Mahabharata (original) (raw)

A l! r, ghts reserved TO q'HE RIGHT HON. PROFE880R F. MAX M_?LLER WHO HAS DEVOTED HIS LIFETIME TO THF ELUCIDATION OF THE LEARNING_ LITEKATUR_g_ AND RELIGION OF ANCIENT INDIA AND HAS RECOGNISED AND VINDICATED WHAT |S TRUF AND GREAT AND ENNOBLING IN MODERN INDIA THIS TRANSLATION OF THE RAMAYANA 1S DEDICATED AS A SlNCERF TOKEN OF THF ESTEEM AND REGARD OF MY COUNTRYMEN British administration, strongly felt if temperately expressed. Apart from this, its more controversial side, the work of Romesh Dutt is valuable mainly in that it has helped to reveal, to his own people no less than to ours, the spiritual riches of ancient India. S. K. RATCLIFFE. BIBLIOGRAPHY The following is a list of the various editions of "The Ramayana" : "The Ramayana," edited by S. Goressio (with Italian translation). Io vols. 1843-58, 1859-6o (Calcutta), I888 (Bombay). English translations: by Kirtee Bass. 5 vols. Serampore, 18o'z. "The Ramayuna of Valmeeki, in the original Sungscrit, with a Prose Translation and Explanatory Notes." W. Carey and J. Marshman. 18o6-Io. An English translation for "Nirvachanothara Ramayanum _' (i.e. the "Uttara Ramayana" attributed to V_lmiki, with Commentary). Madras, ]88o. Free English translation by R. T. H. Griffith. • 370 Glossary 382 RAMAYANA EPIC OF RAMA, PRINCE OF INDIA ! I J THE EPIC OF RAMA, PRINCE OF INDI_, I Ayod1_.ya_the Righteous City Rich in royal worth and valour, rich in holy Vedic lore_ Dasa-ratha ruled his empire in the happy days of yore, Loved of men in fair Ayodhya, sprung of ancient Solar Race, Royal rishi in his duty, _ntly ri_hl in his grace, Keep thy fasts and vigils, Sita, while thy Rama is away, Faith in God, and faith in virtue on thy bosom hold their sway, 4o TIIE EPIC OF RAMA, PRINCE OF INDIA in the early watch of morning to the Gods for blessings pray, To ahy father Dasa-ratha honour and obeisance pay, To my mother, Queen Kausalya, is thy dearest tendance due, Offer her thy consolation, be a daughter fond and true! Queen Kaikeyi and Sumitra equal love and honour claim, With a soothing soft endearment sweetly serve each royal da_ne, Cherish Bharat and Satrughua with a sister's watchful love, And ",mother's true affection and a mother's kindness prove ! Listen, Sita, unto Bharat speak no heedless angry word, He is monarch of Kogala and of Raghu's race is lord, Crown6d kings our willing service and our faithful duty own, Dearest sons they disinherit, cherish strangers near the throne! Bharat's bill with deep devotion and with faultless faith obey, Truth and virtue on thy bosom ever hold their gentle sway, And to please each dear relation, gentle Sita, be it thine, Part we love ! for years of wand'ring in the pathless woods is mine ' " Rama spake, and soft-eyed Sita, ever sweet in speech and word, Stirred by loving woman's passion boldly answered thus her lord : TtlE DEATH OF THE KING 49 : V Crossing the Tamasa: the Citizens: Return i_ E,ening's thickening shades descended on Tamasa's distant shore, i Rama rested by the river, day of toilsome journey o'er. ._ And Ayodhya's loving people by the limpid river lay, Sad and sorrowing they had followed Rama's chariot through the day '. " Soft-eyed Sits, faithful Lakshman," thus the gentle Rama said, " Hail the first night of our exile mantling us in welcome shade, Weeps the lone and voiceless forest, and in darksome lair and nest_ Feathered bird and forest creature seek their midnight's wonted res:, xcVeepsmethinks our fair Ayodhya to her Rama ever dear, And perchance her men and women shed for us a silent tear, Loyal men and faithful women, they have loved their ancient king, And his anguish and our exile will their gentle bosoms wring ! Most I sorrow for my father and my mother loved and lost, Stricken by untimely anguish, by a cruel fortune crost, But the good and righteous Bharat gently will my parents tend, And with fond and filial duty tender consolation lend: Well I know his stainless bosom and his virtues rare and high, He will soothe our parents' sorrow and their trickling tear will dr): Faithful Lakshman, thou hast nobly stood by us when sorrows fe!l_ Guard my Sita by thy valour, by thy virtues tend her well. Wait on her while from this river Rama seeks his thirst to s!ake. On this first night of his exile food nor fruit shall Rams take. Thou Sumantra, tend the horses, darkness comes with close of day_ We,,ry was the encile_ journey, weary is our onward wa'¢ ! " 50 THE EPIC OF RAMA, PRINCE OF INDIA Store of grass and welcome fodder to the steeds the driver gave, Gave them rest and gave them water from Tamasa's limpid wave, And performing night's devotions, for the princes made their bed, By the softly rippling river 'neath the tree's umbrageous shade. On a bed of leaf and verdure Rama and his Sits slept, Faithful Lakshman with Sumantra nightly watch and vigils kept, And the stars their silent lustre on the weary exiles shed, And on wood and rolling river night her darksome mantle spread. Early woke the righteous Rama and to watchful Lakshman spake' " Mark the slumb'ring city people, still their nighdy rest they take, They have left their homes and children, followed us with loyal heart, They would take us to Ayodhya, from their princes loth to part! Speed, my brother, for the people wake not till the morning's 8tar, Speed by night the silent chariot, we may travel fast and far, So my true and loving people see us not by dawn of day, Follow not through wood and jungle Rams in his onward way, For a monarch meek in suffering should his burden bravely bear, And his true and faithful people may not ask his woe to share ! " Lakshman heard the gentle mandate, and Sumantra yoked the steed, Fresh with rest and grateful fodder, matchless in their wondrous speed, Rama with his gentle consort and with Lakshman true and brave, Crossed beneath the silent starlight dark Tamasa's limpid wave. On the further bank a pathway, fair to view and far and wide, Stretching onwards to the forests spanned the spacious country side, •' Leave the broad and open pathway," so the gentle Rams said, •' Follow yet a track diverging, mothe people be misled. '_ THE DEATH OF THE KING 5I Then returning to the pathway we shall march ere break of day, So our true and faithful people shall not know our southward way." Wise Sumantra hastened northward, then returning to the road, _ By his master and his consort and the valiant Lakshman stood, Raghu's sons and gentle Sita mounted on the stately car, And Sumantra drove the coursers travelling fast and travelling fa:. Morning dawned, the waking people by Tamasa'8 limpid wave, Saw not Rama and his consort, saw not Lakshman young and brave, And the tear suffused their faces and their hearts with anguish burnea, Sorrow-laden and lamenting to their cheerless homes returned VI Crossing the Ganges. Bharad-vaja's Hermitage Morning dawned, and far they wandered, by their people loved and los:, Drove through grove and flowering woodland, rippling rill and river crost, Crossed the sacred Vedasruti on their still unending way, Crossed the deep and rapid Gumti where the herds of cattle stray, All the toilsome day they travelled, evening fell o'er wood and lea, And they came where sea-hke Ganga rolls in regal majesty, 'Neath a tall Ingudi'a shadow by the river's zephyrs blest, Second night of Rama's exile passed in sleep and gentle rest. Morning dawned, the royal chariot Rama would no further own, Sent Sumantra and the coursers back to fair Ayodhya's town, Doffing then their royal garments Rama and his brother bold Coats of bark and matted tresses wore like anchorites of old. Guha, chief of wild Nishadas, boat and needed succour gave, And the princes and fair Sita ventured on the sacred wav_ 5z THE EPIC OF RAMA, PRINCE OF INDIA And by royal Rama bidden strong Nishdas plied the oar, And the strong boat quickly bounding left fair Ganga's northern shore. "Goddess of the mighty Ganga ! " so the pious Sits prayed, " Exiled by his father's mandate, Rama seeks the forest shade, Gangs ! o'er the three worlds rolling, bride and empress of the sea And from BRauuA's sphere descended ! banished Sita bows to thee May my lord return in safety, and a thousand fattened kine, Gold and gift8 and gorgeous garments, pure libations shall be thine, And with flesh and corn I worship unseen dwellers on thy shore, May my lord return in safety, fourteen years of exiie o'er ! " On the southern shore they journeyed through the long and weary day, Still through grove and flowering woodland held their tong and weary w_.y, And they slayed tile deer of jungle and they spread their rich repast, Third night of the princes' exile underneath a tree was past. Morning dawned, the soft-eyed Sits wandered with the princes brave, To the spot where ruddy Gangs mingle_ with dark .lumna's wave, And they crost the _hady woodland, verdant lawn and grassy mead, Ti}] the sun was in its zenith, Rama then to Lakshman said: "Yonder mark the famed Prayaga, spot reve."ed from age to age, And the line of smoke ascending speaks some risl_i's hermitage, There the waves of ruddy Ganga with the dark blue .lumna meet, And my ear the sea-like voices of the mingling waters greet. Mark the monarchs of the forest severed by the hermit's migh_ And the logs of wood and fuel for the sacrificial rite, Mark the tall trees in their blossom and the peaceful shady grove, There the sages make their dwelling, thither, Lakshman, let us rove." THE DEATH OF THE KING 53 SlowJy came the exile-wand'rers, when the sun withdrew his rays, Where the vast and sea-like rivers met in sisters' sweet embrace. And the _rram's peaceful dwellers, bird of song and spotted deer, Quaked to see the princely strangers in their warlike garb appear ! : Rama s_epped with valiant Lakshman, gentle Sita followed close, "rill behind the screening foliage hermits' peaceful dwellings rose, And they came to Bharad-vaja, anchorite and holy saint, Girt by true and iaithful pupils on his sacred duty bent. Famed for rites and lofty penance...