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.
कथं त्वयानिंदिता सा जानकी योषितां वरा । तव देशे बलात्कश्चिद्बाध्यते न जनोऽल्पकः
How has that blameless Jānakī, the best of women, been wronged by you? In your kingdom, no ordinary person is oppressed by force.
तस्मात्तस्य यथास्वांते प्रतीतिः स्यात्तथाचर । किमर्थं त्यज्यते भीरुः पतिव्रतपरायणा
Therefore, act so that he may be convinced in his own mind; why abandon this fearful woman, devoted to her husband?
मनसा वचसा नान्यं जानाति जनकात्मजा । तस्मादेनां गृहाण त्वमेतां मा त्यज जानकीम्
In thought and word, the daughter of Janaka knows no one else; therefore, accept her—do not abandon Jānakī.
ममोपरि कृपां कृत्वा मदुक्तं संश्रयाशु तत् । एवं वदंतं प्रत्यूचे रामः शोकेन कर्षितः
Have compassion on me and quickly follow my advice; as he spoke thus, Rāma, consumed by grief, replied:
लक्ष्मणं धर्मवाक्येन बोधयंस्त्यजनोद्यमः
He instructs Lakṣmaṇa with words of righteousness, intent on abandoning her.
राम उवाच। कथं तु मां ब्रवीषि त्वं मा त्यजैनामनिंदिताम् । लोकापवादात्त्यक्ष्येऽहं जानन्नपि विपापिनीम्
Rāma said: How can you tell me not to abandon this blameless woman? Because of public slander, I will abandon her, even knowing she is not at fault.
स्वयशः कारणेऽहं स्वं देहं त्यक्ष्याम्यशोभनम् । त्वामपि भ्रातरं त्यक्ष्ये लोकवादाद्विगर्हितम्
For the sake of my own reputation, I will give up this unworthy body; I will even give up you, my brother, if you are censured by the people.
किमुतान्ये गृहाः पुत्रा मित्राणि वसुशोभनम् । स्वयशःकारणे सर्वं त्यजामि किमु मैथिलीम्
What then of houses, sons, friends, or splendid wealth? For the sake of my own reputation, I would give up everything—why not Maithilī?
न तथा मे प्रियो भ्राता न कलत्रं न बांधवाः । यथा मे विमलाकीर्तिर्वल्लभा लोकविश्रुता
Neither brother, nor wife, nor relatives are as dear to me as my spotless and widely renowned reputation.
इदानीं रजको नैव प्रष्टव्यो भवति ध्रुवम् । कालेन सर्वं भविता लोकचित्तस्य रंजनम्
Now, the washerman certainly need not be questioned; in time, everything will become pleasing to the minds of the people.