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.
द्रक्ष्यस्यद्यैव कैकेयि पशुव्यालमृगद्विजान्। गच्छतः सह रामेण पादपांश्च तदुन्मुखान्
Today, Kaikeyī, you will see beasts, wild animals, birds, and trees all turning toward Rāma as he departs.
अथोत्तमान्याभरणानि देवि देहि स्नुषायै व्यपनीय चीरम्। न चीरमस्याः प्रविधीयतेति न्यवारयत् तद् वसनं वसिष्ठः
Then, O queen, give the finest ornaments to your daughter-in-law, removing the bark garment; but Vasiṣṭha forbade that garment, saying it should not be given to her.
एकस्य रामस्य वने निवास- स्त्वया वृतः केकयराजपुत्रि। विभूषितेयं प्रतिकर्मनित्या वसत्वरण्ये सह राघवेण
For the residence of Rāma alone in the forest has been chosen by you, daughter of the king of Kekaya; yet she, always adorned, will live in the forest with Rāghava.
यानैश्च मुख्यैः परिचारकैश्च सुसंवृता गच्छतु राजपुत्री। वस्त्रैश्च सर्वैः सहितैर्विधानै- र्नेयं वृता ते वरसम्प्रदाने
Let the princess go, well attended by the finest vehicles and servants, with all kinds of garments and arrangements; she is not bound by your grant of the boon.
thumb|अष्टात्रिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे अष्टात्रिंशः सर्गः ॥२-
Listen to the thirty-eighth chapter.
तस्यां चीरं वसानायां नाथवत्यामनाथवत्। प्रचुक्रोश जनः सर्वो धिक् त्वां दशरथं त्विति
As she, protected yet as if unprotected, put on the bark garment, all the people cried out, 'Shame on you, Daśaratha!'
तेन तत्र प्रणादेन दुःखितः स महीपतिः। चिच्छेद जीविते श्रद्धां धर्मे यशसि चात्मनः
Distressed by that outcry, the king lost faith in life, virtue, and his own honor.
स निःश्वस्योष्णमैक्ष्वाकस्तां भार्यामिदमब्रवीत्। कैकेयि कुशचीरेण न सीता गन्तुमर्हति
The Ikṣvāku king sighed deeply and spoke to his wife: 'Kaikeyī, Sītā should not go wearing a garment of kuśa grass.'
सुकुमारी च बाला च सततं च सुखोचिता। नेयं वनस्य योग्येति सत्यमाह गुरुर्मम
She is delicate, young, and always accustomed to comfort; my teacher has truly said she is not fit for the forest.
इयं हि कस्यापि करोति किंचित् तपस्विनी राजवरस्य पुत्री। या चीरमासाद्य जनस्य मध्ये स्थिता विसंज्ञा श्रमणीव काचित्
She does nothing for anyone, this ascetic daughter of the best king; standing in the midst of the people, wearing bark, she appears senseless, like some wandering mendicant.