तस्य दक्षिणमन्वागात् कौसल्या बाहुमङ्गना। परं चास्यान्वगात् पार्श्वं कैकेयी सा सुमध्यमा
Kausalya, her arms adorned, followed at his right side; and at his other side, Kaikeyi, slender-waisted, accompanied him.
तां नयेन च सम्पन्नो धर्मेण विनयेन च। उवाच राजा कैकेयीं समीक्ष्य व्यथितेन्द्रियः
Endowed with wisdom, righteousness, and humility, the king, his senses distressed, looked at Kaikeyi and spoke to her.
कैकेयि मामकाङ्गानि मा स्प्राक्षीः पापनिश्चये। नहि त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छामि न भार्या न च बान्धवी
Kaikeyi, do not touch my body—you who are resolved on evil; I do not wish to see you, neither as wife nor as kinswoman.
ये च त्वामनुजीवन्ति नाहं तेषां न ते मम। केवलार्थपरां हि त्वां त्यक्तधर्मां त्यजाम्यहम्
Those who live dependent on you—I am not theirs, nor are they mine; for you are concerned only with your own gain, having abandoned righteousness, and I renounce you.
अगृह्णां यच्च ते पाणिमग्निं पर्यणयं च यत्। अनुजानामि तत् सर्वमस्मिंल्लोके परत्र च
Whatever vows I took with you, whatever fire I circled, I release you from all of it, in this world and the next.
भरतश्चेत् प्रतीतः स्याद् राज्यं प्राप्यैतदव्ययम्। यन्मे स दद्यात् पित्रर्थं मा मां तद्दत्तमागमत्
If Bharata, having obtained this imperishable kingdom, were to give me anything for the sake of his father, let not that gift come to me.
अथ रेणुसमुद्ध्वस्तं समुत्थाप्य नराधिपम्। न्यवर्तत तदा देवी कौसल्या शोककर्शिता
Then, raising the king who had fallen, covered in dust, Queen Kausalya, consumed by grief, withdrew.
हत्वेव ब्राह्मणं कामात् स्पृष्ट्वाग्निमिव पाणिना। अन्वतप्यत धर्मात्मा पुत्रं संचिन्त्य राघवम्
Like one who has slain a Brahmin out of desire, or touched fire with his hand, the righteous king was tormented, thinking of his son Raghava.
निवृत्यैव निवृत्यैव सीदतो रथवर्त्मसु। राज्ञो नातिबभौ रूपं ग्रस्तस्यांशुमतो यथा
Again and again turning back, seated along the chariot's path, the king's appearance was diminished, like the moon when its light is swallowed.
विललाप स दुःखार्तः प्रियं पुत्रमनुस्मरन्। नगरान्तमनुप्राप्तं बुद्ध्वा पुत्रमथाब्रवीत्
Afflicted with sorrow, he lamented, recalling his beloved son; learning that his son had reached the city's outskirts, he spoke.
वाहनानां च मुख्यानां वहतां तं ममात्मजम्। पदानि पथि दृश्यन्ते स महात्मा न दृश्यते
The tracks of the finest vehicles that carried my son are visible on the road, but that great-souled one himself is not seen.
यः सुखेनोपधानेषु शेते चन्दनरूषितः। वीज्यमानो महार्हाभिः स्त्रीभिर्मम सुतोत्तमः
He who used to sleep comfortably on beds scented with sandalwood, fanned by women of great worth—my most excellent son—
स नूनं क्वचिदेवाद्य वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रितः। काष्ठं वा यदि वाश्मानमुपधाय शयिष्यते
Today, surely, somewhere he must be resting at the foot of a tree, lying on wood or perhaps on stone.
उत्थास्यति च मेदिन्याः कृपणः पांसुगुण्ठितः। विनिःश्वसन् प्रस्रवणात् करेणूनामिवर्षभः
He will rise from the earth, pitiable, covered in dust, sighing deeply, like a lordly elephant emerging from a lotus pond.
द्रक्ष्यन्ति नूनं पुरुषा दीर्घबाहुं वनेचराः। राममुत्थाय गच्छन्तं लोकनाथमनाथवत्
Surely, the forest-dwellers will see that long-armed man, Rāma, the lord of the people, walking forth as if he were without protection.
सा नूनं जनकस्येष्टा सुता सुखसदोचिता। कण्टकाक्रमणक्लान्ता वनमद्य गमिष्यति
That beloved daughter of Janaka, accustomed to comfort, will now, weary from treading on thorns, go to the forest.
अनभिज्ञा वनानां सा नूनं भयमुपैष्यति। श्वपदानर्दितं श्रुत्वा गम्भीरं रोमहर्षणम्
Unfamiliar with the forests, she will surely experience fear, hearing the deep, hair-raising roars of wild beasts.
सकामा भव कैकेयि विधवा राज्यमावस। नहि तं पुरुषव्याघ्रं विना जीवितुमुत्सहे
Be satisfied, Kaikeyī, live as a widow and rule the kingdom; for without that tiger among men, I cannot endure life.
इत्येवं विलपन् राजा जनौघेनाभिसंवृतः। अपस्नात इवारिष्टं प्रविवेश गृहोत्तमम्
Thus lamenting, the king, surrounded by a multitude of people, entered his splendid house like one who has bathed after a misfortune.
शून्यचत्वरवेश्मान्तां संवृतापणवेदिकाम्। क्लान्तदुर्बलदुःखार्तां नात्याकीर्णमहापथाम्
He saw the city, with its courtyards and houses empty, its markets and squares closed, its people weary, weak, and distressed, and its great roads not crowded.
तामवेक्ष्य पुरीं सर्वां राममेवानुचिन्तयन्। विलपन् प्राविशद् राजा गृहं सूर्य इवाम्बुदम्
Beholding the entire city, thinking only of Rāma, the king entered his house, lamenting, like the sun entering a cloud.
महाह्रदमिवाक्षोभ्यं सुपर्णेन हृतोरगम्। रामेण रहितं वेश्म वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च
The house, deprived of Rāma, Vaidehī, and Lakṣmaṇa, seemed like a great, undisturbed lake whose serpent has been taken by Garuḍa.
अथ गद्गदशब्दस्तु विलपन् वसुधाधिपः। उवाच मृदु मन्दार्थं वचनं दीनमस्वरम्
Then the lord of the earth, his voice choked with emotion, spoke gentle, faint, and sorrowful words.
कौसल्याया गृहं शीघ्रं राममातुर्नयन्तु माम्। नह्यन्यत्र ममाश्वासो हृदयस्य भविष्यति
Quickly take me to Kausalyā's house, Rāma's mother; for nowhere else will my heart find comfort.
इति ब्रुवन्तं राजानमनयन् द्वारदर्शिनः। कौसल्याया गृहं तत्र न्यवेस्यत विनीतवत्
As the king was saying this, the doorkeepers led him to Kausalyā's house and respectfully settled him there.
ततस्तत्र प्रविष्टस्य कौसल्याया निवेशनम्। अधिरुह्यापि शयनं बभूव लुलितं मनः
But even after entering Kausalyā's dwelling and lying on the bed, his mind remained agitated.
पुत्रद्वयविहीनं च स्नुषया च विवर्जितम्। अपश्यद् भवनं राजा नष्टचन्द्रमिवाम्बरम्
The king saw the house deprived of his two sons and his daughter-in-law, like the sky bereft of the moon.
तच्च दृष्ट्वा महाराजो भुजमुद्यम्य वीर्यवान्। उच्चैःस्वरेण प्राक्रोशद्धा राम विजहासि नौ
Seeing that, the mighty king raised his arm and cried out in a loud voice, 'O Rāma, why have you abandoned us?'
सुखिता बत तं कालं जीविष्यन्ति नरोत्तमाः। परिष्वजन्तो ये रामं द्रक्ष्यन्ति पुनरागतम्
Happy indeed are those noble men who will live to see Rāma return and embrace him once more.
अथ रात्र्यां प्रपन्नायां कालरात्र्यामिवात्मनः। अर्धरात्रे दशरथः कौसल्यामिदमब्रवीत्
Then, as night fell, like the night of destruction for his soul, at midnight Daśaratha spoke these words to Kausalyā.