रुद्रचापभयान्नाहं सम्प्राप्तस्तु स्वयंवरे । मनो मे संस्थितं तावन्निमग्नं विरहातुरम्
Out of fear of Rudra's bow, I did not come to the svayamvara; my mind remained there, plunged in sorrow from separation.
वनेऽत्र संस्थितां श्रुत्वा पूर्वानुरागमोहितः । आगतोऽस्म्यसितापाङ्गि सफलं कुरु मे श्रमम्
Hearing that you remain in the forest, captivated by former affection, I have come, O dark-eyed one; make my effort fruitful.
लक्ष्मणकृतरामशोकसान्त्वनम् व्यास उवाच तदाकर्ण्य वचो दुष्टं जानकी भयविह्वला । वेपमाना स्थिरं कृत्वा मनो वाचमुवाच ह
Vyasa said: Hearing those wicked words, Janaki, trembling with fear, steadied her mind and spoke.
पौलस्त्य किमसद्वाक्यं त्वमात्थ स्मरमोहितः । नाहं वै स्वैरिणी किन्तु जनकस्य कुलोद्भवा
O descendant of Pulastya, why do you utter such unworthy words, deluded by desire? I am not a wanton woman, but born in the noble lineage of Janaka.
गच्छ लङ्कां दशास्य त्वं राम त्वां वै हनिष्यति । मत्कृते मरणं तत्र भविष्यति न संशयः
Go to Lanka, O ten-headed one; Rama will surely slay you. For my sake, your death will occur there—there is no doubt.
इत्युक्त्वा पर्णशालायां गता सा वह्निसन्निधौ । गच्छ गच्छेति वदती रावणं लोकरावणम्
Having spoken thus, she went into the leaf-hut, near the fire, repeatedly saying 'Go, go!' to Ravana, the terror of the worlds.
सोऽथ कृत्वा निजं रूपं जगामोटजमन्तिकम् । बलाज्जग्राह तां बालां रुदती भयविह्वलाम्
Then, resuming his own form, he approached the hut; by force, he seized the young woman, who was crying and overwhelmed by fear.
रामरामेति क्रन्दन्ती लक्ष्मणेति मुहुर्मुहुः । गृहीत्वा निर्गतः पापो रथमारोप्य सत्वरः
Crying out 'Rama, Rama!' and 'Lakshmana!' again and again, the wicked one carried her away, quickly placing her on his chariot.
गच्छन्नरुणपुत्रेण मार्गे रुद्धो जटायुषा । सङ्ग्रामोऽभून्महारौद्रस्तयोस्तत्र वनान्तरे
As he was going, his path was blocked by Jatayu, son of Aruna; there, in the depths of the forest, a fierce battle arose between the two.
हत्वा तं तां गृहीत्वा च गतोऽसौ राक्षसाधिपः । लङ्कायां क्रन्दती तात कुररीव दुरात्मनः
Having slain him and seized her, that lord of the Rakshasas departed; in Lanka, she wept like a distressed curlew, O dear one, at the hands of that wicked soul.
अशोकवनिकायां सा स्थापिता राक्षसीयुता । स्ववृत्तान्नैव चलिता सामदानादिभिः किल
She was placed in the Ashoka grove, surrounded by demonesses; she did not waver from her conduct, even when coaxed or threatened, it is said.
रामोऽपि तं मृगं हत्वा जगामादाय निर्वृतः । आयान्तं लक्ष्मणं वीक्ष्य किं कृतं तेऽनुजासमम्
Rama, too, after killing that deer, returned content, and seeing Lakshmana approaching, asked, 'What have you done with my younger brother's wife?'
एकाकिनीं प्रियां हित्वा किमर्थं त्वमिहागतः । श्रुत्वा स्वनं तु पापस्य राघवस्त्वब्रवीदिदम्
'Why have you come here, leaving my beloved alone?' Having heard the evil one's cry, Raghava then spoke these words.
सौमित्रिस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं सीतावाग्बाणपीडितः । प्रभोऽत्राहं समायातः कालयोगान्न संशयः
Saumitri replied, troubled by Sita's words like arrows, 'Lord, I have come here due to the force of fate—there is no doubt.'
तदा तौ पर्णशालायां गत्वा वीक्ष्यातिदुःखितौ । जानक्यन्वेषणे यत्नमुभौ कर्तुं समुद्यतौ
Then the two, going to the leaf-hut, saw and were overwhelmed with grief; both were resolved to make every effort to search for Janaki.
मार्गमाणौ तु सम्प्राप्तौ यत्रासौ पतितः खगः । जटायुः प्राणशेषस्तु पतितः पृथिवीतले
While searching, they came to the place where that bird had fallen; Jatayu, with life barely remaining, lay fallen on the earth.
तेनोक्तं रावणेनाद्य हृताऽसौ जनकात्मजा । मया निरुद्धः पापात्मा पातितोऽहं मृधे पुनः
He told them, 'Today Ravana has carried off Janaka's daughter; I tried to stop that wicked soul and was struck down in battle.'
इत्युक्त्वाऽसौ गतप्राणः संस्कृतो राघवेण वै । कृत्वौर्घ्वदैहिकं रामलक्ष्मणौ निर्गतौ ततः
Having said this, his life departed; he was duly cremated by Raghava. After performing the last rites, Rama and Lakshmana set out from there.
कबन्धं घातयित्वासौ शापाच्चामोचयत्प्रभुः । वचनात्तस्य हरिणा सख्यं चक्रेऽथ राघवः
Having slain Kabandha, the Lord freed him from his curse; by his words, Rama then made friendship with the monkey chief.
हत्वा च वालिनं वीरं किष्किन्धाराज्यमुत्तमम् । सुग्रीवाय ददौ रामः कृतसख्याय कार्यतः
After killing the heroic Vali, Rama gave the excellent kingdom of Kishkindha to Sugriva, his ally, as was proper.
तत्रैव वार्षिकान्मासांस्तस्थौ लक्ष्मणसंयुतः । चिन्तयञ्जानकीं चित्ते दशाननहृतां प्रियाम्
There, together with Lakshmana, he stayed for the rainy months, constantly thinking in his heart of Janaki, his beloved taken by the ten-headed one.
लक्ष्मणं प्राह रामस्तु सीताविरहपीडितः । सौमित्रे कैकयसुता जाता पूर्णमनोरथा
Afflicted by separation from Sita, Rama said to Lakshmana, 'O Saumitri, the daughter of Kaikeyi has achieved her heart's desire.'
न प्राप्ता जानकी नूनं नाहं जीवामि तां विना । नागमिष्याम्ययोध्यायामृते जनकनन्दिनीम्
'Surely, if Janaki is not found, I will not live without her; I will not return to Ayodhya without the daughter of Janaka.'
गतं राज्यं वने वासो मृतस्तातो हृता प्रिया । पीडयन्मां स दुष्टात्मा दैवोऽग्रे किं करिष्यति
'The kingdom is lost, I dwell in the forest, my father is dead, and my beloved has been taken; that evil soul torments me—what will fate do next?'
दुर्ज्ञेयं भवितव्यं हि प्राणिनां भरतानुज । आवयोः का गतिस्तात भविष्यति सुदुःखदा
'O Bharata's younger brother, destiny is hard to know for living beings; what future awaits us, dear one, that will bring such great sorrow?'
प्राप्य जन्म मनोर्वंशे राजपुत्रावुभौ किल । वनेऽतिदुःखभोक्तारौ जातौ पूर्वकृतेन च
'Though born as princes in the illustrious line of Manu, both of us have come to suffer great hardship in the forest, all due to our past deeds.'
त्यक्त्वा त्वमपि भोगांस्तु मया सह विनिर्गतः । दैवयोगाच्च सौमित्रे भुंक्ष्व दुःखं दुरत्ययम्
You too have abandoned pleasures and departed with me; by the force of destiny, O Saumitri, endure this unbearable suffering.
न कोऽप्यस्मत्कुले पूर्वं मत्समो दुःखभाङ्नरः । अकिञ्चनोऽक्षमः क्लिष्टो न भूतो न भविष्यति
Never before in our lineage has there been a man as afflicted by suffering as I am—destitute, powerless, tormented—nor will there be.
किं करोम्यद्य सौमित्रे मग्नोऽस्मि दुःखसागरे । न चास्ति तरणोपायो ह्यसहायस्य मे किल
What can I do now, Saumitri? I am submerged in an ocean of sorrow, and for one without support like me, there is truly no means to cross.
न वित्तं न बलं वीर त्वमेकः सहचारकः । कोपं कस्मिन्करोम्यद्य भोगेस्मिन्स्वकृतेऽनुज
No wealth, no strength remains, O hero; you alone are my companion. Against whom should I direct my anger today, brother, when these sufferings are of my own making?