अविचार्य तदौत्सुक्याल्लक्ष्मणं प्रियकारिणम् । उवाच कुत्र सरथो येन मां प्रापयिष्यसि
Without considering, out of eagerness, she said to Lakṣmaṇa, who always acted for her good: 'Where is the chariot, by which you will take me?
स निःश्वसन्रथं हैमं जानक्या सह निर्विशत् । सुमंत्रं प्रत्युवाचासौ चालयाश्वान्मनोजवान्
He entered the golden chariot together with Jānakī, sighing, and said to Sumantra: 'Drive the swift horses.'
स सुयुक्तं रथं वाक्याल्लक्ष्मणस्य तु चाह्वयत् । अश्रुपूर्णमुखं पश्यँल्लक्ष्मणं स मुहुर्मुहुः
At Lakṣmaṇa's words, Sumantra summoned the well-yoked chariot, repeatedly looking at Lakṣmaṇa, whose face was filled with tears.
आहतास्तेन कशया वाहास्तस्यापतन्पथि । न चलंति यदा वाहास्तदा लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत्
Struck by the whip, the horses fell on the road; when the horses did not move, he spoke to Lakṣmaṇa.
सुमंत्र उवाच। स्वामिंश्चलंति नो वाहा यत्नेन परिचालिताः । किं करोमि न जानेऽत्र कारणं वाहपातने
Sumantra said: 'Master, the horses do not move, though I urge them with effort. What should I do? I do not know the reason for their falling.'
एवं ब्रुवंतं प्रत्यूचे लक्ष्मणो गद्गदस्वरः । सारथिं धैर्यमास्थाय ताडयैतान्कशादिभिः
To him speaking thus, Lakṣmaṇa replied in a choked voice: 'Charioteer, take courage and strike them with the whip and goad.'
एतच्छ्रुत्वोदितं यंता कथंचित्समचालयत् । तदा स्फुरद्दक्षनेत्रं जानक्या दुःखशंसकम्
Hearing this command, the charioteer somehow managed to move them; then Jānakī's right eye throbbed, foretelling sorrow.
तदैव हृदये शोकः समभूद्दुःखशंसकः । तदैव पक्षिणः पुण्याः कुर्वंति परिवर्तनम्
At that very moment, grief arose in her heart, foretelling misfortune; at that very moment, auspicious birds began to turn around.
एवं वीक्ष्यैव वैदेही प्रत्युवाचाथ देवरम् । कथं मे तापसीक्षायै यातुमिच्छा रघूद्वह
Seeing this, Vaidehī then spoke to her brother-in-law: 'How is it that I have the desire to go for ascetic discipline, O best of Raghus?
रामे भूयाद्धि कल्याणं भरते वा तथानुजे । तत्प्रजासु च सर्वत्र मा भवंतु विपर्ययाः
May all be well with Rāma, and likewise with Bharata and his younger brother; and among all the people, may there be no misfortune anywhere.'
एवं ब्रुवंतीं संवीक्ष्य जानकीं च स लक्ष्मणः । न किंचिदुक्तवान्रुद्ध कंठो बाष्पप्रपूरितः
Seeing Jānakī speaking thus, Lakṣmaṇa, his throat choked and filled with tears, did not say anything.
सा गच्छंती मृगान्वामं परिवर्तनकारकान् । अपश्यद्दुःखसंघातकारकान्समभाषत
As she went, she saw deer turning to the left, causing change, and, seeing those bringers of sorrow, she spoke.
अद्य यन्मे मृगा वामं वर्तयंति तदिष्यते । श्रीरामचरणौ मुक्त्वा गच्छंत्यायुक्तमेव तत्
Today, as the deer turn to the left before me, it is considered inauspicious; for one departing after leaving the feet of Śrī Rāma, this is indeed fitting.
महिलानां परोधर्मः स्वभर्तृचरणार्चनम् । तन्मुक्त्वान्यत्र यांत्या मे यद्भवेद्युक्तमेव तत्
The highest duty of women is the worship of their husband's feet; leaving that and going elsewhere, whatever happens to me is indeed appropriate.
एवं पथि विचारं तु कुर्वंत्या परमार्थतः । जाह्नवी ददृशे देव्या मुनिवृंदैकसेविता
Thus, as she reflected deeply along the way, the goddess beheld the Jahnavī, attended only by groups of sages.
यस्यां जलस्य कल्लोला दृश्यंते दुग्धसंनिभाः । तरंगो दृश्यते यत्र स्वर्गसोपानमूर्तिभृत्
In whose waters waves appear like milk, and where the waves are seen as the very form of a stairway to heaven.
यस्या वारिकणस्पर्शान्महापातकसंचयः । पलायते न कुत्रापि स्थानमीक्षन्समंततः
By the touch of whose water-drops, the mass of great sins flees, finding no place to stay anywhere.
गंगां प्राप्याथ सौमित्रिर्जानकीं स्यंदने स्थिताम् । उवाच निर्गलद्बाष्प एहि सीते रथाद्भुवि
Then, having reached the Gaṅgā, Saumitri, with tears flowing, said to Jānakī, who was standing in the chariot: 'Come, Sītā, down from the chariot onto the ground.'
सीता तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य क्षणादवततार सा । लक्ष्मणेन धृता बाहौ स्खलंती पथि कंटकैः
Sita, hearing those words, immediately descended; supported by Lakshmana's arm, she stumbled along the path, pricked by thorns.
शेष उवाच। अथ नावा समुत्तीर्य जाह्नवीं लक्ष्मणस्तदा । जानकीं परतस्तीरे हस्ते धृत्वा वनं ययौ
Shesha said: Then, having crossed the Jahnavi by boat, Lakshmana took Janaki by the hand and went into the forest on the far bank.
सा चलंती पथि तदा शुष्यद्वदनलक्षिता । कंटकक्षतसत्पादा स्खलंती च पदे पदे
She, moving along the path, appeared parched and weary; her feet wounded by thorns, she stumbled at every step.
लक्ष्मणस्तां महाघोरे विपिने दुःखदायिनि । प्रवेशयामास तदा राघवाज्ञाविधायकः
Lakshmana, obeying Raghava's command, led her into that dreadful forest, which brought suffering.
यत्र वृक्षा महाघोरा बर्बूलाः खदिरा घनाः । श्लेष्मातकाश्चिंचिणीकाः शुष्का दावेन वह्निना
There, the trees were terrifying: barbula, dense khadira, shleshmataka, and chinchini, all dried by the fire's blaze.
कोटरस्था महासर्पाः फूत्कुर्वंति सुकोपिताः । घूका घूत्कुर्वते यत्र लोकचित्तभयंकराः
Within hollows, great serpents hissed fiercely in anger; there, owls hooted, striking fear into people's hearts.
व्याघ्राः सिंहाः सृगालाश्च द्वीपिनोऽतिभयंकराः । दृश्यंते यत्र सरला मनुष्यादाः सुकोपनाः
Tigers, lions, jackals, and leopards—most fearsome—were seen there, along with wild sarala, man-eaters, quick to anger.
महिषाः सूकरा दुष्टा दंष्ट्रा द्वयविलक्षिताः । कुर्वंति प्राणिनां तापं मानसस्य मदोद्धुराः
Buffaloes and wild boars, wicked and marked by twin tusks, tormented living creatures, their minds inflamed with madness.
ईदृग्वनं प्रपश्यंती भयेनोपगतज्वरा । कंटकैर्दष्टचरणा लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Beholding such a forest, fevered with fear, her feet bitten by thorns, Sita spoke to Lakshmana.
जानक्युवाच। वीरर्षिमुनिसंसेव्या नाश्रमान्नेत्रसौख्यदान् । नाहं पश्यामि नो तेषां पत्नीश्च सुतपोधनाः
Janaki said: I do not see any hermitages served by heroic sages, nor their wives, rich in austerity, who bring comfort to the eyes.
पश्यामि केवलं घोरान्पक्षिणः शुष्कवृक्षकान् । दावानलेन तत्सर्वं दह्यमानमिदं वनम्
I see only terrifying birds and dry trees; all this forest is being burned by wildfire.
त्वां च पश्यामि दुःखार्तमश्रुपूर्णाकुलेक्षणम् । शकुनेतरसाहस्रं भवेन्मम पदे पदे
I see you, afflicted by sorrow, your eyes filled with tears and confusion; at every step, a thousand omens trouble me.