SRI AUROBINDO

Translations

from Sanskrit and Other Languages

Ramayana

Speech of Dussaruth to the Assembled States-General of His Empire¹

Then with a far reverberating sound

As of a cloud in heaven or war-drum’s call

Deep-voiced to battle and with echoings

In the wide roof of his majestic voice

That like the resonant surges onward rolled

Moving men’s hearts to joy, a King to Kings

He spoke and all they heard him.

“It is known

To you, O princes, how this noblest realm

Was by my fathers ruled, the kings of old

Who went before me, even as one dearest son

Is by his parents cherished; therefore I too

Would happier leave than when my youth assumed

Their burden, mankind, my subjects, and this vast

World-empire of the old Ikshwacou² kings.

Lo, I have trod in those imperial steps

My fathers left, guarding with sleepless toil

The people while strength was patient in this frame

O’erburdened with the large majestic world.

But now my body broken is and old,

Aging³ beneath the shadow of the white

Canopy imperial and outworn with long

Labouring for the good of all mankind.

My people, Nature fails me! I have lived

Thousands of years and many lives of men

And all my worn heart wearies for repose.

Weary am I of bearing up this heavy

Burden austere of the great world, duties

Not sufferable by souls undisciplined:

O folk, to rest from greatness I desire.

Therefore with your august, assembled will,

O powers and O twice-born nations, I

Would share with Rama this great kingdom’s crown,

Rama, my warrior son, son by⁴ kingly birth

And by gifts⁵ inherited confessed my son,

Rama, a mighty nation’s joy. Less fair,

Yoked with his favouring constellation bright,

The regent moon shall be than Rama’s face,

When morn upon his crowning smiles. O folk,

Say then shall Luxman’s brother be your lord,

Glory’s high favourite who empire breathes?

Yea, if the whole vast universe should own

My son for king, it would be kinged indeed

And regal: Lords, of such desirable

Fortune I would possess this⁶ mother of men;

Then would I be at peace, at last repose

Transferring to such shoulders Earth. Pronounce

If I have nobly planned, if counselled well;

Grant me your high permissive voices; people,

But if my narrower pleasure, private hope,

Of welfare general the smooth disguise

Have in your censure donned, then let the folk

Themselves advise their monarch or command.

For other is disinterested thought

And by the clash of minds dissimilar

Counsel increases.”

Then with a deep sound

As when a cloud with rain and thunder armed

Invades the skies, the jewelled peacocks loud

Clamour, assembled monarchs praised their king.

And like a moving echo came the voice

Of the great commons answering them, a thunder

And one exultant roar. Earth seemed to rock

Beneath the noise. Thus by their Emperor high

Admitted to his will great conclave was

Of clergy and of captains and of kings

And of the people of the provinces

And of the people metropolitan: all these

Deliberated and became one mind.

Resolved, they answered then their aged king.

¹ Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2, 1-20.

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² 1999 ed. CWSA, volume 5: Ixvaacou

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³ 1999 ed. CWSA, volume 5: Ageing

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⁴ 1999 ed. CWSA, volume 5: son, by

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⁵ 1999 ed. CWSA, volume 5: And gifts

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⁶ 1999 ed. CWSA, volume 5: the

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