Introduction

A Brahmana named Jabali tries to persuade Rama to accept the kingdom by advocating the theory of Nastikas (non-believers), saying that he need not get attached to his father’s words and remain in the troublesome forest. Jabali requests Rama to enjoy the royal luxuries, by accepting the crown.

Verse 1

आश्वासयन्तम् भरतम् जाबालिर् ब्राह्मण उत्तमः |
उवाच रामम् धर्मज्नम् धर्म अपेतम् इदम् वचः || २-१०८-१

A brahmana called Jabali spoke the following unrighteous words to Rama, who knew righteousness and who was assuaging Bharata as aforesaid

1. brahmaNottamaH = A Brahmana; jaabaaliH = named Jabali; uvaacha = spoke; idam = the following; dharmaapetam = unrighteous; vachaH = words; raamam = to Rama; dharmajJNam = who knew righteousness; aashvaasayantam = and who was assuaging; bharatam = Bharata.

Verse 2

साधु राघव मा भूत् ते बुद्धिर् एवम् निरर्थका |
प्राकृतस्य नरस्य इव आर्य बुद्धेः तपस्विनः || २-१०८-२

“Enough, O Rama! Let not your wisdom be rendered void like a common man, you who are distinguished for your intelligence and virtue.”

2. raaghava = O; Rama!; saadhu = well!; maabhuut = Let not; buddhiH = your wisdom; nivarthikaa = be rendered void; narasyeva = like a common man; te = you; aarya buddheH = who are distinguished for your intelligence; manasvinaH = and virtue.

Verse 3

कः कस्य पुरुषो बन्धुः किम् आप्यम् कस्य केनचित् |
यद् एको जायते जन्तुर् एक एव विनश्यति || २-१०८-३

“Who is related to whom? What is there to be obtained by anything and by whom? Every creature is born alone and dies alone.”

3. kaH puruSaH = which person; bandhuH = is a relative; kasya = to whom?; kim = what; aapyam = can be obtained; kena chit = from whom; kasya = by whom? yat = because; jantuH = a living; being; jaayate = is born; ekaH = alone; vinashyati = and dies; eka eva = alone.

Verse 4

तस्मान् माता पिता च इति राम सज्जेत यो नरः |
उन्मत्त इव स ज्नेयो न अस्ति काचिद्द् हि कस्यचित् || २-१०८-४

“O, Rama! He who clings to another, saying, ‘This is my father, this is my mother, he should be known as one who has lost his wits. There is none who belongs to another.”

4. raama = O; Rama!; Tasmaat = hence; yaH naraH = which person; sajjeta = clings to another (saying); pitaa cheti = ‘this is my father; maataa = this is my mother; saH = he; vijJNeya = should be known; unmatta iva = as one who has lost his wits; naasti hi = there is none; kashchit = whosoever; (who belongs); kasya chit = to another.

Verse 5 & 6

यथा ग्राम अन्तरम् गग्च्छन् नरः कश्चिद् क्वचिद् वसेत् |
उत्सृज्य च तम् आवासम् प्रतिष्ठेत अपरे अहनि || २-१०८-५
एवम् एव मनुष्याणाम् पिता माता गृहम् वसु |
आवास मात्रम् काकुत्स्थ सज्जन्ते न अत्र सज्जनाः || २-१०८-६

“O, Rama! As one who passes the a strange village spends the night the and the next day leaves that place and continues his journey, so are mother, father, home and possessions to a man; they are but a resting place. The wise do not become attached to them”.

5; 6. kaakutthsa = O; Rama!; yathaa = as; kashchit = a certain; naraH = person; gachchhan = who passes; graamantaram = through a strange village; vaset = spends the night; kvachit = at that certain place; apare ahami = and the next day; utsR^ijya = leaves; tam aavaasam = that place; pratiSTheta = and continues is journey; evameva = so are; pitaa = father; maataa = mother; gR^iham = home; vasu = and possessions; manuSyaaNaam = to men; aavaasamaatram = they are but a resting place; sajjanaaH = the wise; na sajjante = do not become attached; atra = in this.

Verse 7

पित्र्यम् राज्यम् समुत्सृज्य स न अर्हति नर उत्तम |
आस्थातुम् कापथम् दुह्खम् विषमम् बहु कण्टकम् || २-१०८-७

“O, chief of men! You as such should not abandon your father’s kingdom in order to dwell in a lonely forest, that is excruciating hard to traverse and full of thorny thickets.”

7. narottama = O; chief of men!; saH = you as such; naarhasi = ought not; parityajya = abandon; pitrayam = your father’s; raajyam = kingdom; aasthaatum = in order to dwell; kaapatham = in a lonely forest; duHkham = that is painful; viSamam = hard to traverse; bahukaN^Takam = and full of thorny thickets.

Verse 8

समृद्धायाम् अयोध्यायाम् आत्मानम् अभिषेचय |
एक वेणी धरा हि त्वाम् नगरी सम्प्रतीक्षते || २-१०८-८

“Get yourself crowned in the prosperous kingdom of Ayodhya. That city is waiting for you, with your locks duly unfound.”

8. aatmaanaam abhiSechaya = get yourself crowned; samR^iddhaayaam = in the prosperous; ayodhyaayaam = kingdom of Ayodhya; nagarii = that city; sampratiikSate = is waiting; tvaam = fro you; eka veNiidharaa = with your locks unfound.

Verse 9

राज भोगान् अनुभवन् महा अर्हान् पार्थिव आत्मज |
विहर त्वम् अयोध्यायाम् यथा शक्रः त्रिविष्टपे || २-१०८-९

“O, prince! Enjoy the royal luxuries worthy of you. Move around in Ayodhya as Indra the Lord of celestials does in heaven!”

9. paarthivaatmaja = O; prince! tvam = you; anubhavan = enjoy; raaja bhogaan = the royal luxuries; mahaarhaan = worthy of you; vihara move; ayodhyaayaam = in Ayodhya; shakraH yathaa = as Indra the Lord of Celestials; triviSTape (moves in) heaven!

Verse 10

न ते कश्चिद् दशरतहः त्वम् च तस्य न कश्चन |
अन्यो राजा त्वम् अन्यः च तस्मात् कुरु यद् उच्यते || २-१०८-१०

“Dasaratha is none to you nor you in anyway to him. That king is another and your are another. Hence, do what is told by me?”

10. dasharathaH = Dasaratha; na kashchit = is none; te = to you; na = nor; tvam cha = you; kashcana = in anyway; tasya = to him; saH raaja = that king; anyaH = is another; tvam = and you; anyaH = are another; tasmaat = hence; kuru = do; yat = what is uchyate = told (by me).

Verse 11

बीजमात्रम् पिता जन्तोः शुक्लं रुधिरमेव च |
संयुक्तमृतुमन्मात्रा पुरुषस्येह जन्म तत् || २-१०८-११

“The father is only the seed of a being. The sperm and the ovum blend at the right time in the mother’s womb, so that a human being is born in this world.”

11. pitaa = the father; biija maatram = is only the seed; jantoH = of a being; shuklam = the sperm; rudhirameva cha\ and the ovum; samyuktam = blend; R^itumat = at the right time; maatraa = in the mother’s womb; tat = so that; puruSasya = man; janma = is born; iha = in this world.

Verse 12

गतः स नृपतिः तत्र गन्तव्यम् यत्र तेन वै |
प्रवृत्तिर् एषा मर्त्यानाम् त्वम् तु मिथ्या विहन्यसे || २-१०८-१२

“The king has gone, where he had to go. This is the fate of all being unnecessarily, you are still frustrated over the matter.”

12. saH nR^ipatiH = that king; gataH = has gone; yatra = where; tena = he; gantavyam = had to go; eSaa = this; pravR^ittiH = is the fate; martyaanaam = of (all) beings; mithyaa = unnecessarily; tvam tu = you are still; vihanyase = frustrated.

Verse 13

अर्थ धर्म परा ये ये तामः तान् शोचामि न इतरान् |
ते हि दुह्खम् इह प्राप्य विनाशम् प्रेत्य भेजिरे || २-१०८-१३

“I pity all those whosoever, devoted to wealth and religious merit, not other (who are devoted to sense-enjoyment), for, they, having undergone suffering in this life, have met with extermination after death.”

13. shochaami = I pity; taamstaan = all those; ye ye = whosoever; artha dharmaparaaH = devoted to wealth and religious merit; na = not; itaraan = others (who are devoted to sense-enjoyment); te = for; they; praapya = having undergone; duHkham = suffering; iham = in this life; bhejire = they have met with; vinaasham = extermination; pretya = after death.

Verse 14

अष्टका पितृ दैवत्यम् इत्य् अयम् प्रसृतो जनः |
अन्नस्य उपद्रवम् पश्य मृतो हि किम् अशिष्यति || २-१०८-१४

“These people say, ‘The eighth day should be given up to sacrifices for the spirits of our ancestors.’ See the waste of food. What will a dead man eat?”

14. ayam = these; janaH = people; prasR^itaH = say; iti = that; aSTakaa = the eight day; pitR^idaivatyam = should be given up to sacrifices for the spirits of our ancestors; pashya = see; upadravam = the waste annasya = of food; kim = what; mR^itaH = (will) a dead man; ashiSyati = eat?

Verse 15

यदि भुक्तम् इह अन्येन देहम् अन्यस्य गग्च्छति |
दद्यात् प्रवसतः श्राद्धम् न तत् पथ्य् अशनम् भवेत् || २-१०८-१५

“If food eaten by one here, reaches another’s body, then let a sacrifice be offered for those who are setting out on a distant journey. Will it not become a food on their path?”

15. yadi bhuktam = If food eaten; anyena = by one; iha = here; gachchhati = reaches; anyasya = another’s; deham = body; shraaddham = (then let) a sacrifice; dadyaat = be offered; pravasataH = for those who are setting out on a distant journey; tat na bhavet = will it not become; ashanam = a food; pathi = on their path?

Verse 16

दान सम्वनना ह्य् एते ग्रन्था मेधाविभिः कृताः |
यजस्व देहि दीक्षस्व तपः तप्यस्व सम्त्यज || २-१०८-१६

“Perform sacrifices, distribute gifts, consecrate yourselves, practise ansterity and renunciation’ – These writings are composed by learned men for the sake of inducing others to give.

16. yajasva = perform sacrifices dehi = distribute gifts; diikSasva = consecrate yourselves; tapyasva = practise; tapaH = austerity; samtyaja = and renunciation; ete = there granthaaH = writings; kR^itaaH = are composed; medhaavibhiH = by learned men; daana samvananaaH = for the sake of inducing others to give.

Verse 18

सताम् बुद्धिम् पुरः कृत्य सर्व लोक निदर्शिनीम् |
राज्यम् त्वम् प्रतिगृह्णीष्व भरतेन प्रसादितः || २-१०८-१८

“Honour the judgment of the wise and regarding that which is approved by all, accept the kingdom as propitiated by Bharata.”

18. puraskR^itya = honour; taam buddhim = that judgment of the wise; sarva loker nidarshiniim = and regarding that which is approved by all; pratigR^ihNiiSva = accept; raajyam = the kingdom; prasaaditaH = a propitiated; bharatena = by Bharata.

Verse 17

स न अस्ति परम् इत्य् एव कुरु बुद्धिम् महा मते |
प्रत्यक्षम् यत् तद् आतिष्ठ परोक्षम् पृष्ठतः कुरु || २-१०८-१७

“O, the highly wise! Arrive at a conclusion, therefore, that there is nothing beyond this Universe. Give precedence to that which meets the eye and turn your back on what is beyond our knowledge.”

17. mahaamate = O; the highly wise!; saH = you as such; kuru = arrive at; buddhim = a conclusion; naasti ityeva = that there is nothing; param = beyond this universe; aatiSTha = give precedence; tat = to that; yat = which; pratyakSam = meets the eye; pR^iSThataH kuru = and turn your back; parokSam = on what is beyond our knowledge.