एवमुक्ता तदा भर्त्रा त्रपयाऽवाङ्मुखी स्थिता। विमुंचंती साऽश्रुपातं राघवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Thus addressed by her husband, she stood with her face lowered in modesty; shedding tears, she spoke to Raghava.
शृणु त्वं नाथ यद्दृष्टमाश्चर्यमिह यादृशम्। राम त्वयाऽचिंत्यमानो राजेंद्रस्त्विह चागतः
Listen, O lord, to what I saw here, and the wonder it was; Rama, the king whom you revere, has arrived here.
सर्वाभरणसंयुक्तौ द्वौ चान्यौ च तथाविधौ। द्विजानां देहसंयुक्तास्त्रयस्ते रघुनंदन
Two others, adorned with all ornaments, were likewise present; three, O descendant of Raghu, embodied in the forms of Brahmins.
पितरस्तु मया दृष्टा ब्राह्मणांगेषु राघव। दृष्ट्वा त्रपान्विता चाहमपक्रांता तवांतिकात्
Father, I saw among the Brahmins, O Raghava; seeing him, I was overcome with shame and withdrew from your side.
त्वया वै भोजिता विप्राः कृतं श्राद्धं यथाविधि। वल्कलाजिनसंवीता कथं राज्ञः पुरःसरा1.33.
You fed the Brahmins and performed the śrāddha according to the proper rites; how can those clad in bark and deer skin be the leaders of kings?
भवामि रिपुवीरघ्न सत्यमेतदुदाहृतम्। कौशेयानि च वस्त्राणि कैकेय्यापहृतानि च
I am the destroyer of enemies, this is truly spoken; the silk garments and those taken by Kaikeyi are gone.
ततः प्रभृति चैवाहं चीरिणी तु वनाश्रयम्। ज्ञात्वाहं न वदे किंचिन्मा ते दुःखं भवत्विति
From that time onward, I have dwelt in the forest wearing bark; knowing this, I say nothing, so that you may not suffer.
नाहं स्मरामि वै मातुर्न पितुश्च परंतप। कदा भविष्यतीहांतो वनवासस्य राघव
I do not remember my mother or father, O scorcher of foes; when will the end of this forest exile come, O Raghava?
एतदेवानिशं राम चिंतयंत्याः पुनः पुनः। व्रजंति दिवसा नाथ तव पद्भ्यां शपाम्यहम्
O Rāma, thinking only of this again and again, the days pass by, my lord, I swear by your feet.
स्वहस्तेन कथं राज्ञो दास्ये वै भोजनं त्विदम्। दासानामपि यो दासो नोपभुंजीतयत्क्वचित्
How shall I, with my own hand, serve this food to the king—food that even the servant of servants would never partake of at any time?
एतादृशी कथं त्वस्मै संप्रदातुं समुत्सहे। याहं राज्ञा पुरा दृष्टा सर्वालङ्कारभूषिता
How can I bring myself to offer such a thing to him, when I was once seen by the king adorned with every ornament?
बालव्यजनहस्ता च वीजयंती नराधिपम्। सा स्वेदमलदिग्धांगी कथं पश्यामि भूमिपम्
Once I stood fanning the king with a yak-tail fan in my hand; how can I now, my body smeared with sweat and dirt, bear to see the lord of the earth?
व्यक्तं त्रिविष्टपं प्राप्तस्त्वया पुत्रेण तारितः। दृष्ट्वा मां दुःखितां बालां वने क्लिष्टामनागसम्
Surely, you have attained heaven, rescued by your son, after seeing me, a sorrowful, innocent girl, tormented in the forest.
शोकः स्यात्पार्थिवस्यास्य तेन नष्टास्मि राघव। भवान्प्राणसमो राम न ते गोप्यं ममत्विह
This king would be grieved, O Rāghava, and thus I am lost; you are as dear to me as life itself, Rāma—there is nothing I would hide from you here.
सत्येन तेन चैवाथ स्पृशामि चरणौ तव। तच्छ्रुत्वा राघवः प्रीतः प्रियां तां प्रियवादिनीम्
By truth and by this, I touch your feet; hearing this, Rāghava was pleased with his beloved, who spoke dear words.
अंकमानीय सुदृढं परिष्वज्य च सादरम्। भुक्तौ भोज्यं तदा वीरौ पश्चाद्भुक्ता च जानकी
Drawing her firmly onto his lap and embracing her with respect, the heroes then ate the meal, and afterwards Jānakī also ate.
एवं स्थितौ तदा सा च तां रात्रिं तत्र राघवौ। उदिते च सहस्रांशौ गमनाय मनो दधुः
Thus they remained there that night, and when the thousand-rayed sun arose, the Rāghavas set their minds on departing.
प्रत्यङ्मुखं गतः क्रोशं ज्येष्ठं यावच्च पुष्करम्। पूर्वभागे पुष्करस्य यावत्तिष्ठति राघवः
Going a krośa westward, as far as the elder Puṣkara, Rāghava stayed on the eastern side of Puṣkara.
शुश्राव च ततो वाचं देवदूतेन भाषितम्। भो भो राघव भद्रं ते तीर्थमेतत्सुदुर्लभम्
There he heard a voice spoken by a divine messenger: 'O Rāghava, blessings to you! This is a most rare holy place.'
अस्मिन्स्थाने स्थितो वीर आत्मनः पुण्यतां कुरु। देवकार्यं त्वया कार्यं हंतव्या देवशत्रवः
'Standing in this place, O hero, make yourself pure; you have a divine task to perform—divine enemies must be slain by you.'
ततो हृष्टमना वीरो ह्यब्रवील्लक्ष्मणं वचः। सौमित्रेऽनुगृहीतोहं देवदेवेन ब्रह्मणा
Then the hero, his mind gladdened, spoke to Lakṣmaṇa: 'O son of Sumitrā, I am favored by the god of gods, Brahmā.'
अत्राश्रमपदं कृत्वा मासमेकं च लक्ष्मण। व्रतं चरितुमिच्छामि कायशोधनमुत्तमम्
'Here, after establishing a hermitage, I wish to undertake a vow for one month, Lakṣmaṇa, for supreme purification of the body.'
तथेति लक्ष्मणेनोक्ते व्रतं परिसमाप्यतु। पिंडदानादिभिर्दानैः श्राद्धैश्चैव पितामहान्
When Lakṣmaṇa agreed, the vow was completed with offerings such as piṇḍa and other gifts, and with śrāddha rites for the ancestors.
पुष्करे तु तदा रामोऽतर्पयद्विधिवत्तदा। कनका सुप्रभा चैव नंदा प्राची सरस्वती
Then Rāma duly satisfied the ancestors at Puṣkara, with Kanakā, Suprabhā, Nandā, and the eastern Sarasvatī.
पंचस्रोताः पुष्करेषु पितॄणां तुष्टिदायिनी। दैनंदिनीं पितॄणां तु पूजां तां पितृपूर्विकाम्
The five-streamed river at Puṣkara grants satisfaction to the ancestors; he performed the daily ancestral worship, as done by his forefathers.
रचयित्वा तदा रामो लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत्। एहि लक्ष्मण शीघ्रं त्वं पुष्कराज्जलमानय
Having performed this, Rāma then spoke to Lakṣmaṇa: 'Come, Lakṣmaṇa, quickly bring water from Puṣkara.'
पादप्रक्षालनं कृत्वा शयनं कुरु संस्तरे। विभावर्यां निवृत्तायां यास्यामो दक्षिणां दिशम्
After washing your feet, make your bed on the bedding; when the night has passed, we shall go to the southern direction.
लक्ष्मणस्त्वब्रवीद्वाक्यं सीतयानीय तां पयः। नाहं राम सर्वकाले दासभावं करोमि ते
But Lakshmana spoke these words, bringing water for Sita: 'Rama, I do not serve you as a servant at all times.'
इयंपुष्टाचसुभृशंपीवरीचममाप्युत। किं त्वं करिष्यस्यनया भार्यया वद सांप्रतम्
This wife of yours is indeed well-nourished and robust; tell me now, what will you do with her?
किं वा मृतस्य वै पृष्ठ इयं यास्यति ते प्रिया। रक्षसे त्वं सदा कालं सुपुष्टां चैव सर्वदा
Or will this beloved of yours follow you after death? You always protect her, and she is always well-nourished.