पारं शोकार्णवस्याशु प्रार्थयन्तं पुनः पुनः। प्रत्युवाचाथ कैकेयी रौद्रा रौद्रतरं वचः
As he kept pleading again and again for deliverance from the ocean of grief, then Kaikeyī replied to him with words even harsher than before.
यदि दत्त्वा वरौ राजन् पुनः प्रत्यनुतप्यसे। धार्मिकत्वं कथं वीर पृथिव्यां कथयिष्यसि
If, having granted me the two boons, O king, you now regret it, how will you speak of your righteousness on earth, O hero?
यदा समेता बहवस्त्वया राजर्षयः सह। कथयिष्यन्ति धर्मज्ञ तत्र किं प्रतिवक्ष्यसि
When many royal sages assemble with you, O knower of dharma, and speak of righteousness, what will you say in reply?
यस्याः प्रसादे जीवामि या च मामभ्यपालयत्। तस्याः कृता मया मिथ्या कैकेय्या इति वक्ष्यसि
Will you say, 'I live by her favor, and she protected me, yet I deceived her—Kaikeyī'?
किल्बिषं त्वं नरेन्द्राणां करिष्यसि नराधिप। यो दत्त्वा वरमद्यैव पुनरन्यानि भाषसे
You will bring disgrace upon the kings, O lord of men, if, after granting a boon, you now speak otherwise.
शैब्यः श्येनकपोतीये स्वमांसं पक्षिणे ददौ। अलर्कश्चक्षुषी दत्त्वा जगाम गतिमुत्तमाम्
Shaibya gave his own flesh to a bird in the tale of the hawk and the dove; Alarka, giving up his eyes, attained the highest state.
सागरः समयं कृत्वा न वेलामतिवर्तते। समयं मानृतं कार्षीः पूर्ववृत्तमनुस्मरन्
The ocean, having made a vow, does not cross its boundary; do not break your promise, remembering what was done before.
स त्वं धर्मं परित्यज्य रामं राज्येऽभिषिच्य च। सह कौसल्यया नित्यं रन्तुमिच्छसि दुर्मते
So you, abandoning righteousness and installing Rāma as king, wish always to enjoy yourself with Kausalyā, O wicked-minded one.
भवत्वधर्मो धर्मो वा सत्यं वा यदि वानृतम्। यत्त्वया संश्रुतं मह्यं तस्य नास्ति व्यतिक्रमः
Let it be unrighteousness or righteousness, truth or falsehood—whatever you have promised to me, there can be no violation of it.
अहं हि विषमद्यैव पीत्वा बहु तवाग्रतः। पश्यतस्ते मरिष्यामि रामो यद्यभिषिच्यते
For I will drink poison right now, here before you, and die before your eyes if Rāma is anointed king.
एकाहमपि पश्येयं यद्यहं राममातरम्। अञ्जलिं प्रतिगृह्णन्तीं श्रेयो ननु मृतिर्मम
If I could see Rama's mother for even a single day, accepting my salutation, surely death would be better for me.
भरतेनात्मना चाहं शपे ते मनुजाधिप। यथा नान्येन तुष्येयमृते रामविवासनात्
By Bharata and by myself, O king of men, I swear to you: I would not be pleased by anything except Rama's exile.
एतावदुक्त्वा वचनं कैकेयी विरराम ह। विलपन्तं च राजानं न प्रतिव्याजहार सा
Having spoken thus, Kaikeyi fell silent; she did not reply to the king, who was lamenting.
श्रुत्वा तु राजा कैकेय्या वाक्यं परमशोभनम्। रामस्य च वने वासमैश्वर्यं भरतस्य च
Hearing Kaikeyi's words, so striking, about Rama dwelling in the forest and Bharata's sovereignty,
नाभ्यभाषत कैकेयीं मुहूर्तं व्याकुलेन्द्रियः। प्रैक्षतानिमिषो देवीं प्रियामप्रियवादिनीम्
The king, his senses disturbed, did not speak to Kaikeyi for a moment; he gazed at the queen, unmoving, though she spoke unpleasantly.
तां हि वज्रसमां वाचमाकर्ण्य हृदयाप्रियाम्। दुःखशोकमयीं श्रुत्वा राजा न सुखितोऽभवत्
Hearing those words, like thunder, so painful to his heart, filled with grief and sorrow, the king was not happy.
स देव्या व्यवसायं च घोरं च शपथं कृतम्। ध्यात्वा रामेति निःश्वस्य च्छिन्नस्तरुरिवापतत्
Reflecting on the queen's resolve and her dreadful oath, sighing 'Rama,' he fell like a tree cut down.
नष्टचित्तो यथोन्मत्तो विपरीतो यथातुरः। हृततेजा यथा सर्पो बभूव जगतीपतिः
His mind lost, like one mad, confused, like one ill, his vigor gone, like a serpent deprived of its strength, the lord of the earth became.
दीनयाऽऽतुरया वाचा इति होवाच कैकयीम्। अनर्थमिममर्थाभं केन त्वमुपदेशिता
With a voice weak and distressed, he spoke to Kaikeyi: 'Who has advised you this ruinous act, which appears as benefit?'
भूतोपहतचित्तेव ब्रुवन्ती मां न लज्जसे। शीलव्यसनमेतत् ते नाभिजानाम्यहं पुरा
You speak to me without shame, as if your mind is possessed by spirits; I never knew this vice in your character before.
बालायास्तत् त्विदानीं ते लक्षये विपरीतवत्। कुतो वा ते भयं जातं या त्वमेवंविधं वरम्
But now, I see in you, as in a child, this reversal; from where has this fear arisen, that you have chosen such a boon?
राष्ट्रे भरतमासीनं वृणीषे राघवं वने। विरमैतेन भावेन त्वमेतेनानृतेन च
You wish for Bharata to sit on the throne and for Rāghava to dwell in the forest; cease from this attitude and from this falsehood.
यदि भर्तुः प्रियं कार्यं लोकस्य भरतस्य च। नृशंसे पापसंकल्पे क्षुद्रे दुष्कृतकारिणि
If you wish to do what is pleasing to your husband, to the people, and to Bharata, O cruel one, evil-minded, petty, and doer of wicked deeds,
किं नु दुःखमलीकं वा मयि रामे च पश्यसि। न कथंचिदृते रामाद् भरतो राज्यमावसेत्
What suffering or falsehood do you see in me or in Rama? In no way, except for Rama, would Bharata occupy the kingdom.
रामादपि हि तं मन्ये धर्मतो बलवत्तरम्। कथं द्रक्ष्यामि रामस्य वनं गच्छेति भाषिते
Indeed, I consider him even stronger than Rama in righteousness; how will I see Rama, when he is told to go to the forest?
मुखवर्णं विवर्णं तु यथैवेन्दुमुपप्लुतम्। तां तु मे सुकृतां बुद्धिं सुहृद्भिः सह निश्चिताम्
His face will become pale, just as the moon is eclipsed; and my good resolve, decided together with friends,
कथं द्रक्ष्याम्यपावृत्तां परैरिव हतां चमूम्। किं मां वक्ष्यन्ति राजानो नानादिग्भ्यः समागताः
How will I see the army, turned away, as if defeated by others? What will the kings, gathered from various directions, say to me?
बालो बतायमैक्ष्वाकश्चिरं राज्यमकारयत्। यदा हि बहवो वृद्धा गुणवन्तो बहुश्रुताः
Alas, this young Ikshvaku has ruled the kingdom for so long, though many elders, virtuous and learned, were present.
परिप्रक्ष्यन्ति काकुत्स्थं वक्ष्यामीह कथं तदा। कैकेय्या क्लिश्यमानेन पुत्रः प्रव्राजितो मया
They will question Kakutstha, and then what shall I say here? That my son was exiled by me, under Kaikeyi’s compulsion?
यदि सत्यं ब्रवीम्येतत् तदसत्यं भविष्यति। किं मां वक्ष्यति कौसल्या राघवे वनमास्थिते
If I speak this truth, it will be taken as falsehood. What will Kausalya say to me when Rāghava has gone to the forest?