निश्चेष्टं परितं भूमौ ददर्श पतिमात्मनः
She saw her husband lying motionless on the ground.
अन्वाहतेवाशनिना मूर्छितान्यपतद्भुवि
Struck as if by lightning, she fainted and fell to the earth.
पतित्वोत्थाय सा भूयः सुस्वरं प्ररुरोद ह
Having fallen, she rose again and wept aloud in a clear voice.
अश्रुपूर्ममुखी दीना पतिता शोकसागरे
Her face streaming with tears, wretched, she was plunged into an ocean of grief.
हा धिगत्यन्तशान्त त्वं नैव काङ्क्षेत चेदृशम्
Alas! Shame! O utterly peaceful one, you would never have desired such a fate.
क्षिप्त्वानाथामगाधे मां क्व च यातो ऽसि मानद
Having cast me, helpless, into this abyss, where have you gone, O giver of honor?
यासि यत्र त्वमेकाकी तत्र मां नेतुमर्हसि
Wherever you are going alone, you ought to take me there as well.
न दीर्यते महाभाग कठिनाः खलु योषितः
O blessed one, the hearts of women are indeed hard, for they do not break.
चुक्रोश रामरामेति भृशं दुःखपरिप्लुता
Overwhelmed by intense sorrow, she cried out repeatedly, 'Rāma! Rāma!'
अकृतव्रणसंयुक्तः स्वाश्रमाय न्यवर्त्तत
Unwounded and unhurt, he turned back toward his own hermitage.
पश्यन्नुद्विग्नहृदयस्तूर्णं प्रापाश्रमं विभुः
Seeing this, his heart anxious, the mighty one quickly reached the hermitage.
नविभूतेव शोकेन प्रारुदद्रेणुका पुनः
As if deprived of her senses by grief, Reṇukā wept again.
उभाभ्यामपि हस्ताभ्यामुदरं समताडयत्
With both hands he struck his belly evenly.
कुररीमिव शोकार्त्ता दृष्ट्वा दुःखमुपेयिवान्
Seeing her, tormented by grief like a distraught female osprey, he was overcome with sorrow.
नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यां तस्थौ भूमावर्धोमुखः
With eyes filled with tears, he stood on the ground, his face turned downward.
किमिदं भृगुशार्दूल नैतत्वय्युपपाद्यते
O foremost of the Bhṛgus, what is this? This does not befit you.
धृतिमन्तो महान्तस्तु दुःखं कुर्वति न व्यये
Truly, the great and steadfast do not let sorrow overpower them.
त्यज शोकं महाबाहो न तत्पात्रं भवदृशाः
Abandon grief, O mighty-armed one; such conduct is not fitting for one like you.
शोकस्तस्यावकाशं त्वं कथं त्दृदि नियच्छसि
How do you, with such a heart, give room to sorrow?
रुदतीं बत वैधव्यशं कापहतचेतनाम्
Alas, she weeps, widowed, her mind struck down by misfortune.
तस्मादतीतमखिलं त्यक्त्वा कृत्यं विचिन्तय
Therefore, leaving all that is past behind, consider what must now be done.
रामः संस्तंभयामास शनैरात्मानमात्मना
Rāma gradually steadied himself by his own effort.
त्रिःसप्तकृत्वो हस्ताभ्यामुदरं समताडयत्
He struck his belly with his hands twenty-one times.
रुदतीमलमंबेति सांत्वयामास मातरम्
He comforted his mother, saying, 'Enough of weeping.'
त्रिःसप्तकृत्वो यदिदं त्वया वक्षः समाहतम्
Because you struck your chest thus twenty-one times—
हनिष्ये भुवि सर्वत्र सत्यमेतद्ब्रविमि ते
I will slay, everywhere on earth—this I truly promise you.
नास्त्येव नूनमायातमतिक्रान्तस्य वस्तुनः
Indeed, what has passed does not return.
कृच्छ्राद्धैर्यं समालंब्य तथेति प्रत्यभाषत
With great effort, she composed herself and replied, 'So be it.'
अग्नौ सत्कर्त्तुमारेभे देहं राजन्यथविधि
He began to perform the proper rites for the king's body in the fire, as prescribed.
पुत्रान्सर्वान्समाहूय त्विदं वचनमब्रवीत्
He summoned all his sons and spoke these words: