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.
हृष्टा चैषा क्लेशयति सततं मां रघूत्तम। त्वं च क्लेशयसे राम परत्र जायते क्षतिः
She, being cheerful, constantly troubles me, O best of the Raghus; and you too, Rama, cause me distress—this leads to harm in the next world.
त्वत्कृते च सदा चाहं पिपासां क्षुधया सह। संसहामि न संदेहः परत्र च निशामय
For your sake, I always endure thirst along with hunger—there is no doubt; consider this also for the next world.
मृतानां पृष्ठतः कश्चिद्गतो नैव च दृश्यते। भार्य्या पुत्रो धनं चापि एवमाहुर्मनीषिणः
No one is seen to have followed the dead—wife, son, or wealth; so say the wise.
मृतश्च ते पिता राम त्यक्त्वा राज्यमकंटकम्। विनिक्षिप्य वने त्वां च कैकेय्याः प्रियकाम्यया
And your father, Rama, died after abandoning the thornless kingdom and leaving you in the forest, to fulfill Kaikeyi's desire.
इहस्थिता सा कैकेयी धनं सर्वे च बांधवाः। महाराजो दशरथ एक एव गतो गतिम्
Kaikeyi remains here, along with the wealth and all the relatives; but King Dasharatha alone has gone on his final journey.
मन्येहं न त्वया सार्धं सीता यास्यति वै ध्रुवम्। करिष्यसे किमनया वद राघव सांप्रतम्
I think Sita will certainly not go with you; tell me now, Raghava, what will you do with her?
श्रुत्वा चाश्रुतपूर्वं हि वाक्यं लक्ष्मणभाषितम्। विमना राघवस्तस्थौ सीता चापि वरानना
Hearing Lakshmana's words, which had never been spoken before, Raghava stood dejected, and Sita too, with her beautiful face.
यदुक्तं लक्ष्मणेनाथ सीता सर्वं चकार ह। स्नात्वा भुक्त्वा ततो वीरौ पुष्करे पुष्करेक्षणौ
Then Sita did everything that Lakshmana had said; after bathing and eating, the two heroes with lotus-like eyes rested.
नीत्वा विभावरीं तत्र गमनाय मनो दधुः। एह्युत्तिष्ठ च सौमित्रे व्रजामो दक्षिणां दिशम्
There they passed the night, and then set their minds on departure: 'Come, rise, O Saumitri, let us go to the southern direction.'
सौमित्रिरब्रवीद्राम नाहं यास्ये कथंचन। व्रज त्वमनया सार्धं भार्यया कमलेक्षण
Saumitri said to Rama, 'I will not go under any circumstances; you go with your wife, O lotus-eyed one.'