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.
कृत्वा कण्ठे स्म सा चीरमेकमादाय पाणिना। तस्थौ ह्यकुशला तत्र व्रीडिता जनकात्मजा
Taking one piece of bark in her hand, she placed it around her neck and stood there, unpracticed and embarrassed, the daughter of Janaka.
तस्यास्तत् क्षिप्रमागत्य रामो धर्मभृतां वरः। चीरं बबन्ध सीतायाः कौशेयस्योपरि स्वयम्
Then Rama, foremost among the righteous, quickly came to her and himself tied the bark garment over Sita's silk attire.
रामं प्रेक्ष्य तु सीताया बध्नन्तं चीरमुत्तमम्। अन्तःपुरचरा नार्यो मुमुचुर्वारि नेत्रजम्
Seeing Rama tie the excellent bark garment on Sita, the women of the inner apartments shed tears from their eyes.
ऊचुश्च परमायत्ता रामं ज्वलिततेजसम्। वत्स नैवं नियुक्तेयं वनवासे मनस्विनी
Completely dependent, they said to Rama, blazing with splendor: "Child, this noble lady is not meant for such a forest dwelling."
पितुर्वाक्यानुरोधेन गतस्य विजनं वनम्। तावद् दर्शनमस्या नः सफलं भवतु प्रभो
"By the command of your father you go to the lonely forest; let our seeing her be fulfilled, O Lord."
लक्ष्मणेन सहायेन वनं गच्छस्व पुत्रक। नेयमर्हति कल्याणि वस्तुं तापसवद् वने
"Go to the forest, dear child, with Lakshmana as your companion; this blessed lady is not fit to dwell in the forest like an ascetic."
कुरु नो याचनां पुत्र सीता तिष्ठतु भामिनी। धर्मनित्यः स्वयं स्थातुं न हीदानीं त्वमिच्छसि
"Grant us this request, son: let Sita, the radiant one, remain here; you, ever devoted to righteousness, do not wish to stay now yourself."
तासामेवंविधा वाचः शृण्वन् दशरथात्मजः। बबन्धैव तथा चीरं सीतया तुल्यशीलया
Hearing such words from them, Rama, son of Dasharatha, tied the bark garment on Sita, who was equal to him in character.
चीरे गृहीते तु तया सबाष्पो नृपतेर्गुरुः। निवार्य सीतां कैकेयीं वसिष्ठो वाक्यमब्रवीत्
When she had taken the bark garment, the king's venerable priest, eyes filled with tears, restrained Sita and spoke to Kaikeyi.
अतिप्रवृत्ते दुर्मेधे कैकेयि कुलपांसनि। वञ्चयित्वा तु राजानं न प्रमाणेऽवतिष्ठसि
"You have gone too far, evil-minded Kaikeyi, disgrace of your lineage; having deceived the king, you do not abide by what is right."
न गन्तव्यं वनं देव्या सीतया शीलवर्जिते। अनुष्ठास्यति रामस्य सीता प्रकृतमासनम्
"Sita, lacking in proper conduct, must not go to the forest, O Queen; Sita will perform her proper duties for Rama here."
आत्मा हि दाराः सर्वेषां दारसंग्रहवर्तिनाम्। आत्मेयमिति रामस्य पालयिष्यति मेदिनीम्
"For all who are married, their wives are their very selves; considering her as his own self, Rama will protect the earth."
अथ यास्यति वैदेही वनं रामेण संगता। वयमत्रानुयास्यामः पुरं चेदं गमिष्यति
Now, as Vaidehī departs for the forest together with Rāma, we will follow them from here, if this city is to be abandoned.
अन्तपालाश्च यास्यन्ति सदारो यत्र राघवः। सहोपजीव्यं राष्ट्रं च पुरं च सपरिच्छदम्
The guards too will go, wherever Rāghava goes with his wife, along with the people who live by him, the kingdom, the city, and its attendants.
भरतश्च सशत्रुघ्नश्चीरवासा वनेचरः। वने वसन्तं काकुत्स्थमनुवत्स्यति पूर्वजम्
Bharata, together with Shatrughna, clad in bark, will dwell in the forest, following Kakutstha, their elder brother, as he lives there.
ततः शून्यां गतजनां वसुधां पादपैः सह। त्वमेका शाधि दुर्वृत्ता प्रजानामहिते स्थिता
Then, with the earth emptied of people and only trees remaining, you alone will rule, wicked one, standing against the welfare of the people.
न हि तद् भविता राष्ट्रं यत्र रामो न भूपतिः। तद् वनं भविता राष्ट्रं यत्र रामो निवत्स्यति
For that will not be a kingdom where Rāma is not king; that forest will become the kingdom where Rāma dwells.
न ह्यदत्तां महीं पित्रा भरतः शास्तुमिच्छति। त्वयि वा पुत्रवद् वस्तुं यदि जातो महीपतेः
Bharata does not wish to rule the land not given by his father, nor to live with you as a son, if he is born of the king.
यद्यपि त्वं क्षितितलाद् गगनं चोत्पतिष्यसि। पितृवंशचरित्रज्ञः सोऽन्यथा न करिष्यति
Even if you rise from the earth to the sky, he who knows the conduct of his ancestors will not act otherwise.
तत् त्वया पुत्रगर्धिन्या पुत्रस्य कृतमप्रियम्। लोके नहि स विद्येत यो न राममनुव्रतः
Thus, by you, greedy for your son, a wrong has been done to your son; in this world, there is no one who is not devoted to Rāma.