Sarga 1: Narada's Summary
Narada Samvada
Seed Ramayana — Narada narrates entire epic to Valmiki in 100 shlokas
Jump to a shloka · 89 in this sarga
स सत्यवचनाद्राजा धर्मपाशेन संयत: । विवासयामास सुतं रामं दशरथ: प्रियम् ।।1.1.23।।
Meaning
Bound by his own word and by the demands of righteousness, King Dasaratha sent his beloved son into exile.
स जगाम वनं वीर: प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्। पितुर्वचननिर्देशात्कैकेय्या: प्रियकारणात् ।।1.1.24।।
Meaning
That valiant Rama went to the forest, keeping his father's word and, for Kaikeyi's sake, obeying his father's command.
तं व्रजन्तं प्रियो भ्राता लक्ष्मणोऽनुजगाम ह । स्नेहाद्विनयसम्पन्नस्सुमित्रानन्दवर्धन: ।।1.1.25।। भ्रातरं दयितो भ्रातुस्सौभ्रात्रमनुदर्शयन् ।
Meaning
As Rama set out, his devoted brother Lakshmana -- the pride of his mother Sumitra -- followed him out of pure affection, proving true brotherhood in the act itself.
रामस्य दयिता भार्या नित्यं प्राणसमा हिता ।।1.1.26।। जनकस्य कुले जाता देवमायेव निर्मिता । सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्ना नारीणामुत्तमा वधू: ।।1.1.27।। सीताप्यनुगता रामं शशिनं रोहिणी यथा ।
Meaning
Sita went too -- Dasaratha's daughter-in-law, Rama's beloved wife, as dear to him as his own life, born into Janaka's royal line as if fashioned by some divine art, adorned with every auspicious mark, and the finest of women -- following Rama the way Rohini follows the moon.
पौरैरनुगतो दूरं पित्रा दशरथेन च ।।1.1.28।। शृङ्गिबेरपुरे सूतं गङ्गाकूले व्यसर्जयत् । गुहमासाद्य धर्मात्मा निषादाधिपतिं प्रियम् ।।1.1.29।। गुहेन सहितो रामो लक्ष्मणेन च सीतया ।
Meaning
The citizens and King Dasaratha himself accompanied them a long way before turning back. At Shringaverapura on the Ganga's bank, righteous Rama met Guha, the beloved chief of the Nishadas, sent his charioteer home, and crossed the river with Guha, Lakshmana, and Sita at his side.
ते वनेन वनं गत्वा नदीस्तीर्त्वा बहूदका: ।।1.1.30।। चित्रकूटमनुप्राप्य भरद्वाजस्य शासनात् । रम्यमावसथं कृत्वा रममाणा वने त्रय: ।।1.1.31।। देवगन्धर्वसङ्काशास्तत्र ते न्यवसन् सुखम् ।
Meaning
Moving from forest to forest and fording many a broad, swollen river, the three of them reached Chitrakuta on sage Bharadwaja's counsel, raised themselves a simple, pleasant dwelling, and lived there content, like gods or gandharvas at play.
चित्रकूटं गते रामे पुत्रशोकातुरस्तथा ।।1.1.32।। राजा दशरथस्स्वर्गं जगाम विलपन्सुतम् ।
Meaning
When Rama had gone on to Chitrakuta, King Dasaratha, undone by grief for his son, died still weeping for him -- and so passed on to heaven.
मृते तु तस्मिन्भरतो वसिष्ठप्रमुखैर्द्विजै: ।। 1.1.33।। नियुज्यमानो राज्याय नैच्छद्राज्यं महाबल:।
Meaning
After his death, though the priest Vasishtha and the other Brahmins urged mighty Bharata to take the throne, he refused it outright.
स जगाम वनं वीरो रामपादप्रसादक: ।। 1.1.34 ।।
Meaning
That brave prince went instead to the forest, to seek Rama's blessing and place himself at his brother's feet.
गत्वा तु सुमहात्मानं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् । अयाचद्भ्रातरं राममार्यभावपुरस्कृत: ।।1.1.35।। त्वमेव राजा धर्मज्ञ इति रामं वचोऽब्रवीत् ।
Meaning
Reaching truly valiant Rama and greeting him with all the reverence due an elder, Bharata pleaded: "You alone should be king, you who know what is right."