After hearing harsh words from Kausalya, king Dasaratha loses consciousness and restores it after a long time. Afterwards, Kausalya repents for her mistake of speaking such crude words and consoles the king with her reconciliatory words. Overcome by grief, Dasaratha fell into the grip, Dasaratha fell into the grip of slumber as the night prevailed.
Chapter [Sarga] 62 in Detail
evam tu kruddhayaa raajaa raama maatraa sashokayaa |
shraavitah parusam vaakyam cintayaam aasa duhkhitah || 2-62-1
When harsh words with anger in this manner by the grief-stricken Kausalya, Rama’s mother were heard, king Dasaratha felt depressed and reflected upon them.
cintayitvaa sa ca nripo mumoha vyaakulendriyah |
atha diirghena kaalena samjjnaamaapa paratapah || 2-62-2
The king fell brooding thus perplexed as he was in his mind and lost his consciousness. Thereafter, that king who torments the enemies regained his consciousness after a long time.
sa samjjnaaamupalabyaiva diirghamusnam ca nihsasan |
kausalyaam paarshvato dristvaa tatashcintaamupaagamat || 2-62-3
After restoring his consciousness he, breathing a long and hot sigh and seeing Kausalya by his side, began to worry again.
tasya cintayamaanasya pratyabhaat karma duskritam |
yad anena kritam puurvam ajnaanaat shabda vedhinaa || 2-62-4
As he thus brooded over, he recalled in his mind, a sinful deed that was done by him out of ignorance long ago, by shooting with an arrow an unseen object, the sound of which was only heard.
amanaah tena shokena raama shokena ca prabhuh |
dvaabhyaamapi mahaaraajah shokaabyaamabhitapyato || 2-62-5
The mighty emperor felt distressed through agony caused by that sinful dead and as also through agony caused by separation from Rama and was tormented by the dual grief.
dahyamaanah tu shokaabhyaam kausalyaam aaha bhuu patih |
vepamaano.ajnjalim kritvaa prasaadartamavaamukhah || 2-62-6
That king, tormented by the afflictions, was trembling, bent his head down, joined his palms in salutation, desirous of getting her grace and spoke to Kausalya as follows:
prasaadaye tvaam kausalye racitah ayam mayaa anjalih |
vatsalaa ca aanrishamsaa ca tvam hi nityam paresv api || 2-62-7
“O, Kausalya! I seek your grace. This joining of palms is set out by me. You are always affectionate even towards others and even indeed kind.”
bhartaa tu khalu naariinaam gunavaan nirguno api vaa |
dharmam vimrishamaanaanaam pratyaksam devi daivatam || 2-62-8
“O, queen! For women reflecting on righteousness, a husband whether he is virtuous or worthless, is a visible god indeed.”
saa tvam dharma paraa nityam drista loka para avara |
na arhase vipriyam vaktum duhkhitaa api suduhkhitam || 2-62-9
“You as such, who is ever intent on virtue, who has understood good and evil fortunes in the world, even if grief-stricken, ought not to have spoken unpleasant words to me, who is too much in distress.”
tat vaakyam karunam raajnah shrutvaa diinasya bhaasitam |
kausalyaa vyasrijad baaspam pranaalii iva nava udakam || 2-62-10
Hearing those miserable words spoken by the distressed king, Kausalya shed tears, akin to new rain water flowing from channel.
sa muudrhni baddhvaa rudatii raajnah padmam iva anjalim |
sambhramaat abraviit trastaa tvaramaana aksaram vacah || 2-62-11
Capturing on her own head, the king’s palms joined in the form of a lotus, Kausalya was scared and spoke weeping in hurriedly lettered words in eagerness.
prasiida shirasaa yaace bhuumau nitatitaa asmi te |
yaacitaa asmi hataa deva hantavyaa aham na hi tvayaa || 2-62-12
“O, king! I appeal to you with my bowed head. I lie prostrate on the floor. I am ruined. I am not to be forgiven indeed by you.”
na esaa hi saa strii bhavati shlaaghaniiyena dhiimataa |
ubhayoh lokayoh viira patyaa yaa samprasaadyate || 2-62-13
“O, Valiant man! In both the worlds, it is ill-becoming of a woman, being propitiated by her husband, who is praise worthy and possessing good disposition.”
jaanaami dharmam dharmajna tvaam jaane satyavaadinam |
putra shoka aartayaa tat tu mayaa kim api bhaasitam || 2-62-14
“O, valiant man! In both the worlds, it of a woman, being propitiated by her husband, who is praise worthy and possessing good disposition.”
shoko naashayate dhairyam shoko naashayate shrutam |
shoko naashayate sarvam na asti shoka samah ripuh || 2-62-15
“Grief ruins courage. Grief ruins sacred learning, grief ruins all. There is no enemy like grief.”
shakyam aapatitah sodhum praharah ripu hastatah |
sodhum aapatitah shokah susuuksmah api na shakyate || 2-62-16
“A hitting that descended from the hands of an enemy is possible to be tolerated. But, the grief suddenly descended, even if so small, is not possible to be tolerated.”
darmajjnaah shrutimanto.api chinnadharmaarthasamshayaah |
yatayo viira muhyanti shokasammuudhacetasah || 2-62-17
“O, valiant man! Even ascetics, who know righteousness, who have learnt sacred texts and who have rent asunder doubts relating to religious merit and wealth, go astray having their minds infatuated with grief.”
vana vaasaaya raamasya panca raatrah adya ganyate |
yah shoka hata harsaayaah panca varsa upamah mama || 2-62-18
“Today it is counted as five days since Rama has gone to exile. It is equal to five years for me, since grief has ruined my happiness.”
tam hi cintayamaanaayaah shoko ayam hridi vardhate |
adiinaam iva vegena samudra salilam mahat || 2-62-19
“While I think of Rama, this grief in my heart is increasing, like water in a great ocean increases with the fast streaming of rivers.
evam hi kathayantyaah tu kausalyaayaah shubham vacah |
manda rashmir abhuut suryo rajanii ca abhyavartata || 2-62-20
While Kausalya was telling auspicious words indeed as aforesaid the sun became feeble and turned towards night too.
tatha prahlaaditah vaakyaih devyaa kausalyayaa nripah |
shokena ca samaakraantah nidraayaa vasham eyivaan || 2-62-21
The king, thus cheered up by the queen Kausalya, got subjected to slumber, after having been overcome by grief.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye ayodhyaakaande dvisastitamah sargah
Thus completes 62nd Chapter of Ayodhya Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate