युधाजिति समायाते न मे निःसरणं भवेत् । ज्ञात्वा बालं सुतं सोऽद्य कारागारं नयिष्यति
If Yudhajit arrives, I will have no escape; knowing my son is a child, he will take him to prison today.
श्रूयते हि पुरेन्द्रेण मातुर्गर्भगतः शिशुः । कृन्तितः सप्तधा पश्चात्कृतास्ते सप्त सप्तधा
It is heard that, by the king of the city, a child in his mother's womb was cut into seven pieces; afterwards, those seven became sevenfold.
प्रविश्य चोदरं मातुः करे कृत्वाल्पकं पविम् । एकोनपञ्चाशदपि तेऽभवन्मरुतो दिवि
Entering the mother's womb, he made a small blade in his hand; even so, forty-nine Maruts arose in heaven.
सपत्न्यै गरलं दत्तं सपत्न्या नृपभार्यया । गर्भनाशार्थमुद्दिश्य पुरैतद्वै मया श्रुतम्
Poison was given by the co-wife to the king's wife, intending to destroy the fetus; I have heard this happened in the city.
जातस्तु बालकः पश्चाद्देहे विषयुतः किल । तेनासौ सगरो नाम विख्यातो भुवि मण्डले
Afterwards, the boy was born, indeed with poison in his body; thus he became known as Sagara throughout the world.
जीवमानोऽथ भर्ता वै कैकेय्या नृपभार्यया । रामः प्रव्राजितो ज्येष्ठो मृतो दशरथो नृपः
While her husband was alive, Kaikeyi, the king's wife, caused Rama, the eldest, to be exiled; King Dasharatha died.
मन्त्रिणस्त्ववशाः कामं ये मे पुत्रं सुदर्शनम् । राजानं कर्तुकामा वै युधाजिद्वशगाश्च ते
The ministers, indeed, are not independent; those who wish to make my son Sudarshana king are under the control of Yudhajit.
न मे भ्राता तथा शूरो यो मां बन्धात्प्रमोचयेत् । महत्कष्टञ्च सम्प्राप्तं मया वै दैवयोगतः
My brother is not so valiant as to free me from captivity; by the force of fate, I have encountered great suffering.
उद्यमः सर्वथा कार्यः सिद्धिर्दैवाद्धि जायते । उपायं पुत्ररक्षार्थं करोम्यद्य त्वरान्विता
Nevertheless, effort must always be made, for success arises from destiny; today, I will quickly devise a means to protect my son.
इति सञ्चिन्त्य सा बाला विदल्लं चातिमानिनम् । निपुणं सर्वकार्येषु चिन्त्यं मन्त्रिवरोत्तमम्
Thinking thus, that young woman summoned Vidalla, who was exceedingly proud, skilled in all affairs, and the foremost among thoughtful ministers.
समाहूय तमेकान्ते प्रोवाच बहुदुःखिता । गृहीत्वा बालकं हस्ते रुदती दीनमानसा
Calling him aside in private, she spoke, overwhelmed with sorrow, holding the boy in her hand, weeping and distressed in heart.
पिता मे निहतः संख्ये पुत्रोऽयं बालकस्तथा । युधाजिद्बलवान् राजा किं विधेयं वदस्व मे
My father has been slain in battle, and this child is my son; King Yudhajit is powerful—tell me, what should be done?
तामुवाच विदल्लोऽसौ नात्र स्थातव्यमेव च । गमिष्यामो वने कामं वाराणस्याः पुनः किल
Vidalla replied to her, 'We must not remain here; let us go at once to the forest near Varanasi.'
तत्र मे मातुलः श्रीमान्वर्तते बलवत्तरः । सुबाहुरिति विख्यातो रक्षिता स भविष्यति
'There my maternal uncle, renowned as Subahu, dwells; he is very powerful and will be our protector.'
युधाजिद्दर्शनोत्कण्ठमनसा नगराद्बहिः । निर्गत्य रथमारुह्य गन्तव्यं नात्र संशयः
'With your mind eager to see Yudhajit, you must leave the city, mount the chariot, and depart—there is no doubt in this.'
इत्युक्ता तेन सा राज्ञी गत्वा लीलावतीं प्रति । उवाच पितरं द्रष्टुं गच्छाम्यद्य सुलोचने
Thus instructed by him, the queen went to Lilavati and said, 'O fair-eyed one, today I am going to see my father.'
इत्युक्त्वा रथमारुह्य सैरन्ध्रीसंयुता तदा । विदल्लेन च संयुक्ता निःसृता नगराद्बहिः
Having said this, she mounted the chariot, accompanied by her maid and Vidalla, and departed from the city.
त्रस्ता ह्यार्तातिकृपणा पितुः शोकसमाकुला । दृष्ट्वा युधाजितं भूपं पितरं गतजीवितम्
Frightened, deeply distressed, and overwhelmed by grief for her father, she saw King Yudhajit and her father, now lifeless.
संस्कार्य च त्वरायुक्ता वेपमाना भयाकुला । दिनद्वयेन सम्प्राप्ता राज्ञी भागीरथीतटम्
Quickly performing the funeral rites, trembling and filled with fear, the queen reached the bank of the Bhagirathi in two days.
निषादैलुण्ठिता तत्र गृहीतं सकलं वसु । रथञ्चापि गृहीत्वा ते निर्गता दस्यवः शठाः
There, the cruel robbers of the Nishada tribe seized all their wealth and even took their chariot.
रुदती सुतमादाय चारुवस्त्रा मनोरमा । निर्ययौ जाह्नवीतीरे सैरन्ध्रीकरलम्बिता
Weeping, carrying her son, adorned in beautiful garments, she went forth, supported by her maid, along the bank of the Jahnavi.
आरुह्य च भयाच्छीघ्रमुडुपं सा भयाकुला । तीर्त्वा भागीरथीं पुण्यां ययौ त्रिकूटपर्वतम्
Out of fear, she quickly boarded a boat, crossed the sacred Bhagirathi, and went to Mount Trikuta.
भारद्वाजाश्रमं प्राप्ता त्वरया च भयाकुला । संवीक्ष्य तापसांस्तत्र सञ्जाता निर्भया तदा
Hastening and filled with fear, she reached the hermitage of Bharadvaja; seeing the ascetics there, she then became fearless.
मुनिना सा ततः पृष्टा काऽसि कस्य परिग्रहः । कष्टेनात्र कथं प्राप्ता सत्यं ब्रूहि शुचिस्मिते
Then the sage asked her, 'Who are you? Whose wife are you? How did you come here with such difficulty? Speak the truth, O pure-smiling one.'
देवी वा मानुषी वासि बालपुत्रा वने कथम् । राज्यभ्रष्टेव वामोरु भासि त्वं कमलेक्षणे
Are you a goddess or a human, dwelling here in the forest with your young son? O lotus-eyed one with lovely thighs, why do you appear as if deprived of your kingdom?
एवं सा मुनिना पृष्टा नोवाच वरवर्णिनी । रुदती दुःखसन्तप्ता विदल्लं च समादिशत्
Thus questioned by the sage, the radiant lady did not reply; overwhelmed by sorrow, she wept and signaled to Vidalla.
विदल्लस्तमुवाचेदं ध्रुवसन्धिर्नृपोत्तमः । तस्य भार्या धर्मपत्नी नाम्ना चेयं मनोरमा
Vidalla spoke to him: 'This is King Dhruvasandhi, the foremost of kings; she is his lawful wife, named Manoramā.'
सिंहेन निहतो राजा सूर्यवंशी महाबलः । पुत्रोऽयं नृपतेस्तस्य नाम्ना चैव सुदर्शनः
The mighty king of the Solar dynasty was slain by a lion; this boy is his son, named Sudarśana.
अस्याः पितातिधर्मात्मा दौहित्रार्थं मृतो रणे । युधाजिद्भयसन्त्रस्ता सम्प्राप्ता विजने वने
Her father, supremely righteous, died in battle for the sake of his grandson; terrified by Yudhājit, she has come to this lonely forest.
त्वामेव शरणं प्राप्ता बालपुत्रा नृपात्मजा । त्राता भव महाभाग त्वमस्या मुनिसत्तम
With her young son, the princess has taken refuge in you alone; O most fortunate sage, be her protector.