भ्रातरं निहतं दृष्ट्वा रावणेन दुरात्मना। विष्टनन्तं तु दुःखार्तं मर्मण्यभिहतं भृशम्
Seeing my brother struck down by the wicked Rāvaṇa, writhing in pain and grievously wounded in his vital parts,
राघवो भ्रातरं दृष्ट्वा प्रियं प्राणं बहिश्चरम्। दुःखेन महताविष्टो ध्यानशोकपरायणः
Rāghava, seeing his beloved brother, his very life, lying outside himself, was seized by great sorrow, absorbed in grief and meditation.
परं विषादमापन्नो विललापाकुलेन्द्रियः। भ्रातरं निहतं दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणं रणपांसुषु
Overcome by extreme despair, his senses bewildered, he lamented upon seeing Lakṣmaṇa slain on the dusty battlefield.
विजयोऽपि हि मे शूर न प्रियायोपकल्पते। अचक्षुर्विषयश्चन्द्रः कां प्रीतिं जनयिष्यति
Even victory, O hero, does not bring me joy; just as the moon, unseen by the eyes, cannot give pleasure.
किं मे युद्धेन किं प्राणैर्युद्धकार्यं न विद्यते। यत्रायं निहतः शेते रणमूर्धनि लक्ष्मणः
What use is battle to me, what use is life? There is no purpose in fighting, when Lakṣmaṇa lies slain at the heart of the battlefield.
यथैव मां वनं यान्तमनुयाति महाद्युतिः। अहमप्यनुयास्यामि तथैवैनं यमक्षयम्
Just as the illustrious one followed me when I went to the forest, so too shall I follow him now to the abode of Yama.
इष्टबन्धुजनो नित्यं मां स नित्यमनुव्रतः। इमामवस्थां गमितो राक्षसैः कूटयोधिभिः
He, ever devoted, always accompanied me, his beloved kinsman; now, through the deceitful warfare of the rakshasas, he has been brought to this state.
देशे देशे कलत्राणि देशे देशे च बान्धवाः। तं तु देशं न पश्यामि यत्र भ्राता सहोदरः
In every land there are wives, in every land there are relatives; but I do not see any land where a brother, born of the same mother, is found.
किं नु राज्येन दुर्धर्षलक्ष्मणेन विना मम। कथं वक्ष्याम्यहं त्वम्बां सुमित्रां पुत्रवत्सलाम्
What is the value of kingship to me without the indomitable Lakshmana? How shall I speak to you, O Sumitra, who loves your son so dearly?
उपालम्भं न शक्ष्यामि सोढुं दत्तं सुमित्रया। किं नु वक्ष्यामि कौसल्यां मातरं किं नु कैकयीम्
I will not be able to endure the reproach given by Sumitra; what shall I say to Kausalya, or to my mother Kaikeyi?
भरतं किं नु वक्ष्यामि शत्रुघ्नं च महाबलम्। सह तेन वनं यातो विना तेनागतः कथम्
What shall I say to Bharata, or to the mighty Shatrughna? How can I return without him, when I went to the forest together with him?
इहैव मरणं श्रेयो न तु बन्धुविगर्हणम्। किं मया दुष्कृतं कर्म कृतमन्यत्र जन्मनि
Death here itself is better for me than the reproach of my kin; what evil deed did I commit in another life,
येन मे धार्मिको भ्राता निहतश्चाग्रतः स्थितः। हा भ्रातर्मनुजश्रेष्ठ शूराणां प्रवर प्रभो
by which my righteous brother, standing before me, has been slain? Alas, brother, best of the younger ones, foremost among heroes, lord!
एकाकी किं नु मां त्यक्त्वा परलोकाय गच्छसि। विलपन्तं च मां भ्रातः किमर्थं नावभाषसे
Why do you abandon me and go alone to the next world? O brother, why do you not speak to me as I lament?
उत्तिष्ठ पश्य किं शेषे दीनं मां पश्य चक्षुषा। शोकार्तस्य प्रमत्तस्य पर्वतेषु वनेषु च
Rise up, look—why do you lie there? Look upon me with your eyes, so wretched, overwhelmed by grief and distracted, on the mountains and in the forests.
विषण्णस्य महाबाहो समाश्वासयिता मम। राममेवं ब्रुवाणं तु शोकव्याकुलितेन्द्रियम्
O mighty-armed one, who will comfort me, so dejected? As Rama spoke thus, his senses overcome by grief,
आश्वासयन्नुवाचेदं सुषेणः परमं वचः। त्यजेमां नरशार्दूल बुद्धिं वैक्लव्यकारिणीम्
Suṣeṇa, offering comfort, spoke these supreme words: 'O tiger among men, abandon this despairing thought,
शोकसंजननीं चिन्तां तुल्यां बाणैश्चमूमुखे। नैव पञ्चत्वमापन्नो लक्ष्मणो लक्ष्मिवर्धनः
this anxiety that breeds sorrow, like arrows in the midst of battle. Lakshmana, increaser of prosperity, has not reached death.
नह्यस्य विकृतं वक्त्रं न च श्यामत्वमागतम्। सुप्रभं च प्रसन्नं च मुखमस्य निरीक्ष्यताम्
His face is not distorted, nor has it turned dark; behold his face, bright and serene.
पद्मपत्रतलौ हस्तौ सुप्रसन्ने च लोचने। नेदृशं दृश्यते रूपं गतासूनां विशां पते
His hands are like the inner surface of lotus petals, his eyes are very clear; such a form is not seen in those whose life has departed, O lord of men.
विषादं मा कृथा वीर सप्राणोऽयमरिंदम। आख्याति तु प्रसुप्तस्य स्रस्तगात्रस्य भूतले
Do not give in to despair, O hero; this subduer of foes still has life. The signs of one who is merely asleep, his limbs relaxed upon the ground, are evident.
सोच्छ्वासं हृदयं वीर कम्पमानं मुहुर्मुहुः। एवमुक्त्वा महाप्राज्ञः सुषेणो राघवं वचः
His heart, O hero, is still breathing, trembling again and again. Having spoken thus, the wise Suṣeṇa addressed these words to Rāghava:
समीपस्थमुवाचेदं हनूमन्तं महाकपिम्। सौम्य शीघ्रमितो गत्वा पर्वतं हि महोदयम्
He spoke to Hanuman, the great monkey, who was standing nearby: 'Gentle one, quickly go from here to the great mountain Mahodaya.'
पूर्वं तु कथितो योऽसौ वीर जाम्बवता तव। दक्षिणे शिखरे जातां महौषधिमिहानय
O hero, as Jāmbavān previously told you, bring here the great medicinal herb that grows on the southern peak.
विशल्यकरणीं नाम्ना सावर्ण्यकरणीं तथा। संजीवकरणीं वीर संधानीं च महौषधीम्
Bring, O hero, the great herbs named Viśalyakaraṇī, Sāvarṇyakaraṇī, Saṃjīvakaraṇī, and Saṃdhānī.
संजीवनार्थं वीरस्य लक्ष्मणस्य त्वमानय। इत्येवमुक्तो हनुमान् गत्वा चौषधिपर्वतम्। चिन्तामभ्यगमच्छ्रीमानजानंस्ता महौषधीः
Bring them for the revival of the heroic Lakṣmaṇa. Thus addressed, Hanumān went to the mountain of herbs, but, though illustrious, he could not recognize those great herbs.
तस्य बुद्धिः समुत्पन्ना मारुतेरमितौजसः। इदमेव गमिष्यामि गृहीत्वा शिखरं गिरेः
Then a thought arose in the mind of Hanumān, the son of the wind, of immeasurable energy: 'I will take this very peak of the mountain.'
अस्मिंस्तु शिखरे जातामोषधीं तां सुखावहाम्। प्रतर्केणावगच्छामि सुषेणो ह्येवमब्रवीत्
'By inference, I understand that the beneficial herb grows on this peak, for Suṣeṇa has spoken thus.'
अगृह्य यदि गच्छामि विशल्यकरणीमहम्। कालात्ययेन दोषः स्याद् वैक्लव्यं च महद्भवेत्
'If I go without taking the Viśalyakaraṇī, there would be harm from delay and great distress.'
इति संचिन्त्य हनुमान् गत्वा क्षिप्रं महाबलः। आसाद्य पर्वतश्रेष्ठं त्रिः प्रकम्प्य गिरेः शिरः
Thinking thus, Hanumān, of great strength, quickly went, reached the best of mountains, and shook the summit three times.