Paumacariya 110
English (machine translation) 110
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110.1
Now, two gods there, curious, Ratnacūla and Maṇicūla, / came to test the affection between Rāma and Keśava.
110.2
"Hearing that Rāma is dead, what kind of gesture will Lakṣmaṇa make? / Will he grow angry, or will he depart, or what word will he utter?
110.3
Or else we shall look upon Lakṣmaṇa's moon-like face overwhelmed by sorrow." / Having held such conversation, they then entered the city of Sāketa.
110.4
In Rāma's palace, the gods produced a sound created by illusion, / the lamentation of noble young women: "Padma is dead, he is dead!"
110.5
Hearing the sound of Rāma's death and the wailing by the young women, / Lakṣmīdhara, despondent, then uttered these words:
110.6
"Alas, what indeed is this news?" As he said this, straightaway / life departed together with the speech of that abode of Lakṣmī.
110.7
Leaning against a golden pillar, his eyes unblinking, in that very state, / the disk-bearer was seen as if made of plaster.
110.8
Seeing Saumitri devoid of life, the noble gods, downcast in mind, / both overcome with shame, reproached themselves:
110.9
"Under the pretext of Lakṣmaṇa's death, by what we did here previously, / our own mind has become filled with burning remorse.
110.10
Struck by repentance, unable to give life back to him, / reproaching themselves, the gods set out for Saudharma.
110.11
For thoughtless men whose hearts are evil, / an act committed by themselves later brings burning remorse.
110.12
Not knowing the deed was done by the illusion of the noble gods, the young women, / thinking he was angry in a lover's quarrel, all together tried to appease their lord.
110.13
"Hear!" says one woman, arrogant with the pride of youth, "O lord! / By what wretched, wicked-minded woman were you angered?
110.14
In a lover's quarrel, O lord, whatever disrespect was spoken to you by her, / forgive that of ours now, and speak with sweet voice."
110.15
One of delicate limbs like an excellent lotus embraces him with deep affection; / another falls at his feet: "Believe me, O lord!"—speaking sweet words.
110.16
Taking a lute, one sings praise of his virtues with sweet sound, / an excellent song of the Gandharvas, to produce the pleasure of her beloved.
110.17
Having embraced him, one kisses his cheek, delightful to the mind, / and speaks again and again: "O our master, give us an answer!"
110.18
With a face like the full moon, dressed in ornaments, agitated with sidelong glances, / another dances charmingly before her beloved with loving emotion.
110.19
Though they performed these and hundreds of other such gestures, / it was understood to be useless, since their beloved was devoid of life.
110.20
Hearing that report from the mouth of spies, Rāma, agitated, / went in haste and reached that palace of Lakṣmaṇa.
110.21
Entering the inner apartments, he sees the face of Lakṣmīdhara / devoid of luster, bereft of beauty, resembling the morning moon.
110.22
Then Padma thinks: "Angered at me over some matter, / the disk-bearer does not stand up to greet me, but sits with disrespectful limbs."
110.23
Going with gentle steps, he smells his head with deep affection; / Padma says to his younger brother: "Why do you not give me an answer?"
110.24
Though knowing by the signs that Lakṣmaṇa's life was gone in that state, / nevertheless, filled with intense affection, he thought he was alive.
110.25
He does not smile, nor does he speak, nor does he breathe, devoid of movement; / and in such a state Saumitri was seen by Lord Rāma.
110.26
Padma, fallen into a faint and then revived, strokes his limbs; / even looking carefully, he does not see even a single scratch of a fingernail.
110.27
Then, to him who was in such a state, he who had the luster of a lotus summoned physicians / and had treatment performed with mantras and with herbs.
110.28
When Lakṣmaṇa did not recover movement through various mantras and herbs administered by the host of physicians, / then Rāghava fell into a faint.
110.29
Having somehow revived, Rāma, weeping, then utters a lament; / his eyes filled with tears, he was seen by the young women with a wretched countenance.
110.30
Meanwhile, all those women of Lakṣmaṇa, / their minds shattered and bewildered, beat their bodies and wept:
110.31
"Alas, O lord! Alas, of great fame! Rise up for us who are agitated! / You who are affectionate to those bowed in reverence, smiling, give an answer!
110.32
Alas, mine of virtues of courtesy, Padma stands in your presence; / angry at what from him do you not rise from your excellent seat?
110.33
Becoming gentle-minded, O lord, speak to those who have arrived at the assembly, / longing to see you, their minds downcast!
110.34
Alas, O lord, why do you not look upon the inner apartments lamenting in this way? / And why do you not comfort the wretched-faced people afflicted with sorrow?"
110.35
As the young women there, exceedingly afflicted with sorrow, wept, / whose heart was not moved to pity, whose throat did not become choked?
110.36
As the young women were thus weeping, the entire ground of the royal courtyard / was strewn with necklaces, bracelets, and other ornaments cast off [by them].
110.37
Meanwhile, hearing that Lakṣmaṇa had died, Lavana and Kuśa, filled with spiritual urgency, / steadfast, at that very moment became detached from pleasures.
110.38
They think: "Lakṣmaṇa, who was at the head of the battle even among gods, / capable with strength and heroism, powerful—how was he struck down by the enemy of Death?
110.39
Or what is to be done with this body, bereft of substance like a plantain stalk, / bringing suffering and evil rebirth to those who desire pleasures?"
110.40
Terrified of dwelling in the womb, having bowed to their father, filled with supreme spiritual urgency, / both steadfast youths set out for the Mahendrodaya garden.
110.41
Having taken refuge under the teacher named Amṛtarasa, / they renounced the world, becoming renowned for their fame and holders of supreme virtues.
110.42
Separation from his sons on the one hand, and the death of his brother on the other— / drawn into a great vortex of dense sorrow, Rāma fell into an ocean of grief.
110.43
His sons were dear to Rāma, and to his sons Saumitri was beloved; / at his separation, O king, Rāma became excessively distressed.
110.44
When, by the dispensation of karma, such a condition befalls all assembled kin, / good men of pure conduct here experience sorrow resembling detachment.
110.45
Thus ends the one hundred and tenth canto, named 'The Entering of the Penance-Grove by Lavaṇa and Kuśa', in the Paümacariya.
Linked texts (1)
- Paümacariya — Vimalasūri, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit