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?
गतं हस्तगतं राज्यं क्षणादिन्द्रासनोपमम् । वने वासस्तु सम्प्राप्तः को वेद विधिनिर्मितम्
The kingdom, once firmly in hand and equal to Indra’s throne, is lost in a moment; now forest-dwelling has come—who knows what fate has ordained?
बालभावाच्च वैदेही चलिता चावयोः सह । नीता दैवेन दुष्टेन श्यामा दुःखतरां दशाम्
Because of her youthful nature, Vaidehī too was led astray with us; by the act of cruel fate, the dark-eyed one has been brought to an even more wretched state.
लङ्केशस्य गृहे श्यामा कथं दुःखं भविष्यति । पतिव्रता सुशीला च मयि प्रीतियुता भृशम्
How will the dark-complexioned one suffer in the house of the lord of Lanka? She is devoted to her husband, virtuous, and deeply attached to me.
न च लक्ष्मण वैदेही सा तस्य वशगा भवेत् । स्वैरिणीव वरारोहा कथं स्याज्जनकात्मजा
And, O Lakṣmaṇa, Vaidehī will not come under his control; how could Janaka’s daughter, so noble, act like a wanton woman?
त्यजेत्प्राणान्नियन्तृत्वे मैथिली भरतानुज । न रावणस्य वशगा भवेदिति सुनिश्चितम्
O Bharata’s younger brother, Maithilī would give up her life rather than submit to Rāvaṇa’s authority—of this I am certain.
मृता चेज्जानकी वीर प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्याम्यसंशयम् । मृता चेदसितापाङ्गीं किं मे देहेन लक्ष्मण
If Jānakī has died, O hero, I will surely abandon my life; if the dark-eyed one is dead, what use is this body to me, O Lakṣmaṇa?
एवं विलपमानं तं रामं कमललोचनम् । लक्ष्मणः प्राह धर्मात्मा सान्त्वयन्नृतया गिरा
As Rāma, lotus-eyed, lamented in this way, Lakṣmaṇa, righteous in soul, spoke to console him with truthful words.
धैर्यं कुरु महाबाहो त्यक्त्वा कातरतामिह । आनयिष्यामि वैदेहीं हत्वा तं राक्षसाधमम्
Take courage, mighty-armed one, and cast aside this despair; I will bring back Vaidehī after slaying that wicked Rākṣasa.
आपदि सम्पदि तुल्या धैर्याद्भवन्ति ते धीराः । अल्पधियस्तु निमग्नाः कष्टे भवन्ति विभवेऽपि
Those who are steadfast remain the same in adversity and prosperity through courage; but those of little understanding are overwhelmed by hardship, even in good fortune.
संयोगो विप्रयोगश्च दैवाधीनावुभावपि । शोकस्तु कीदृशस्तत्र देहेनात्मनि च क्वचित्
Union and separation are both subject to destiny; what kind of sorrow is there, then, for the body or the self at any time?