Summary
Returning to consciousness, Rama laments [to mourn aloud] over the plight [an unfortunate, difficult, or precarious situation] of Lakshmana, who was lying unconscious. The foremost of monkeys too were plunged in grief and despondency [hopelessness] on seeing Rama lamenting as aforesaid. In the meantime, Vibhishana approaches Rama and the monkeys flee away, mistaking him as Indrajit.
Chapter [Sarga] 49 in Detail
ghorena shara bandhena baddhau dasharatha aatmajau |
nishvasantau yathaa naagau shayaanau rudhira uksitau || 6-49-1
sarve te vaanara shresthaah sasugriivaa mahaa balaah |
parivaarya mahaatmaanau tasthuh shoka pariplutaah || 6-49-2
Bound by that formidable network of arrows, the two high-souled sons of Dasaratha lay bathed in blood, breathing like serpents. All those foremost of monkeys who were exceedingly strong, including Sugreeva, plunged in grief, were standing around those two illustrious warriors.
etasminn antere raamah pratyabudhyata viiryavaan |
sthiratvaat sattva yogaac ca sharaih samdaanito api san || 6-49-3
In the meanwhile, the mighty Rama by virtue of his hardihood [vigor robustness] and native strength awoke from his swoon [faint], despite the shafts that held him captive.
tato dristvaa sarudhiram visannam gaadham arpitam |
bhraataram diina vadanam paryadevayad aaturah || 6-49-4
Then, beholding his brother, bleeding unconscious, firmly thrown on the floor, and his features changed, Rama full of grief lamented thus:
kim nu me siitayaa kaaryam kim kaaryam jiivitena vaa |
shayaanam yo adya pashyaami bhraataram yudhi nirjitam || 6-49-5
"Of what use to me is the recovery of Seetha or even life itself, since my brother now lying, before my eyes, has been struck down in the fight?"
shakyaa siitaa samaa naarii praaptum loke vicinvataa |
na laksmana samo bhraataa sacivah saamparaayikah || 6-49-6
"It can be possible, if I were to look for her, to find a consort equal to Seetha in this world of mortals but not a brother, a friend and a comrade in a hostile war, such as Lakshmana!"
parityaksyaamy aham praanaan vaanaraanaam tu pashyataam |
yadi pancatvam aapannah sumitra aananda vardhanah || 6-49-7
"If Lakshmana returned to the five elements, he the increaser of Sumitra's joy, I will yield up my life-breaths while the monkeys stand looking on."
kim nu vaksyaami kausalyaam maataram kim nu kaikayiim |
katham ambaam sumitraamca putra darshana laalasaam || 6-49-8
"What shall I say to my mother, Kausalya or to Kaikeyi? How can I talk to my mother Sumitra, sighing for the sight of her son?"
vivatsaam vepamaanaam ca kroshantiim kurariim iva |
katham aashvaasayisyaami yadi yaasyaami tam vinaa || 6-49-9
"How shall I console Sumitra, trembling and crying out like an osprey, bereft of her son, if I return to Ayodhya without Lakshmana?"
katham vaksyaami shatrughnam bharatam ca yashasvinam |
mayaa saha vanam yaato vinaa tena aagatah punah || 6-49-10
"How shall I tell Shatrughna and the illustrious Bharata when I return without Lakshmana, who followed to the forest along with me?"
upaalambham na shaksyaami sodhum bata sumitrayaa |
iha eva deham tyaksyaami na hi jiivitum utsahe || 6-49-11
"Alas! I should not be able to endure Sumitra's reproaches. I will leave my body here itself. I do not wish to continue living."
dhig maam duskrita karmaanam anaaryam yat krite hy asau |
laksmanah patitah shete shara talpe gata asuvat || 6-49-12
"Woe unto me to my wicked deed and to my lack of nobility. Through my fault, Lakshmana has fallen and lies indeed on a bed of arrows as on who has yielded up his life!"
tvam nityam suvisannam maam aashvaasayasi laksmana |
gata asur na adya shaknosi maam aartam abhibhaasitum || 6-49-13
"O, Lakshmana! You always used to console me whenever I was in a great sorrow. You, having lost your life now are not able to allay my sufferings with your words."
yena adya bahavo yuddhe raaksasaa nihataah ksitau |
tasyaam eva ksitau viirah sa shete nihatah paraih || 6-49-14
"You, who in this battle today, struck down innumerable demons to the earth, are fallen, pierced by darts, like a hero on the self same field."
shayaanah shara talpe asmin sva shonita pariplutah |
shara jaalaish cito bhaati bhaaskaro astam iva vrajan || 6-49-15
"Lying on this bed of arrows, bathed in blood, you are piled up in a heap of arrows you, as such look like the sun setting behind the horizon.
baana abhihata marmatvaan na shaknoty abhiviiksitum |
rujaa ca abruvato hy asya dristi raagena suucyate || 6-49-16
"Your vital parts having been pierced with arrows, you are not able even to speak now. Even though you not speaking, your agony is disclosed by the redness of your eyes."
yathaa eva maam vanam yaantam anuyaato mahaa dyutih |
aham apy anuyaasyaami tathaiva enam yama ksayam || 6-49-17
"I shall follow him to the region of Yama, as that illustrious warrior accompanied me when I retired to the forest."
ista bandhu jano nityam maam ca nityam anuvratah |
imaam adya gato avasthaam mama anaaryasya durnayaih || 6-49-18
"He who loved his own kinsfolk and was filled with devotion for me, got this state to which my misdeeds have brought him, wretched that I am!"
surustena api viirena laksmanenaa na samsmare |
parusam vipriyam vaa api shraavitam na kadaacana || 6-49-19
"I do not remember to have heard any harsh or hateful words from that valiant Lakshmana, even if he is deeply provoked."
visasarja eka vegena panca baana shataani yah |
isv astresv adhikas tasmaat kaartaviiryaac ca laksmanah || 6-49-20
"Lakshmana, who was able to loose five hundred arrows in one shot, was surpassing Kaartvaviirya himself in the science of archery."
astrair astraani yo hanyaat shakrasya api mahaatmanah |
so ayam urvyaamhatah shete mahaa arha shayana ucitah || 6-49-21
"This Lakshmana, who was accustomed to a rich couch and who by his arrows severe the weapons the mighty Indra the Lord of celestials, is lying slain on the ground."
tac ca mithyaa pralaptam maam pradhaksyati na samshayah |
yan mayaa na krito raajaa raaksasaanaam vibhiisanah || 6-49-22
"Those vain words uttered by me, will undoubtedly consume me since I have not made Vibhishana the king of demons."
asmin muhuurte sugriiva pratiyaatum ito arhasi |
matvaa hiinam mayaa raajan raavano abhidraved balii || 6-49-23
"O, Sugreeva! You ought to return at once from here since knowing that you are bereft of my support, Ravana will overcome you, O king!"
angadam tu puras kritya sasainyah sasuhrij janah |
saagaram tara sugriiva punas tena eva setunaa || 6-49-24
"O, Sugreeva! Re-cross the sea with your army, keeping Angada in front and with your followers, Nila and Nala."
kritam hanumataa kaaryam yad anyair duskaram rane |
riksa raajena tusyaami go laanguula adhipena ca || 6-49-25
"I am fully satisfied by the great military exploit, done by Jambavan the king of Bears and the General of the Monkeys, which was impossible to any other in battle."
angadena kritam karma maindena dvividena ca |
yuddham kesarinaa samkhye ghoram sampaatinaa kritam || 6-49-26
"A great act was done by Angada, Mainda and Dvivida. A terrible combat was done by Kesari and Sampaati in the battle-field."
gavayena gava aksena sharabhena gajena ca |
anyaish ca haribhir yuddham mad aarthe tyakta jiivitaih || 6-49-27
"By Gavaya, Gavaaksha, Sharabha, Gaja and other monkeys, who are willing to sacrifice their lives for me, the battle was carried on."
na ca atikramitum shakyam daivam sugriiva maanusaih |
yat tu shakyam vayasyena suhridaa vaa param tapa || 6-49-28
kritam sugriiva tat sarvam bhavataa adharma bhiirunaa |
"O, Sugreeva! It is not possible for mortals to avoid their destiny. O, Sugreeva the tormentator of enemies! Fearing to fail in your duty, you have done all that which a friend and a comrade could do."
mitra kaaryam kritam idam bhavadbhir vaanara risabhaah || 6-49-29
anujnaataa mayaa sarve yathaa istam gantum arhatha |
"O. foremost of Monkeys! You have accomplished all this due to your friendship. I take leave of you all; go where it seems best to you!"
shushruvus tasya te sarve vaanaraah paridevitam || 6-49-30
vartayaam cakrur ashruuni netraih krisna itara iiksanaah |
All the tawny eyed monkeys, who heard Rama's lament thus, allowed tears to fall from their eyes.
tatah sarvaany aniikaani sthaapayitvaa vibhiisanah || 6-49-31
aajagaama gadaa paanis tvarito yatra raaghavah |
Meanwhile, Vibhishana having established order in all the ranks, with mace in his hand, came quickly to Rama.
tam dristvaa tvaritam yaantam niila anjana caya upamam || 6-49-32
vaanaraa dudruvuh sarve manyamaanaas tu raavanim |
Seeing him, who resembled a mass of collyrium, hastening towards them thus, all the monkeys thinking him to be Indrajit the son of Ravana, fled away.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye yuddhakaande ekonapajnchaashah sargah
Thus completes 49th Chapter of Yuddha Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate