सोऽथ हेममृगो भूत्वा सीतादृष्टिपथं गतः । मायावी चातिचित्राङ्गश्चरन्प्रबलमन्तिके
Then Maricha, taking the form of a golden deer with exceedingly beautiful limbs, entered Sita’s line of sight and wandered powerfully nearby.
तं दृष्ट्वा जानकी प्राह राघवं दैवनोदिता । चर्मानयस्व कान्तेति स्वाधीनपतिका यथा
Seeing him, Janaki, prompted by destiny, spoke to Rama, as a woman with authority over her husband would: 'Bring me the skin, beloved.'
अविचार्याथ रामोऽपि तत्र संस्थाप्य लक्ष्मणम् । सशरं धनुरादाय ययौ मृगपदानुगः
Without deliberation, Rama placed Lakshmana there, took up his bow and arrows, and went in pursuit of the deer’s tracks.
सारङ्गोऽपि हरिं दृष्ट्वा मायाकोटिविशारदः । दृश्यादृश्यो बभूवाथ जगाम च वनान्तरम्
The deer, expert in countless illusions, upon seeing Rama, became alternately visible and invisible, and then went deeper into the forest.
मत्वा हस्तगतं रामः क्रोधाकृष्टधनुः पुनः । जघान चातितीक्ष्णेन शरेण कृत्रिमं मृगम्
Rama, thinking he had the deer within his grasp, drew his bow in anger and slew the artificial deer with a very sharp arrow.
स हतोऽतिबलात्तेन चुक्रोश भृशदुःखितः । हा लक्ष्मण हतोऽस्मीति मायावी नश्वरः खलः
Struck by that exceedingly powerful arrow, the deceitful, mortal magician cried out in great pain, 'O Lakshmana, I am slain!'
स शब्दस्तुमुलस्तावज्जानक्या संश्रुतस्तदा । राघवस्येति सा मत्वा दीना देवरमब्रवीत्
That tumultuous cry was then heard by Janaki, who, believing it to be Rama’s, became distressed and spoke to her brother-in-law.
गच्छ लक्ष्मण तूर्णं त्वं हतोऽसौ रघुनन्दनः । त्वामाह्वयति सौमित्रे साहाय्यं कुरु सत्वरम्
'Go quickly, Lakshmana! Raghunandana has been killed. He is calling you, Saumitri; help him at once.'
तत्राह लक्ष्मणः सीतामम्ब रामवधादपि । नाहं गच्छेऽद्य मुक्त्वा त्वामसहायामिहाश्रमे
Lakshmana replied to Sita, 'Mother, even if Rama were slain, I will not go today, leaving you alone in this hermitage.'
आज्ञा मे राघवस्यात्र तिष्ठेति जनकात्मजे । तदतिक्रमभीतोऽहं न त्यजामि तवान्तिकम्
'I have Rama’s command here, Janaka’s daughter: “Stay.” Fearing to disobey, I will not leave your side.'
दूरं वै राघवं दृष्ट्वा वने मायाविना किल । त्यक्त्वा त्वां नाधिगच्छामि पदमेकं शुचिस्मिते
'Even seeing Rama far away in the forest, deceived by the magician, I will not abandon you, O pure-smiling one, nor take a single step.'
कृरु धैर्यं न मन्येऽद्य रामं हन्तुं क्षमं क्षिप्तौ । नाहं त्यक्त्वा गमिष्यामि विलंघ्य रामभाषितम्
'I do not consider it proper courage today to rush to kill Rama. I will not go, leaving you, nor violate Rama’s command.'
व्यास उवाच रुदती सुदती प्राह ते तदा विधिनोदिता । अक्रूरा वचनं क्रूरं लक्ष्मणं शुभलक्षणम्
Vyāsa said: Then Sudatī, weeping, spoke to him as prescribed by custom, though her words were harsh, and Lakṣmaṇa, whose marks were auspicious, was not cruel.
अहं जानामि सौमित्रे सानुरागं च मां प्रति । प्रेरितं भरतेनैव मदर्थमिह सङ्गतम्
I know, O son of Sumitrā, that you have come here with affection for me, sent by Bharata for my sake.
नाहं तथाविधा नारी स्वैरिणी कुहकाधम । मृते रामे पतिं त्वां न कर्तुमिच्छामि कामतः
I am not such a woman—unchaste or deceitful and base; if Rāma dies, I do not wish, out of desire, to take you as my husband.
नागमिष्यति चेद्रामो जीवितं सन्त्यजाम्यहम् । विना तेन न जीवामि विधुरा दुःखिता भृशम्
If Rāma does not return, I will give up my life; without him, I cannot live, being utterly forlorn and deeply afflicted.
गच्छ वा तिष्ठ सौमित्रे न जानेऽहं तवेप्सितम् । क्व गतं तेऽद्य सौहार्दं ज्येष्ठे धर्मरते किल
Go or stay, O son of Sumitrā, I do not know what you desire; where has your affection gone today for your elder brother, who is devoted to righteousness?
तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्या लक्ष्मणो दीनमानसः । प्रोवाच रुद्धकण्ठस्तु तां तदा जनकात्मजाम्
Hearing her words, Lakṣmaṇa, his mind dejected, then spoke to Janaka’s daughter, his throat choked with emotion.
किमात्थ क्षितिजे वाक्यं मयि क्रूरतरं किल । किं वदस्यत्यनिष्टं ते भावि जाने धिया ह्यहम्
Why do you speak such harsh words to me, as if I were an enemy? What misfortune do you foresee for yourself, that you speak so?
इत्युक्त्वा निर्ययौ वीरस्तां त्यक्त्वा प्ररुदन्भृशम् । अग्रजस्य ययौ पश्यञ्छोकार्तः पृथिवीपते
Having said this, the hero departed, leaving her behind, weeping bitterly; afflicted with grief, he went to see his elder brother, O king.
गतेऽथ लक्ष्मणे तत्र रावणः कपटाकृतिः । भिक्षुवेषं ततः कृत्वा प्रविवेश तदाश्रमे
When Lakṣmaṇa had left, Rāvaṇa, in a deceitful form, then assumed the guise of a mendicant and entered that hermitage.
जानकी तं यतिं मत्वा दत्त्वार्घ्यं वन्यमादरात् । भैक्ष्यं समर्पयामास रावणाय दुरात्मने
Jānakī, taking him for an ascetic, offered him forest hospitality with respect, and presented alms to Rāvaṇa, the wicked one.
तां पप्रच्छ स दुष्टात्मा नम्रपूर्वं मृदुस्वरम् । काऽसि पद्मपलाशाक्षि वने चैकाकिनी प्रिये
That evil-minded one questioned her, first humbly and in a gentle voice: 'Who are you, lotus-eyed one, alone in the forest, O lovely lady?'
पिता कस्तेऽथ वामोरु भ्राता कः कः पतिस्तव । मूढेवैकाकिनी चात्र स्थिताऽसि वरवर्णिनि
'Who is your father, O slender-thighed one? Who is your brother, and who is your husband? Why are you, of excellent complexion, standing here alone like one bewildered?'
निर्जने विपिने किं त्वं सौधार्हा त्वमसि प्रिये । उटजे मुनिपत्नीवद्देवकन्यासमप्रभा
'Why are you, worthy of a palace, here in this lonely forest, O dear one? In this hut, you shine like a sage’s wife or a divine maiden.'
व्यास उवाच इति तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रत्युवाच विदेहजा । दिव्यं दिष्ट्या यतिं ज्ञात्वा मन्दोदर्याः पतिं तदा
Vyāsa said: Hearing these words, the daughter of Videha replied, recognizing the ascetic by divine intuition as Mandodarī’s husband.
राजा दशरथः श्रीमांश्चत्वारस्तस्य वै सुताः । तेषां ज्येष्ठः पतिर्मेऽस्ति रामनामेति विश्रुतः
King Daśaratha, illustrious, had four sons; among them, my husband is the eldest, renowned by the name Rāma.
विवासितोऽथ कैकेय्या कृते भूपतिना वरे । चतुर्दश समा रामो वसतेऽत्र सलक्ष्मणः
Exiled by the king at Kaikeyī’s request, Rāma dwells here with Lakṣmaṇa for fourteen years.
जनकस्य सुता चाहं सीतानाम्नीति विश्रुता । भङ्क्त्वा शैवं धनुः कामं रामेणाहं विवाहिता
I am the daughter of Janaka, famed as Sītā by name; after Rāma broke Śiva’s bow, I was wed to him according to my wish.
रामबाहुबलेनात्र वसामो निर्भया वने । काञ्चनं मृगमालोक्य हन्तुं मे निर्गतः पतिः
By the strength of Rāma’s arms, we live here in the forest without fear; seeing a golden deer, my husband went out to hunt it for me.