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.
कैकेयीमब्रवीत् क्रुद्धो निर्दहन्निव तेजसा। नृशंसे दुष्टचारित्रे कुलस्यास्य विनाशिनि
Enraged, burning with his own energy, he spoke to Kaikeyī: 'Cruel one, of wicked conduct, destroyer of this family!'
किं कृतं तव रामेण पापे पापं मयापि वा। सदा ते जननीतुल्यां वृत्तिं वहति राघवः
'What wrong has Rāma done to you, or what sin have I committed, O wicked one? Rāghava has always behaved towards you as towards his own mother.'
तस्यैवं त्वमनर्थाय किंनिमित्तमिहोद्यता। त्वं मयाऽऽत्मविनाशाय भवनं स्वं निवेशिता
'For what reason, then, are you intent on this harm? You have been placed in this house by me, yet you seek my own destruction.'
अविज्ञानान्नृपसुता व्याला तीक्ष्णविषा यथा। जीवलोको यदा सर्वो रामस्याह गुणस्तवम्
'Unaware, O princess, you are like a serpent with sharp poison; for when the whole world sings the praises of Rāma’s virtues—'
अपराधं कमुद्दिश्य त्यक्ष्यामीष्टमहं सुतम्। कौसल्यां च सुमित्रां च त्यजेयमपि वा श्रियम्
For what offense should I abandon my beloved son? I could even forsake Kausalya and Sumitra, or give up my own wealth.
अपश्यतस्तु मे रामं नष्टं भवति चेतनम्। तिष्ठेल्लोको विना सूर्यं सस्यं वा सलिलं विना
If I do not see Rama, my consciousness will be lost; can the world remain without the sun, or crops without water?
न तु रामं विना देहे तिष्ठेत्तु मम जीवितम्। तदलं त्यज्यतामेष निश्चयः पापनिश्चये
But without Rama, my life cannot remain in this body; therefore, let this sinful resolve be abandoned at once.
अपि ते चरणौ मूर्ध्ना स्पृशाम्येष प्रसीद मे। किमर्थं चिन्तितं पापे त्वया परमदारुणम्
I am ready to touch your feet with my head—be gracious to me. Why have you conceived such a most dreadful thought, O sinful one?
अथ जिज्ञाससे मां त्वं भरतस्य प्रियाप्रिये। अस्तु यत्तत्त्वया पूर्वं व्याहृतं राघवं प्रति
If you wish to test my affection or aversion for Bharata, let it be as you previously declared regarding Raghava.
स मे ज्येष्ठसुतः श्रीमान् धर्मज्येष्ठ इतीव मे। तत् त्वया प्रियवादिन्या सेवार्थं कथितं भवेत्
He is my eldest son, illustrious and foremost in righteousness; what you, who speak kindly, said was only for the sake of service.