तेनाजय्येन मुख्येन राघवेण महात्मना। शपे ते जीवनार्हेण ब्रूहि यन्मनसेप्सितम्
By that unconquered, foremost, high-souled Raghava—by Rama, who is worthy of life—I swear to you, speak whatever is in your heart.
यं मुहूर्तमपश्यंस्तु न जीवे तमहं ध्रुवम्। तेन रामेण कैकेयि शपे ते वचनक्रियाम्
I surely could not live even for a moment without seeing Rama; by him, O Kaikeyi, I swear to fulfill your word.
आत्मना चात्मजैश्चान्यैर्वृणे यं मनुजर्षभम्। तेन रामेण कैकेयि शपे ते वचनक्रियाम्
By that Rama, whom I choose above myself, my sons, and all others, O Kaikeyi, I swear to fulfill your request.
भद्रे हृदयमप्येतदनुमृश्योद्धरस्व मे। एतत् समीक्ष्य कैकेयि ब्रूहि यत् साधु मन्यसे
Good lady, consider this in your heart and grant me relief; reflect well, Kaikeyi, and tell me what you think is right.
बलमात्मनि पश्यन्ती न विशङ्कितुमर्हसि। करिष्यामि तव प्रीतिं सुकृतेनापि ते शपे
Seeing your own strength, you should not hesitate; I will fulfill your wish, I swear to you by my own merit.
तेन वाक्येन संहृष्टा तमभिप्रायमात्मनः। व्याजहार महाघोरमभ्यागतमिवान्तकम्
Delighted by these words, she revealed her dreadful intent, like Death itself arriving.
यथा क्रमेण शपसे वरं मम ददासि च। तच्छृण्वन्तु त्रयस्त्रिंशद् देवाः सेन्द्रपुरोगमाः
Since you swear and grant me a boon in due order, let the thirty-three gods, with Indra at their head, hear this.
चन्द्रादित्यौ नभश्चैव ग्रहा रात्र्यहनी दिशः। जगच्च पृथिवी चेयं सगन्धर्वाः सराक्षसाः
Let the moon and sun, the sky, the planets, night and day, the directions, the world, this earth, the Gandharvas, and all the Rakshasas bear witness.
निशाचराणि भूतानि गृहेषु गृहदेवताः। यानि चान्यानि भूतानि जानीयुर्भाषितं तव
Let the night-wandering beings, spirits, household gods in the homes, and all other beings know what you have spoken.
सत्यसंधो महातेजा धर्मज्ञः सत्यवाक्शुचिः। वरं मम ददात्येष सर्वे शृण्वन्तु दैवताः
This one, steadfast in truth, of great splendor, knower of righteousness, truthful in speech and pure, grants me a boon—let all the gods hear.
इति देवी महेष्वासं परिगृह्याभिशस्य च। ततः परमुवाचेदं वरदं काममोहितम्
Thus the queen, having embraced and praised the mighty-armed one, then spoke further to the boon-giver, overcome by desire.
स्मर राजन् पुरा वृत्तं तस्मिन् देवासुरे रणे। तत्र त्वां च्यावयच्छत्रुस्तव जीवितमन्तरा
Remember, O king, what happened before in that battle between gods and demons, when an enemy endangered your life.
तत्र चापि मया देव यत् त्वं समभिरक्षितः। जाग्रत्या यतमानायास्ततो मे प्रददौ वरौ
There, O lord, I protected you, keeping watch and striving; for that, you granted me two boons.
तौ दत्तौ च वरौ देव निक्षेपौ मृगयाम्यहम्। तवैव पृथिवीपाल सकाशे रघुनन्दन
Those two boons, O lord, which you gave, I now seek to claim from you, O protector of the earth, O descendant of Raghu.
तत् प्रतिश्रुत्य धर्मेण न चेद् दास्यसि मे वरम्। अद्यैव हि प्रहास्यामि जीवितं त्वद्विमानिता
If you do not grant me the boon you promised in righteousness, today, dishonored by you, I will give up my life.
वाङ्मात्रेण तदा राजा कैकेय्या स्ववशे कृतः। प्रचस्कन्द विनाशाय पाशं मृग इवात्मनः
Then, by mere words, the king was brought under Kaikeyi's control; like a deer caught in a snare, he moved toward his own destruction.
ततः परमुवाचेदं वरदं काममोहितम्। वरौ देयौ त्वया देव तदा दत्तौ महीपते
Then she further spoke these words to the king, who was overcome by desire and infatuation: 'O lord, you had granted me two boons, and at that time you promised to give them, O king.'
तौ तावदहमद्यैव वक्ष्यामि शृणु मे वचः। अभिषेकसमारम्भो राघवस्योपकल्पितः
Now I will declare those two boons to you today; listen to my words: the preparations for Rāghava’s consecration have been made.
अनेनैवाभिषेकेण भरतो मेऽभिषिच्यताम्। यो द्वितीयो वरो देव दत्तः प्रीतेन मे त्वया
With that very consecration, let Bharata be anointed for me; this is the second boon, O lord, which you joyfully granted me.
तदा देवासुरे युद्धे तस्य कालोऽयमागतः। नव पञ्च च वर्षाणि दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः
At that time, in the battle between gods and demons, you promised; now that time has come: let Rāma dwell in the Daṇḍaka forest for nine and five years.
चीराजिनधरो धीरो रामो भवतु तापसः। भरतो भजतामद्य यौवराज्यमकण्टकम्
Let Rāma, steadfast and wearing bark and deerskin, become an ascetic; let Bharata today rule the kingdom without obstacle.
एष मे परमः कामो दत्तमेव वरं वृणे। अद्य चैव हि पश्येयं प्रयान्तं राघवं वने
This is my highest desire; I choose the boon you granted. And today, let me see Rāghava departing for the forest.
स राजराजो भव सत्यसंगरः कुलं च शीलं च हि जन्म रक्ष च। परत्र वासे हि वदन्त्यनुत्तमं तपोधनाः सत्यवचो हितं नृणाम्
Be a king of kings, true to your promise; protect your lineage, character, and birth. For in the next world, the sages say, truthfulness is the highest good for men.
thumb|द्वादशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः ॥२-
The twelfth sarga is to be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga twelve.
ततः श्रुत्वा महाराजः कैकेय्या दारुणं वचः। चिन्तामभिसमापेदे मुहूर्तं प्रतताप च
Then, having heard Kaikeyī’s cruel words, the great king fell into deep thought for a moment and was greatly tormented.
किं नु मेऽयं दिवास्वप्नश्चित्तमोहोऽपि वा मम। अनुभूतोपसर्गो वा मनसो वाप्युपद्रवः
Is this a daydream of mine, or is my mind deluded? Or is it some affliction I have experienced, or a disturbance of my mind?
इति संचिन्त्य तद् राजा नाध्यगच्छत् तदासुखम्। प्रतिलभ्य ततः संज्ञां कैकेयीवाक्यतापितः
Thinking thus, the king found no comfort at that time; regaining consciousness, tormented by Kaikeyī’s words—
व्यथितो विक्लवश्चैव व्याघ्रीं दृष्ट्वा यथा मृगः। असंवृतायामासीनो जगत्यां दीर्घमुच्छ्वसन्
Distressed and bewildered, like a deer seeing a tigress, he sat on the bare ground, breathing heavily.
मण्डले पन्नगो रुद्धो मन्त्रैरिव महाविषः। अहो धिगिति सामर्षो वाचमुक्त्वा नराधिपः
Like a serpent trapped in a circle, restrained by spells though full of deadly venom, the lord of men, in anger, uttered words of reproach.
मोहम् आपेदिवान् भूयः शोकोपहतचेतनः। चिरेण तु नृपः संज्ञां प्रतिलभ्य सुदुःखितः
His mind overwhelmed by grief, he again fell into confusion; but after a long time, the king, deeply afflicted, regained his senses.