एतत्ते कथितं विप्र यत्ते पृष्टं विदेहजाम् । पुनरत्र परं वृत्तं शृणुष्व निगदामि तत्
O Brahmin, thus have I told you what you asked about the daughter of Videha; now listen as I recount what further happened here.
शेष उवाच। भरतं मूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा रघुनाथः सुदुःखितः । प्रतीहारमुवाचेदं शत्रुघ्नं प्रापयाशु माम्
Śeṣa said: Seeing Bharata unconscious, Raghunātha was greatly distressed and said to the doorkeeper, 'Quickly bring me to Śatrughna.'
तद्वाक्यं प्रोक्तमाकर्ण्य क्षणाच्छत्रुघ्नमानयत् । यत्र रामो निजभ्राता भरतेन सह स्थितः
Hearing those words, he immediately brought Śatrughna to the place where Rāma, his own brother, was standing with Bharata.
भरतं मूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा रघुनाथं च दुःखितम् । प्रणम्य दुःखितोऽवोचत्किमिदं दारुणं महत्
Seeing Bharata unconscious and Raghunātha distressed, he bowed and, sorrowful, said, 'What is this great and terrible event?'
तदा रामोंऽत्यजप्रोक्तं वाक्यं लोकविगर्हितम् । तं प्रत्युवाच रामोऽसौ शत्रुघ्नं पदसेवकम्
Then Rāma, accused of having abandoned an outcaste, spoke words condemned by the world; Rāma addressed Śatrughna, his devoted servant.
अधोमुखो दीनरवो गद्गदाक्षरवेपथुः । शृणु भ्रातर्वचो मेऽद्य कुरु तत्क्षिप्रमादरात्
With head bowed, voice choked with sorrow, trembling syllables, he said, 'Brother, listen to my words today; do them quickly and with respect.'
यथा स्याद्विमलाकीर्तिर्गंगेव पृथिवीं गता । सीताया वाच्यमतुलं लोके श्रुत्वांत्यजोदितम्
Just as pure fame would spread across the earth like the Ganges, so too would the unparalleled reputation of Sita be spoken of in the world, having heard what was said at the end.
हातुमिच्छामि देहं स्वमेनां वा जानकीं किल । इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रामस्य किल शत्रुहा
I wish to abandon my body or else this Janaki herself—so spoke the enemy-slayer Rama, upon hearing these words.
सवेपथुः पपातोर्व्यां दुःखितः परदारणः । संज्ञां प्राप्य मुहूर्तेन रघुनाथमवोचत
Distressed, the destroyer of foes fell to the ground on the path; regaining consciousness after a moment, he addressed Raghunatha.
शत्रुघ्न उवाच। किमेतदुच्यते स्वामिञ्जानकीं प्रति दारुणम् । पाखंडैर्दुष्टचित्तैश्च सर्वधर्मबहिष्कृतैः
Shatrughna said: Why is such harsh speech uttered regarding Janaki, O master, by those who are imposters, wicked-minded, and excluded from all righteousness?
निंदिता श्रुतिरग्राह्या भवति त्वग्र्यजन्मनाम् । जाह्नवी सर्वलोकानां पापघ्नी दुरितापहा
Condemned words become unacceptable to those of noble birth; Jahnavi, destroyer of sin and remover of suffering for all worlds,
निस्पृष्टा पापिभिः पुंभिः सा स्पर्शेनार्हिता सताम् । सूर्यो जगत्प्रकाशाय समुदेति जगत्यहो
Untouched by sinful men, she is honored by the virtuous through contact; the sun rises to illuminate the world, O wonder,
उलूकानां रुचिकरो न भवेत्तत्र का क्षतिः । तस्मात्त्वमेनां गृह्णीष्व मा त्यजानिंदितां स्त्रियम्
Yet it does not bring delight to owls—what harm is there in that? Therefore, accept her; do not abandon this blameless woman.
श्रीरामभद्रकृपया कुरुष्व वचनं मम । एतच्छ्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य शत्रुघ्नस्य महात्मनः
Out of compassion for Rama the blessed, follow my words. Hearing this speech of the great-souled Shatrughna,
पुनःपुनर्जगादेदं यदुक्तं भरतं प्रति । तन्निशम्य वचो भ्रातुर्दुःखपूरपरिप्लुतः
He repeatedly spoke what had been said to Bharata; hearing his brother's words, overwhelmed with sorrow,
पपात मूर्च्छितो भूमौ छिन्नमूल इव द्रुमः । भ्रातरं पतितं वीक्ष्य शत्रुघ्नं दुःखितो भृशम्
He fell unconscious to the ground, like a tree whose roots have been cut; seeing his brother fallen, Shatrughna was deeply distressed.
प्रतीहारमुवाचेदं लक्ष्मणं त्वानयांतिकम् । स लक्ष्मणगृहं गत्वा न्यवेदयदिदं वचः
He spoke to the doorkeeper: 'Bring Lakshmana here at once.' Going to Lakshmana's house, he conveyed these words.
प्रतीहार उवाच। स्वामिन्रामो भवंतं तु समाह्वयति वेगतः । स तच्छ्रुत्वा समाह्वानं रामचंद्रेण वेगतः
The doorkeeper said: 'Master Rama urgently summons you.' Hearing this urgent summons from Ramachandra,
जगाम तरसा तत्र यत्र स भ्रातृकोऽनघः । भरतं मूर्च्छितं दृष्ट्वा शत्रुघ्नमपि मूर्च्छितम्
He quickly went there, where his brother was, spotless; seeing Bharata unconscious and Shatrughna also unconscious,
श्रीरामचंद्रं दुःखार्तं दुःखितो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । किमेतद्दारुणं राजन्दृश्यते मूर्च्छनादिकम्
He spoke sorrowfully to Ramachandra, who was afflicted with grief: 'What is this dreadful thing, O king, that is seen—this fainting and so on?'
तदाशु शंस मां सर्वं कारणं मुख्यतोऽनघ । एवं वदंतं नृपतिर्वृत्तांतं सर्वमादितः
Tell me quickly, O sinless one, the entire cause in detail. As he spoke thus, the king recounted the whole event from the beginning.
शशंस लक्ष्मणं क्षिप्रं दुःखपूरपरिप्लुतम् । लक्ष्मणस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा सीतायास्त्यागसंभवम्
He swiftly told Lakshmana, who was overwhelmed with sorrow; Lakshmana, hearing those words about Sita's abandonment,
निःश्वसन्मुहुरुच्छ्वासं स्तब्धगात्र इवाभवत् । भ्रातरं स्तब्धगात्रं च कंपमानं मुहुर्मुहुः
Became breathless, sighing repeatedly, as if his limbs were paralyzed; seeing his brother's paralyzed body trembling again and again,
न किंचन वदन्तं तं वीक्ष्य शोकार्दितोऽब्रवीत् । किं करिष्याम्यहं भूमौ स्थित्वा दुर्यशसांकितः
Seeing him not saying anything, afflicted by grief, he said: 'What shall I do, standing on the earth, marked by ill repute?'
त्यजामीदं वपुः श्रीमल्लोकभीत्या च शोकवान् । सर्वदा भ्रातरो मह्यं मद्वाक्यकरणोत्सुकाः
I am abandoning this splendid body, weighed down by sorrow and out of fear of public reproach; my brothers have always been eager to follow my word.
इदानीं तेपि दैवेन प्रतिकूलवचः कराः । कुत्र गच्छामि कं यामि हसिष्यंति नृपा भुवि
Now, even they have become hostile in speech by fate; where shall I go, to whom shall I turn? The kings of the earth will mock me.
दुर्यशो लांछितं मां वै कुष्ठिनं रूपवन्नराः । मनोर्वंशे पुरा भूपा जाता जाता गुणाधिकाः
Stained with disgrace, afflicted with leprosy, I am shunned by men of good appearance; in the line of Manu, kings were always born endowed with virtues.
इदानीं मयि जाते तु विपरीतं बभूव तत् । इति संभाषमाणं तं रामभद्रं समीक्ष्य सः
But now, with my birth, the opposite has happened; as he was thus speaking, looking at Rāmabhadra—
संस्तभ्याश्रूणि विपुलान्युवाच विकल स्वरः । स्वामिन्विषादं मा कार्षीः कथं तव मतिर्हृता
Holding back abundant tears, he spoke in a faltering voice: 'Master, do not give in to despair; how has your mind been led astray?'
सीतामनिंदितां को नु त्यजति श्रुतवान्भवान् । आकारयामि रजकं परिपृच्छामि तं प्रति
Who, having heard, would abandon Sītā, who is blameless? I will summon the washerman and question him directly.