All 50 Uses of
lament
in
The Ramayana
- There sate before Válmíki's eyes The Father of the earth and skies; But still the hermit's thoughts were bent On one thing only, all intent On that poor curlew's mournful fate Lamenting for her slaughtered mate; And still his lips, in absent mood, The verse that told his grief, renewed: "Woe to the fowler's impious hand That did the deed that folly planned; That could to needless death devote The curlew of the tuneful throat!"†
Book 1
- The treaty, Tára's wild lament; The rainy nights in watching spent.†
Book 1
- 's arm and Rudra's too: Indra's fierce bolt that all destroys; That which the Lord of Herds employs: The Human, that which minstrels keep, The deadly Lure, the endless Sleep: The Yawner, and the dart which charms; Lament and Torture, fearful arms: The Terrible, the dart which dries, The Thunderbolt which quenchless flies, And Fate's dread net, and Brahmá's noose, And that which waits for Varu?†
Book 1
- Manthará's Lament.†
Book 2
- Dasaratha's Lament.†
Book 2
- Kausalyá's Lament.†
Book 2
- But in the monarch's palace, when Sped from the bower that lord of men, Up from the weeping women went A mighty wail and wild lament: "Ah, he who ever freely did His duty ere his sire could bid, Our refuge and our sure defence, This day will go an exile hence, He on Kausalyá loves to wait Most tender and affectionate, And as he treats his mother, thus From childhood has he treated us.†
Book 2
- Their lamentation, mixed with tears, Smote with new grief the monarch's ears, Who, burnt with woe too great to bear, Fell on his couch and fainted there.†
Book 2
- What woman can be doomed to pine In misery more sore than mine, Whose hopeless days must still be spent In grief that ends not and lament?†
Book 2
- While fires of woe consumed her, such Her sad appeal, lamenting much; Then with a wild cry, anguish-wrung, About her husband's neck she clung.†
Book 2
- The People's Lament.†
Book 2
- Throughout the spacious hall up went A thousand women's wild lament: "Ah Ráma!" thus they wailed and wept, And anklets tinkled as they stepped Around his body, weeping, threw Their loving arms the brothers two, And then, with Sítá's gentle aid, The king upon a couch was laid.†
Book 2
- Then straight, like curlews' cries, upwent The voices of their wild lament, While, as he bade farewell, the crowd Of royal women wept aloud, And through the ample hall's extent.†
Book 2
- Where erst the sound of tabour, blent With drum and shrill-toned instrument, In joyous concert rose, Now rang the sound of wailing high, The lamentation and the cry, The shriek, the choking sob, the sigh That told the ladies' woes.†
Book 2
- As thus the son of Raghu went Forth for his dreary banishment, Chill numbing grief the town assailed, All strength grew weak, all spirit failed, Ayodhyá through her wide extent Was filled with tumult and lament: Steeds neighed and shook the bells they bore, Each elephant returned a roar.†
Book 2
- The Citizens' Lament.†
Book 2
- But then the ladies' bower was rent With cries of weeping and lament: "Where goes he now, our lord, the sure Protector of the friendless poor, In whom the wretched and the weak Defence and aid were wont to seek?†
Book 2
- Dasaratha's Lament.†
Book 2
- Thus pouring forth laments, the king Girt by the people's crowded ring, Entered the noble bower like one New-bathed when funeral rites are done.†
Book 2 *
- With choking sobs and voice half spent The king renewed his sad lament: With broken utterance faint and low Scarce could he speak these words of woe: "My steps to Ráma's mother guide, And place me by Kausalyá's side: There, only there my heart may know Some little respite from my woe."†
Book 2
- In grief he tossed his arms on high Lamenting with a piteous cry: "O Ráma, Ráma," thus said he, "My son, thou hast forsaken me.†
Book 2
- Kausalyá's Lament.†
Book 2
- Kausalyá ceased her sad lament, Of beauteous dames most excellent.†
Book 2
- Why dost thou shed these tears of woe With bitter grief lamenting so?†
Book 2
- Still more attached his followers grew, As Ráma, with his brother, drew The people with his virtues' ties, Lamenting all with tear-dimmed eyes.†
Book 2
- As wailed the aged Bráhmans, bent To turn him back, with wild lament, Seemed Tamasá herself to aid, Checking his progress, as they prayed.†
Book 2
- Bereft of Ráma good and wise, With drooping cheer and weeping eyes, Each woe-distracted sage gave vent To sorrow in his wild lament: "Woe worth the sleep that stole our sense With its beguiling influence, That now we look in vain for him Of the broad chest and stalwart limb!†
Book 2
- The Women's Lament.†
Book 2
- Lakshman's Lament.†
Book 2
- While thus the hero mighty-souled, In wild lament his sorrow told, Faint with the load that on him lay, The hours of darkness passed away.†
Book 2
- Ráma's Lament.†
Book 2
- To him, when ceased his loud lament, Like fire whose brilliant might is spent, Or the great sea when sleeps the wave, Thus Lakshma? consolation gave: "Chief of the brave who bear the bow, E'en now Ayodhyá, sunk in woe, By thy departure reft of light Is gloomy as the moonless night.†
Book 2
- Dasaratha's Lament.†
Book 2
- But still she gave her sorrow vent: "Ah Ráma," was her shrill lament, "My love, my son, my son!"†
Book 2
- Kausalyá's Lament.†
Book 2
- When I, by love of duty stirred, That touching lamentation heard, Pierced to the heart by sudden woe, I threw to earth my shafts and bow.†
Book 2
- I drew the arrow from the rent, And up to heaven the hermit went, Lamenting, as from earth he passed, His aged parents to the last.†
Book 2
- The Women's Lament.†
Book 2
- Bharat's Lament.†
Book 2
- With loud lament a while he plained, And slowly strength and sense regained.†
Book 2
- Thus he lay and still bewailed With sighs and loud lament Till all his strength and reason failed, The hours of night were spent.†
Book 2
- Then weeping, faint, with loud lament, Down Sarjú's shelving bank they went.†
Book 2
- Faint with lamenting, sad and worn, Each like a bull with broken horn, The brothers in their wild despair Lay rolling, mad with misery, there.†
Book 2
- As royal Bharat thus gave vent To bitter grief in wild lament, Gazing upon his face the crowd Of pitying women wept aloud.†
Book 2
- His lamentation scarce was o'er, When Saint Vasish? ha, skilled in lore Of royal duty, dear to fame, To join the great assembly came.†
Book 2
- E'en now perhaps, with toil o'erspent, The women cease their loud lament, And cries of woe no longer ring Throughout the palace of the king.†
Book 2
- Thus Bharat stood with many a sigh Lamenting, and the night went by.†
Book 2
- The steadfast Ráma, when he viewed His glorious brother's mournful mood, With each ambitious thought controlled, Thus the lamenting prince consoled: "I cannot do the things I will, For Ráma is but mortal still.†
Book 2
- Then for thyself lament and leave For death of other men to grieve, For if thou go or if thou stay, Thy life is shorter day by day.†
Book 2
- As one might stand upon the way And to a troop of travellers say: "If ye allow it, sirs, I too Will travel on the road with you:" So why should mortal man lament When on that path his feet are bent Which all men living needs must tread, Where sire and ancestors have led?†
Book 2
Definition:
-
(lament) to express grief or regret