The Valmiki Ramayana

by Amish Tripathi

  Chapter 2(55)

  Rama was supreme among those who caused delight and supremely devoted to dharma. Thus, he left for the forest. However, Kousalya was herself afflicted. She wept and addressed her husband in these words. ‘Your great fame is renowned in the three worlds. Raghava is compassionate, generous and pleasant in speech. O best among supreme men! Your two sons and Sita have been reared in happiness. Miserable, how will they be able to withstand the misery in the forest? She is young, shyama,209 delicate and used to happiness. How will Maithilee be able to withstand the heat and the cold? With her beautiful teeth, the large-eyed Sita has eaten auspicious broth. How will she be able to partake food cooked from wild rice? The auspicious and unblemished one has heard the sounds of singing and musical instruments. How will she be able to hear the inauspicious sounds of predatory beasts and lions? The mighty-armed one210 is like the great Indra’s standard. How will the immensely strong one lie down, using his own arm as a pillow? His complexion is like that of a lotus. The tips of his hair are excellent. His excellent breath has the fragrance of lotuses. When will I see the lotus-eyed Rama’s face? There is no doubt that my heart possesses the essence of a diamond. Despite my being unable to see him, it has not shattered into a thousand fragments. Even if Raghava returns in the fifteenth year, it is not evident that Bharata will give up the kingdom and the treasury. O lord of the earth! The kingdom will thus have been enjoyed by a younger brother. Why will an elder and superior brother not refuse to accept such a kingdom? A tiger does not wish to eat food that has been brought and tasted by another. In that fashion, a tiger among men will not accept something that has been enjoyed by another. Once they have been used at a sacrifice, oblations, clarified butter, cakes, kusha and altars made of khadira wood211 are not again used for another sacrifice. Enjoyed by another, this kingdom will be like liquor that has lost its essence. It is like a soma plant that has already been used in a sacrifice and indeed, Rama will not accept it. Raghava will not commit such an act of dishonour, just as a powerful tiger does not tolerate anyone touching the hair on its tail. The bull among men possesses the strength of a lion. He has been destroyed by his own father, like a fish devouring its young. The dharma followed by dvijas212 has always been instructed as the dharma of the sacred texts. Having banished your son, how have you been devoted to that dharma? A husband is a woman’s first refuge, a son is the second refuge. O king! A kin is the third refuge and in this world, there isn’t a fourth one. Among those, you do not exist for me and Rama has resorted to the forest. I do not wish to go to the forest. Therefore, I have been destroyed in every way. This kingdom and the country have been destroyed by you. You have destroyed yourself and your ministers. I and my son have been destroyed. The citizens have been destroyed. Only your son and wife213 are happy.’ She used such terrible words. Having heard them, the king was confounded and miserable. Remembering his misdeed yet again, the king was immersed in grief.

  Chapter 2(56)

  In grief, Rama’s mother angrily said this. Hearing these harsh words, the king was miserable and started to think. He thought about the terrible misdeed he had perpetrated earlier.214 Ignorantly, he had struck, depending on sound alone. The lord’s mind was distracted by this and by sorrow on account of Rama. Addressed by Kousalya, the king was afflicted by these two different kinds of sorrow. He said, ‘O Kousalya! I have joined my hands in supplication. Show me your favours. You have always been affectionate and non-violent towards others. O queen! Whether he possesses qualities or does not possess qualities, one must remember the dharma that a husband is like a divinity himself. You have witnessed the superior and the inferior in this world, but have always been supremely devoted to dharma. Whether you are miserable or extremely miserable, you should not have spoken these disagreeable words to me.’

  Hearing the piteous words of the king, uttered in misery, Kousalya shed tears, like fresh water215 flowing down a drain. She cupped her hands in the form a lotus and held the king’s head, weeping as she did this. She was terrified and scared and she spoke so fast that the syllables were indistinct. ‘I am bowing down my head and seeking your favours. I am lying down on the ground in front of you. O king! I am afflicted and am requesting you, though I do not deserve to be pardoned. O brave one! In both the worlds, there is no intelligent woman who has thus been lauded by her husband. O one who knows about dharma! I know about dharma. I know you to be truthful in speech. Afflicted on account of grief over my son, what have I said to you? Sorrow destroys patience. Sorrow destroys learning. Sorrow destroys everything. There is no enemy like sorrow. One is capable of withstanding a blow that is struck by the hands of an enemy. However, if it is sorrow, even if it is very subtle, that is impossible to tolerate. Five nights have passed since Rama left for residing in the forest. However, since my joy has been destroyed by grief, it seems like five years to me. Thinking of him, the sorrow of my heart is enhanced. It is like the great water of the ocean, enhanced by the force of rivers.’ As Kousalya spoke these auspicious words, the sun’s rays turned mild and night arrived. The king was cheered by Queen Kousalya’s words. Though overcome by sorrow, he came under the subjugation of sleep.

  Chapter 2(57)

  King Dasharatha was senseless with sorrow. However, he regained his senses in an instant and started to think. He was Vasava’s equal. But because of Rama and Lakshmana’s exile, he faced a calamity, like the sun darkened by the asura.216

  On the sixth night after Rama had left for the forest, in the middle of the night, King Dasharatha remembered the wicked deed that he had done. Afflicted by grief on account of his son, he addressed Kousalya in these words. ‘O fortunate one! According to whether he performs an auspicious act or an inauspicious act, the doer reaps the consequences of any deed that he has done. A person who commences a deed without considering whether it is grave or trivial, the fruits of the deed and its taints, is said to be a child. Some look at flowers and, desiring fruits, cut down mango trees and nurture palasha trees.217 They sorrow when the fruits are obtained. I have also cut down a grove of mango trees and nurtured palasha. Being evil-minded, I have forsaken the fruit that is Rama and am grieving later. O Kousalya! When I was young, I became proficient with the bow and could strike at the sound.218 As a young man, I was known as shabdabhedi.219 That is when I perpetrated a wicked deed. O queen! Because of what I myself did, I am now faced with this misery. It is as if I consumed poison through childish confusion. In my ignorance, I have reaped this fruit of being a shabdabhedi. O queen! I was the heir apparent then and was not married to you. The monsoon season arrived and it increased my desire.220 Having drunk all the juices from the earth, the sun, the one who pervades the earth with its rays, had entered the terrible southern direction, frequented by those others.221 The heat suddenly disappeared and cool clouds could be seen. All the frogs, antelopes222 and peacocks were filled with joy. Water continued to pour down on water that had already showered down. Inhabited by maddened antelopes, the mountains were submerged in torrents of water. This was an extremely pleasant period. I resolved to have some exercise. With a bow and arrows and on a chariot, I followed the course of the Sarayu river. I was in control of my senses and wished to kill a buffalo, elephant or any other predatory beast that would come to the river in the night.223 In the darkness, I heard the sound of a pot being filled with water. Since I wasn’t able to see, I thought that it was the sound of an elephant trumpeting. Therefore, I affixed a blazing arrow that was like virulent poison. I released the sharp arrow that was like virulent poison. I heard a human voice scream “Alas! Alas!” as the person fell down. It was evident that these sounds were uttered by a resident of the forest, who said, “How did a weapon strike down an ascetic? In the night, I came to the river to collect some water. Who has struck me with this arrow? What have I done to anyone? I am a rishi who has cast aside the staff.224 I dwell in the forest on forest fare. Who has recommended the use of a weapon to slay a person like me? I wear a mass of matted hair. My garments are made of bark an
d deer skin. What purpose will be served by killing me? What injury have I caused to anyone? This is a pointless act that is full of ill intent. No one will say that this act is virtuous. It is like transgressing the preceptor’s bed.225 I am not grieving because my own life has come to an end. Since I will die, I am sorrowing about my mother and my father. For a long time, this aged couple has been nurtured by me. After my death, how will they sustain themselves? It is as if I and my aged mother and father have been slain by that single arrow. Who is the extremely foolish person who has killed all of us?” Always desirous of dharma, I heard those piteous words. Since I was distressed, the bow and arrows fell down from my hands on the ground. Distressed in spirit and miserable in my mind, I went to that spot. On the banks of the Sarayu, I saw the ascetic who had been struck by the arrow. I stood there, terrified, with my senses distracted. He glanced at me with his eyes, as if he would burn me down through his energy. He then spoke these cruel words. “O king! While I resided here, what injury have I caused to you? I wished to collect water for my seniors and you have struck me down. Indeed, a single arrow has been enough to strike at my vital organs. But it has also slain my aged and blind mother and father. They are weak, blind and thirsty and are waiting for me. Bearing their thirst and difficulties, they have been waiting for me for a long time. There may indeed be ascetics who have obtained the fruits of their yoga and learning. But my father does not know that I have fallen down and am lying down on the ground here.226 He does not know. He is weak and incapacitated. What will he do? He is like a tree that is unable to save another tree that is being cut down. O Raghava! Go there quickly and tell my father, so that he does not angrily burn you down, like a forest by a fire. O king! This path will take you to my father’s hermitage. If you go and seek his favours, he will not curse you in his anger. O king! Take out this stake of the sharp arrow from my body. It is tormenting me, just as even gentle flows of water can stir an unstable riverbank. O king! I am not a brahmana. Do not be distressed on that account.227 O lord of habitations! My mother is a shudra and my father is a vaishya.” Since the arrow had struck at his vital organs, he spoke these words with difficulty. As he was losing his senses, I drew out the arrow. His body was drenched with water and he lamented at this calamity. With his inner organs struck by the arrow, he sighed repeatedly. O fortunate one! Extremely miserable, I lay him down in the Sarayu and looked at him.’

  Chapter 2(58)

  ‘I had committed a great crime in my ignorance and my senses were afflicted. I used my intelligence to think about what could best be done under the circumstances. I brought the pot and filled it with auspicious water. Following the indicated path, I reached the hermitage. There I saw the two weak, blind and aged ones, without anyone to support them now. I saw the parents there, like birds whose wings had been severed. They were seated there, without anything to do, and were conversing among themselves. Since they had lost hope because of me,228 they were miserable, immobile and without a protector. On hearing my footsteps, the hermit spoke these words. “O son! Why did you take such a long time? Quickly give me a drink. O son! That is the reason you had gone. Why did you tarry to play in the water? Your mother is anxious. Quickly enter the hermitage. O son! If your mother or I have done anything unreasonable towards you, you should not have secreted that in your mind. O son! You should have behaved like an ascetic. You are the refuge for those who have no refuge. You are the eyes for those who have no eyes. Our lives depend on you. Why are you not saying anything?” When the hermit spoke these words, I was terrified and glanced towards him. Like one who was scared, I spoke indistinctly, in words that were not properly formed.229 Then I invoked my mental strength and imparted strength to my speech. I told him the fearful news of the catastrophe that had befallen his son. “I am a kshatriya named Dasharatha. I am not your great-souled son. Through my own deeds, I have caused this misery that is condemned by virtuous people. O illustrious one! With a bow in my hand, I arrived at the banks of the Sarayu. I wished to kill an elephant or a predatory beast that would come to drink water. I heard the sound of a pot being filled with water. Taking this to be an elephant, I struck with my arrow. Upon going to the banks of the river, I saw an ascetic lying down lifeless on the ground, the arrow having shattered his heart. O illustrious one! Wishing to kill an elephant, I aimed in the direction of the sound in the water. Thus released, the iron arrow slew your son. O illustrious one! I approached him and he lamented and grieved about the two of you, since you are blind. When I took out the arrow, he went to heaven. In my ignorance, I violently killed your son. O hermit! Show me your favours and tell me what should be done about his remains.”

  ‘Hearing these cruel words, he was afflicted by grief and sighed. I stood before him, with my hands joined in salutation. The immensely energetic one said, “O king! If you had not yourself told me about this inauspicious act, as a consequence, your head would have shattered into a hundred thousand fragments. O king! If a kshatriya knowingly kills a person who has resorted to vanaprastha, he is dislodged from his state, even if the perpetrator happens to be the wielder of the vajra himself.230 You are still alive because you did not do this knowingly. Had it been otherwise, not only would you have been destroyed today, but so would have been the lineage of the Raghavas.231 O king! Take me to the spot that you have spoken about. We now wish to take a last look at our son, whose limbs are covered with blood and whose garment of deer skin has got dishevelled. He is lying down unconscious on the ground and has come under the subjugation of Dharmaraja.”232 I took those two extremely miserable ones to the spot and made the hermit and his wife touch their son. Those two ascetics approached and touched the fallen body of their son. The father said, “O son! O one devoted to dharma! I love you, but behold your mother. O delicate son! Why are you not embracing us? Why don’t you say something? In the second half of the night,233 whose words will I hear, so that they touch the heart? Who will recite sweet words from the sacred texts or from something else? Who will make us perform the sandhya worship? Who will bathe us and make us offer oblations into the fire? O son! When I am afflicted by sorrow and grief, who will sit beside me and assure me? As if I am a beloved guest, who will bring me roots and fruits? Who will feed me? I cannot do anything. I cannot act on my own. I am without my guide. Your ascetic mother is blind and aged. O son! She desires her son and is in a pitiable state. Who will sustain her? O son! Stay here. Do not leave for Yama’s abode. Depart tomorrow, with your mother and me. In the forest, both of us are grieving and miserable. We are without a protector. Without you, we will quickly leave for Yama’s eternal abode. On seeing Vaivasvata,234 I will address him in these words. ‘O Dharmaraja! Pardon him. Let him nurture his parents.’ O son! You did not commit a sin. This perpetrator of wicked deeds has killed you. Because this is true, quickly go to the worlds reserved for those who fight with weapons. That is where brave ones who do not retreat from the field of battle and face the front go, when they are slain. O son! Go to that supreme destination. O son! Attain the destination obtained by Sagara, Shaibya, Dileepa, Janamejaya, Nahusha and Dhundumara.235 There are destinations obtained by those who devote themselves to studying and austerities, those who donate land, offer oblations into the fire and observe the vow of having a single wife. Go there and to destinations obtained by those who repay debts to their preceptors by gifting them thousands of cows. O son! Go to the destinations obtained by those who cast aside their bodies.236 A person who has been born in this lineage will not obtain an inauspicious end.” In this fashion, he lamented piteously. With his wife, he then performed the water rites. Because of his own deeds, the hermit’s son manifested himself in a divine form. He assured his parents for a while and spoke these words. “Because I served both of you, I have obtained this exalted state. You will also quickly come to where I am.” Having said this, in control of his senses, the hermit’s son quickly ascended to heaven in a radiant and divine vimana.