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.
ममैव नूनं मरणं न विद्यते न चावकाशोऽस्ति यमक्षये मम। यदन्तकोऽद्यैव न मां जिहीर्षति प्रसह्य सिंहो रुदतीं मृगीमिव
Surely, death does not exist for me, nor is there any place for me in Yama’s realm, since Death does not seize me today by force, as a lion seizes a weeping doe.
स्थिरं हि नूनं हृदयं ममायसं न भिद्यते यद् भुवि नो विदीर्यते। अनेन दुःखेन च देहमर्पितं ध्रुवं ह्यकाले मरणं न विद्यते
Truly, my heart must be made of iron, for it does not break or shatter on earth, though it is given over to such sorrow; surely, untimely death does not exist.
इदं तु दुःखं यदनर्थकानि मे व्रतानि दानानि च संयमाश्च हि। तपश्च तप्तं यदपत्यकाम्यया सुनिष्फलं बीजमिवोप्तमूषरे
But this is my sorrow: that my vows, gifts, self-restraint, and the austerities I performed for the sake of a child, have all become fruitless, like seed sown on barren ground.
यदि ह्यकाले मरणं यदृच्छया लभेत कश्चिद् गुरुदुःखकर्शितः। गताहमद्यैव परेतसंसदं विना त्वया धेनुरिवात्मजेन वै
If, by chance, one tormented by great sorrow could obtain death before its time, I would go today to the assembly of the departed, without you, like a cow bereft of her calf.
अथापि किं जीवितमद्य मे वृथा त्वया विना चन्द्रनिभाननप्रभ। अनुव्रजिष्यामि वनं त्वयैव गौः सुदुर्बला वत्समिवाभिकांक्षया
But what is the use of my life now, in vain, without you, whose face shines like the moon? I will follow you to the forest, weak as I am, longing for my calf, like a cow.
भृशमसुखममर्षिता तदा बहु विललाप समीक्ष्य राघवम्। व्यसनमुपनिशाम्य सा महत् सुतमिव बद्धमवेक्ष्य किंनरी
Then, overwhelmed by unbearable grief, she wept greatly, gazing at Rāghava, as a celestial nymph might look upon her son bound in misfortune.
thumb|एकविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे एकविंशः सर्गः ॥२-
Hear now the twenty-first sarga (chapter) in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa.
तथा तु विलपन्तीं तां कौसल्यां राममातरम्। उवाच लक्ष्मणो दीनस्तत्कालसदृशं वचः
As Kausalyā, Rāma’s mother, was lamenting in this way, Lakṣmaṇa spoke to her, distressed, with words suited to the moment.
न रोचते ममाप्येतदार्ये यद् राघवो वनम्। त्यक्त्वा राज्यश्रियं गच्छेत् स्त्रिया वाक्यवशंगतः
This does not please me either, noble lady, that Rāghava should go to the forest, abandoning royal fortune, compelled by a woman’s words.
विपरीतश्च वृद्धश्च विषयैश्च प्रधर्षितः। नृपः किमिव न ब्रूयाच्चोद्यमानः समन्मथः
An old man, led astray and overpowered by desires, what would a king not say when pressed and agitated?
नास्यापराधं पश्यामि नापि दोषं तथाविधम्। येन निर्वास्यते राष्ट्राद् वनवासाय राघवः
I do not see any fault in him, nor any such wrongdoing, for which Rāghava should be exiled from the kingdom to the forest.
न तं पश्याम्यहं लोके परोक्षमपि यो नरः। स्वमित्रोऽपि निरस्तोऽपि योऽस्य दोषमुदाहरेत्
I do not see anyone in the world, even secretly, whether a friend or one cast aside, who could declare any fault of his.
देवकल्पमृजुं दान्तं रिपूणामपि वत्सलम्। अवेक्षमाणः को धर्मं त्यजेत् पुत्रमकारणात्
Who, considering righteousness, would abandon a son who is like a god, upright, self-controlled, and affectionate even to his enemies, without cause?
तदिदं वचनं राज्ञः पुनर्बाल्यमुपेयुषः। पुत्रः को हृदये कुर्याद् राजवृत्तमनुस्मरन्
Which son, remembering the conduct of kings, would act with a royal disposition in his heart toward a father who has returned to childishness?
यावदेव न जानाति कश्चिदर्थमिमं नरः। तावदेव मया सार्धमात्मस्थं कुरु शासनम्
As long as no one knows of this matter, keep the command within yourself together with me.