Dasharatha Begs the Sun Not to Rise
Ayodhya Kanda, Chaupai 37
Doha 37 · Movement 1 of 2
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Dasharatha repeats Ram's name like a wingless bird. Inwardly he begs dawn not to come and prays that no messenger reach his son. O Sun, guru of Raghu's line, do not rise upon this sorrow.
Yet morning breaks. Veena, flute, conch, bards, and singers fill the palace gates, and every word of praise strikes the king like an arrow. Auspicious rites now seem like ornaments upon one walking toward a funeral pyre.
No one in Ayodhya has slept, but their sleeplessness is joyous longing to see Ram crowned. Inside, the king's sleeplessness is terror. One dawn enters two worlds, radiant to the city and merciless within the chamber.
The sun rises over a wakeful Ayodhya, answering the city's hope and refusing the king's desperate prayer.
Read the passage from the Manas
राम राम रट बिकल भुआलू। जनु बिनु पंख बिहंग बेहालू।। हृदयँ मनाव भोरु जनि होई। रामहि जाइ कहै जनि कोई।। उदउ करहु जनि रबि रघुकुल गुर। अवध बिलोकि सूल होइहि उर।। भूप प्रीति कैकइ कठिनाई। उभय अवधि बिधि रची बनाई।। बिलपत नृपहि भयउ भिनुसारा। बीना बेनु संख धुनि द्वारा।। पढ़हिं भाट गुन गावहिं गायक। सुनत नृपहि जनु लागहिं सायक।। मंगल सकल सोहाहिं न कैसें। सहगामिनिहि बिभूषन जैसें।। तेहिं निसि नीद परी नहि काहू। राम दरस लालसा उछाहू।।
The king kept repeating 'Rama! Rama!' in anguish, like a bird without wings, utterly helpless. In his heart he prayed: let not the dawn come, let no one go and tell Rama. O Sun, guru of Raghu's lineage, do not rise! Beholding Ayodhya will pierce your heart with sorrow. The king's love and Kaikeyi's cruelty: Vidhi (fate) has fashioned both these extremes with care. While the king lamented, dawn broke; the sounds of veena, flute, and conch filled the palace gates. The bards recite his glories, the singers sing his praise, yet each word strikes the king's heart like an arrow. All the auspicious rites seem out of place, like ornaments on a woman who walks toward the pyre with her lord. That whole night, no one in Ayodhya slept. All were restless with longing and joy at the prospect of seeing Rama.