While Bharata is away
॥ 2.1.4; 2.1.34–37 ॥
CrEd 2.1.8; 2.1.29–30
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
राजापि तौ महातेजाः सस्मार प्रोषितौ सुतौ ।
उभौ भरतशत्रुघ्नौ महेन्द्रवरुणोपमौ ।
एतैस् तु बहुभिर् युक्तं गुणैर् अनुपमैः सुतम् ।
दृष्ट्वा दशरथो राजा चक्रे चिन्तां परंतपः ।
एषा ह्य् अस्य परा प्रीतिर् हृदि संपरिवर्तते ।
कदा नाम सुतं द्रक्ष्याम्य् अभिषिक्तम् अहं प्रियम् ॥
rājāpi tau mahātejāḥ sasmāra proṣitau sutau
ubhau bharataśatrughnau mahendravaruṇopamau
etais tu bahubhir yuktaṃ guṇair anupamaiḥ sutam
dṛṣṭvā daśaratho rājā cakre cintāṃ paraṃtapaḥ
eṣā hy asya parā prītir hṛdi saṃparivartate
kadā nāma sutaṃ drakṣyāmy abhiṣiktam ahaṃ priyam
English
The king too, of great splendour, remembered
his two sons who were far away,
Bharata and Shatrughna both,
like great Indra and Varuna.
Seeing his son graced with these
many virtues beyond compare,
King Dasharatha, scorcher of foes,
fell into thought.
For this was his highest joy,
turning and turning in his heart:
“When shall I see my dear son
consecrated?”
॥ 2.2.7; 2.2.10 ॥
CrEd 2.2.5; 2.2.8
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
इदं शरीरं कृत्स्नस्य लोकस्य चरता हितम् पाण्डुर् अस्यातपत्रस्य छायायां जरितं मया … सोऽहं विश्रमम् इच्छामि पुत्रं कृत्वा प्रजाहिते ॥
idaṃ śarīraṃ kṛtsnasya lokasya caratā hitam pāṇḍur asyātapatrasya chāyāyāṃ jaritaṃ mayā … so 'haṃ viśramam icchāmi putraṃ kṛtvā prajāhite
English
This body of mine, while I walked
in the service of the whole world,
in the shade of this white umbrella
has grown old.
So now I long for rest,
my son set over the people’s good.
॥ 2.2.11–12 ॥
CrEd 2.2.9–10
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
अनुजातो हि मे सर्वैर् गुणैर् ज्येष्ठो ममात्मजः पुरंदरसमो वीर्ये रामः परपुरंजयः तं चन्द्रम् इव पुष्येण युक्तं धर्मभृतां वरम् यौवराज्येन योक्तास्मि प्रीतः पुरुषपुंगवम् ॥
anujāto hi me sarvair guṇair jyeṣṭho mamātmajaḥ puraṃdarasamo vīrye rāmaḥ parapuraṃjayaḥ taṃ candram iva puṣyeṇa yuktaṃ dharmabhṛtāṃ varam yauvarājyena yoktāsmi prītaḥ puruṣapuṃgavam
English
For my eldest, the son of my body,
follows me in every virtue:
Rama, Purandara’s equal in valour,
conqueror of enemy cities.
Him, as the moon joined with Pushya,
best of those who uphold dharma,
I will join, rejoicing, to the princedom,
that bull among men.
॥ 2.2.17 ॥
CrEd 2.2.13
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
इति ब्रुवन्तं मुदिताः प्रत्यनन्दन् नृपा नृपम् ।
वृष्टिमन्तं महामेघं नर्दन्तम् इव बर्हिणः ॥
iti bruvantaṃ muditāḥ pratyanandan nṛpā nṛpam
vṛṣṭimantaṃ mahāmeghaṃ nardantam iva barhiṇaḥ
English
As he spoke, the kings rejoiced
and hailed the king,
as peacocks hail a great cloud
heavy with rain and thundering.
॥ 2.3.4 ॥
CrEd 2.3.4
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
चैत्रः श्रीमान् अयं मासः पुण्यः पुष्पितकाननः यौवराज्याय रामस्य सर्वम् एवोपकल्प्यताम् ॥
caitraḥ śrīmān ayaṃ māsaḥ puṇyaḥ puṣpitakānanaḥ yauvarājyāya rāmasya sarvam evopakalpyatām
English
This glorious month of Chaitra
is holy, its forests in flower;
for Rama’s princedom
let all be made ready.
॥ 2.3.22–23 ॥
CrEd 2.3.6
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
ततः सुमन्त्रं द्युतिमान् राजा वचनम् अब्रवीत् रामः कृतात्मा भवता शीघ्रम् आनीयताम् इति ॥
tataḥ sumantraṃ dyutimān rājā vacanam abravīt rāmaḥ kṛtātmā bhavatā śīghram ānīyatām iti
English
Then the radiant king
spoke these words to Sumantra:
“Rama, the self-possessed,
bring here quickly.”
॥ 2.3.29–30 ॥
CrEd 2.3.13
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
घर्माभितप्ताः पर्जन्यं ह्लादयन्तम् इव प्रजाः ।
न ततर्प समायान्तं पश्यमानो नराधिपः ॥
gharmābhitaptāḥ parjanyaṃ hlādayantam iva prajāḥ
na tatarpa samāyāntaṃ paśyamāno narādhipaḥ
English
As people scorched by summer
the cloud that brings them gladness,
so the lord of men, watching him come,
could not gaze his fill.
॥ 2.3.32–34 ॥
CrEd 2.3.16–17
silent moment
॥ 2.3.40–43 ॥
CrEd 2.3.24; 2.3.26
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
त्वया यतः प्रजाश् चेमाः स्वगुणैर् अनुरञ्जिताः तस्मात् त्वं पुष्ययोगेन यौवराज्यम् अवाप्नुहि … भूयो विनयम् आस्थाय भव नित्यं जितेन्द्रियः कामक्रोधसमुत्थानि त्यजेथा व्यसनानि च ॥
tvayā yataḥ prajāś cemāḥ svaguṇair anurañjitāḥ tasmāt tvaṃ puṣyayogena yauvarājyam avāpnuhi … bhūyo vinayam āsthāya bhava nityaṃ jitendriyaḥ kāmakrodhasamutthāni tyajethā vyasanāni ca
English
Since these people are won to you
by your own virtues,
take, then, under Pushya’s star,
the princedom for your own.
Take on yet greater humility;
be ever master of your senses;
the vices sprung from desire and anger,
cast them away.
॥ 2.3.48–49; 2.4.1–2 ॥
CrEd 2.3.31; 2.4.1–2
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
गतेष्व् अथ नृपो भूयः पौरेषु सह मन्त्रिभिः ।
मन्त्रयित्वा ततश् चक्रे निश्चयज्ञः स निश्चयम् ।
श्व एव पुष्यो भविता श्वोऽभिषेच्येत मे सुतः ।
रामो राजीवताम्राक्षो यौवराज्य इति प्रभुः ॥
gateṣv atha nṛpo bhūyaḥ paureṣu saha mantribhiḥ
mantrayitvā tataś cakre niścayajñaḥ sa niścayam
śva eva puṣyo bhavitā śvo 'bhiṣecyeta me sutaḥ
rāmo rājīvatāmrākṣo yauvarājya iti prabhuḥ
English
When the citizens had gone,
the king, again with his ministers,
took counsel, and, knowing how to resolve,
he made his resolve:
“Tomorrow the moon is in Pushya; tomorrow
let my son be consecrated,
Rama of the red-lotus eyes,
as prince”: so the lord decided.
॥ 2.4.3–5 ॥
CrEd 2.4.3–5
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
अथान्तर्गृहम् आविश्य राजा दशरथस् तदा ।
सूतम् आज्ञापयाम् आस रामं पुनर् इहानय ।
प्रतिगृह्य स तद्वाक्यं सूतः पुनर् उपाययौ ।
रामस्य भवनं शीघ्रं रामम् आनयितुं पुनः ।
द्वाःस्थैर् आवेदितं तस्य रामायागमनं पुनः ।
श्रुत्वैव चापि रामस् तं प्राप्तं शङ्कान्वितोऽभवत् ॥
athāntargṛham āviśya rājā daśarathas tadā
sūtam ājñāpayām āsa rāmaṃ punar ihānaya
pratigṛhya sa tadvākyaṃ sūtaḥ punar upāyayau
rāmasya bhavanaṃ śīghraṃ rāmam ānayituṃ punaḥ
dvāḥsthair āveditaṃ tasya rāmāyāgamanaṃ punaḥ
śrutvaiva cāpi rāmas taṃ prāptaṃ śaṅkānvito 'bhavat
English
Then, entering the inner palace,
King Dasharatha
commanded the charioteer:
“Bring Rama here again.”
Taking up his words, the charioteer
went back once more, swiftly,
to Rama’s house,
to bring Rama again.
The doorkeepers told Rama
of his coming back;
and hearing that he had come,
Rama was filled with misgiving.
॥ 2.4.5 ॥
CrEd 2.4.5
silent moment
॥ 2.4.12; 2.4.15 ॥
CrEd 2.4.12; 2.4.15
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
राम वृद्धोऽस्मि दीर्घायुर् भुक्ता भोगा मयेप्सिताः … न किं चिन् मम कर्तव्यं तवान्यत्राभिषेचनात् अतो यत् त्वाम् अहं ब्रूयां तन् मे त्वं कर्तुम् अर्हसि ॥
rāma vṛddho 'smi dīrghāyur bhuktā bhogā mayepsitāḥ … na kiṃ cin mama kartavyaṃ tavānyatrābhiṣecanāt ato yat tvām ahaṃ brūyāṃ tan me tvaṃ kartum arhasi
English
Rama, I am old, my life is long;
I have enjoyed the joys I wished.
Nothing is left for me to do
save only your consecration;
so what I tell you,
that you must do for me.
॥ 2.4.17–18 ॥
CrEd 2.4.17–18
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
अपि चाद्याशुभान् राम स्वप्नान् पश्यामि दारुणान् सनिर्घाता महोल्काश् च पतन्तीह महास्वनाः अवष्टब्धं च मे राम नक्षत्रं दारुणैर् ग्रहैः आवेदयन्ति दैवज्ञाः सूर्याङ्गारकराहुभिः ॥
api cādyāśubhān rāma svapnān paśyāmi dāruṇān sanirghātā maholkāś ca patantīha mahāsvanāḥ avaṣṭabdhaṃ ca me rāma nakṣatraṃ dāruṇair grahaiḥ āvedayanti daivajñāḥ sūryāṅgārakarāhubhiḥ
English
And now, Rama, I see dreams
inauspicious and dreadful;
and great meteors fall here, thundering,
with a mighty roar.
And my star, Rama, is beset
by fierce planets, so
the readers of fate declare:
the Sun, Mars and Rahu.
॥ 2.4.19–20 ॥
CrEd 2.4.19–20
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
प्रायेण हि निमित्तानाम् ईदृशानां समुद्भवे राजा वा मृत्युम् आप्नोति घोरां वापदम् ऋच्छति तद् यावद् एव मे चेतो न विमुह्यति राघव तावद् एवाभिषिञ्चस्व चला हि प्राणिनां मतिः ॥
prāyeṇa hi nimittānām īdṛśānāṃ samudbhave rājā vā mṛtyum āpnoti ghorāṃ vāpadam ṛcchati tad yāvad eva me ceto na vimuhyati rāghava tāvad evābhiṣiñcasva calā hi prāṇināṃ matiḥ
English
For as a rule, when portents
such as these arise,
a king either meets his death
or falls into dread calamity.
So, while my mind, Raghava,
is not yet clouded,
so long be consecrated:
fickle is the mind of beings.
॥ 2.4.22; 2.4.25 ॥
CrEd 2.4.22; 2.4.25
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
तत्र पुष्येऽभिषिञ्चस्व मनस् त्वरयतीव माम् श्वस् त्वाहम् अभिषेक्ष्यामि यौवराज्ये परंतप … विप्रोषितश् च भरतो यावद् एव पुराद् इतः तावद् एवाभिषेकस् ते प्राप्तकालो मतो मम ॥
tatra puṣye 'bhiṣiñcasva manas tvarayatīva mām śvas tvāham abhiṣekṣyāmi yauvarājye paraṃtapa … viproṣitaś ca bharato yāvad eva purād itaḥ tāvad evābhiṣekas te prāptakālo mato mama
English
Be consecrated then, under Pushya;
my mind, it seems, is hurrying me.
Tomorrow I will consecrate you
as prince, scorcher of foes.
And while Bharata is away,
far from this city,
just so long, it is my thought,
is the time come for your consecration.
॥ 2.4.26–27 ॥
CrEd 2.4.26–27
Dasharatha
Sanskrit
कामं खलु सतां वृत्ते भ्राता ते भरतः स्थितः ज्येष्ठानुवर्ती … किं तु चित्तं मनुष्याणाम् अनित्यम् इति मे मतिः ॥
kāmaṃ khalu satāṃ vṛtte bhrātā te bharataḥ sthitaḥ jyeṣṭhānuvartī … kiṃ tu cittaṃ manuṣyāṇām anityam iti me matiḥ
English
Granted, in the ways of the good
your brother Bharata stands,
following his elder …
but the mind of men
is not constant: so I believe.
॥ 2.4.28 ॥
CrEd 2.4.28
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
इत्य् उक्तः सोऽभ्यनुज्ञातः श्वोभाविन्य् अभिषेचने ।
व्रजेति रामः पितरम् अभिवाद्याभ्ययाद् गृहम् ॥
ity uktaḥ so 'bhyanujñātaḥ śvobhāviny abhiṣecane
vrajeti rāmaḥ pitaram abhivādyābhyayād gṛham
English
So addressed, and given leave,
the consecration set for the morrow,
bidden “Go,” Rama bowed to his father
and went to his house.
॥ 2.4.28 ॥
CrEd 2.4.28
silent moment
The necklace
॥ 2.7.1–3 ॥
CrEd 2.7.1–3
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
ज्ञातिदासी यतो जाता कैकेय्यास् तु सहोषिता ।
प्रासादं चन्द्रसंकाशम् आरुरोह यदृच्छया ।
सिक्तराजपथां कृत्स्नां प्रकीर्णकमलोत्पलाम् ।
अयोध्यां मन्थरा तस्मात् प्रासादाद् अन्ववैक्षत ।
पताकाभिर् वरार्हाभिर् ध्वजैश् च समलंकृताम् ।
सिक्तां चन्दनतोयैश् च शिरःस्नातजनैर् वृताम् ॥
jñātidāsī yato jātā kaikeyyās tu sahoṣitā
prāsādaṃ candrasaṃkāśam āruroha yadṛcchayā
siktarājapathāṃ kṛtsnāṃ prakīrṇakamalotpalām
ayodhyāṃ mantharā tasmāt prāsādād anvavaikṣata
patākābhir varārhābhir dhvajaiś ca samalaṃkṛtām
siktāṃ candanatoyaiś ca śiraḥsnātajanair vṛtām
English
A maid of her kin, of birth unknown,
who had dwelt with Kaikeyi,
climbed by chance the palace terrace,
bright as the moon.
Its royal roads all sprinkled,
strewn with lotus and lily,
Ayodhya Manthara gazed on
from that high terrace,
decked with costly pennants
and with banners,
sprinkled with sandal-water,
thronged with people fresh from bathing.
॥ 2.7.7–11 ॥
CrEd 2.7.4–7
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
अविदूरे स्थितां दृष्ट्वा धात्रीं पप्रच्छ मन्थरा ।
उत्तमेनाभिसंयुक्ता हर्षेणार्थपरा सती ।
राममाता धनं किं नु जनेभ्यः संप्रयच्छति ।
अतिमात्रं प्रहर्षोऽयं किं जनस्य च शंस मे ।
कारयिष्यति किं वापि संप्रहृष्टो महीपतिः ।
विदीर्यमाणा हर्षेण धात्री परमया मुदा ।
आचचक्षेऽथ कुब्जायै भूयसीं राघवे श्रियम् ।
श्वः पुष्येण जितक्रोधं यौवराज्येन राघवम् ।
राजा दशरथो रामम् अभिषेचयितानघम् ॥
avidūre sthitāṃ dṛṣṭvā dhātrīṃ papraccha mantharā
uttamenābhisaṃyuktā harṣeṇārthaparā satī
rāmamātā dhanaṃ kiṃ nu janebhyaḥ saṃprayacchati
atimātraṃ praharṣo 'yaṃ kiṃ janasya ca śaṃsa me
kārayiṣyati kiṃ vāpi saṃprahṛṣṭo mahīpatiḥ
vidīryamāṇā harṣeṇa dhātrī paramayā mudā
ācacakṣe 'tha kubjāyai bhūyasīṃ rāghave śriyam
śvaḥ puṣyeṇa jitakrodhaṃ yauvarājyena rāghavam
rājā daśaratho rāmam abhiṣecayitānagham
English
Seeing a nurse standing near,
Manthara asked her:
“Filled with the highest joy,
though ever careful of wealth,
why does Rama’s mother
give wealth away to the people?
Why this joy beyond measure
among the people? Tell me.
And what is it the king,
so delighted, will have done?”
Bursting with gladness,
in the height of delight, the nurse
told the hunchback then
of Raghava’s greater fortune:
“Tomorrow, under Pushya, to the princedom,
Raghava, who has conquered anger,
King Dasharatha will consecrate:
Rama, the sinless.”
॥ 2.7.12–13 ॥
CrEd 2.7.8–9
silent moment
॥ 2.7.14–15 ॥
CrEd 2.7.10–11
Manthara
Sanskrit
उत्तिष्ठ मूढे किं शेषे भयं त्वाम् अभिवर्तते उपप्लुतमहौघेन किम् आत्मानं न बुध्यसे अनिष्टे सुभगाकारे सौभाग्येन विकत्थसे चलं हि तव सौभाग्यं नद्यः स्रोत इवोष्णगे ॥
uttiṣṭha mūḍhe kiṃ śeṣe bhayaṃ tvām abhivartate upaplutamahaughena kim ātmānaṃ na budhyase aniṣṭe subhagākāre saubhāgyena vikatthase calaṃ hi tava saubhāgyaṃ nadyaḥ srota ivoṣṇage
English
Get up, fool! Why lie there?
Danger is upon you.
Swept by a mighty flood,
do you not know yourself?
Unloved, with a favourite’s look,
you boast of your good fortune;
but fickle is your fortune,
like a river’s stream in summer.
॥ 2.7.17 ॥
CrEd 2.7.13
Kaikeyi
Sanskrit
कैकेयी त्व् अब्रवीत् कुब्जां कच्चित् क्षेमं न मन्थरे विषण्णवदनां हि त्वां लक्षये भृशदुःखिताम् ॥
kaikeyī tv abravīt kubjāṃ kaccit kṣemaṃ na manthare viṣaṇṇavadanāṃ hi tvāṃ lakṣaye bhṛśaduḥkhitām
English
Kaikeyi said to the hunchback:
“Is all well, Manthara?
For I see your face downcast,
and you deeply grieved.”
॥ 2.7.20 ॥
CrEd 2.7.16
Manthara
Sanskrit
अक्षेमं सुमहद् देवि प्रवृत्तं त्वद्विनाशनम् रामं दशरथो राजा यौवराज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति ॥
akṣemaṃ sumahad devi pravṛttaṃ tvadvināśanam rāmaṃ daśaratho rājā yauvarājye 'bhiṣekṣyati
English
A great evil, my queen,
is set in motion, your undoing:
King Dasharatha will consecrate
Rama as prince.
॥ 2.7.24; 2.7.26 ॥
CrEd 2.7.20; 2.7.22
Manthara
Sanskrit
धर्मवादी शठो भर्ता … अपवाह्य स दुष्टात्मा भरतं तव बन्धुषु काल्यं स्थापयिता रामं राज्ये निहतकण्टके ॥
dharmavādī śaṭho bhartā … apavāhya sa duṣṭātmā bharataṃ tava bandhuṣu kālyaṃ sthāpayitā rāmaṃ rājye nihatakaṇṭake
English
A speaker of dharma, a cheat, your husband …
That wicked one, sending away
Bharata to your kin,
at dawn will set Rama
on a throne cleared of thorns.
॥ 2.7.27 ॥
CrEd 2.7.23
Manthara
Sanskrit
शत्रुः पतिप्रवादेन मात्रेव हितकाम्यया आशीविष इवाङ्केन बाले परिधृतस् त्वया ॥
śatruḥ patipravādena mātreva hitakāmyayā āśīviṣa ivāṅkena bāle paridhṛtas tvayā
English
An enemy, in the name of husband,
as a mother would, wishing him well,
like a venomous snake, in your lap,
child, you have cherished.
॥ 2.7.31–32 ॥
CrEd 2.7.27
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
मन्थराया वचः श्रुत्वा शयनात् सा शुभानना ।
एकम् आभरणं तस्यै कुब्जायै प्रददौ शुभम् ॥
mantharāyā vacaḥ śrutvā śayanāt sā śubhānanā
ekam ābharaṇaṃ tasyai kubjāyai pradadau śubham
English
Hearing Manthara’s words,
from her bed the fair-faced one
gave a single ornament,
a fine one, to the hunchback.
॥ 2.7.34–35 ॥
CrEd 2.7.29–30
Kaikeyi
Sanskrit
इदं तु मन्थरे मह्यम् आख्यासि परमं प्रियम् … रामे वा भरते वाहं विशेषं नोपलक्षये तस्मात् तुष्टास्मि यद् राजा रामं राज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति ॥
idaṃ tu manthare mahyam ākhyāsi paramaṃ priyam … rāme vā bharate vāhaṃ viśeṣaṃ nopalakṣaye tasmāt tuṣṭāsmi yad rājā rāmaṃ rājye 'bhiṣekṣyati
English
This, Manthara, that you tell me
is dear to me beyond all else.
In Rama or in Bharata
I see no difference;
so I am glad the king
will consecrate Rama to the throne.
॥ 2.7.36 ॥
CrEd 2.7.31
Kaikeyi
Sanskrit
न मे परं किं चिद् इतस् त्वया पुनः प्रियं प्रियार्हे सुवचं वचो वरम् तथा ह्य् अवोचस् त्वम् अतः प्रियोत्तरं वरं परं ते प्रददामि तं वृणु ॥
na me paraṃ kiṃ cid itas tvayā punaḥ priyaṃ priyārhe suvacaṃ vaco varam tathā hy avocas tvam ataḥ priyottaraṃ varaṃ paraṃ te pradadāmi taṃ vṛṇu
English
Nothing dearer than this could you tell me,
you who deserve all that is dear, no fairer word;
since you have spoken so, for this dear news
I give you a boon besides: choose it.
॥ 2.8.1 ॥
CrEd 2.8.1
silent moment
॥ 2.8.2; 2.8.10 ॥
CrEd 2.8.2; 2.8.4
Manthara
Sanskrit
हर्षं किम् इदम् अस्थाने कृतवत्य् असि बालिशे शोकसागरमध्यस्थम् आत्मानं नावबुध्यसे … उपस्थास्यसि कौसल्यां दासीव त्वं कृताञ्जलिः ॥
harṣaṃ kim idam asthāne kṛtavaty asi bāliśe śokasāgaramadhyastham ātmānaṃ nāvabudhyase … upasthāsyasi kausalyāṃ dāsīva tvaṃ kṛtāñjaliḥ
English
What joy is this, out of season,
that you have shown, foolish one?
In the midst of a sea of grief
you do not know yourself.
You will wait on Kausalya
like a slave-woman, palms joined.
॥ 2.8.14; 2.8.17–18 ॥
CrEd 2.8.7; 2.8.10
Kaikeyi
Sanskrit
धर्मज्ञो गुरुभिर् दान्तः कृतज्ञः सत्यवाक् शुचिः रामो राज्ञः सुतो ज्येष्ठो यौवराज्यम् अतोऽर्हति … कौसल्यातोऽतिरिक्तं च स तु शुश्रूषते हि माम् ॥
dharmajño gurubhir dāntaḥ kṛtajñaḥ satyavāk śuciḥ rāmo rājñaḥ suto jyeṣṭho yauvarājyam ato 'rhati … kausalyāto 'tiriktaṃ ca sa tu śuśrūṣate hi mām
English
Knower of dharma, tamed by his elders,
grateful, true of word, and pure,
Rama is the king’s eldest son;
so the princedom is his due.
And more than Kausalya,
it is me he serves.
॥ 2.8.22; 2.8.27 ॥
CrEd 2.8.13; 2.8.18
Manthara
Sanskrit
भविता राघवो राजा राघवस्य च यः सुतः ।
राजवंशात् तु भरतः कैकेयि परिहास्यते ।
… ।
ध्रुवं तु भरतं रामः प्राप्य राज्यम् अकण्टकम् ।
देशान्तरं नाययिता लोकान्तरम् अथापि वा ॥
bhavitā rāghavo rājā rāghavasya ca yaḥ sutaḥ
rājavaṃśāt tu bharataḥ kaikeyi parihāsyate
…
dhruvaṃ tu bharataṃ rāmaḥ prāpya rājyam akaṇṭakam
deśāntaraṃ nāyayitā lokāntaram athāpi vā
English
Raghava will be king,
and Raghava’s son after him;
Bharata, Kaikeyi,
will be cast from the royal line.
Surely Rama, once he holds
a kingdom free of thorns,
will send Bharata to another land,
or even to the other world.
॥ 2.8.37; 2.8.39 ॥
CrEd 2.8.26–27
Manthara
Sanskrit
दर्पान् निराकृता पूर्वं त्वया सौभाग्यवत्तया राममाता सपत्नी ते कथं वैरं न यातयेत् … अतो हि संचिन्तय राज्यम् आत्मजे परस्य चाद्यैव विवासकारणम् ॥
darpān nirākṛtā pūrvaṃ tvayā saubhāgyavattayā rāmamātā sapatnī te kathaṃ vairaṃ na yātayet … ato hi saṃcintaya rājyam ātmaje parasya cādyaiva vivāsakāraṇam
English
Spurned by you in your pride,
favoured as you were, long ago,
Rama’s mother, your co-wife:
how should she not take revenge?
So think, today, of the kingdom for your son,
and a ground for banishing the other.
॥ 2.9.1 ॥
CrEd 2.9.1
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
एवम् उक्ता तु कैकेयी क्रोधेन ज्वलितानना ।
दीर्घम् उष्णं विनिःश्वस्य मन्थराम् इदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
evam uktā tu kaikeyī krodhena jvalitānanā
dīrgham uṣṇaṃ viniḥśvasya mantharām idam abravīt
English
So spoken to, Kaikeyi,
her face ablaze with anger,
sighing a long, hot sigh,
said this to Manthara.
॥ 2.9.1 ॥
CrEd 2.9.1
silent moment
॥ 2.9.2–3 ॥
CrEd 2.9.2–3
Kaikeyi
Sanskrit
अद्य रामम् इतः क्षिप्रं वनं प्रस्थापयाम्य् अहम् यौवराज्येन भरतं क्षिप्रम् एवाभिषेचये इदं त्व् इदानीं संपश्य केनोपायेन मन्थरे भरतः प्राप्नुयाद् राज्यं न तु रामः कथं चन ॥
adya rāmam itaḥ kṣipraṃ vanaṃ prasthāpayāmy aham yauvarājyena bharataṃ kṣipram evābhiṣecaye idaṃ tv idānīṃ saṃpaśya kenopāyena manthare bharataḥ prāpnuyād rājyaṃ na tu rāmaḥ kathaṃ cana
English
Today, swiftly, I will send
Rama from here to the forest,
and Bharata, as prince,
have consecrated swiftly.
But now, Manthara, consider:
by what means
may Bharata win the kingdom,
and Rama never?
॥ 2.9.4 ॥
CrEd 2.9.4
silent moment
The word he gave
॥ 2.9.11–12 ॥
CrEd 2.9.9–10
Manthara
Sanskrit
तव देवासुरे युद्धे सह राजर्षिभिः पतिः अगच्छत् त्वाम् उपादाय देवराजस्य साह्यकृत् दिशम् आस्थाय कैकेयि दक्षिणां दण्डकान् प्रति ॥
tava devāsure yuddhe saha rājarṣibhiḥ patiḥ agacchat tvām upādāya devarājasya sāhyakṛt diśam āsthāya kaikeyi dakṣiṇāṃ daṇḍakān prati
English
In the war of gods and asuras
your husband, with royal sages,
went, taking you with him,
to aid the king of the gods,
making for the southern quarter,
Kaikeyi, toward the Dandaka.
॥ 2.9.16–17 ॥
CrEd 2.9.12–13
Manthara
Sanskrit
तस्मिन् महति संग्रामे राजा दशरथस् तदा अपवाह्य त्वया देवि संग्रामान् नष्टचेतनः तत्रापि विक्षतः शस्त्रैः पतिस् ते रक्षितस् त्वया तुष्टेन तेन दत्तौ ते द्वौ वरौ शुभदर्शने ॥
tasmin mahati saṃgrāme rājā daśarathas tadā apavāhya tvayā devi saṃgrāmān naṣṭacetanaḥ tatrāpi vikṣataḥ śastraiḥ patis te rakṣitas tvayā tuṣṭena tena dattau te dvau varau śubhadarśane
English
In that great battle, then,
King Dasharatha,
carried by you, my queen, from the fight,
his senses gone;
there too, wounded by weapons,
your husband was guarded by you;
and pleased, he gave you
two boons, O lovely one.
॥ 2.9.17–18 ॥
CrEd 2.9.14
Manthara
Sanskrit
स त्वयोक्तः पतिर् देवि यदेच्छेयं तदा वरौ गृह्णीयाम् इति तत् तेन तथेत्य् उक्तं महात्मना अनभिज्ञा ह्य् अहं देवि त्वयैव कथितं पुरा ॥
sa tvayoktaḥ patir devi yadeccheyaṃ tadā varau gṛhṇīyām iti tat tena tathety uktaṃ mahātmanā anabhijñā hy ahaṃ devi tvayaiva kathitaṃ purā
English
Your husband was told by you, my queen:
“When I wish, then the two boons
I will take”; and to that
the great-souled one said, “So be it.”
I did not know of it, my queen;
you yourself told me, long ago.
॥ 2.9.20 ॥
CrEd 2.9.15
Manthara
Sanskrit
तौ वरौ याच भर्तारं भरतस्याभिषेचनम् प्रव्राजनं च रामस्य त्वं वर्षाणि चतुर्दश ॥
tau varau yāca bhartāraṃ bharatasyābhiṣecanam pravrājanaṃ ca rāmasya tvaṃ varṣāṇi caturdaśa
English
Ask your husband for those two boons:
Bharata’s consecration,
and Rama’s banishment,
for fourteen years.
॥ 2.9.22–23 ॥
CrEd 2.9.16
Manthara
Sanskrit
क्रोधागारं प्रविश्याद्य क्रुद्धेवाश्वपतेः सुते शेष्वानन्तर्हितायां त्वं भूमौ मलिनवासिनी मा स्मैनं प्रत्युदीक्षेथा मा चैनम् अभिभाषथाः ॥
krodhāgāraṃ praviśyādya kruddhevāśvapateḥ sute śeṣvānantarhitāyāṃ tvaṃ bhūmau malinavāsinī mā smainaṃ pratyudīkṣethā mā cainam abhibhāṣathāḥ
English
Enter the chamber of anger today,
as if enraged, Ashvapati’s daughter;
lie down upon the bare earth
in soiled garments;
do not look up at him,
nor speak a word to him.
॥ 2.9.25; 2.9.27 ॥
CrEd 2.9.18; 2.9.20
Manthara
Sanskrit
न त्वां क्रोधयितुं शक्तो न क्रुद्धां प्रत्युदीक्षितुम् तव प्रियार्थं राजा हि प्राणान् अपि परित्यजेत् … मणिमुक्तासुवर्णानि रत्नानि विविधानि च दद्याद् दशरथो राजा मा स्म तेषु मनः कृथाः ॥
na tvāṃ krodhayituṃ śakto na kruddhāṃ pratyudīkṣitum tava priyārthaṃ rājā hi prāṇān api parityajet … maṇimuktāsuvarṇāni ratnāni vividhāni ca dadyād daśaratho rājā mā sma teṣu manaḥ kṛthāḥ
English
He cannot bear to anger you,
nor to look on you in anger;
to please you the king
would give up life itself.
Gems and pearls and gold,
and jewels of every kind,
King Dasharatha may offer:
do not set your heart on them.
॥ 2.9.29 ॥
CrEd 2.9.22
Manthara
Sanskrit
यदा तु ते वरं दद्यात् स्वयम् उत्थाप्य राघवः व्यवस्थाप्य महाराजं त्वम् इमं वृणुया वरम् ॥
yadā tu te varaṃ dadyāt svayam utthāpya rāghavaḥ vyavasthāpya mahārājaṃ tvam imaṃ vṛṇuyā varam
English
And when, raising you himself,
Raghava offers you a boon,
bind the great king fast,
then choose this boon.
॥ 2.9.33–35 ॥
CrEd 2.9.24–25
Manthara
Sanskrit
एवं प्रव्राजितश् चैव रामोऽरामो भविष्यति भरतश् च हतामित्रस् तव राजा भविष्यति येन कालेन रामश् च वनात् प्रत्यागमिष्यति तेन कालेन पुत्रस् ते कृतमूलो भविष्यति ॥
evaṃ pravrājitaś caiva rāmo 'rāmo bhaviṣyati bharataś ca hatāmitras tava rājā bhaviṣyati yena kālena rāmaś ca vanāt pratyāgamiṣyati tena kālena putras te kṛtamūlo bhaviṣyati
English
Banished thus,
Rama will be no Rama,
and Bharata, his foes laid low,
will be your king.
By the time that Rama
returns from the forest,
by that time your son
will have struck deep roots.
॥ 2.9.36–37 ॥
CrEd 2.9.27
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
अनर्थम् अर्थरूपेण ग्राहिता सा ततस् तया ।
हृष्टा प्रतीता कैकेयी मन्थराम् इदम् अब्रवीत् ॥
anartham artharūpeṇa grāhitā sā tatas tayā
hṛṣṭā pratītā kaikeyī mantharām idam abravīt
English
Ruin, in the guise of good,
she was made to grasp by her;
and Kaikeyi, glad and sure,
said this to Manthara.
॥ 2.9.38; 2.9.47–48 ॥
CrEd 2.9.28; 2.9.35
Kaikeyi
Sanskrit
कुब्जे त्वां नाभिजानामि श्रेष्ठां श्रेष्ठाभिधायिनीम् पृथिव्याम् असि कुब्जानाम् उत्तमा बुद्धिनिश्चये … अत्र ते प्रतिमोक्ष्यामि मालां कुब्जे हिरण्मयीम् अभिषिक्ते च भरते राघवे च वनं गते ॥
kubje tvāṃ nābhijānāmi śreṣṭhāṃ śreṣṭhābhidhāyinīm pṛthivyām asi kubjānām uttamā buddhiniścaye … atra te pratimokṣyāmi mālāṃ kubje hiraṇmayīm abhiṣikte ca bharate rāghave ca vanaṃ gate
English
Hunchback, I did not know you, best of women,
you whose counsel is the best;
of the hunchbacks on this earth you are
the first in firmness of judgement.
On it I will hang for you
a golden garland, hunchback,
when Bharata is consecrated
and Raghava gone to the forest.
॥ 2.9.54 ॥
CrEd 2.9.41
Manthara
Sanskrit
गतोदके सेतुबन्धो न कल्याणि विधीयते उत्तिष्ठ कुरु कल्याणं राजानम् अनुदर्शय ॥
gatodake setubandho na kalyāṇi vidhīyate uttiṣṭha kuru kalyāṇaṃ rājānam anudarśaya
English
When the water is gone, no dam
is built, O lovely one.
Rise, do what is for your good,
and let the king behold it.
॥ 2.9.55 ॥
CrEd 2.9.42
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
तथा प्रोत्साहिता देवी गत्वा मन्थरया सह ।
क्रोधागारं विशालाक्षी सौभाग्यमदगर्विता ॥
tathā protsāhitā devī gatvā mantharayā saha
krodhāgāraṃ viśālākṣī saubhāgyamadagarvitā
English
So urged on, the queen
went with Manthara
to the chamber of anger, wide-eyed,
drunk with pride in her fortune.
॥ 2.9.57–58 ॥
CrEd 2.9.44–45
Kaikeyi
Sanskrit
इह वा मां मृतां कुब्जे नृपायावेदयिष्यसि वनं तु राघवे प्राप्ते भरतः प्राप्स्यति क्षितिम् ॥
iha vā māṃ mṛtāṃ kubje nṛpāyāvedayiṣyasi vanaṃ tu rāghave prāpte bharataḥ prāpsyati kṣitim
English
Either here, dead, hunchback,
you will report me to the king,
or, when Raghava has gone to the forest,
Bharata shall have the earth.
॥ 2.9.65 ॥
CrEd 2.9.46
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
अथैतद् उक्त्वा वचनं सुदारुणं निधाय सर्वाभरणानि भामिनी ।
असंवृताम् आस्तरणेन मेदिनीं तदाधिशिश्ये पतितेव किन्नरी ॥
athaitad uktvā vacanaṃ sudāruṇaṃ nidhāya sarvābharaṇāni bhāminī
asaṃvṛtām āstaraṇena medinīṃ tadādhiśiśye patiteva kinnarī
English
Having spoken these words, most cruel,
laying aside all her ornaments, the lovely one
upon the earth, bare of any covering,
lay down, like a fallen kinnari.
॥ 2.9.65 ॥
CrEd 2.9.46
silent moment
॥ 2.9.66 ॥
CrEd 2.9.47
Valmikiverse caption
Sanskrit
उदीर्णसंरम्भतमोवृतानना तथावमुक्तोत्तममाल्यभूषणा ।
नरेन्द्रपत्नी विमना बभूव सा तमोवृता द्यौर् इव मग्नतारका ॥
udīrṇasaṃrambhatamovṛtānanā tathāvamuktottamamālyabhūṣaṇā
narendrapatnī vimanā babhūva sā tamovṛtā dyaur iva magnatārakā
English
Her face veiled in the dark of rising fury,
her finest garlands and ornaments cast off,
the king’s wife was troubled in mind,
like the sky veiled in darkness, its stars sunk.