किं चैनां प्रतिवक्ष्यामि कृत्वा विप्रियमीदृशम्। यदा यदा च कौसल्या दासीव च सखीव च
And what shall I reply to her, after having done such a grievous wrong? For Kausalya has always served me as a maid, as a friend—
भार्यावद् भगिनीवच्च मातृवच्चोपतिष्ठति। सततं प्रियकामा मे प्रियपुत्रा प्रियंवदा
As a wife, as a sister, and as a mother, she has always attended to me—ever seeking my good, loving her son, gentle in speech.
न मया सत्कृता देवी सत्कारार्हा कृते तव। इदानीं तत्तपति मां यन्मया सुकृतं त्वयि
I did not honor the queen, though she deserved honor, for your sake; now, it pains me, all the good I did for you.
अपथ्यव्यञ्जनोपेतं भुक्तमन्नमिवातुरम्। विप्रकारं च रामस्य सम्प्रयाणं वनस्य च
Like food mixed with poison eaten by a sick man, so is the wrong done to Rāma and his departure to the forest.
सुमित्रा प्रेक्ष्य वै भीता कथं मे विश्वसिष्यति। कृपणं बत वैदेही श्रोष्यति द्वयमप्रियम्
How will Sumitrā, seeing this, trust me, being afraid? And poor Vaidehī will hear two grievous things.
मां च पञ्चत्वमापन्नं रामं च वनमाश्रितम्। वैदेही बत मे प्राणान् शोचन्ती क्षपयिष्यति
She will hear of my death and of Rāma dwelling in the forest; alas, Vaidehī will grieve for me and waste away her life.
हीना हिमवतः पार्श्वे किंनरेणेव किंनरी। नहि राममहं दृष्ट्वा प्रवसन्तं महावने
Like a kinnari left by her mate on the slopes of the Himalaya, I cannot bear to see Rāma exiled in the great forest.
चिरं जीवितुमाशंसे रुदन्तीं चापि मैथिलीम्। सा नूनं विधवा राज्यं सपुत्रा कारयिष्यसि
I do not hope to live long, nor to see Maithilī weeping; surely, you will rule the kingdom as a widow, with your son.
सतीं त्वामहमत्यन्तं व्यवस्याम्यसतीं सतीम्। रूपिणीं विषसंयुक्तां पीत्वेव मदिरां नरः
I now consider you, though appearing virtuous, to be utterly unchaste—a beautiful form laced with poison, like a man who has drunk wine.
अनृतैर्बत मां सान्त्वैः सान्त्वयन्ती स्म भाषसे। गीतशब्देन संरुध्य लुब्धो मृगमिवावधीः
Truly, you spoke to me with false words of comfort, soothing me, but like a hunter luring a deer with song, you have destroyed me.
अनार्य इति मामार्याः पुत्रविक्रायकं ध्रुवम्। विकरिष्यन्ति रथ्यासु सुरापं ब्राह्मणं यथा
Surely, the honorable will call me dishonorable in the streets—a seller of my own son, like a drunken Brahmin.
अहो दुःखमहो कृच्छ्रं यत्र वाचः क्षमे तव। दुःखमेवंविधं प्राप्तं पुरा कृतमिवाशुभम्
Ah, what sorrow, what hardship, that I must endure your words! Such suffering has come to me, as if I had done some evil before.
चिरं खलु मया पापे त्वं पापेनाभिरक्षिता। अज्ञानादुपसम्पन्ना रज्जुरुद्बन्धनी यथा
For a long time, O sinful one, I have been guarded by you, a sinner, just as a rope, mistaken for a snake, is taken up out of ignorance.
रममाणस्त्वया सार्धं मृत्युं त्वां नाभिलक्षये। बालो रहसि हस्तेन कृष्णसर्पमिवास्पृशम्
Delighting in your company, I did not perceive you as death itself—like a child, alone, touching a black serpent with his hand.
तं तु मां जीवलोकोऽयं नूनमाक्रोष्टुमर्हति। मया ह्यपितृकः पुत्रः स महात्मा दुरात्मना
Surely, the world of the living has every right to reproach me, for by my wickedness, that great-souled son has been deprived of his father.
बालिशो बत कामात्मा राजा दशरथो भृशम्। स्त्रीकृते यः प्रियं पुत्रं वनं प्रस्थापयिष्यति
Truly, Daśaratha is childish and ruled by desire, for he will send his beloved son to the forest for the sake of a woman.
वेदैश्च ब्रह्मचर्यैश्च गुरुभिश्चोपकर्शितः। भोगकाले महत्कृच्छ्रं पुनरेव प्रपत्स्यते
Having been trained by the Vedas, by the discipline of studentship, and by his teachers, he will face great hardship again at the time of enjoyment.
नालं द्वितीयं वचनं पुत्रो मां प्रतिभाषितुम्। स वनं प्रव्रजेत्युक्तो बाढमित्येव वक्ष्यति
My son is not capable of replying to me with a second word; when told to go to the forest, he will simply say, 'Very well.'
यदि मे राघवः कुर्याद् वनं गच्छेति चोदितः। प्रतिकूलं प्रियं मे स्यान्न तु वत्सः करिष्यति
If Rāghava were to act against my wishes when urged to go to the forest, it would be dear to me, but my child will not do so.
राघवे हि वनं प्राप्ते सर्वलोकस्य धिक्कृतम्। मृत्युरक्षमणीयं मां नयिष्यति यमक्षयम्
When Rāghava enters the forest, I will be condemned by all people; death, unable to be endured, will take me to the abode of Yama.
मृते मयि गते रामे वनं मनुजपुङ्गवे। इष्टे मम जने शेषे किं पापं प्रतिपत्स्यसे
When I am dead and Rāma, the foremost of men, has gone to the forest, with my beloved people remaining, what sin will you commit?
कौसल्या मां च रामं च पुत्रौ च यदि हास्यति। दुःखान्यसहती देवी मामेवानुगमिष्यति
If Kausalyā abandons me and Rāma and her sons, unable to bear her sorrows, the queen will follow me alone.
कौसल्यां च सुमित्रां च मां च पुत्रैस्त्रिभिः सह। प्रक्षिप्य नरके सा त्वं कैकेयि सुखिता भव
Having cast Kausalyā, Sumitrā, and me into hell along with our three sons, you, Kaikeyī, will be happy.
मया रामेण च त्यक्तं शाश्वतं सत्कृतं गुणैः। इक्ष्वाकुकुलमक्षोभ्यमाकुलं पालयिष्यसि
With myself and Rāma abandoned, you will govern the Ikṣvāku dynasty, which is eternally honored and unshakable, but now thrown into disorder.
प्रियं चेद् भरतस्यैतद् रामप्रव्राजनं भवेत्। मा स्म मे भरतः कार्षीत् प्रेतकृत्यं गतायुषः
If this exile of Rāma is pleasing to Bharata, let not Bharata perform the funeral rites for me when my life is gone.
मृते मयि गते रामे वनं पुरुषपुङ्गवे। सेदानीं विधवा राज्यं सपुत्रा कारयिष्यसि
When I am dead and Rāma, the foremost of men, has gone to the forest, you will now rule the kingdom as a widow, together with your son.
त्वं राजपुत्रि दैवेन न्यवसो मम वेश्मनि। अकीर्तिश्चातुला लोके ध्रुवः परिभवश्च मे। सर्वभूतेषु चावज्ञा यथा पापकृतस्तथा
You, princess, have dwelt in my house by fate; my disgrace in the world is certain, and my humiliation as well; among all beings, I will be despised as one who acts wickedly.
कथं रथैर्विभुर्यात्वा गजाश्वैश्च मुहुर्मुहुः। पद्भ्यां रामो महारण्ये वत्सो मे विचरिष्यति
How will my son Rāma, who was accustomed to travel repeatedly by splendid chariots, elephants, and horses, now wander in the great forest on foot?
यस्य चाहारसमये सूदाः कुण्डलधारिणः। अहंपूर्वाः पचन्ति स्म प्रसन्नाः पानभोजनम्
At mealtime, cooks adorned with earrings used to prepare delightful food and drink for him, with me preceding them.
स कथं नु कषायाणि तिक्तानि कटुकानि च। भक्षयन् वन्यमाहारं सुतो मे वर्तयिष्यति
How will my son now live, eating wild food that is sour, bitter, and pungent?