Ramayana

वन्दितव्याश्च ते नित्यं याः शेषा मम मातरः। स्नेहप्रणयसम्भोगैः समा हि मम मातरः

And you must always bow to my other mothers as well; with affection, devotion, and service, they are all as mothers to me.

भ्रातृपुत्रसमौ चापि द्रष्टव्यौ च विशेषतः। त्वया भरतशत्रुघ्नौ प्राणैः प्रियतरौ मम

And you must especially regard Bharata and Śatrughna as equal to brothers and sons, for they are dearer to me than life.

विप्रियं च न कर्तव्यं भरतस्य कदाचन। स हि राजा च वैदेहि देशस्य च कुलस्य च

You must never do anything displeasing to Bharata; for he, O Vaidehī, is king of the land and the family.

आराधिता हि शीलेन प्रयत्नैश्चोपसेविताः। राजानः सम्प्रसीदन्ति प्रकुप्यन्ति विपर्यये

For kings, when honored by good conduct and diligently served, are pleased, but are angered in the opposite case.

औरस्यानपि पुत्रान् हि त्यजन्त्यहितकारिणः। समर्थान् सम्प्रगृह्णन्ति जनानपि नराधिपाः

For kings may even abandon their own sons if they act harmfully, and they accept capable people, even if they are outsiders.

सा त्वं वसेह कल्याणि राज्ञः समनुवर्तिनी। भरतस्य रता धर्मे सत्यव्रतपरायणा

Therefore, O blessed one, remain here, devoted to the king, delighting in righteousness towards Bharata, and steadfast in truth and vows.

अहं गमिष्यामि महावनं प्रिये त्वया हि वस्तव्यमिहैव भामिनि। यथा व्यलीकं कुरुषे न कस्यचित् तथा त्वया कार्यमिदं वचो मम

I shall go to the great forest, dear one; but you must stay here, O beautiful lady. Just as you have never done wrong to anyone, so you must act according to my word.

thumb|सप्तविंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तविंशः सर्गः ॥२-

Listen now to the twenty-seventh sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa.

एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही प्रियार्हा प्रियवादिनी। प्रणयादेव संक्रुद्धा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्

Thus addressed, Vaidehī, who was worthy of affection and spoke sweetly, became angry out of love and spoke these words to her husband.

किमिदं भाषसे राम वाक्यं लघुतया ध्रुवम्। त्वया यदपहास्यं मे श्रुत्वा नरवरोत्तम

What is this you are saying, Rāma? Surely these words are spoken lightly. Hearing them, O best of men, I think you are mocking me.

वीराणां राजपुत्राणां शस्त्रास्त्रविदुषां नृप। अनर्हमयशस्यं च न श्रोतव्यं त्वयेरितम्

Such unworthy and disgraceful words should not be spoken by you, O prince, among heroes, sons of kings, and those skilled in weapons and missiles.

आर्यपुत्र पिता माता भ्राता पुत्रस्तथा स्नुषा। स्वानि पुण्यानि भुञ्जानाः स्वं स्वं भाग्यमुपासते

O noble one, father, mother, brother, son, and daughter-in-law—all enjoy their own merits and pursue their own destinies.

भर्तुर्भाग्यं तु नार्येका प्राप्नोति पुरुषर्षभ। अतश्चैवाहमादिष्टा वने वस्तव्यमित्यपि

But a woman alone partakes in her husband's destiny, O best of men; therefore, I too have been instructed to dwell in the forest.

न पिता नात्मजो वात्मा न माता न सखीजनः। इह प्रेत्य च नारीणां पतिरेको गतिः सदा

For women, neither father, nor son, nor self, nor mother, nor friends are the way—here or hereafter; the husband alone is always their path.

यदि त्वं प्रस्थितो दुर्गं वनमद्यैव राघव। अग्रतस्ते गमिष्यामि मृद्नन्ती कुशकण्टकान्

If you set out today for the difficult forest, O Rāghava, I will go before you, treading down the grass and thorns.

ईर्ष्यां रोषं बहिष्कृत्य भुक्तशेषमिवोदकम्। नय मां वीर विस्रब्धः पापं मयि न विद्यते

Casting away jealousy and anger, as one discards water left after drinking, lead me, O hero, with confidence—there is no sin in me.

प्रासादाग्रे विमानैर्वा वैहायसगतेन वा। सर्वावस्थागता भर्तुः पादच्छाया विशिष्यते

Whether at the top of a palace, in a flying chariot, or moving through the sky, in every situation, the shade of the husband's feet is best for the wife.

अनुशिष्टास्मि मात्रा च पित्रा च विविधाश्रयम्। नास्मि सम्प्रति वक्तव्या वर्तितव्यं यथा मया

I have been instructed by my mother and father in many ways; now, there is nothing more to say to me—I must act as I have resolved.

अहं दुर्गं गमिष्यामि वनं पुरुषवर्जितम्। नानामृगगणाकीर्णं शार्दूलगणसेवितम्

I will go to the difficult forest, devoid of men, filled with many kinds of deer and frequented by groups of tigers.

सुखं वने निवत्स्यामि यथैव भवने पितुः। अचिन्तयन्ती त्रीँल्लोकांश्चिन्तयन्ती पतिव्रतम्

I will dwell happily in the forest, just as in my father's house, caring nothing for the three worlds, thinking only of my devotion to my husband.

शुश्रूषमाणा ते नित्यं नियता ब्रह्मचारिणी। सह रंस्ये त्वया वीर वनेषु मधुगन्धिषु

Serving you always, disciplined and observing chastity, I will delight with you, O hero, in the honey-scented woods.

त्वं हि कर्तुं वने शक्तो राम सम्परिपालनम्। अन्यस्यापि जनस्येह किं पुनर्मम मानद

You, Rāma, are able to protect even others in the forest—how much more so me, O giver of honor!

साहं त्वया गमिष्यामि वनमद्य न संशयः। नाहं शक्या महाभाग निवर्तयितुमुद्यता

Therefore, I will go with you to the forest today, without doubt; O greatly fortunate one, I cannot be turned back once I am resolved.

फलमूलाशना नित्यं भविष्यामि न संशयः। न ते दुःखं करिष्यामि निवसन्ती त्वया सदा

I will always subsist on fruits and roots, without doubt; I will not cause you any distress, dwelling with you constantly.

अग्रतस्ते गमिष्यामि भोक्ष्ये भुक्तवति त्वयि। इच्छामि परतः शैलान् पल्वलानि सरांसि च

I will walk ahead of you, and eat only after you have eaten; afterwards, I wish to see mountains, ponds, and lakes.

द्रष्टुं सर्वत्र निर्भीता त्वया नाथेन धीमता। हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णाः पद्मिनीः साधुपुष्पिताः

With you as my wise protector, I will fearlessly behold everywhere the lotus ponds, filled with swans and cranes, blooming beautifully.

इच्छेयं सुखिनी द्रष्टुं त्वया वीरेण संगता। अभिषेकं करिष्यामि तासु नित्यमनुव्रता

Joined with you, O hero, I wish to happily see them; I will perform ablutions in those ponds, always devoted to you.

सह त्वया विशालाक्ष रंस्ये परमनन्दिनी। एवं वर्षसहस्राणि शतं वापि त्वया सह

With you, O wide-eyed one, I will delight in supreme happiness; thus, for a thousand years or even a hundred, together with you.

व्यतिक्रमं न वेत्स्यामि स्वर्गोऽपि हि न मे मतः। स्वर्गेऽपि च विना वासो भविता यदि राघव। त्वया विना नरव्याघ्र नाहं तदपि रोचये

I will not transgress; even heaven does not appeal to me. If residence in heaven were possible without you, O Rāghava, O tiger among men, I would not desire even that.