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.
चीराण्यपास्याज्जनकस्य कन्या नेयं प्रतिज्ञा मम दत्तपूर्वा। यथासुखं गच्छतु राजपुत्री वनं समग्रा सह सर्वरत्नैः
Let the daughter of Janaka cast off these garments of bark; I have never before made such a vow. Let the princess go to the forest as she wishes, taking all her ornaments and treasures.
अजीवनार्हेण मया नृशंसा कृता प्रतिज्ञा नियमेन तावत्। त्वया हि बाल्यात् प्रतिपन्नमेतत् तन्मा दहेद् वेणुमिवात्मपुष्पम्
By me, who am unworthy of life, a cruel vow has been made and strictly kept. But you, out of childishness, have accepted this; do not let it burn you up, like fire consumes a dry reed.
रामेण यदि ते पापे किंचित्कृतमशोभनम्। अपकारः क इह ते वैदेह्या दर्शितोऽधमे
If Rama has ever done you, O wicked one, any wrongful or improper act, what harm has this lowly Vaidehi shown you here?
मृगीवोत्फुल्लनयना मृदुशीला मनस्विनी। अपकारं कमिव ते करोति जनकात्मजा
With eyes wide like a startled deer, gentle in nature and noble in mind, what harm could Janaka's daughter ever do to you?
ननु पर्याप्तमेवं ते पापे रामविवासनम्। किमेभिः कृपणैर्भूयः पातकैरपि ते कृतैः
Surely, O wicked one, sending Rama into exile is enough for you. Why do you commit these further pitiful and sinful acts?
प्रतिज्ञातं मया तावत् त्वयोक्तं देवि शृण्वता। रामं यदभिषेकाय त्वमिहागतमब्रवीः
I have already promised, as you demanded, O queen, in the presence of all, when you came here and spoke about Rama's consecration.
तत्त्वेतत् समतिक्रम्य निरयं गन्तुमिच्छसि। मैथिलीमपि या हि त्वमीक्षसे चीरवासिनीम्
Now, by exceeding that, you wish to go to hell, since you even want to see Maithili dressed in bark-cloth.
एवं ब्रुवन्तं पितरं रामः सम्प्रस्थितो वनम्। अवाक्शिरसमासीनमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्
As his father spoke thus, Rama, ready to depart for the forest, with head bowed, addressed these words to him.
इयं धार्मिक कौसल्या मम माता यशस्विनी। वृद्धा चाक्षुद्रशीला च न च त्वां देव गर्हते
This is my mother Kausalya, righteous and renowned, aged and of noble character; and, my lord, she does not blame you.
मया विहीनां वरद प्रपन्नां शोकसागरम्। अदृष्टपूर्वव्यसनां भूयः सम्मन्तुमर्हसि
O giver of boons, you should honor her—now bereft of me, plunged into an ocean of grief, facing a sorrow she has never known before.