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.
तन्मे कथय वीराग्र्य कथं मुक्ता महात्मना । रामेण दुष्टहृदया क्षिप्रं कथय मे हि तत्
Therefore, tell me, foremost of heroes, how I have been abandoned by the great-souled Rama, whose heart has turned cruel; quickly tell me this.
इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य लक्ष्मणः शोककर्शितः । संरुद्धबाष्पवदनो न किंचित्प्रोक्तवांस्तदा
Hearing those words, Lakshmana, emaciated by grief, his face choked with tears, said nothing at that moment.
तदेव विपिनं घोरं गच्छंती लक्ष्मणान्विता । पुनरप्याह तं वीरं दुःखार्ता पश्यती मुखम्
Continuing through that dreadful forest, accompanied by Lakshmana, she again spoke to the hero, gazing at his face, afflicted by sorrow.
तदापि स न तां वक्ति किमपि प्रेक्षुलोलुपः । तदा सात्यंतनिर्बंधं चकार परिपृच्छती
Even then, he did not say anything to her, his gaze restless; then she questioned him persistently and sincerely.
आग्रहेण यदा पृष्टो लक्ष्मणः सीतया तदा । रुद्धकंठो मुहुः शोचन्नवदत्त्यागसंभवम्
When Lakshmana was pressed by Sita with insistence, his throat blocked, grieving again and again, he spoke of the abandonment.
तद्वाक्यं पविना तुल्यं निशम्य मुनिसत्तम । सुलताकृत्तमूलेव बभूवाकल्पवर्जिता
Hearing those words, equal to the wind, O best of sages, she became like a lotus cut from its root, bereft of beauty.
तदैव पृथिवी तां न जग्राह तनयामिमाम् । रामो विपापिनीं सीतां न जह्यादिति शंकिनी
At that moment, the earth did not receive her, this daughter, suspecting that Rāma would not abandon Sītā, though she was accused of sin.
पतितां तां तु वैदेहीं दृष्ट्वा सौमित्रिरुत्सुकः । पल्लवाग्र्यसमीरेण संज्ञितां तु चकार सः
Seeing Vaidehī fallen, Saumitri, eager and anxious, revived her with a breeze from the tips of fresh leaves.
संज्ञां प्राप्ता ह्युवाचेदं मा हास्यं कुरु देवर । कथं मां पापरहितां त्यजते स रघूद्वहः
Regaining consciousness, she said: 'Do not make this a matter of ridicule, brother-in-law; how does the great descendant of Raghu abandon me, who am free from sin?'
एवं बहुविलप्याथ लक्ष्मणं दुःखसंयुतम् । संवीक्ष्यमू र्च्छिता भूमौ पपात परिदुःखिता
Thus lamenting greatly, she then looked at Lakṣmaṇa, overwhelmed by sorrow, and, distressed, fainted and fell to the ground.