Sumantra Returns to a Grieving Ayodhya
Sumantra returns to Ayodhya with an empty chariot. Everywhere—in the city, the palace, and among the people—he finds the deep sorrow of separation from Rama.
Ayodhya Kand · Episode 23 / 49
Episode Text
धरि धीरजु तब कहइ निषादू। अब सुमंत्र परिहरहु बिषादू॥ तुम्ह पंडित परमारथ ग्याता। धरहु धीर लखि बिमुख बिधाता॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhari dhīraju taba kahai niṣādū। aba sumantra pariharahu biṣādū॥ tumha paṇḍita paramāratha gyātā। dharahu dhīra lakhi bimukha bidhātā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Then, gathering his composure, Nishada said, "O Sumantra, give up sorrow now. You are learned and a knower of the highest truth. Seeing fate as adverse, bear this patiently."
बिबिधि कथा कहि कहि मृदु बानी। रथ बैठारेउ बरबस आनी॥ सोक सिथिल रथु सकइ न हाँकी। रघुबर बिरह पीर उर बाँकी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bibidhi kathā kahi kahi mṛdu bānī। ratha baiṭhāreu barabasa ānī॥ soka sithila rathu sakai na hāṅkī। raghubara biraha pīra ura bāṅkī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Speaking gently and telling one story after another, Nishada somehow made Sumantra sit in the chariot. But grief had made him so weak that he could not drive it. In his heart there was a deep pain of separation from Rama.
चरफराहिं मग चलहिं न घोरे। बन मृग मनहुँ आनि रथ जोरे॥ अढ़ुकि परहिं फिरि हेरहिं पीछें। राम बियोगि बिकल दुख तीछें॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
carapharāhĩ maga calahĩ na ghore। bana mṛga manahũ āni ratha jore॥ aḍhuki parahĩ phiri herahĩ pīcheṃ। rāma biyogi bikala dukha tīcheṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
They writhe and do not move along the road properly. It is as if wild beasts have been brought and yoked to the chariot. These horses, distraught by separation from Rama, sometimes stumble and fall, and sometimes turn to look पीछे. They are tormented by sharp grief.
जो कह रामु लखनु बैदेही। हिंकरि हिंकरि हित हेरहिं तेही॥ बाजि बिरह गति कहि किमि जाती। बिनुमनिफनिक बिकल जेहि भाँती॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jo kaha rāmu lakhanu baidehī। hiṃkari hiṃkari hita herahĩ tehī॥ bāji biraha gati kahi kimi jātī। binu mani phanika bikala jehi bhāṃtī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Whenever anyone speaks the names of Rama, Lakshmana, or Janaki, the horses whinny and look toward that person with affection. How can the condition of these horses in separation be described? They are restless like a serpent without its jewel.
भयउ निषादु बिषादबस देखत सचिव तुरंग। बोलि सुसेवक चारि तब दिए सारथी संग॥ १४३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhayau niṣādu biṣādabasa dekhata saciva turaṃga। boli susevaka cāri taba die sārathī saṃga॥ 143 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing the condition of the minister and the horses, Nishada was overcome by grief. Then he called four of his trusted servants and sent them along with the charioteer.
गुह सारथिहि फिरेउ पहुँचाई। बिरहु बिषादु बरनि नहिं जाई॥ चले अवध लेइ रथहि निषादा। होहिं छनहिं छन मगन बिषादा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
guha sārathihi phireu pahuñcāī। birahu biṣādu barani nahiṃ jāī॥ cale avadha le'i rathahi niṣādā। hohĩ chanahĩ chana magana biṣādā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Guha escorted the charioteer Sumantra back and returned. The sorrow of separation cannot be described. The four Nishadas set out toward Ayodhya with the chariot. Seeing Sumantra and the horses, they too kept sinking into grief every moment.
सोच सुमंत्र बिकल दुख दीना। धिग जीवन रघुबीर बिहीना॥ रहिहि न अंतहुँ अधम सरीरू। जसु न लहेउ बिछुरत रघुबीरू॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
socha sumantra bikala dukha dīnā। dhiga jīvana raghubīra bihīnā॥ rahihi na antahũ adhama sarīrū। jasu na laheu bichurata raghubīrū॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Sumantra, overwhelmed and helpless with grief, thinks: "Cursed is life without Lord Raghubir. This vile body cannot even remain. Why did it not end and attain fame at the moment it was separated from Rama?"
भए अजस अघ भाजन प्राना। कवन हेतु नहिं करत पयाना॥ अहह मंद मनु अवसर चूका। अजहुँ न हृदय होत दुइ टूका॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhae ajasa agha bhājana prānā। kavana hetu nahiṃ karata payānā॥ ahaha manda manu avasara cūkā। ajahuṃ na hṛdaya hota dui ṭūkā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
These breaths have become vessels of disgrace and sin. For what reason do they not depart now? Alas, the base mind has missed a perfect opportunity. Why does the heart not split into two even now!
मीजि हाथ सिरु धुनि पछिताई। मनहुँ कृपन धन रासि गवाँई॥ बिरिद बाँधि बर बीरु कहाई। चलेउ समर जनु सुभट पराई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
mīji hātha siru dhuni pachitāī। manahũ kṛpana dhana rāsi gavāṃī॥ birida bāndhi bara bīru kahāī। caleu samara janu subhaṭa parāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Sumantra wrings his hands and beats his head in remorse, as if some miser had lost his treasure of wealth. He goes on as though a great warrior, having donned a hero's guise and been called a noble brave man, had fled from battle.
बिप्र बिबेकी बेदबिद संमत साधु सुजाति। जिमि धोखें मदपान कर सचिव सोच तेहि भाँति॥ १४४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bipra bibekī bedabida saṃmata sādhu sujāti। jimi dhokhẽ madapāna kara saciva soca tehi bhāṃti॥ 144 ॥
Meaning:
Just as a discerning Brahmin, learned in the Veda, of saintly conduct, and of noble birth might be tricked into drinking wine and later repent, in the same way the minister Sumantra is brooding in sorrow.
जिमि कुलीन तिय साधु सयानी। पतिदेवता करम मन बानी॥ रहै करम बस परिहरि नाहू। सचिव हृदयँ तिमि दारुन दाहू॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jimi kulīna tiya sādhu sayānī। patidevatā karama mana bānī॥ rahai karama basa parihari nāhū। saciva hṛdayã timi dāruna dāhū॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Just as a noble woman, virtuous and wise, who regards her husband as her deity in thought, speech, and deed, may be forced by fate to live apart from him, and then feels terrible anguish in her heart, so it is with the minister's heart.
लोचन सजल डीठि भइ थोरी। सुनइ न श्रवन बिकल मति भोरी॥ सूखहिं अधर लागि मुहँ लाटी। जिउ न जाइ उर अवधि कपाटी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
locana sajala ḍīṭhi bhai thorī। sunai na śravana bikala mati bhorī॥ sūkhahĩ adhara lāgi muhã lāṭī। jiu na jāi ura avadhi kapāṭī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
His eyes are full of tears and his sight has grown dim. He cannot hear properly, and his bewildered mind is losing steadiness. His lips are drying up, as though a stick has been placed in his mouth. Yet the life does not depart, because the door-like bars of hope remain in the heart: that after the fourteen years, the Lord will return.
बिबरन भयउ न जाइ निहारी। मारेसि मनहुँ पिता महतारी॥ हानि गलानि बिपुल मन ब्यापी। जमपुर पंथ सोच जिमि पापी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bibarana bhayau na jāi nihārī। māresi manahũ pitā mahatārī॥ hāni galāni bipula mana byāpī। jampura pantha soca jimi pāpī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Sumantra's face has changed color so much that it can no longer be borne to look at. It is as if he has killed his father and mother. A deep remorse of loss through separation from Rama fills his heart, like the sorrowful thoughts of a sinner on the road to hell.
बचनु न आव हृदयँ पछिताई। अवध काह मैं देखब जाई॥ राम रहित रथ देखिहि जोई। सकुचिहि मोहि बिलोकत सोई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bacanu na āva hṛdayã pachitāī। avadha kāha maiṃ dekhaba jāī॥ rāma rahita ratha dekhihi joī। sakućihi mohi bilokata soī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Words will not come from his mouth. In his heart he repents: what will I see if I go to Ayodhya? Whoever sees the chariot bereft of Rama will feel shy to look at me.
धाइ पूँछिहहिं मोहि जब बिकल नगर नर नारि। उतरु देब मैं सबहि तब हृदयँ बज्रु बैठारि॥ १४५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dhāi pūñchihahiṃ mohi jaba bikala nagara nara nāri। utaru deba maiṃ sabahi taba hṛdayã bajru baiṭhāri॥ 145 ॥
Meaning:
When all the distressed men and women of the city run to ask me, I shall place a thunderbolt upon my heart and answer them all.
पुछिहहिं दीन दुखित सब माता। कहब काह मैं तिन्हहि बिधाता॥ पूछिहि जबहिं लखन महतारी। कहिहउँ कवन सँदेस सुखारी॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
puchihahiṃ dīna dukhita saba mātā। kahaba kāha maiṃ tinhahi bidhātā॥ pūchihi jabahiṃ lakhana mahatārī। kahihauṃ kavana saṃdesa sukhārī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
When all the poor and sorrowful mothers ask me, what will I say to them, O Creator? And when Lakshmana's mother asks me, what pleasant message will I give her?
राम जननि जब आइहि धाई। सुमिरि बच्छु जिमि धेनु लवाई॥ पूँछत उतरु देब मैं तेही।गे बनु राम लखनु बैदेही॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāma janani jaba āihi dhāī। sumiri bacchū jimi dhenu lavāī॥ pūñchata utaru deba maiṃ tehī। ge bana rāma lakhanu baidehī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
When Rama's mother comes running, just as a cow that has recently calved runs to her calf, then when she asks me, I will have to answer that Rama, Lakshmana, and Sita have gone to the forest.
जोइ पूँछिहि तेहि ऊतरु देबा। जाइ अवध अब यहु सुखु लेबा॥ पूँछिहि जबहिं राउ दुख दीना। जिवनु जासु रघुनाथ अधीना॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
joi pūñchihi tehi ūtaru debā। jāi avadha aba yahu sukhu lebā॥ pūñchihi jabahiṃ rāu dukha dīnā। jivanu jāsu raghunātha adhīnā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Whoever asks will have to be given the same answer! Alas, in Ayodhya this is the only peace I shall now have to bear! When the king, crushed by sorrow, whose very life depends on Lord Raghunath, asks me,
देहउँ उतरु कौनु मुहु लाई। आयउँ कुसल कुअँर पहुँचाई॥ सुनत लखन सिय राम सँदेसू। तृन जिमि तनु परिहरिहि नरेसू॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dehauṃ utaru kaunu muhi lāī। āyauṃ kusala kuā̃ra pahuñcāī॥ sunata lakhana siya rāma saṃdesū। tṛna jimi tanu pariharihi naresū॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Then with what face shall I reply that I have safely brought the princes there? Hearing the news of Lakshmana, Sita, and Rama, the king will cast off his body like a blade of grass.
हृदउ न बिदरेउ पंक जिमि बिछुरत प्रीतमु नीरु। जानत हौं मोहि दीन्ह बिधि यहु जातना सरीरु॥ १४६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hṛdau na bidareu paṃka jimi bichurata prītamu nīru। jānata hauṃ mohi dīna bidhi yahu jātanā sarīru॥ 146 ॥
Meaning:
When the water-like beloved Rama was separated from me, my heart did not split like mud. From this I understand that Fate has given me this very body of suffering, the body that sinful beings bear for the pain of hell.
एहि बिधि करत पंथ पछितावा। तमसा तीर तुरत रथु आवा॥ बिदा किए करि बिनय निषादा। फिरे पायँ परि बिकल बिषादा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ehi bidhi karata pantha pachitāvā। tamasā tīra turata rathu āvā॥ bidā kie kari binaya niṣādā। phire pāyã pari bikala biṣādā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Sumantra kept repenting on the way like this, and in the meantime the chariot quickly reached the bank of the Tamasa River. The minister politely dismissed the four Nishadas. Overcome with sorrow, they returned after falling at Sumantra's feet.
पैठत नगर सचिव सकुचाई। जनु मारेसि गुर बाँभन गाई॥ बैठि बिटप तर दिवसु गवाँवा। साँझ समय तब अवसरु पावा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
paiṭhata nagara saciva sakucāī। janu māresi guru bāṁbhana gāī॥ baiṭhi biṭapa tara divasu gavāṃvā। sāñjha samaya taba avasaru pāvā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
As the minister entered the city, he shrank in embarrassment, as if he had come after killing a guru, a Brahmin, or a cow. He spent the whole day sitting beneath a tree. Only when evening came did he find the chance.
अवध प्रबेसु कीन्ह अँधिआरें। पैठ भवन रथु राखि दुआरें॥ जिन्ह जिन्ह समाचार सुनि पाए। भूप द्वार रथु देखन आए॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
avadha prabesu kīnha aṃdhiyārẽ। paiṭha bhavana rathu rākhi duārẽ॥ jinha jinha samācāra suni pāe। bhūpa dvāra rathu dekhana āe॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
They entered Ayodhya after dark and, leaving the chariot at the gate, went quietly into the palace. Whoever heard the news came to the royal gate to see the chariot.
रथु पहिचानि बिकल लखि घोरे। गरहिं गात जिमि आतप ओरे॥ नगर नारि नर ब्याकुल कैसें। निघटत नीर मीनगन जैसें॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rathu pahicāni bikala lakhi ghore। garahĩ gāta jimi ātapa ore॥ nagara nāri nara byākula kaisẽ। nighaṭata nīra mīnagana jaisẽ॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Recognizing the chariot and seeing the horses distressed, their bodies seem to wither away like hailstones under the sun. The men and women of the city are equally distraught, like fish when the water recedes.
सचिव आगमनु सुनत सबु बिकल भयउ रनिवासु। भवनु भयंकरु लाग तेहि मानहुँ प्रेत निवासु॥ १४७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saciva āgamanu sunata sabu bikala bhayau ranivāsu। bhavanu bhayaṃkaru lāga tehi mānahũ preta nivāsu॥ 147 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing that the minister had come alone, the entire inner palace became distressed. The royal residence appeared to him so dreadful that it seemed like the abode of ghosts.
अति आरति सब पूँछहिं रानी। उतरु न आव बिकल भइ बानी॥ सुनइ न श्रवन नयन नहिं सूझा। कहहु कहाँ नृपु तेहि तेहि बूझा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ati ārati saba pūṃchahiṃ rānī। utaru na āva bikal bhai bānī॥ sunai na śravana nayana nahiṃ sūjhā। kahahu kahāṃ nṛpu tehi tehi būjhā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
In extreme distress, all the queens keep asking, but Sumantra has no answer; his speech is broken. He can neither hear with his ears nor see with his eyes. Whoever comes before them, they question again and again: Tell us, where is the king?
दासिन्ह दीख सचिव बिकलाई। कौसल्या गृहँ गईं लवाई॥ जाइ सुमंत्र दीख कस राजा। अमिअ रहित जनु चंदु बिराजा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dāsinha dīkha saciva bikalāī। kausalyā gṛhaṃ gaīṃ lavāī॥ jāi sumantra dīkha kasa rājā। amia rahita janu candu birājā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The maidservants, seeing the minister in distress, led him to Kaushalya's chamber. When Sumantra went there, he saw the king in such a state as if the moon were shining without nectar.
आसन सयन बिभूषन हीना। परेउ भूमितल निपट मलीना॥ लेइ उसासु सोच एहि भाँती। सुरपुर तें जनु खँसेउ जजाती॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āsana sayana bibhūṣana hīnā। pareu bhūmitala nipaṭa malīnā॥ lei usāsu soca ehi bhāṃtī। surapura teṃ janu khaṃseu jajātī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The king lay on the bare ground, bereft of seat, bedding, and ornaments, utterly despondent. Sighing deeply, he brooded in this way, as if King Yayati had fallen from heaven.
लेत सोच भरि छिनु छिनु छाती। जनु जरि पंख परेउ संपाती॥ राम राम कह राम सनेही। पुनि कह राम लखन बैदेही॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
leta soca bhari chinu chinu chātī। janu jari paṃkha pareu saṃpātī॥ rāma rāma kaha rāma sanehī। puni kaha rāma lakhana baidehī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
At every moment, sorrow welled up in the king's chest. He was in such distress as if Sampati, the brother of Jatayu, had fallen after his wings were burned. Again and again the king cried, 'Rama, Rama,' 'O beloved Rama!' and then began to say, 'O Rama, O Lakshmana, O Sita.'
देखि सचिवँ जय जीव कहि कीन्हेउ दंड प्रनामु। सुनत उठेउ ब्याकुल नृपति कहु सुमंत्र कहँ रामु॥ १४८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhi sacivaṃ jaya jīva kahi kīnheu daṃḍa pranāmu। sunata uṭheu byākula nṛpati kahu sumantra kahaṃ rāmu॥ 148 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing him, the minister said 'Jaya-jiva' and bowed down in full prostration. As soon as the king heard it, he rose in distress and said, 'Sumantra, tell me—where is Rama?'