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.
आमयो यद्वदामस्तु न चिकित्स्यो भवेत्क्षितौ । सकालेन परीपाकाद्भेषजादेव नश्यति
Just as a disease, though incurable on earth, disappears in time through the ripening of circumstances and medicine—
तथा कालेन संभावि सांप्रतं मा विलंबय । त्यजैनां विपिने साध्वीं मां वा खड्गेन घातय
So too, in time, this will be resolved; do not delay now—either abandon this virtuous woman in the forest, or strike me down with your sword.
इत्युक्तं वाक्यमाकर्ण्य दुःखितोऽभूत्तदा महान् । चिंतयामास च स्वांते लक्ष्मणः शोककर्षितः
Hearing these words, the great one became sorrowful, and Lakṣmaṇa, afflicted by grief, began to ponder in his heart.
पित्राज्ञप्तो जामदग्न्यो मातरं चाप्यघातयत् । गुरोराज्ञा नैव लंघ्या युक्ताऽयुक्तापि सर्वथा
Commanded by his father, Jāmadagnya even slew his own mother; the command of a guru must never be transgressed, whether right or wrong, in any circumstance.
तस्मादेनां त्यजाम्येव रामस्य प्रियकाम्यया । इति संचिंत्य मनसि भ्रातरं प्रत्युवाच सः
Therefore, for the sake of fulfilling Rāma’s wish, I will abandon her; thus resolved in his mind, he spoke to his brother.
लक्ष्मणउवाच। अकृत्यमपि कार्यं वै गुर्वाज्ञां नैव लंघयेत् । तस्मात्कुर्वे भवद्वाक्यं यत्त्वं वदसि सुव्रत
Lakṣmaṇa said: Even what should not be done must be done; the command of a guru must never be disobeyed. Therefore, I will do as you say, O steadfast one.
इत्येवं भाषमाणं तं लक्ष्मणं प्रत्युवाच सः । साधुसाधु महाप्राज्ञ त्वया मे तोषितं मनः
As Lakṣmaṇa was thus speaking, he was addressed: 'Well done, well done, O great and wise one! By you my mind is satisfied.'
अद्यैव रात्रौ जानक्या दोहदस्तापसी क्षणे । तन्मिषेण रथे स्थाप्य मोचयैनां महावने
Tonight itself, in a moment when Jānakī expresses a desire, place her in the chariot and release her in the great forest.
इत्थं भाषितमाकर्ण्य विशुष्यद्वदनोऽभितः । रुदन्बाष्पकलां मुंचञ्जगाम स्वं निवेशनम्
Hearing these words, his face dried with grief, he wept, shedding tears, and returned to his own dwelling.
सुमंत्रं तु समाहूय वचनं तमथाब्रवीत् । रथं मे कुरु सज्जं वै सदश्ववरभूषितम्
Then, summoning Sumantra, he spoke these words: 'Prepare the chariot for me, adorned with excellent horses and finest ornaments.'
स तद्वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य रथमानीतवांस्तदा । आनीतं तं रथं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणः शोककर्षितः
Hearing that command, Sumantra brought the chariot; seeing it brought, Lakṣmaṇa, consumed by grief—
परमं दुःखमापन्नः संरुह्य स्यंदनं वरम् । निःश्वसञ्जानकीगेहं प्रतस्थे भ्रातृसेवकः
Overwhelmed by the greatest sorrow, he mounted the splendid chariot and, sighing, set out for Jānakī’s residence, serving his brother’s will.
गत्वा चांतःपुरे भ्राता रामस्य मिथिलात्मजाम् । प्रत्यूचे निःश्वसन्वाक्यं दुःखपूरपरिप्लुतः
Entering the inner chambers, the brother of Rāma approached the daughter of Mithilā and, sighing, spoke words choked with sorrow.
मातर्जानकि रामेण प्रेषितो भवनं तव । तापसीः प्रति याहि त्वं दोहदप्राप्तिहेतवे
'Mother Jānakī, Rāma has sent me to your palace; go now to the hermit women to fulfill your desire.'
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य लक्ष्मणस्य विदेहजा । परमं हर्षमापन्ना लक्ष्मणं प्रत्यभाषत
Hearing Lakṣmaṇa’s words, the daughter of Videha became exceedingly joyful and replied to Lakṣmaṇa.
जानक्युवाच। धन्याहं मैथिली राज्ञी रामस्य चरणस्मरा । यस्या दोहदपूर्त्यर्थं प्रेषयामास लक्ष्मणम्
Jānakī said: Blessed am I, Maithilī, queen and devoted to Rāma’s feet, for whose desire Lakṣmaṇa has been sent.
अद्याहं ता वनचरीस्तापसीः पतिदेवताः । नमस्कुर्यां च वासोभिः पूजयामि मनोहराः
Today I shall bow to those forest-dwelling hermit women, devoted to their husbands, and honor them with beautiful garments.
इत्युक्त्वा रम्यवस्त्राणि महार्हाभरणानि च । मणीन्विमलमुक्ताश्च कर्पूरादिसुगंधिमत्
Having said this, she took lovely garments, precious ornaments, flawless jewels and pearls, and fragrant substances like camphor.
चंदनादिकवस्तूनि विचित्राणि सहस्रधा । जग्राह रघुनाथस्य पत्नी स्वप्रियकाम्यया
She took thousands of various items such as sandalwood and other exquisite things, out of love for Raghunātha.
सीता गृहीत्वा सर्वाणि दासीनां करयोर्मुहुः । लक्ष्मणं प्रतिगच्छंती देहल्यां चास्खलत्तदा
Sītā, having taken all these, placed them repeatedly in the hands of her maidservants; as she was approaching Lakṣmaṇa, she stumbled at the threshold.