”
na parena aahritam bhaksyam vyaaghrah khaaditum icchati |
evam eva nara vyaaghrah para liidham na mamsyate || 2-61-16
“A tiger does not wish to share a part of food eaten by another animal. In the same manner, Rama the tiger among men may not accept that which has been enjoyed by another.”
havir aajyam purodaashaah kushaa yuupaah ca khaadiraah |
na etaani yaata yaamaani kurvanti punar adhvare || 2-61-17
“Oblations, clarified butter, leavings of an offering, sacred grass and sacrificial posts made of trunk of Khadira tree, once used, are not put to use again in a sacrifice.”
tathaa hi aattam idam raajyam hrita saaraam suraam iva |
na abhimantum alam raamah nasta somam iva adhvaram || 2-61-18
“Thus, Rama cannot accept the kingdom taken away by other, as those not accepting an ambrosia whose essence has been taken away or as in a sacrifice, stalks of Soma plant (from which a beverage called Soma is prepared) are lost.”
na evam vidham asatkaaram raaghavo marsayisyati |
balavaan iva shaarduulo baaladher abhimarshanam || 2-61-19
“Rama will not go through such a type of dishonor, as a strong tiger does not endure even touching of its tail.”
naitasya sahitaa lokaa bhayam kuryurmahaamridhe |
adharmam tviha dharmaatmaa lokam dharmena yojayet || 2-61-20
“Even if all the worlds combine together in a great battle, they cannot stir up fear in him. The virtuous minded Rama will provide righteousness to the people with unrighteousness.”
nanvasau kaajncanairbaanairmahaaviiryo mahaabhujah |
yugaanta iva bhuutaani saagaraanapi nirdahet || 2-61-21
“Rama with great prowess and with his mighty arms can surely burn up all beings and even the ocean itself by his golden arrows; like at the time of destruction of the world.”
sa taadrishah simha balo vrisabha akso nara risabhah |
svayam eva hatah pitraa jalajena aatmajo yathaa || 2-61-22
“That excellent man with such a lion’s strength and with eyes like those of a bull was ruined indeed by his own father, like killing its child-fish by an adult fish.”
dvijaati caritah dharmah shaastra dristah sanaatanah |
yadi te dharma nirate tvayaa putre vivaasite || 2-61-23
“A son, who is devoted to righteousness, has been sent to exile by you. Is it a right thing for you, as seen by scriptures or is it an eternal conduct as practiced by the twice born?”
gatir evaak patir naaryaa dvitiiyaa gatir aatmajah |
tritiiyaa jnaatayo raajamh caturthii na iha vidyate || 2-61-24
“O, king! A husband is a chief refuge for a woman. Her second refuge is a son. The third refuge is her near-relative. There is no fourth one here.”
tatra tvam caiva me na asti raamah ca vanam aashritah |
na vanam gantum icchaami sarvathaa hi hataa tvayaa || 2-61-25
“Among those three refuges, you do not indeed exist. Rama on his part took refuge in a forest and I do not wish to go there. Thus, I have been ruined in all ways, by you.”
hatam tvayaa raajyam idam saraastram |
hatah tathaa aatmaa saha mantribhih ca |
hataa saputraa asmi hataah ca pauraah |
sutah ca bhaaryaa ca tava prahristau || 2-61-26
“This kingdom along with neighboring states has been ruined by you. You yourself along with ministers have been ruined. I along with my son am ruined. Citizens too are ruined. Your son Bharata and your wife Kaikeyi only are delighted.”
imaam giram daaruna shabda samshritaam |
nishamya raajaa api mumoha duhkhitah |
tatah sa shokam pravivesha paarthivah |
svaduskritam ca api punah tadaa asmarat || 2-61-27
Hearing the aforesaid voice of Kausalya, consisting of her cruel words, the king also being distressed became disillusioned. Thereafter, the king then looking back on his own evil act, was entangled in grief
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande ekasastitamah sargah
Thus completes 61st Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate