पुच्छे वायुसुतस्यायं गृहीत्वा तु कुशानुजः । भ्रातरं प्रत्युवाचेदं नेष्यामि स्वकमंदिरम्
Taking hold of the tail of Vāyu’s son, Kuśa’s younger brother spoke to his brother: I will take him to our own dwelling.
आवयोर्जननी प्रीत्यै गृहीत्वा पुच्छके त्वहम् । क्रीडार्थमृषिपुत्राणां कौतुकार्थं ममैव च
For the delight of our mother, I have seized his tail; for the play of the sages’ sons, and for my own amusement as well.
एतच्छ्रुत्वा ततो वाक्यमुवाच च कुशो लवम् । अहमेनं ग्रहीष्यामि वानरं बलिनं दृढम्
Hearing this, Kuśa then spoke to Lava: I will seize this powerful and steadfast monkey.
इत्येवं भाषमाणौ तौ बद्ध्वा तौ बलिनां वरौ । पुच्छयोर्बलिनौ धृत्वा जग्मतुः स्वाश्रमं प्रति
Thus speaking, the two, having bound those two foremost of the strong, held them by their tails and set out for their own hermitage.
स्वाश्रमाय प्रगच्छंतौ वीक्ष्य तौ कपिसत्तमौ । कंपमानौ जगदतुरन्योन्यं भीतया गिरा
As they proceeded to their hermitage, seeing those two best of monkeys trembling, they spoke to each other in voices filled with fear.
हनूमान्कपिराजानं प्रत्युवाच भयार्द्रधीः । एतौ रामसुतावस्मान्नेष्यतः स्वाश्रमं प्रति
Hanumān, his mind overcome by fear, spoke to the monkey king: These sons of Rāma are taking us to their hermitage.
मया पूर्वं कृतं कर्म जानकीं प्रतिगच्छता । तत्र मे जानकी देवी संमुखाभून्मनोहरा
Formerly, when I went to find Jānakī, I performed a deed; there, the divine Jānakī appeared before me, enchanting to behold.
सा मां द्रक्ष्यति वैदेही बद्धं पाशेन वैरिणा । तदा हसिष्यति वरा त्रपा मेऽत्र भविष्यति
Now, Vaidehī will see me bound by the enemy’s noose; then she will laugh, and I will feel shame in this matter.
मया किमत्र कर्तव्यं प्राणत्यागो भविष्यति । महद्दुःखं चापतितं स रामः किं करिष्यति
What should I do now? Perhaps I should give up my life; great sorrow has befallen me—what will Rāma do?
सुग्रीवस्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा ममाप्येवं महाकपे । नेष्यते यदि मामेवं निधनं तु भविष्यति
Hearing those words, Sugrīva said: If I too am taken in this way, O great monkey, then death will be my fate.
एवं कथयतोरेव ह्यन्योन्यं भयभीतयोः । कुशो लवश्च भवनं मातुः प्रापतुरोजसा
Thus, as the two spoke to each other, both filled with fear, Kuśa and Lava, with great energy, reached their mother’s dwelling.
तावायातौ समीक्ष्यैव जहर्ष जननी तयोः । अन्योन्यं परमप्रीत्या परिरेभे निजौ सुतौ
Seeing her two sons arrive, their mother rejoiced; out of supreme affection, she embraced her own sons.
ताभ्यां पुच्छगृहीतौ तौ वानरौ वीक्ष्य जानकी । हनूमंतं च सुग्रीवं सर्ववीरं कपीश्वरम्
Beholding those two monkeys held by their tails by her sons, Jānakī gazed at Hanumān, Sugrīva, and all the mighty monkey lords.
जहास पाशबद्धौ तौ वीक्षमाणा वरांगना । उवाच च विमोक्षार्थं वदंती वचनं वरम्
Seeing those two bound with ropes, the noble lady laughed and, wishing to release them, spoke these gracious words.
पुत्रौ प्रमुंचतं कीशौ महावीरौ महाबलौ । ईक्षंतौ मां यदि स्फीतौ प्राणत्यागं करिष्यतः
Release these two sons, the mighty and powerful monkey chiefs; if they look upon me, they will surely give up their lives.
अयं वै हनुमान्वीरो यो ददाह दनोः पुरीम् । अयमप्यृक्षराजो हि सर्ववानरभूमिपः
This is the heroic Hanuman, who burned the city of the demon; and this is the king of the bears, indeed the lord of all the monkey realms.
किमर्थं विधृतौ कुत्र किं वा कृतमनादरात् । पुच्छे युवाभ्यां विधृतौ स महान्विस्मयोऽस्ति मे
For what reason, and where, and what was done with disrespect, that their tails have been bound by you two? This is a great wonder to me.
इति मातुर्वचः श्लक्ष्णं वीक्ष्यतां पुत्रकौ तदा । ऊचतुर्विनयश्रेष्ठौ महाबलसमन्वितौ
Thus, when their mother spoke gently, the two sons, endowed with great strength and excelling in humility, replied.
मातः कश्चन भूपालो रामो दाशरथिर्बली । तेन मुक्तो हयः स्वर्णभालपत्रः सुशोभितः
"Mother, there is a certain powerful king, Rama, son of Dasharatha; by him, the horse adorned with a golden forehead plate was released.
तत्रैवं लिखितं मातरेकवीराप्रसूर्मम । ये क्षत्रियास्ते गृह्णन्तु नोचेत्पादतलार्चकाः
"There it was written, mother, that I am the mother of a single hero; let the Kshatriyas seize it, or else let them become worshippers at his feet.
तदा मया विचारो वै कृतः स्वांते पतिव्रते । भवती क्षत्रिया किं न वीरसूः किं न वा भवेत्
"Then I considered this in my heart, O faithful wife: Are you a Kshatriya, or not the mother of a hero, or what else could it be?
धार्ष्ट्यं तद्वीक्ष्य भूपस्य गृहीतोऽश्वो मया बलात् । जितं कुशेन वीरेण सैन्यं तत्पातितं रणे
"Seeing that king's audacity, I seized the horse by force; the army was conquered in battle by the hero Kusha, and was overthrown.
मुकुटोऽयं भूमिपतेर्जानीहि पतिदेवते । अयमप्यन्यवीरस्य पुष्कलस्य महात्मनः
"This is the crown of the king, know this, O devoted one; and this is of another hero, the great-souled Pushkala.
जानीहि मुकुटं त्वन्यं मणिमुक्ताविराजितम् । अश्वोऽयं मे मनोहारी कामयानो हि भूपतेः
"Know this other crown, adorned with jewels and pearls; this horse, captivating to the mind, was desired by the king.
आरोहणाय मद्भ्रातुर्जानीहि बलिनो वरे । इमौ कीशौ मया रंतुमानीतौ बलिनां वरौ
"For mounting by my strong brother, know this, O best of the strong; these two monkeys were brought by me for sport, both foremost among the strong.
कौतुकार्थं तवैवैतौ संग्रामे युद्धकारकौ । इति वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य जानकी पतिदेवता
"For your amusement alone, these two are present, causing battle in the fight; hearing these words, Janaki, devoted to her husband—
जगाद पुत्रौ तौ वीरौ मोचयेथां पुनः पुनः । सीतोवाच। युवाभ्यामनयः सृष्टो हृतो रामहयो महान्
—spoke again and again to those two heroic sons, 'Release them.' Sita said: 'By you two, this great horse of Rama was seized and taken.'
अनेके पातिता वीरा इमौ बद्धौ कपीश्वरौ । पितुस्तव हयो वीरो यागार्थं मोचितोऽमुना
"Many heroes were struck down; these two monkey lords were bound. Your father's heroic horse was released by him for the sacrifice."
तस्यापि हृतवंतौ किं वाजिनं मखसत्तमे । मुंचतं प्लवगावेतौ मुंचतं वाजिनां वरम्
"Why do you two hold back the best horse, even after taking it from him at the great sacrifice? Release these two monkeys, or release the best of horses."
क्षाम्यतां भूपतेर्भ्राता शत्रुघ्नः परकोपनः । जनन्यास्तद्वचः श्रुत्वा ऊचतुस्तां बलान्वितौ
"Forgive the king's brother, Shatrughna, who is quick to anger; hearing these words of their mother, those two powerful ones replied to her."