तां शुक्लक्षौमसंवीतां व्रतयोगेन कर्शिताम्। तर्पयन्तीं ददर्शाद्भिर्देवतां वरवर्णिनीम्
He saw her, clad in white silk, emaciated by the practice of vows, offering libations to the gods, radiant in beauty.
स मातरमुपक्रान्तामुपसंगृह्य राघवः। परिष्वक्तश्च बाहुभ्यामवघ्रातश्च मूर्धनि
Rāghava approached his mother, embraced her with his arms, and kissed her on the head.
तमुवाच दुराधर्षं राघवं सुतमात्मनः। कौसल्या पुत्रवात्सल्यादिदं प्रियहितं वचः
Kausalyā, unable to be shaken, addressed her son Rāghava with words of affection and kindness, out of motherly love.
वृद्धानां धर्मशीलानां राजर्षीणां महात्मनाम्। प्राप्नुह्यायुश्च कीर्तिं च धर्मं चाप्युचितं कुले
May you attain long life, fame, and righteousness befitting your lineage, as did the aged, virtuous, royal sages of great soul.
सत्यप्रतिज्ञं पितरं राजानं पश्य राघव। अद्यैव त्वां स धर्मात्मा यौवराज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति
Behold your father, the king, O Rāghava, steadfast in his word; today itself, that righteous one will anoint you as heir-apparent.
दत्तमासनमालभ्य भोजनेन निमन्त्रितः। मातरं राघवः किंचित् प्रसार्याञ्जलिमब्रवीत्
Having accepted the seat offered and being invited to dine, Rāghava, with hands joined, spoke a little to his mother.
स स्वभावविनीतश्च गौरवाच्च तथानतः। प्रस्थितो दण्डकारण्यमाप्रष्टुमुपचक्रमे
He, naturally humble and bowed with respect, then began to take leave, preparing to depart for the Daṇḍaka forest.
देवि नूनं न जानीषे महद् भयमुपस्थितम्। इदं तव च दुःखाय वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणस्य च
O Queen, surely you do not know the great danger that has come; this is for your sorrow, and for that of Vaidehī and Lakṣmaṇa as well.
गमिष्ये दण्डकारण्यं किमनेनासनेन मे। विष्टरासनयोग्यो हि कालोऽयं मामुपस्थितः
I will go to the Daṇḍaka forest—what use have I for this seat? The time suited for the seat of the forest has now come upon me.
चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि वत्स्याम विजने वने। कन्दमूलफलैर्जीवन् हित्वा मुनिवदामिषम्
For fourteen years I shall dwell in the lonely forest, living on roots, fruits, and bulbs, giving up meat like a sage.
भरताय महाराजो यौवराज्यं प्रयच्छति। मां पुनर्दण्डकारण्यं विवासयति तापसम्
The great king grants the heirship to Bharata, but sends me, like an ascetic, into exile in the Daṇḍaka forest.
स षट् चाष्टौ च वर्षाणि वत्स्यामि विजने वने। आसेवमानो वन्यानि फलमूलैश्च वर्तयन्
For six and eight years I shall dwell in the lonely forest, sustaining myself on wild fruits and roots.
सा निकृत्तेव सालस्य यष्टिः परशुना वने। पपात सहसा देवी देवतेव दिवश्च्युता
She, like a branch of a felled śāla tree cut by an axe in the forest, suddenly collapsed, like a goddess fallen from heaven.
तामदुःखोचितां दृष्ट्वा पतितां कदलीमिव। रामस्तूत्थापयामास मातरं गतचेतसम्
Seeing his mother, unaccustomed to sorrow, fallen like a plantain stalk, Rāma began to raise her up, her senses gone.
उपावृत्योत्थितां दीनां वडवामिव वाहिताम्। पांसुगुण्ठितसर्वाङ्गीं विममर्श च पाणिना
He touched with his hand her whole body, covered in dust, as she, miserable and faint, rose up like a mare swept away by the current.
सा राघवमुपासीनमसुखार्ता सुखोचिता। उवाच पुरुषव्याघ्रमुपशृण्वति लक्ष्मणे
She, accustomed to happiness but now afflicted by grief, spoke to Rāghava, the tiger among men, as he sat nearby, with Lakṣmaṇa listening.
यदि पुत्र न जायेथा मम शोकाय राघव। न स्म दुःखमतो भूयः पश्येयमहमप्रजाः
If you had not been born to me, O Rāghava, for my sorrow, I, being childless, would not have seen such greater misery.
एक एव हि वन्ध्यायाः शोको भवति मानसः। अप्रजास्मीति संतापो न ह्यन्यः पुत्र विद्यते
For a barren woman, there is only one mental grief—the pain of being childless; there is no other, O son.
न दृष्टपूर्वं कल्याणं सुखं वा पतिपौरुषे। अपि पुत्रे विपश्येयमिति रामास्थितं मया
I have never before seen any happiness or good fortune from my husband's prowess; I had hoped to see it in my son, O Rāma.
सा बहून्यमनोज्ञानि वाक्यानि हृदयच्छिदाम्। अहं श्रोष्ये सपत्नीनामवराणां परा सती
I, though superior, will have to hear many unpleasant, heart-piercing words from my co-wives, who are inferior.
अतो दुःखतरं किं नु प्रमदानां भविष्यति। मम शोको विलापश्च यादृशोऽयमनन्तकः
What could be more painful for women than this endless grief and lamentation that has come upon me?
त्वयि संनिहितेऽप्येवमहमासं निराकृता। किं पुनः प्रोषिते तात ध्रुवं मरणमेव हि
Even when you were present, I was disregarded in this way; what then, dear one, when you are gone? Surely, death alone is certain for me.
अत्यन्तं निगृहीतास्मि भर्तुर्नित्यमसम्मता। परिवारेण कैकेय्याः समा वाप्यथवावरा
I have always been deeply restrained, ever disfavored by my husband, and among Kaikeyi’s household, I am at best equal, or perhaps even inferior.
यो हि मां सेवते कश्चिदपि वाप्यनुवर्तते। कैकेय्याः पुत्रमन्वीक्ष्य स जनो नाभिभाषते
For anyone who serves me or follows me, upon seeing Kaikeyi’s son, that person does not even speak to me.
नित्यक्रोधतया तस्याः कथं नु खरवादि तत्। कैकेय्या वदनं द्रष्टुं पुत्र शक्ष्यामि दुर्गता
Because of her constant anger, how could I, so unfortunate, endure to see Kaikeyi’s harsh-speaking face, my son?
दश सप्त च वर्षाणि जातस्य तव राघव। अतीतानि प्रकांक्षन्त्या मया दुःखपरिक्षयम्
Seventeen years have passed since you were born, Rāghava, as I have longed for the end of my suffering.
तदक्षयं महद्दुःखं नोत्सहे सहितुं चिरात्। विप्रकारं सपत्नीनामेवं जीर्णापि राघव
I can no longer bear this great and unending sorrow, the mistreatment from my co-wives, even though I have grown old, Rāghava.
अपश्यन्ती तव मुखं परिपूर्णशशिप्रभम्। कृपणा वर्तयिष्यामि कथं कृपणजीविका
How will I, wretched and pitiable, live on, deprived of seeing your face, radiant as the full moon?
उपवासैश्च योगैश्च बहुभिश्च परिश्रमैः। दुःखसंवर्धितो मोघं त्वं हि दुर्गतया मया
Through fasts, disciplines, and many hardships, I raised you in sorrow, yet all my efforts have been in vain, for I am now destitute.
स्थिरं नु हृदयं मन्ये ममेदं यन्न दीर्यते। प्रावृषीव महानद्याः स्पृष्टं कूलं नवाम्भसा
Surely my heart is steadfast, for it does not break or shatter on earth, just as a great river’s bank withstands the fresh flood of rain.