मन्युर्न च त्वया कार्यो देवि ब्रूमि तवाग्रतः। यास्यामि भव सुप्रीता वनं चीरजटाधरः
"Do not take offense, O queen; I say this before you: I will go, be well pleased, to the forest, wearing bark and matted hair."
हितेन गुरुणा पित्रा कृतज्ञेन नृपेण च। नियुज्यमानो विस्रब्धः किं न कुर्यामहं प्रियम्
"When commanded by a beneficent elder, a grateful king and father, why should I not, with confidence, do what is dear to them?"
अलीकं मानसं त्वेकं हृदयं दहते मम। स्वयं यन्नाह मां राजा भरतस्याभिषेचनम्
"Only one thing, a baseless thought, burns my heart: that the king himself did not tell me of Bharata's consecration."
अहं हि सीतां राज्यं च प्राणानिष्टान् धनानि च। हृष्टो भ्रात्रे स्वयं दद्यां भरतायाप्रचोदितः
"For I would gladly give Sītā, the kingdom, my life, beloved riches, all to my brother Bharata, even unasked."
किं पुनर्मनुजेन्द्रेण स्वयं पित्रा प्रचोदितः। तव च प्रियकामार्थं प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्
What then, when the king himself, urged by his father, is upholding his promise for the sake of your dearest wish?
तथाश्वासय ह्रीमन्तं किं त्विदं यन्महीपतिः। वसुधासक्तनयनो मन्दमश्रूणि मुञ्चति
So comfort this modest one; but why does the lord of the land, his gaze fixed on the earth, slowly shed tears?
गच्छन्तु चैवानयितुं दूताः शीघ्रजवैर्हयैः। भरतं मातुलकुलादद्यैव नृपशासनात्
Let messengers, with swift horses, go at once to bring Bharata from his maternal uncle’s house today, by the king’s command.
दण्डकारण्यमेषोऽहं गच्छाम्येव हि सत्वरः। अविचार्य पितुर्वाक्यं समा वस्तुं चतुर्दश
I will go quickly to the Dandaka forest, without hesitation, to dwell there for fourteen years, just as my father has commanded.
सा हृष्टा तस्य तद् वाक्यं श्रुत्वा रामस्य कैकयी। प्रस्थानं श्रद्दधाना सा त्वरयामास राघवम्
Hearing those words of Rama, Kaikeyi became glad; believing in his departure, she urged Raghava to hasten.
एवं भवतु यास्यन्ति दूताः शीघ्रजवैर्हयैः। भरतं मातुलकुलादिहावर्तयितुं नराः
So be it—let messengers with swift horses go, to bring Bharata back here from his maternal uncle’s house.
तव त्वहं क्षमं मन्ये नोत्सुकस्य विलम्बनम्। राम तस्मादितः शीघ्रं वनं त्वं गन्तुमर्हसि
But I think it is not proper to delay when you are eager, Rama; therefore, you should go to the forest at once.
व्रीडान्वितः स्वयं यच्च नृपस्त्वां नाभिभाषते। नैतत् किंचिन्नरश्रेष्ठ मन्युरेषोऽपनीयताम्
That the king, out of shame, does not speak to you himself—O best of men, do not take this as anything; let any anger be set aside.
यावत्त्वं न वनं यातः पुरादस्मादतित्वरम्। पिता तावन्न ते राम स्नास्यते भोक्ष्यतेऽपि वा
Until you have left for the forest from this city, Rama, your father will neither bathe nor eat, so hurry.
धिक्कष्टमिति निःश्वस्य राजा शोकपरिप्लुतः। मूर्च्छितो न्यपतत् तस्मिन् पर्यङ्के हेमभूषिते
Sighing 'Alas, how terrible,' the king, overwhelmed by grief, fainted and fell upon that golden-adorned couch.
रामोऽप्युत्थाप्य राजानं कैकेय्याभिप्रचोदितः। कशयेव हतो वाजी वनं गन्तुं कृतत्वरः
Rama, urged on by Kaikeyi, lifted up the king, and, like a horse struck by a whip, made haste to go to the forest.
नाहमर्थपरो देवि लोकमावस्तुमुत्सहे। विद्धि मामृषिभिस्तुल्यं विमलं धर्ममास्थितम्
I am not one who seeks gain, O lady; I cannot bear to live in the world. Know me to be like the sages, established in pure righteousness.
यत् तत्रभवतः किंचिच्छक्यं कर्तुं प्रियं मया। प्राणानपि परित्यज्य सर्वथा कृतमेव तत्
Whatever I can do to please you there, I have done completely—even at the cost of my life.
न ह्यतो धर्मचरणं किंचिदस्ति महत्तरम्। यथा पितरि शुश्रूषा तस्य वा वचनक्रिया
There is truly no greater practice of righteousness than service to one’s father and obedience to his command.
अनुक्तोऽप्यत्रभवता भवत्या वचनादहम्। वने वत्स्यामि विजने वर्षाणीह चतुर्दश
Even though I was not told by him, at your word I will dwell in the lonely forest here for fourteen years.
न नूनं मयि कैकेयि किंचिदाशंससे गुणान्। यद् राजानमवोचस्त्वं ममेश्वरतरा सती
Surely, Kaikeyi, you expect no virtues in me, since, though you are my superior, you spoke to the king about me.
यावन्मातरमापृच्छे सीतां चानुनयाम्यहम्। ततोऽद्यैव गमिष्यामि दण्डकानां महद् वनम्
As soon as I have taken leave of my mother and comforted Sita, I will go today itself to the great forest of the Dandakas.
भरतः पालयेद् राज्यं शुश्रूषेच्च पितुर्यथा। तथा भवत्या कर्तव्यं स हि धर्मः सनातनः
Let Bharata rule the kingdom and serve his father as he should; so too must you act, for that is the eternal law.
रामस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा भृशं दुःखगतः पिता। शोकादशक्नुवन् वक्तुं प्ररुरोद महास्वनम्
But when he heard Rāma's words, the father, overwhelmed by grief, unable to speak because of sorrow, broke into loud weeping.
वन्दित्वा चरणौ राज्ञो विसंज्ञस्य पितुस्तदा। कैकेय्याश्चाप्यनार्याया निष्पपात महाद्युतिः
Then the radiant Rāma, having bowed at the feet of his senseless father and also at those of the unworthy Kaikeyī, fell to the ground.
स रामः पितरं कृत्वा कैकेयीं च प्रदक्षिणम्। निष्क्रम्यान्तःपुरात् तस्मात् स्वं ददर्श सुहृज्जनम्
Rāma, having circumambulated his father and Kaikeyī, departed from the inner chambers and saw his own friends.
तं बाष्पपरिपूर्णाक्षः पृष्ठतोऽनुजगाम ह। लक्ष्मणः परमक्रुद्धः सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः
Lakṣmaṇa, the joy of Sumitrā, his eyes filled with tears and burning with anger, followed behind him.
आभिषेचनिकं भाण्डं कृत्वा रामः प्रदक्षिणम्। शनैर्जगाम सापेक्षो दृष्टिं तत्राविचालयन्
Rāma, having circumambulated the vessels prepared for his consecration, walked away slowly, not turning his gaze from them.
न चास्य महतीं लक्ष्मीं राज्यनाशोऽपकर्षति। लोककान्तस्य कान्तत्वाच्छीतरश्मेरिव क्षयः
The loss of the kingdom did not diminish his great splendor, for he was beloved by all, just as the waning of the cool-rayed moon does not lessen its beauty.
न वनं गन्तुकामस्य त्यजतश्च वसुंधराम्। सर्वलोकातिगस्येव लक्ष्यते चित्तविक्रिया
Even as he wished to go to the forest and abandon the earth, no disturbance of mind could be seen in him, as if he were beyond all the world.
प्रतिषिध्य शुभं छत्रं व्यजने च स्वलंकृते। विसर्जयित्वा स्वजनं रथं पौरांस्तथा जनान्
He dismissed the auspicious white parasol and the finely adorned fans, sent away his own people, the chariot, the citizens, and the townsfolk.