किं हि कृत्वा विषण्णस्त्वं कुतो वा भयमस्ति ते। यत् परित्यक्तुकामस्त्वं मामनन्यपरायणाम्
What have you done to be troubled, or what fear is there for you, that you wish to abandon me, who has no other refuge?
द्युमत्सेनसुतं वीरं सत्यवन्तमनुव्रताम्। सावित्रीमिव मां विद्धि त्वमात्मवशवर्तिनीम्
Know me to be like Savitri, devoted to Satyavan, the heroic son of Dyumatsena, always acting according to your will.
न त्वहं मनसा त्वन्यं द्रष्टास्मि त्वदृतेऽनघ। त्वया राघव गच्छेयं यथान्या कुलपांसनी
I will not, in my mind, look upon anyone but you, O faultless one; I would go with you, Raghava, as another would, bringing disgrace upon her family.
स्वयं तु भार्यां कौमारीं चिरमध्युषितां सतीम्। शैलूष इव मां राम परेभ्यो दातुमिच्छसि
You yourself wish to give your wife, who is pure, has lived with you since youth, to others, like a dancer, O Rama.
यस्य पथ्यंचरामात्थ यस्य चार्थेऽवरुध्यसे। त्वं तस्य भव वश्यश्च विधेयश्च सदानघ
To whom you have spoken what is proper, and for whose sake you strive, you should always be obedient and compliant to that person, O faultless one.
स मामनादाय वनं न त्वं प्रस्थितुमर्हसि। तपो वा यदि वारण्यं स्वर्गो वा स्यात् त्वया सह
Without taking me, you should not set out for the forest; whether it be asceticism, wilderness, or heaven, let it be with you.
न च मे भविता तत्र कश्चित् पथि परिश्रमः। पृष्ठतस्तव गच्छन्त्या विहारशयनेष्विव
Nor will I feel any weariness on the path, as I follow behind you, just as in times of leisure and rest.
कुशकाशशरेषीका ये च कण्टकिनो द्रुमाः। तूलाजिनसमस्पर्शा मार्गे मम सह त्वया
The kusha grass, reeds, sharp-pointed stalks, and thorny trees along the way will feel to me, with you, as soft as cotton or deerskin.
महावातसमुद्भूतं यन्मामवकरिष्यति। रजो रमण तन्मन्ये परार्घ्यमिव चन्दनम्
Beloved, the dust raised by the great wind that will fall upon me, I will regard as precious sandalwood paste.
शाद्वलेषु यदा शिश्ये वनान्तर्वनगोचरा। कुथास्तरणयुक्तेषु किं स्यात् सुखतरं ततः
When I lie down on grassy patches in the forest, with bedding made of leaves, what could be more pleasant than that?
पत्रं मूलं फलं यत्तु अल्पं वा यदि वा बहु। दास्यसे स्वयमाहृत्य तन्मेऽमृतरसोपमम्
Whatever leaves, roots, or fruits you bring me, whether little or much, I will consider it as sweet as nectar.
न मातुर्न पितुस्तत्र स्मरिष्यामि न वेश्मनः। आर्तवान्युपभुञ्जाना पुष्पाणि च फलानि च
There, I will not remember my mother, father, or home, as I enjoy the seasonal flowers and fruits.
न च तत्र ततः किंचिद् द्रष्टुमर्हसि विप्रियम्। मत्कृते न च ते शोको न भविष्यामि दुर्भरा
Nor should you expect to see anything unpleasant there; because of me, you will not have sorrow, nor will I become a burden to you.
यस्त्वया सह स स्वर्गो निरयो यस्त्वया विना। इति जानन् परां प्रीतिं गच्छ राम मया सह
With you, even heaven is heaven; without you, it is hell. Knowing this, O Rama, go with me, for I have the highest love for you.
अथ मामेवमव्यग्रां वनं नैव नयिष्यसे। विषमद्यैव पास्यामि मा वशं द्विषतां गमम्
But if you do not take me, unwavering as I am, to the forest, I will drink poison at once—may I not fall under the power of those who hate me.
पश्चादपि हि दुःखेन मम नैवास्ति जीवितम्। उज्झितायास्त्वया नाथ तदैव मरणं वरम्
Even afterwards, in sorrow, I will have no life; abandoned by you, my lord, death at that moment would be better.
इमं हि सहितुं शोकं मुहूर्तमपि नोत्सहे। किं पुनर्दश वर्षाणि त्रीणि चैकं च दुःखिता
I cannot endure this grief even for a moment—how then, sorrowful, for fourteen years?
इति सा शोकसंतप्ता विलप्य करुणं बहु। चुक्रोश पतिमायस्ता भृशमालिङ्ग्य सस्वरम्
Thus, tormented by grief, she lamented at length, and, embracing her husband tightly, cried out loudly in distress.
सा विद्धा बहुभिर्वाक्यैर्दिग्धैरिव गजाङ्गना। चिरसंनियतं बाष्पं मुमोचाग्निमिवारणिः
Struck by many painful words, like a female elephant wounded by arrows, she released long-held tears, like fire from kindling.
तस्याः स्फटिकसंकाशं वारि संतापसम्भवम्। नेत्राभ्यां परिसुस्राव पङ्कजाभ्यामिवोदकम्
From her eyes, like lotuses, flowed water as clear as crystal, born of her anguish.
तत्सितामलचन्द्राभं मुखमायतलोचनम्। पर्यशुष्यत बाष्पेण जलोद्धृतमिवाम्बुजम्
Her face, white and pure as the moon, with wide eyes, was dried by tears, like a lotus with its water drawn away.
तां परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यां विसंज्ञामिव दुःखिताम्। उवाच वचनं रामः परिविश्वासयंस्तदा
Then Rama embraced her with his arms, as if she were senseless with grief, and spoke words to comfort her.
न देवि बत दुःखेन स्वर्गमप्यभिरोचये। नहि मेऽस्ति भयं किंचित् स्वयम्भोरिव सर्वतः
O lady, truly, not even heaven pleases me if it comes with sorrow; I have no fear at all, like the self-born creator.
तव सर्वमभिप्रायमविज्ञाय शुभानने। वासं न रोचयेऽरण्ये शक्तिमानपि रक्षणे
Without knowing your every wish, O auspicious one, I do not desire to dwell in the forest, even though I am able to protect you.
यत् सृष्टासि मया सार्धं वनवासाय मैथिलि। न विहातुं मया शक्या प्रीतिरात्मवता यथा
Since you were created together with me for dwelling in the forest, Maithili, my affection for you, as for my own self, cannot be abandoned.
न खल्वहं न गच्छेयं वनं जनकनन्दिनि। वचनं तन्नयति मां पितुः सत्योपबृंहितम्
Indeed, O daughter of Janaka, I would not go to the forest if my father's command, strengthened by truth, did not compel me.
एष धर्मश्च सुश्रोणि पितुर्मातुश्च वश्यता। आज्ञां चाहं व्यतिक्रम्य नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे
This is righteousness, O woman of lovely hips: obedience to father and mother. If I were to disregard their command, I could not bear to live.
अस्वाधीनं कथं दैवं प्रकारैरभिराध्यते। स्वाधीनं समतिक्रम्य मातरं पितरं गुरुम्
How can one worship destiny, which is not under one's control, by neglecting those who are—mother, father, and teacher?
यत्र त्रयं त्रयो लोकाः पवित्रं तत्समं भुवि। नान्यदस्ति शुभापाङ्गे तेनेदमभिराध्यते
Where these three exist, O woman of auspicious eyes, it is as pure as the three worlds on earth; nothing else equals it, and thus it is to be revered.
न सत्यं दानमानौ वा यज्ञो वाप्याप्तदक्षिणाः। तथा बलकराः सीते यथा सेवा पितुर्मता
Neither truth, nor charity, nor honor, nor sacrifices with abundant gifts, O Sita, are as powerful as service to one's father.