सा तु चिन्तयते नित्यं समाप्तव्रतमागतम्। कदा द्रक्ष्यामि सीतां च लक्ष्मणं च सराघवम्
She constantly thinks, having completed her vows and awaiting their return: 'When will I see Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa together with Rāma?'
परिदेवयमानां तां राक्षसी त्रिजटाब्रवीत्। मा विषादं कृथा देवि भर्तायं तव जीवति
To her, as she lamented, the demoness Trijaṭā spoke: 'Do not despair, lady; your husband is alive.'
कारणनि च वक्ष्यामि महान्ति सदृशानि च। यथेमौ जीवतो देवि भ्रातरौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
I will tell you reasons, great and fitting, why these two brothers, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, are alive, lady.
नहि कोपपरीतानि हर्षपर्युत्सुकानि च। भवन्ति युधि योधानां मुखानि निहते पतौ
The faces of warriors in battle do not become distorted by anger or overwhelmed with joy when their leader has been slain.
इदं विमानं वैदेहि पुष्पकं नाम नामतः। दिव्यं त्वां धारयेन् नेदं यद्येतौ गतजीवितौ
This aerial chariot, Vaidehi, called Puṣpaka by name, would not bear you in its divine form if these two had lost their lives.
हतवीरप्रधाना हि गतोत्साहा निरुद्यमा। सेना भ्रमति संख्येषु हतकर्णेव नौर्जले
For an army whose chief heroes are slain, whose spirit is gone and whose effort is lost, wanders in battle like a boat in water with its rudder broken.
इयं पुनरसम्भ्रान्ता निरुद्विग्ना तपस्विनि। सेना रक्षति काकुत्स्थौ मया प्रीत्या निवेदितौ
Yet this army, undisturbed and untroubled, O ascetic lady, is guarding the sons of Kakutstha, as I have joyfully informed you.
सा त्वं भव सुविस्रब्धा अनुमानैः सुखोदयैः। अहतौ पश्य काकुत्स्थौ स्नेहादेतद् ब्रवीमि ते
So you, be fully confident, relying on these pleasant signs; see the sons of Kakutstha unharmed—I say this to you out of affection.
अनृतं नोक्तपूर्वं मे न च वक्ष्यामि मैथिलि। चारित्रसुखशीलत्वात् प्रविष्टासि मनो मम
I have never spoken a lie, nor will I, O Maithilī; because of your virtuous and gentle nature, you have entered my heart.
नेमौ शक्यौ रणे जेतुं सेन्द्रैरपि सुरासुरैः। तादृशं दर्शनं दृष्ट्वा मया चोदीरितं तव
Even the gods with Indra, and the demons, cannot defeat these two in battle; seeing such a sight, I have spoken this to you.
इदं तु सुमहच्चित्रं शरैः पश्यस्व मैथिलि। विसंज्ञौ पतितावेतौ नैव लक्ष्मीर्विमुञ्चति
Now behold this most wondrous and remarkable thing, Maithilī: though struck down and unconscious, these two do not lose their radiance.
प्रायेण गतसत्त्वानां पुरुषाणां गतायुषाम्। दृश्यमानेषु वक्त्रेषु परं भवति वैकृतम्
Generally, when men have lost their strength and their life, their faces show extreme distortion as they are seen.
त्यज शोकं च दुःखं च मोहं च जनकात्मजे। रामलक्ष्मणयोरर्थे नाद्य शक्यमजीवितुम्
Abandon sorrow, grief, and delusion, O daughter of Janaka; for the sake of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, it is not possible to live today.
श्रुत्वा तु वचनं तस्याः सीता सुरसुतोपमा। कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेमामेवमस्त्विति मैथिली
Hearing her words, Sītā, equal to a divine maiden, with joined palms, replied: 'So be it,' thus spoke Maithilī.
विमानं पुष्पकं तत्तु संनिवर्त्य मनोजवम्। दीना त्रिजटया सीता लङ्कामेव प्रवेशिता
Then, having turned back the Puṣpaka chariot, swift as thought, Sītā, dejected, was led into Laṅkā by Trijaṭā.
ततस्त्रिजटया सार्धं पुष्पकादवरुह्य सा। अशोकवनिकामेव राक्षसीभिः प्रवेशिता
Then, together with Trijaṭā, she descended from Puṣpaka and was led by the demonesses into the Ashoka grove.
प्रविश्य सीता बहुवृक्षखण्डां तां राक्षसेन्द्रस्य विहारभूमिम्। सम्प्रेक्ष्य संचिन्त्य च राजपुत्रौ परं विषादं समुपाजगाम
Entering that grove, full of many trees, the pleasure ground of the king of demons, Sītā, seeing and thinking of the two princes, was overcome by deep despair.
thumb|नवचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे युद्धकाण्डे एकोनपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥६-
In the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Yuddha Kanda, the forty-ninth sarga (chapter).
घोरेण शरबन्धेन बद्धौ दशरथात्मजौ। निःश्वसन्तौ यथा नागौ शयानौ रुधिरोक्षितौ
Bound by the dreadful net of arrows, the sons of Daśaratha lay covered in blood, breathing heavily like wounded elephants.
सर्वे ते वानरश्रेष्ठाः ससुग्रीवमहाबलाः। परिवार्य महात्मानौ तस्थुः शोकपरिप्लुताः
All those foremost of the monkeys, of great strength and with Sugrīva among them, surrounded the noble brothers, standing there overwhelmed by grief.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे रामः प्रत्यबुध्यत वीर्यवान्। स्थिरत्वात् सत्त्वयोगाच्च शरैः संदानितोऽपि सन्
At that moment, Rāma, steadfast and mighty, regained consciousness—though bound by arrows—due to his firmness and strength of spirit.
ततो दृष्ट्वा सरुधिरं निषण्णं गाढमर्पितम्। भ्रातरं दीनवदनं पर्यदेवयदातुरः
Then, seeing his brother sitting there, covered in blood and deeply wounded, his face full of sorrow, Rāma, distressed, lamented.
किं नु मे सीतया कार्यं लब्धया जीवितेन वा। शयानं योऽद्य पश्यामि भ्रातरं युधि निर्जितम्
"What use is Sītā to me now, or even life itself, when today I see my brother lying defeated in battle?"
शक्या सीतासमा नारी मर्त्यलोके विचिन्वता। न लक्ष्मणसमो भ्राता सचिवः साम्परायिकः
"A woman equal to Sītā cannot be found among mortals, nor a brother, companion, or ally equal to Lakṣmaṇa."
परित्यक्ष्याम्यहं प्राणान् वानराणां तु पश्यताम्। यदि पञ्चत्वमापन्नः सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः
"I will abandon my life here before the eyes of the monkeys, if Sumitrā’s joy, Lakṣmaṇa, has reached his end."
किं नु वक्ष्यामि कौसल्यां मातरं किं नु कैकयीम्। कथमम्बां सुमित्रां च पुत्रदर्शनलालसाम्
"What shall I say to Kausalyā, or to my mother Kaikeyī? How will I comfort Sumitrā, longing to see her son?"
विवत्सां वेपमानां च वेपन्तीं कुररीमिव। कथमाश्वासयिष्यामि यदि यास्यामि तं विना
"How will I console that trembling mother, like a cow bereft of her calf, if I return without him?"
कथं वक्ष्यामि शत्रुघ्नं भरतं च यशस्विनम्। मया सह वनं यातो विना तेनाहमागतः
"How shall I speak to the illustrious Śatrughna and Bharata, who went with me to the forest, when I return without him?"
उपालम्भं न शक्ष्यामि सोढुमम्बासुमित्रया। इहैव देहं त्यक्ष्यामि नहि जीवितुमुत्सहे
"I will not be able to endure Sumitrā’s reproach; here itself I will give up my body, for I cannot bear to live."
धिङ्मां दुष्कृतकर्माणमनार्यं यत्कृते ह्यसौ। लक्ष्मणः पतितः शेते शरतल्पे गतासुवत्
"Shame on me, a doer of evil deeds and unworthy, because of whom Lakṣmaṇa lies fallen, lifeless, on this bed of arrows."