एवमुक्तो धिगित्येव राजा दशरथोऽब्रवीत्। व्रीडितश्च जनः सर्वः सा च तन्नावबुध्यत
Thus addressed with 'Shame on you!' King Daśaratha replied; all the people were ashamed, but she did not understand it.
तत्र वृद्धो महामात्रः सिद्धार्थो नाम नामतः। शुचिर्बहुमतो राज्ञः कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत्
Then an aged minister, named Siddhārtha, pure and highly esteemed by the king, spoke these words to Kaikeyī.
असमञ्जो गृहीत्वा तु क्रीडतः पथि दारकान्। सरय्वां प्रक्षिपन्नप्सु रमते तेन दुर्मतिः
Asamañja, while playing on the road, would seize children and, throwing them into the waters of the Sarayū, found pleasure in this wickedness.
तं दृष्ट्वा नागराः सर्वे क्रुद्धा राजानमब्रुवन्। असमञ्जं वृणीष्वैकमस्मान् वा राष्ट्रवर्धन
Seeing this, all the townspeople, angered, spoke to the king: 'Choose either Asamañja or us, O increaser of the realm.'
तानुवाच ततो राजा किंनिमित्तमिदं भयम्। ताश्चापि राज्ञा सम्पृष्टा वाक्यं प्रकृतयोऽब्रुवन्
Then the king asked them, 'For what reason is this fear?' And when questioned by the king, the citizens spoke these words.
क्रीडतस्त्वेष नः पुत्रान् बालानुद्भ्रान्तचेतसः। सरय्वां प्रक्षिपन्मौर्ख्यादतुलां प्रीतिमश्नुते
While playing, he throws our children, whose minds are still unsteady, into the Sarayū out of folly, and takes great delight in it.
स तासां वचनं श्रुत्वा प्रकृतीनां नराधिपः। तं तत्याजाहितं पुत्रं तासां प्रियचिकीर्षया
Hearing the words of the citizens, the king abandoned his own son, who had done no harm, in order to please them.
तं यानं शीघ्रमारोप्य सभार्यं सपरिच्छदम्। यावज्जीवं विवास्योऽयमिति तानन्वशात् पिता
He swiftly placed him, with his wife and attendants, upon a chariot, and exiled him for life, as his father commanded, 'Let him live in banishment as long as he lives.'
स फालपिटकं गृह्य गिरिदुर्गाण्यलोकयत्। दिशः सर्वास्त्वनुचरन् स यथा पापकर्मकृत्
Taking a spade and basket, he wandered through mountain fastnesses, roaming all directions, as if he were one who had committed a wicked deed.
इत्येनमत्यजद् राजा सगरो वै सुधार्मिकः। रामः किमकरोत् पापं येनैवमुपरुध्यते
Thus did King Sagara, most righteous, not abandon him; what sin did Rāma commit, that he is thus obstructed?
नहि कंचन पश्यामो राघवस्यागुणं वयम्। दुर्लभो ह्यस्य निरयः शशाङ्कस्येव कल्मषम्
We do not see any fault in Rāghava; for him, descent into hell is as unlikely as a stain on the moon.
अथवा देवि त्वं कंचिद् दोषं पश्यसि राघवे। तमद्य ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन तदा रामो विवास्यते
But, O Queen, if you see any fault in Rāghava, speak it truly today; then Rāma shall be exiled.
अदुष्टस्य हि संत्यागः सत्पथे निरतस्य च। निर्दहेदपि शक्रस्य द्युतिं धर्मविरोधवान्
For to abandon one who is blameless and devoted to the righteous path would destroy even Indra's radiance, being opposed to dharma.
तदलं देवि रामस्य श्रिया विहतया त्वया। लोकतोऽपि हि ते रक्ष्यः परिवादः शुभानने
Enough, O Queen, with Rāma's fortune being ruined by you; you must also guard yourself from public reproach, O auspicious one.
श्रुत्वा तु सिद्धार्थवचो राजा श्रान्ततरस्वरः। शोकोपहतया वाचा कैकेयीमिदमब्रवीत्
Hearing Siddhārtha's words, the king, his voice weary and overcome by grief, spoke to Kaikeyī as follows:
एतद्वचो नेच्छसि पापरूपे हितं न जानासि ममात्मनोऽथवा। आस्थाय मार्गं कृपणं कुचेष्टा चेष्टा हि ते साधुपथादपेता
You do not wish to heed these words, which are for your own good, though they appear harsh; you do not know what is beneficial for me or yourself. Having taken to a cruel path, your conduct has strayed from the way of the good.
अनुव्रजिष्याम्यहमद्य रामं राज्यं परित्यज्य सुखं धनं च। सर्वे च राज्ञा भरतेन च त्वं यथासुखं भुङ्क्ष्व चिराय राज्यम्
Today I will follow Rāma, renouncing the kingdom, comfort, and wealth; you and Bharata, with all the king's people, may enjoy the kingdom as you wish for a long time.
thumb|सप्तत्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तत्रिंशः सर्गः ॥२-
Let the thirty-seventh sarga be heard in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga thirty-seven.
महामात्रवचः श्रुत्वा रामो दशरथं तदा। अभ्यभाषत वाक्यं तु विनयज्ञो विनीतवत्
Hearing the words of the chief minister, Rāma then addressed Daśaratha with words full of humility and respect.
त्यक्तभोगस्य मे राजन् वने वन्येन जीवतः। किं कार्यमनुयात्रेण त्यक्तसङ्गस्य सर्वतः
O King, since I have renounced pleasures and will live in the forest on forest fare, what need is there for an escort, when I have abandoned all attachments?
यो हि दत्त्वा द्विपश्रेष्ठं कक्ष्यायां कुरुते मनः। रज्जुस्नेहेन किं तस्य त्यजतः कुञ्जरोत्तमम्
For one who, after giving away an excellent elephant, sets his mind on the enclosure, what use is the bond of a rope to him, when he has already let go of the noble elephant?
तथा मम सतां श्रेष्ठ किं ध्वजिन्या जगत्पते। सर्वाण्येवानुजानामि चीराण्येवानयन्तु मे
So, O best of the virtuous, what use have I for an army, O lord of the world? I permit all to return; let them bring me only garments of bark.
खनित्रपिटके चोभे समानयत गच्छत। चतुर्दश वने वासं वर्षाणि वसतो मम
And bring both the spade and basket as I go, for I must dwell in the forest for fourteen years.
अथ चीराणि कैकेयी स्वयमाहृत्य राघवम्। उवाच परिधत्स्वेति जनौघे निरपत्रपा
Then Kaikeyī herself, shameless before the crowd, brought the garments of bark to Rāghava and said, 'Put these on.'
स चीरे पुरुषव्याघ्रः कैकेय्याः प्रतिगृह्य ते। सूक्ष्मवस्त्रमवक्षिप्य मुनिवस्त्राण्यवस्त ह
That tiger among men, having accepted the garments of bark from Kaikeyi, set aside his fine cloth and put on the ascetic's attire.
लक्ष्मणश्चापि तत्रैव विहाय वसने शुभे। तापसाच्छादने चैव जग्राह पितुरग्रतः
There too, Lakshmana, leaving aside his splendid garments, took up the ascetic's covering before his father.
अथात्मपरिधानार्थं सीता कौशेयवासिनी। सम्प्रेक्ष्य चीरं संत्रस्ता पृषती वागुरामिव
Then Sita, clad in silk, looked upon the bark garment with fear, like a frightened doe seeing a snare.
सा व्यपत्रपमाणेव प्रगृह्य च सुदुर्मनाः। कैकेय्याः कुशचीरे ते जानकी शुभलक्षणा
She, the daughter of Janaka, possessing auspicious marks, took the kusa-grass garment from Kaikeyi with downcast eyes, deeply troubled and ashamed.
अश्रुसम्पूर्णनेत्रा च धर्मज्ञा धर्मदर्शिनी। गन्धर्वराजप्रतिमं भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्
Her eyes filled with tears, knowing and devoted to righteousness, she spoke these words to her husband, who was like a king among Gandharvas.
कथं नु चीरं बघ्नन्ति मुनयो वनवासिनः। इति ह्यकुशला सीता सा मुमोह मुहुर्मुहुः
"How do the sages dwelling in the forest wear such bark garments?"—thus, unskilled in such matters, Sita repeatedly fainted.