एवं भ्रात्रा प्रोच्यमानो गद्गदस्वरया गिरा । प्रोवाच भ्रातरं वीरो रामचंद्रश्च धार्मिकः
Thus addressed by his brother in a voice choked with emotion, the heroic and righteous Rāmacandra spoke to him.
शृणु भ्रातर्वचो मह्यं मम दुःखस्य कारणम् । तन्मार्जनं कुरुष्वाद्य भ्रातः प्रातर्महामते
'Listen, brother, to my words and the cause of my sorrow. Remove it today, O wise one, tomorrow morning.'
वंशे वैवस्वते राजा न कश्चिदयशः क्षतः । मत्कीर्तिरद्य कलुषा गंगायमुनया गता
'In the lineage of Vaivasvata, no king has ever suffered disgrace. But today my fame is stained, carried away to the Gaṅgā and Yamunā.'
येषां यशो नृणां भूमौ तेषामेव सुजीवितम् । अपकीर्तिक्षतानां तु जीवितं मृतकैः समम्
'Only those whose honor remains on earth truly live; for those whose reputation is wounded, life is as good as death.'
येषां यशो भवेद्भूमौ तेषां लोकाः सनातनाः । अपकीर्त्युरगी दष्टास्तेषां भूयादधोगतिः
'Those whose fame endures on earth attain the eternal worlds; but those bitten by the serpent of infamy surely fall to ruin.'
अद्य मे कलुषा कीर्तिः स्वर्धुनी लोकविश्रुता । तच्छृणुष्व वचो मेऽद्य रजकेन यथोदितम्
'Today my reputation is stained, though once renowned as pure as the heavenly river. Now hear from me what the washerman has said.'
अस्मिन्पुरेऽद्य रजक उक्तवाञ्जानकीभवम् । किंचिद्वाच्यं ततो भ्रातः किं करोमि महीतले
Today in this city, a washerman has spoken about Sita; therefore, brother, tell me—what should I do on this earth?
किमात्मानं जहाम्यद्य किमेनां जानकीं स्त्रियम् । उभयोः किं मया कार्यं तत्तथ्यं ब्रूहि मे भवान्
Should I abandon my own life today, or should I forsake this woman Sita? What should I do regarding both? Speak the truth to me.
इत्युक्त्वा निर्गलद्बाष्पो वेपथु क्षुभितांगकः । पपात भूमौ विरजो धार्मिकाणां शिरोमणिः
Having spoken thus, with tears streaming, trembling and his body agitated, the pure and righteous jewel among the virtuous fell to the ground.
भ्रातरं पतितं दृष्ट्वा भरतो दुःखसंयुतः । संवीक्ष्य शनकै रामं प्राप्तसंज्ञं चकार सः
Seeing his brother fallen, Bharata, overcome with sorrow, gazed slowly at Rama and restored him to consciousness.
संज्ञां प्राप्तं तु संवीक्ष्य रामचंद्रं सुदुःखितम् । उवाच दुःखनाशाय वाक्यं तु सुमनोहरम्
Observing Rama regain consciousness, though deeply distressed, he spoke words most pleasing, meant to dispel his grief.
कोऽयं वै रजकः किंतु वाच्यं वाक्यं यथाब्रवीत् । जिह्वाच्छेदं करिष्यामि जानकीवाच्यकारिणः
Who is this washerman, and what exactly did he say? I will cut out the tongue of the one who uttered slander against Sita.
तदा रामोऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं रजकस्य मुखोद्गतम् । श्रुतं चारेण तत्सर्वं भरताय महात्मने
Then Rama spoke the words that came from the mouth of the washerman, all of which had been heard by the spy and reported to the noble Bharata.
तच्छ्रुत्वा भरतः प्राह भ्रातरं दुःखशोकिनम् । जानकीवह्निशुद्धाभूल्लंकायां वीरपूजिता
Hearing this, Bharata addressed his grief-stricken brother: 'Sita was purified by fire in Lanka and honored by heroes.'
ब्रह्माब्रवीदियं शुद्धा पिता दशरथस्तव । कथं सा रजकोक्तित्वाद्धातव्या लोकपूजिता
'Brahma declared her pure, as did your father Dasharatha. How can she, revered by the world, be abandoned because of a washerman's words?'
ब्रह्मादिसंस्तुता कीर्तिस्तवलोकान्पुनाति हि । सा कथं रजकोक्त्या वै कलुषाद्य भविष्यति
'Her fame, praised by Brahma and others, sanctifies the worlds. How can she now become tainted because of a washerman's statement?'
तस्मात्त्यज महादुःखं सीतावाच्यसमुद्भवम् । कुरु राज्यं तया सार्धमंतर्वत्न्या सुभाग्यया
'Therefore, give up the great sorrow arising from slander against Sita. Rule the kingdom together with her, your most fortunate wife.'
त्वं कथं स्वशरीरं तु हातुमिच्छसि शोभनम् । वयं हताः स्म सर्वेऽद्य त्वां विना दुःखनाशकम्
'How can you wish to abandon your own noble body? Without you, we are all as good as dead, for you are the destroyer of our sorrow.'
क्षणं सीता न जीवेत त्वां विना सुमहोदया । तस्मात्पतिव्रता साकं भुनक्तु विपुलां श्रियम्
'Sita, of great fortune, would not live even a moment without you. Therefore, let her, devoted to her husband, enjoy abundant prosperity with you.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य भरतस्य च धार्मिकः । पुनरेव जगादेमं वाक्यं वाक्यविदां वरः
Hearing these words of Bharata, the righteous one, Rama, best among speakers, again spoke these words:
यत्त्वं कथयसि भ्रातस्तत्सर्वं धर्मसंयुतम् । परं यद्वच्म्यहं वाक्यं तत्कुरुष्व ममाज्ञया
'Brother, all that you say is in accord with dharma. But now do what I command, for I will speak something further.'
जानाम्येनां वह्निशुद्धां पवित्रां लोकपूजिताम् । लोकापवादाद्भीतोऽहं त्यजामि स्वां तु जानकीम्
'I know her to be purified by fire, pure, and honored by the world. Yet, out of fear of public reproach, I must abandon my own Sita.'
तस्मात्करे शितं धृत्वा करवालं सुदारुणम् । शिरश्छिंध्यथवा जायां जानकीं मुंच वै वने
'Therefore, take a sharp, terrible sword in your hand and either cut off my head, or else abandon Sita in the forest.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रामस्य भरतोऽपतत् । मूर्च्छितः सन्क्षितौ देहे कंपयुक्तः सबाष्पकः
Hearing these words of Rama, Bharata fell to the ground, unconscious, his body trembling and filled with tears.
वात्स्यायन उवाच। जगत्पवित्रसत्कीर्ति जानक्या वाच्यवाचनम् । कथं समकरोत्स्वामी तन्मे कथय सुव्रत
Vatsyayana said: O virtuous one, tell me how the Lord performed the pure and renowned act of Janaki's questioning and answering.
यथा मे मनसः सौख्यं भविष्यति सुशोभनम् । तथा कुरुष्व शेषाद्य त्वन्मुखान्निःसृतामृतम् । पिबतस्तृप्तिरेव स्याद्यया संसृतिकृं तनम्
So that my mind may attain excellent happiness, do now relate the remainder—let me drink the nectar issuing from your lips, by which one is satisfied and freed from the bonds of worldly existence.
शेष उवाच। मिथिलायां महापुर्यां जनको नाम भूपतिः । तस्यां करोति सद्राज्यं धर्मेणाराधयन्प्रजाः
Shesha said: In the great city of Mithila, there was a king named Janaka, who ruled his kingdom righteously, pleasing his subjects through dharma.
तस्य संकर्षतो भूमिं सीतया दीर्घमुख्यया । सीरध्वजस्य निरगात्कुमारी ह्यतिसुंदरी
While he was ploughing the earth, from the furrow emerged a maiden of surpassing beauty, Sita, the foremost among women.
तदात्यंतं मुदं प्राप्तः सीरकेतुर्महीपतिः । सीता नामाकरोत्तस्या मोहिन्या जगतः श्रियः
The king, radiant as a banner, attained supreme joy at that time; he named her Sita, the very embodiment of the world's fortune and enchantment.
सैकदोद्यानविपिने खेलंती सुमनोहरा । अपश्यत्स्वमनःकांतं शुकशुक्योर्युगं वदत्
Once, as she played in a delightful garden grove, she saw before her a pair of parrots, charming to her heart.