Sarga 5¶

Vairāgya Prakaraṇa · Śrī Rāma's dejection (15 verses)

Sarga 5 at a glance

Vālmīki continues his account to Bharadvāja.

At not yet sixteen, Śrī Rāma grows thin, pale and silent after his pilgrimage (1.5.1–1.5.8).
His brothers and parents fall into the same worry; Rāma tells his father, "I have no sorrow" (1.5.9–1.5.12).
Daśaratha asks Vasiṣṭha, who says there is a reason: the great are moved only by great causes (1.5.13–1.5.15).

This is the Yoga Vasiṣṭha's counterpart to the first chapter of the Gītā, the despondency of Arjuna.

Verse 1.5.1¶

श्रीवाल्मीकिरुवाच ।
अथोनषोडशे वर्षे वर्तमाने रघूद्वहे ।
रामानुयायिनि तथा शत्रुघ्ने लक्ष्मणेऽपि च ॥ १.५.१ ॥

अथ (now) रघु-उद्वहे (when the upholder of the Raghus, Rāma) ऊन-षोडशे वर्षे वर्तमाने (was in his sixteenth year, not yet sixteen), तथा राम-अनुयायिनि लक्ष्मणे शत्रुघ्ने अपि च (and likewise Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna, his followers) …

Translation: Vālmīki said: Now, when Rāma was not yet sixteen, and likewise Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna who followed him …

Pointers for Reflection:

Not yet sixteen. The great questions of the Yoga Vasiṣṭha are asked by a teenager — questions worth asking, in the text's own words.
The sentence continues through 1.5.4.

Verse 1.5.2¶

भरते संस्थिते नित्यं मातामहगृहे सुखम् ।
पालयत्यवनिं राज्ञि यथावदखिलाभिमाम् ॥ १.५.२ ॥

भरते (while Bharata) मातामह-गृहे (at his maternal grandfather's home) नित्यं सुखं संस्थिते (was living happily all along), राज्ञि (while the king) इमाम् अखिलाम् अवनिं (this whole earth) यथावत् पालयति (was ruling well) …

Translation: … while Bharata was living happily at his grandfather's house, and the king was ruling the whole earth well …

Pointers for Reflection:

Everything is in order. Bharata is happy, the kingdom is ruled well. Rāma's crisis has no outer cause.

Verse 1.5.3¶

जन्यत्रार्थं च पुत्राणां प्रत्यहं सह मन्त्रिभिः ।
कृतमन्त्रे महाप्राज्ञे तज्ज्ञे दशरथे नृपे ॥ १.५.३ ॥

महा-प्राज्ञे तत्-ज्ञे दशरथे नृपे (while the wise King Daśaratha, who knew such matters) पुत्राणां जन्यत्र-अर्थं च (for his sons' marriages) प्रत्यहं मन्त्रिभिः सह कृत-मन्त्रे (was consulting daily with his ministers) …

Translation: … and while wise King Daśaratha was consulting daily with his ministers about his sons' marriages …

Pointers for Reflection:

Life moving forward. The father plans marriages, the next stage of a householder's life. At this very moment the son begins to withdraw from life.
Reading note. जन्यत्र is read here as "wedding arrangements"; the online translation takes it as "the birth of sons". Check your printed edition and commentary.

Verse 1.5.4¶

कृतायां तीर्थयात्रायां रामो निजगृहे स्थितः ।
जगामानुदिनं कार्श्यं शरदीवामलं सरः ॥ १.५.४ ॥

तीर्थ-यात्रायां कृतायां (after the pilgrimage was over) निज-गृहे स्थितः रामः (Rāma, staying at home) अनुदिनं कार्श्यं जगाम (grew thinner day by day), शरदि अमलं सरः इव (like a clear lake in autumn).

Translation: … Rāma, now home after his pilgrimage, grew thinner day by day, like a clear lake shrinking in autumn.

Pointers for Reflection:

The turn. After all the joy of Sarga 4, a single verse changes everything. The lake is clear (अमल) — Rāma's mind is pure — yet it is drying up.
Autumn. The season of ripening and of falling leaves. Rāma's dispassion is a kind of ripening.

Verse 1.5.5¶

कुमारस्य विशालाक्षं पाण्डुतां मुखमाददे ।
पाकफुल्लदलं शुक्लं सालिमालमिवाम्बुजम् ॥ १.५.५ ॥

कुमारस्य (the prince's) विशाल-अक्षं मुखं (wide-eyed face) पाण्डुताम् आददे (turned pale), पाक-फुल्ल-दलं शुक्लं स-अलि-मालम् अम्बुजम् इव (like a white lotus with full-blown petals, ringed by bees).

Translation: The prince's wide-eyed face grew pale, like a white lotus, its petals fully open, with a ring of bees around it.

Pointers for Reflection:

The pale lotus. Even in his sadness, Rāma is described with beauty. The bees, perhaps, are his dark eyes; perhaps the worried people around him.
The body shows the mind. Rāma's inner state appears on his face before he says a word.

Verse 1.5.6¶

कपोलतलसंलीनपाणिः पद्मासनस्थितः ।
चिन्तापरवशस्तूष्णीमव्यापारो बभूव ह ॥ १.५.६ ॥

कपोल-तल-संलीन-पाणिः (his hand resting on his cheek) पद्म-आसन-स्थितः (sitting in lotus posture) चिन्ता-परवशः (overcome by thought) तूष्णीम् अव्यापारः बभूव ह (he became silent and inactive).

Translation: Sitting in the lotus posture, his cheek resting on his hand, overcome by thought, he became silent and stopped all activity.

Pointers for Reflection:

Rāma becomes Kāruṇya and Arjuna. Silent (तूष्णीम्), inactive (अव्यापार), overcome. Recall Kāruṇya (1.1.11) and Arjuna in Gītā 2.9: saying "I will not fight", he fell silent.
Gītā 1.47:
- एवमुक्त्वार्जुनः सङ्ख्ये रथोपस्थ उपाविशत् । विसृज्य सशरं चापं शोकसंविग्नमानसः ॥
- Having spoken thus on the battlefield, Arjuna sat down in his chariot, putting aside his bow and arrows, his mind overwhelmed with sorrow.
- Both great teachings begin with a hero who sits down and stops. Sarga 5 is the Yoga Vasiṣṭha's अर्जुनविषादयोग, its "yoga of despondency".
The lotus posture. Even in despair, Rāma sits like a meditator. His sadness is already turned inward.

Verse 1.5.7¶

कृशाङ्गश्चिन्तया युक्तः खेदी परमदुर्मनाः ।
नोवाच कस्यचित्किंचिल्लिपिकर्मार्पितोपमः ॥ १.५.७ ॥

कृश-अङ्गः (thin of body) चिन्तया युक्तः (absorbed in thought) खेदी (weary) परम-दुर्मनाः (deeply dejected) लिपि-कर्म-अर्पित-उपमः (like a figure in a painting) कस्यचित् किञ्चित् न उवाच (said nothing to anyone).

Translation: Thin, absorbed in thought, weary and deeply dejected, he said nothing to anyone, still as a figure in a painting.

Pointers for Reflection:

Gītā 2.1: तं तथा कृपयाविष्टमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् । विषीदन्तमिदं वाक्यमुवाच मधुसूदनः ॥ — to him, overcome with pity, his eyes full of tears, despondent, Kṛṣṇa spoke these words. In the Gītā, the Lord speaks at once. Here, no one yet knows what to say.
A painted figure. Motionless, outwardly present, inwardly elsewhere. The image will recur when the text describes the world itself as a painting on consciousness.

Verse 1.5.8¶

खेदात्परिजनेनासौ प्रार्थ्यमानः पुनः पुनः ।
चकाराह्निकमाचारं परिम्लानमुखाम्बुजः ॥ १.५.८ ॥

परिजनेन (by his attendants) खेदात् (out of distress) पुनः पुनः प्रार्थ्यमानः (urged again and again) असौ (he) परिम्लान-मुख-अम्बुजः (his lotus face withered) आह्निकम् आचारं चकार (performed his daily duties).

Translation: Urged again and again by his worried attendants, he would perform his daily duties, his lotus face withered.

Pointers for Reflection:

Duty without heart. Rāma still does what is required, but only when pressed. Compare 1.10.10, where his servants describe this in detail.
A familiar state. Many people know this: going through the motions while the meaning has drained away. The text takes such a state seriously, as the beginning of inquiry.

Verse 1.5.9¶

एवंगुणविशिष्टं तं रामं गुणगणाकरम् ।
आलोक्य भ्रातरावस्य तामेवाययतुर्दशाम् ॥ १.५.९ ॥

एवं-गुण-विशिष्टं (marked by such a condition) गुण-गण-आकरं (a mine of virtues) तं रामम् आलोक्य (seeing that Rāma) अस्य भ्रातरौ (his two brothers) ताम् एव दशाम् आययतुः (fell into the same state).

Translation: Seeing Rāma, that mine of virtues, in this condition, his two brothers fell into the same state.

Pointers for Reflection:

Dispassion spreads. The brothers follow Rāma into dejection, as they followed him on pilgrimage. Compare 1.10.28, where they are called his reflections.
A question to sit with. Do I take on the moods of those I love, without knowing why?

Verse 1.5.10¶

तथा तेषु तनूजेषु खेदवत्सु कृशेषु च ।
सपत्नीको महीपालश्चिन्ताविवशतां ययौ ॥ १.५.१० ॥

तथा तेषु तनूजेषु (as those sons) खेदवत्सु कृशेषु च (were downcast and thin) स-पत्नीकः महीपालः (the king with his queens) चिन्ता-विवशतां ययौ (was overcome with worry).

Translation: As his sons grew downcast and thin, the king and his queens were overcome with worry.

Pointers for Reflection:

A whole family troubled. One person's inner crisis moves through the household. The Yoga Vasiṣṭha sees inner life as never purely private.

Verse 1.5.11¶

का ते पुत्र घना चिन्तेत्येवं रामं पुनः पुनः ।
अपृच्छत्स्निग्धया वाचा नैवाकथयदस्य सः ॥ १.५.११ ॥

पुत्र (son), का ते घना चिन्ता (what is this heavy worry of yours)? इति एवं (thus) स्निग्धया वाचा (in an affectionate voice) रामं पुनः पुनः अपृच्छत् (he asked Rāma again and again); सः अस्य न एव अकथयत् (but Rāma told him nothing).

Translation: "Son, what is this heavy worry?" the king asked Rāma again and again, in an affectionate voice. But Rāma told him nothing.

Pointers for Reflection:

Love that cannot reach. The father asks lovingly; the son cannot answer. Some questions cannot be put into words until one meets the right listener (Vasiṣṭha, in Sargas 11 onward).
Arjuna could speak; Rāma cannot. In the Gītā, Arjuna pours out his grief. Rāma's grief is so deep it has no words yet.

Verse 1.5.12¶

न किंचित्तात मे दुःखमित्युक्त्वा पितुरङ्कगः ।
रामो राजीवपत्राक्षस्तूष्णीमेव स्म तिष्ठति ॥ १.५.१२ ॥

तात (dear father), मे दुःखं न किञ्चित् (I have no sorrow at all) इति उक्त्वा (having said) राजीव-पत्र-अक्षः रामः (lotus-eyed Rāma) पितुः अङ्क-गः (sitting on his father's lap) तूष्णीम् एव स्म तिष्ठति (remained silent).

Translation: "Dear father, I have no sorrow at all," said lotus-eyed Rāma, and sat silently on his father's lap.

Pointers for Reflection:

"I have no sorrow." Perhaps a gentle untruth to spare his father. Perhaps true in a deeper way: his is not personal grief over a loss, but a question about all of life.
On his father's lap. At not yet sixteen, Rāma is still a son on his father's lap. The great inquiry begins in a very human setting.
Recall 1.5.6: the same word तूष्णीम्, silence, returns.

Verse 1.5.13¶

ततो दशरथो राजा रामः किं खेदवानिति ।
अपृच्छत्सर्वकार्यज्ञं वसिष्ठं वदतां वरम् ॥ १.५.१३ ॥

ततः (then) दशरथः राजा (King Daśaratha) रामः किं खेदवान् इति (why is Rāma downcast?) सर्व-कार्य-ज्ञं वदतां वरं वसिष्ठम् अपृच्छत् (asked Vasiṣṭha, who knew all matters and was the best of speakers).

Translation: Then King Daśaratha put a question to Vasiṣṭha, foremost of speakers, who knew the right course in every affair: "What has made Rāma so weary at heart?"

Pointers for Reflection:

The king turns to the teacher. When love cannot help, the family turns to wisdom. This is the moment Vasiṣṭha steps into Rāma's story as more than an adviser.
वदतां वर — best of speakers. Vasiṣṭha's gift is the right word. The whole Yoga Vasiṣṭha will be his words.

Verse 1.5.14¶

इत्युक्तश्चिन्तयित्वा स वसिष्ठमुनिना नृपः ।
अस्त्यत्र कारणं श्रीमन्मा राजन्दुःखमस्तु ते ॥ १.५.१४ ॥

इति उक्तः (thus addressed) सः वसिष्ठ-मुनिः (that sage Vasiṣṭha) चिन्तयित्वा (having reflected) नृपम् [उवाच] ([said] to the king): श्रीमन् (glorious one), अत्र कारणम् अस्ति (there is a reason for this); राजन् (O king), ते दुःखं मा अस्तु (do not be troubled).

Translation: Thus asked, the sage Vasiṣṭha reflected and said to the king: "Glorious one, there is a reason for this. Do not be troubled, O king."

Pointers for Reflection:

Vasiṣṭha reflects first (चिन्तयित्वा). The teacher does not answer at once; he considers.
"There is a reason." Vasiṣṭha sees that Rāma's state is not a sickness but a meaningful turn. What looks like a problem may be the beginning of awakening.
Reading note. The printed line reads वसिष्ठमुनिना नृपः, which literally makes the king the one "addressed by the sage". The sense, clear from what follows, is that Vasiṣṭha reflected and replied. Check your printed edition.

Verse 1.5.15¶

कोपं विषादकलनां विततं च हर्षं नाल्पेन कारणवशेन वहन्ति सन्तः ।
सर्गेण संहृतिजवेन विना जगत्यां भूतानि भूप न महान्ति विकारवन्ति ॥ १.५.१५ ॥

भूप (O king), सन्तः (the wise) अल्पेन कारण-वशेन (from some small cause) कोपं (anger) विषाद-कलनां (despondency) विततं हर्षं च (or great joy) न वहन्ति (do not show). जगत्यां (in the world) महान्ति भूतानि (great beings) सर्गेण संहृति-जवेन विना (without [a cause as great as] creation or the rush of dissolution) न विकारवन्ति (do not change).

Translation: "The wise do not fall into anger, despondency or great joy from small causes, O king. In this world, great beings are not moved except by something as great as creation or dissolution."

Pointers for Reflection:

Rāma's sadness has a great cause. Vasiṣṭha tells the king: a great soul is not upset by trifles. If Rāma is moved, something as vast as the nature of existence itself is moving him.
Gītā 2.56:
- दुःखेष्वनुद्विग्नमनाः सुखेषु विगतस्पृहः । वीतरागभयक्रोधः स्थितधीर्मुनिरुच्यते ॥
- Unshaken in sorrow, free of craving in pleasure, free of passion, fear and anger — such a one is called a sage of steady mind.
- The wise are not shaken by small things. Rāma's sorrow, then, is not small.
A closing verse in a longer metre, ending the sarga with Vasiṣṭha's first teaching words in the story.
A question to sit with. What moves me? Small causes, or great ones?