यः who, सर्वभूतानाम् for all beings, गतिः ultimate refuge, आत्मनः in his own, दुःखे distress, किं पुनः why again say, सः he, सत्त्वसम्पन्नः endowed with strength, रामः Rama, स्त्रिया by a woman, वनम् to forest, प्रव्राजितः has been exiled.
Meaning
Couldn't the mighty Rama who is the ultimate refuge of all beings protect himself in his own distress? That Rama has been exiled to the forest by a woman.
balavānvīryasampanno lakṣmaṇo nāma yo'pyasau| kiṃ na mocayate rāmṃ kṛtvā sma pitṛnigraham||2.78.3||
Translation
बलवान् strong, वीर्यसम्पन्नः endowed with prowess, लक्ष्मणो नाम Lakshmana by name, यः whoever, असौ अपि even himself, पितृनिग्रहम् restraint of father, कृत्वा having made, रामम् Rama, किम् why, न मोचयते स्म did not release?.
Meaning
And why did not Lakshmana who is strong and powerful release Rama from exile by restraining our father?
यः who, नार्याः woman's, वशम् the influence, गतः having come under, उत्पथम् upward course, समारूढः had climbed, राजा king, नयानयौ what was just or unjust, समवेक्ष्य having considered, पूर्वमेव in the first place, निग्राह्यः could have restrained.
Meaning
In the first place, the king could have restrained himself by reflecting on whether the course of action adopted by him under the influence of a woman was just or unjust.
iti sambhāṣamāṇe tu śatrughne lakṣmaṇānuje| prāgdvāre'bhūttadā kubjā sarvābharaṇabhūṣitā||2.78.5||
Translation
लक्ष्मणानुजे while the brother of Lakshmana, शत्रुघ्ने Satrughna, इति thus, सम्भाषमाणे was conversing, तदा then, कुब्जा hunchback Manthara, सर्वाभरणभूषिता wearing every kind of ornament, प्राग्द्वारे अभूत् arrived at the entrance.
Meaning
While Satrughna, brother of Lakshmana was conversing thus, the hunchback Manthara decorated with all kinds of ornaments arrived at the entrance.
चन्दनसारेण with essence of sandal, लिप्ता besmeared, राजवस्त्राणि royal garments, बिभ्रती wearing, विविधैः by various kinds of, तैस्तैः those particular, भूषणैश्च ornaments, विविधम् in many ways, विभूषिता was adorned.
Meaning
She had besmeared herself with the essence of sandal, had put on royal garments and adorned herself in many ways with every kind of ornament.
चित्रैः of different colours, मेखलादामभिः with girdle strings, अन्यैः by other, बहुभिः many, शुभभूषणैश्च with auspicious ornaments, बद्धा tied around, रज्जुबद्धा tied with cords, वानरीव like a female monkey, बभासे shone.
Meaning
Tied with colourful girdle strings and wearing many other auspicious ornaments, she looked like a female monkey tied with a rope.
yasyāḥ kṛte vane rāmo nyastadehaśca vḥ pitā| seyṃ pāpā nṛśṃsā ca tasyāḥ kuru yathāmati||2.78.9||
Translation
यस्याः कृते on whose acount, रामः Rama, वने in the forest, वः पिता your father, न्यस्तदेहश्च forsook his body, सा that, पापा sinful woman, नृशंसा च cruel also, इयम् this (Manthara), तस्याः to her, यथामति as you please, कुरु do.
Meaning
Here is that sinful, cruel woman on whose account Rama is in the forest and your father has forsaken his body. Do with her as it pleases you.
भृशदुःखितः deeply grieved, धृत व्रत: stern and steadfast in his vows, शत्रुघ्नश्च Satrughna also, तत् those, वचनम् words, आज्ञाय having known (heard), सर्वान् all, अन्तःपुरचरान् those moving in the inner apartment, इति thus, उवाच said.
Meaning
Intensely grieved to hear those words, Satrughna who was steadfast in his vows said to the inmates of the inner apartment:
यया by whom, भ्रात्रूणाम् of our brothers, मे my, पितुः of father, तीव्रम् intense, दुःखम् sorrow, उत्पादितम् has been caused, सा इयम् that she, नृशंसस्य of a malicious, कर्मणः actions, फलम् fruits, अश्नुताम् let her reap.
Meaning
Let this woman, who caused deep sorrow to our brothers and father, reap the fruit of her malicious actions.
evamuktvā tu tenāśu sakhījanasamāvṛtā| gṛhītā balavatkubjā sā tadgṛhamanādayat||2.78.12||
Translation
एवम् in this way, उक्त्वा having said, आशु quickly, तेन by him, बलवत् forcibly, गृहीता caught hold of, सखीजन समावृता surrounded by her companions, सा कुब्जा that hunchback, तत् गृहम् that house, अनादयत् reverberated with her cries.
Meaning
Saying thus, he forcibly caught hold of the hunchback amidst her companions when she filled the house with her cries.
ततः then, तस्याः her, सर्वः all, सखीजनः comapnions, शत्रुघ्नम् of Satrughna, क्रुद्धम् as enraged one, आज्ञाय having known, सुभृश सन्तप्तः extremely pained, सर्वशः in all directions, विपलायत ran fled.
Meaning
Perceiving the enraged Satrughna all her companions shook in terror and fled in different directions.
तस्याः her, सर्वः all, सखीजनः companions, अयम् this man, यथा in this way, समुपक्रान्तः began, नः us, निःशेषाम् leaving none, करिष्यति will do, आमन्त्रयत conversed with each other.
Meaning
All her companions conversed among themselves. The way he began, it looks he will finish all of us.
sānukrośāṃ vadānyāṃ ca dharmajñāṃ ca yaśasvinīm| kausalyāṃ śaraṇṃ yāma sā hi no'stu dhruvā gatiḥ||2.78.15||
Translation
सानुक्रोशाम् compassionate, वदान्यां च generous, धर्मज्ञाम् knower of righteousness, यशस्विनीम् illustrious, कौशल्याम् Kausalya, शरणं याम we seek refuge, सा that, नः for us, ध्रुवा surely, गतिः अस्तु is only saviour.
Meaning
Let us seek refuge under the illustrious Kausalya, who is compassionate, generous, and knower of righteousness. She is our sure saviour.
sa ca roṣeṇa tāmrākṣa śśatrughna śśatrutāpanḥ| vicakarṣa tadā kubjāṃ krośantīṃ dharaṇītale||2.78.16||
Translation
रोषेण in fury, ताम्राक्षः a man with blodshot eyes, शत्रुतापनः scorcher of enemies, सः शत्रुघ्नः that Satrughna, तदा then, क्रोशन्तीम् shrieking, कुब्जाम् hunchback, धरणीतले on the ground, विचकर्ष dragged.
Meaning
With bloodshot eyes Satrughna, the scorcher of enemies, dragged the shrieking hunchback down the ground in fury.
तस्याः that, मन्थरायाः Manthara, आकृष्यमाणायाः while being dragged, चित्रम् of various colours, बहुविधम् of many kinds, तत् that, भाण्डम् collection of ornaments, ततस्ततः here and there, व्यशीर्यत were scattered.
Meaning
While Manthara was being dragged by Satrughna, the collection of ornaments of many colours and of various kinds worn by her were broken and scattered here and there all over the ground.
tena bhāṇḍena sṃstīrṇṃ śrīmadrājaniveśanam| aśobhata tadā bhūyḥ śāradṃ gaganṃ yathā||2.78.18||
Translation
तेन by that, भाण्डेन with the collection of ornaments, संस्तीर्णम् strewn on the ground, श्रीमद्राजनिवेशनम् the resplendent royal palace, तदा then, शारदम् autumnal, गगनं यथा like the sky, भूयः greatly, अशोभत shone.
Meaning
The resplendent royal palace, strewn all over with several ornaments on the ground shone like the autumnal sky (studded with innumerable stars).
कैकेयी Kaikeyi, परुषैः by harsh, दुःखैः by grievous, तैः वाक्यैः with those words, भृशदुःखिता extremely distressed, शत्रुघ्नभयसंत्रस्ता afraid of calamity from Satrughna, पुत्रम् son Bharata, शरणम् for protection, आगता reached.
Meaning
Kaikeyi, deeply distressed at those harsh and grievous words was afraid of Satrughna and sought the protection of her son Bharata.
भरतः Bharata, क्रुद्धम् enraged one, तम् शत्रुघ्नम् addressing that Satrugna, इदम् these words, अब्रवीत् said, प्रमदाः women, सर्वभूतानाम् in all beings, अवध्याः should not to be killed, क्षम्यताम् may be pardoned.
Meaning
Bharata, addressing the enraged Satrughna said Of all beings a lady is not to be killed. Pardon her.
धार्मिकः righteous, रामः Rama, मातृघातकम् slayer of mother, माम् me, न असूयेद्यदि if he were not to accuse me, दुष्टचारिणीम् a woman of wicked deeds, पापाम् sinful, इमां कैकेयीम् this Kaikeyi, अहम् I, हन्याम् would have killed.
Meaning
If righteous Rama were not to accuse me of slaying a mother, I would have killed the sinful Kaikeyi of wicked deeds myself.
imāmapi hatāṃ kubjāṃ yadi jānāti rāghavḥ| tvāṃ ca māṃ ca hi dharmātmā nābhibhāṣiṣyate dhruvam||2.78.23||
Translation
धर्मात्मा righteous, राघवः Rama, इमाम् this, कुब्जाम् अपि hunchback also, हताम् as slain, जानाति यदि if he comes to know, ध्रुवम् surely, त्वां च you, मां च हि me also, नाभिभाषिष्यते will never talk (to us).
Meaning
If righteous Rama comes to know that this hunchback has been slain by us, he will certainly never talk to you or me.
सा मन्थरा that Manthara, कैकेय्याः Kaikeyi's, पादमूले at her feet, निपपात ह fell down, सुदुःखार्ता tormented with grief, निःश्वसन्ती heaving deep sighs, कृपणम् wretchedly, विललाप च lamented.
Meaning
Manthara, tormented with grief, fell at the feet of Kaikeyi and began heaving deep sighs.
भरतस्य Bharata's, माता mother, शत्रुघ्नविक्षेपविमूढसंज्ञाम् thrown down by Satrughna and lay sensesless, आर्तरूपाम् anguished, विलग्नाम् caught in a net, क्रौञ्चीमिव like a female krauncha bird, वीक्षमाणाम् looking in different directions, कुब्जाम् hunchback, समीक्ष्य having seen, शनैः gently, समाश्वासयत् consoled.
Meaning
. Seeing the hunchback thrown down by Satrughna and lying senseless and anguished like a female krauncha bird caught in a net looking in different directions, Kaikeyi gently soothed her. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टसप्ततितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the seventyeighth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.