त्वया कार्यं नरव्याघ्र मामनुव्रजता कृतम्। अन्वेष्टव्या हि वैदेह्या रक्षणार्थं सहायता
O tiger among men, you have fulfilled your duty by following me; now you must assist in protecting Vaidehī.
अद्भिरेव हि सौमित्रे वत्स्याम्यद्य निशामिमाम्। एतद्धि रोचते मह्यं वन्येऽपि विविधे सति
Tonight, Saumitri, I will sleep here by the water; this pleases me, even though there are many kinds of forest dwellings.
एवमुक्त्वा तु सौमित्रिं सुमन्त्रमपि राघवः। अप्रमत्तस्त्वमश्वेषु भव सौम्येत्युवाच ह
Having spoken thus to Saumitri, Rāghava also addressed Sumantra: 'Be ever vigilant with the horses, O gentle one.'
सोऽश्वान् सुमन्त्रः संयम्य सूर्येऽस्तं समुपागते। प्रभूतयवसान् कृत्वा बभूव प्रत्यनन्तरः
Sumantra, restraining the horses as the sun set, gave them abundant fodder and remained close by.
उपास्य तु शिवां संध्यां दृष्ट्वा रात्रिमुपागताम्। रामस्य शयनं चक्रे सूतः सौमित्रिणा सह
After performing the auspicious evening worship and seeing that night had come, the charioteer prepared Rāma's bed together with Saumitri.
तां शय्यां तमसातीरे वीक्ष्य वृक्षदलैर्वृताम्। रामः सौमित्रिणा सार्धं सभार्यः संविवेश ह
Seeing that bed on the bank of the Tamasā, covered with leaves, Rāma lay down there with Sītā and Saumitri.
सभार्यं सम्प्रसुप्तं तु श्रान्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य लक्ष्मणः। कथयामास सूताय रामस्य विविधान् गुणान्
When Rāma, weary, lay down with his wife and fell asleep, Lakṣmaṇa began to recount Rāma's many virtues to the charioteer.
जाग्रतोरेव तां रात्रिं सौमित्रेरुदितो रविः। सूतस्य तमसातीरे रामस्य ब्रुवतो गुणान्
As Saumitri stayed awake through that night, the sun rose, while he spoke to the charioteer of Rāma's virtues on the bank of the Tamasā.
गोकुलाकुलतीरायास्तमसाया विदूरतः। अवसत् तत्र तां रात्रिं रामः प्रकृतिभिः सह
On the distant bank of the Tamasā, crowded with herds of cattle, Rāma spent that night there with his companions.
उत्थाय च महातेजाः प्रकृतीस्ता निशाम्य च। अब्रवीद् भ्रातरं रामो लक्ष्मणं पुण्यलक्षणम्
Rising up, the illustrious Rāma, seeing his companions, spoke to his brother Lakṣmaṇa, who bore auspicious marks.
अस्मद्व्यपेक्षान् सौमित्रे निर्व्यपेक्षान् गृहेष्वपि। वृक्षमूलेषु संसक्तान् पश्य लक्ष्मण साम्प्रतम्
O Saumitri, see now those citizens, who, disregarding their own households, have attached themselves beneath the trees, caring only for us.
यथैते नियमं पौराः कुर्वन्त्यस्मन्निवर्तने। अपि प्राणान् न्यसिष्यन्ति न तु त्यक्ष्यन्ति निश्चयम्
Just as these townspeople observe their vow in not turning back from us, so too, they would sooner give up their lives than abandon their resolve.
यावदेव तु संसुप्तास्तावदेव वयं लघु। रथमारुह्य गच्छामः पन्थानमकुतोभयम्
Only while they are still asleep can we swiftly ascend the chariot and travel the path without fear.
अतो भूयोऽपि नेदानीमिक्ष्वाकुपुरवासिनः। स्वपेयुरनुरक्ता मा वृक्षमूलेषु संश्रिताः
Let the devoted citizens of Ikshvaku’s city not continue to sleep now, seeking shelter beneath the trees.
पौरा ह्यात्मकृताद् दुःखाद् विप्रमोच्या नृपात्मजैः। न तु खल्वात्मना योज्या दुःखेन पुरवासिनः
Indeed, the townspeople must be freed from the sorrow caused by their own actions by the princes, but they should not be made to suffer further by us.
अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणो रामं साक्षाद् धर्ममिव स्थितम्। रोचते मे तथा प्राज्ञ क्षिप्रमारुह्यतामिति
Lakshmana then spoke to Rama, standing there like righteousness itself: 'I agree, wise one; let us quickly ascend the chariot.'
अथ रामोऽब्रवीत् सूतं शीघ्रं संयुज्यतां रथः। गमिष्यामि ततोऽरण्यं गच्छ शीघ्रमितः प्रभो
Then Rama said to the charioteer, 'Quickly yoke the chariot; I will go to the forest. Drive swiftly from here, O Sumantra.'
सूतस्ततः संत्वरितः स्यन्दनं तैर्हयोत्तमैः। योजयित्वा तु रामस्य प्राञ्जलिः प्रत्यवेदयत्
The charioteer, hastening, yoked the chariot with those excellent horses, and with joined palms, reported to Rama.
अयं युक्तो महाबाहो रथस्ते रथिनां वर। त्वरयाऽऽरोह भद्रं ते ससीतः सहलक्ष्मणः
'Here is your chariot, mighty-armed prince, best among warriors, yoked and ready. Ascend quickly, with Sita and Lakshmana. May all be well with you.'
तं स्यन्दनमधिष्ठाय राघवः सपरिच्छदः। शीघ्रगामाकुलावर्तां तमसामतरन्नदीम्
Mounting the chariot with his attendants, Raghava crossed the Tamasa river, swift-flowing and swirling, together with Sita and Lakshmana.
स संतीर्य महाबाहुः श्रीमान् शिवमकण्टकम्। प्रापद्यत महामार्गमभयं भयदर्शिनाम्
Having crossed, the illustrious, mighty-armed one reached the great, safe road, free from thorns, which is fearful to those who fear.
मोहनार्थं तु पौराणां सूतं रामोऽब्रवीद् वचः। उदङ्मुखः प्रयाहि त्वं रथमारुह्य सारथे
Then, to mislead the citizens, Rama spoke to the charioteer: 'Turn the chariot northward, O charioteer, and proceed.'
मुहूर्तं त्वरितं गत्वा निवर्तय रथं पुनः। यथा न विद्युः पौरा मां तथा कुरु समाहितः
'After driving swiftly for a while, turn the chariot back again, so that the citizens may not know my path; do this with care.'
रामस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा तथा चक्रे च सारथिः। प्रत्यागम्य च रामस्य स्यन्दनं प्रत्यवेदयत्
Hearing Rama’s words, the charioteer did so, and returning, reported the chariot to Rama.
तौ सम्प्रयुक्तं तु रथं समास्थितौ तदा ससीतौ रघुवंशवर्धनौ। प्रचोदयामास ततस्तुरंगमान् स सारथिर्येन पथा तपोवनम्
Then those two scions of Raghu, with Sita, mounted the yoked chariot, and the charioteer urged the horses along the path to the hermitage.
ततः समास्थाय रथं महारथः ससारथिर्दाशरथिर्वनं ययौ। उदङ्मुखं तं तु रथं चकार प्रयाणमाङ्गल्यनिमित्तदर्शनात्
Then the mighty Dasarathi, with the charioteer, set out for the forest, having made the chariot face north, seeing auspicious omens for the journey.
thumb|सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तचत्वारिंशः सर्गः ॥२-
Hear now the forty-seventh sarga in the glorious Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kanda.
प्रभातायां तु शर्वर्यां पौरास्ते राघवं विना। शोकोपहतनिश्चेष्टा बभूवुर्हतचेतसः
When the night had passed, those citizens, bereft of Rama, became motionless with grief, their hearts broken.
शोकजाश्रुपरिद्यूना वीक्षमाणास्ततस्ततः। आलोकमपि रामस्य न पश्यन्ति स्म दुःखिताः
Overwhelmed by tears born of sorrow, gazing again and again, those afflicted ones could not even catch sight of Rāma.
ते विषादार्तवदना रहितास्तेन धीमता। कृपणाः करुणा वाचो वदन्ति स्म मनीषिणः
Their faces stricken with grief, deprived of that wise one, the compassionate and learned spoke words of lamentation.