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?
राज्याद्यथा वने वासो वैदेह्या हरणं यथा । तथा काले समीचीने संयोगोऽपि भविष्यति
Just as dwelling in the forest or the abduction of Vaidehī happened at the proper time, so too, at the right moment, reunion will surely come.
प्राप्तव्यं सुखदुःखानां भोगान्निर्वर्तनं क्वचित् । नान्यथा जानकीजाने तस्माच्छोकं त्यजाधुना
Pleasures and pains are to be experienced as they come; there is no other way, O knower of Jānakī—therefore, give up your grief now.
वानराः सन्ति भूयांसो गमिष्यन्ति चतुर्दिशम् । शुद्धिं जनकनन्दिन्या आनयिष्यन्ति ते किल
There are many monkeys, and they will go in all directions; they will surely bring you news of Janaka’s daughter’s purity.
ज्ञात्वा मार्गस्थितिं तत्र गत्वा कृत्वा पराक्रमम् । हत्वा तं पापकर्माणमानयिष्यामि मैथिलीम्
Once we know her whereabouts, I will go there, display my valor, slay that evil-doer, and bring back Maithilī.
ससैन्यं भरतं वाऽपि समाहूय सहानुजम् । हनिष्यामो वयं शत्रुं किं शोचसि वृथाग्रज
We shall summon Bharata with his army, or even with his younger brother, and together we will destroy the enemy; why do you grieve in vain, elder brother?
रघुणैकरथेनैव जिताः सर्वा दिशः पुरा । तद्वंशजः कथं शोकं कर्तुमर्हसि राघव
Once, with a single chariot, Raghu conquered all directions; as his descendant, Rāghava, how can you give in to sorrow?
एकोऽहं सकलाञ्जेतुं समर्थोऽस्मि सुरासुरान् । किं पुनः ससहायो वै रावणं कुलपांसनम्
Alone, I am capable of conquering all the gods and demons; what to say, then, when I have allies, of defeating Rāvaṇa, the disgrace of his lineage?
जनकं वा समानीय साहाय्ये रघुनन्दन । हनिष्यामि दुराचारं रावणं सुरकण्टकम्
Or, bringing Janaka to aid us, O joy of the Raghus, I will slay the wicked Rāvaṇa, the thorn of the gods.
सुखस्यानन्तरं दुःखं दुःखस्यानन्तरं सुखम् । चक्रनेमिरिवैकं यन्न भवेद्रघुनन्दन
After happiness comes sorrow, and after sorrow comes happiness; O joy of the Raghus, is there anything in this world that remains unchanged, like the rim of a wheel?
मनोऽतिकातरं यस्य सुखदुःखसमुद्भवे । स शोकसागरे मग्नो न सुखी स्यात्कदाचन
He whose mind is overly disturbed by the arising of happiness and sorrow is drowned in the ocean of grief and can never be happy.
इन्द्रेण व्यसनं प्राप्तं पुरा वै रघुनन्दन । नहुषः स्थापितो देवैः सर्वैर्मघवतः पदे
Once, O joy of the Raghus, even Indra was struck by misfortune; Nahusha was installed by all the gods in the place of Maghavat.
स्थितः पङ्कजमध्ये च बहुवर्षगणानपि । अज्ञातवासं मघवा भीतस्त्यक्त्वा निजं पदम्
Maghavat, abandoning his own position out of fear, dwelled unknown for many years in the midst of a lotus.
पुनः प्राप्तं निजस्थानं काले विपरिवर्तिते । नहुषः पतितो भूमौ शापादजगराकृतिः
When time had turned, he regained his own place; Nahusha, due to a curse, fell to the earth in the form of a serpent.
इन्द्राणीं कामयानस्तु ब्राह्मणानवमन्य च । अगस्तिकोपात्सञ्जातः सर्पदेहो महीपतिः
Desiring Indrani and disrespecting the Brahmins, the king was transformed into a serpent's body by the wrath of Agastya.
तस्माच्छोको न कर्तव्यो व्यसने सति राघव । उद्यमे चित्तमास्थाय स्थातव्यं वै विपश्चिता
Therefore, O Rāghava, one should not grieve in adversity; the wise must set their mind on effort and stand firm.
सर्वज्ञोऽसि महाभाग समर्थोऽसि जगत्पते । किं प्राकृत इवात्यर्थं कुरुषे शोकमात्मनि
You are all-knowing, O greatly fortunate one, and capable, O lord of the world; why do you, like an ordinary man, indulge in such excessive grief?
व्यास उवाच इति लक्ष्मणवाक्येन बोधितो रघुनन्दनः । त्यक्त्वा शोकं तथात्यर्थं बभूव विगतज्वरः
Vyāsa said: Thus, instructed by Lakṣmaṇa's words, Rāghava abandoned his deep sorrow and became free from distress.
रामाय देवीवरदानम् व्यास उवाच एवं तौ संविदं कृत्वा यावत्तूष्णीं बभूवतुः । आजगाम तदाऽऽकाशान्नारदो भगवानृषिः
Vyāsa said: After the two had thus conversed and become silent, at that moment the venerable sage Nārada descended from the sky.
रणयन्महतीं वीणां स्वरग्रामविभूषिताम् । गायन्बृहद्रथं साम तदा तमुपतस्थिवान्
Playing a great vīṇā adorned with melodious notes, singing the Brhadratha Sāma, he approached them.
दृष्ट्वा तं राम उत्थाय ददावथ वृषं शुभम् । आसनं चार्घ्यपाद्यञ्च कृतवानमितद्युतिः
Seeing him, Rāma rose and offered him a fine bull, as well as a seat, water for washing the feet, and arghya, his splendor undiminished.