कैकेयीं च वधिष्यामि सानुबन्धां सबान्धवाम् । कलुषेणाद्य महता मेदिनी परिमुच्यताम् ।। २.९६.
I will kill Kaikeyī as well, along with her associates and relatives; let the earth be freed today from this great impurity.
अद्येमं संयतं क्रोधमसत्कारं च मानद । मोक्ष्यामि शत्रुसैन्येषु कक्षेष्विव हुताशनम् ।। २.९६.
Today, O giver of honor, I will release this restrained anger and the insult, upon the enemy's army, as fire is released in dry grass.
अद्यैतच्चित्रकूटस्य काननं निशितै: शरै: । भिन्दन् शत्रुशरीराणि करिष्ये शोणितोक्षितम् ।। २.९६.
Today, I will make this forest of Chitrakūṭa soaked in blood, piercing the bodies of enemies with sharp arrows.
शरैर्निर्भिन्नहृदयान् कुञ्जरांस्तुरगांस्तथा । श्वापदा: परिकर्षन्तु नरांश्च निहतान् मया ।। २.९६.
Let wild beasts drag away elephants and horses whose hearts have been pierced by arrows, as well as men slain by me.
शराणां धनुषश्चाहमनृणो ऽस्मि महामृधे । ससैन्यं भरतं हत्वा भविष्यामि न संशय: ।। २.९६.
I am not indebted to arrows or the bow in this great battle; after killing Bharata along with his army, I will be without doubt.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदयोध्याकाण्डे षण्णवतितम: सर्ग:
Thus ends the ninety-sixth sarga in the glorious Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa of the venerable Rāmāyaṇa, the first epic composed by Vālmīki.
thumb|सप्तनवतितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center सुसंरब्धं तु सौमित्रिं लक्ष्मणं क्रोधमूर्च्छितम्। रामस्तु परिसान्त्व्याथ वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ।। २.९७.
But Rāma, after calming the fiercely enraged Saumitri, Lakṣmaṇa, who was overcome by anger, spoke these words.
किमत्र धनुषा कार्यमसिना वा सचर्मणा। महेष्वासे महाप्राज्ञे भरते स्वयमागते ।। २.९७.
What need is there here for the bow, or the sword with shield, when Bharata himself, the great archer and wise one, has come?
पितु: सत्यं प्रतिश्रुत्य हत्वा भरतमागतम्। किं करिष्ऺयामि राज्येन सापवादेन लक्ष्मण ।। २.९७.
Having killed Bharata, who has come after pledging truth to our father, what would I do with the kingdom, tainted by blame, O Lakṣmaṇa?
यद्द्रव्यं बान्धवानां वा मित्राणां वा क्षये भवेत्। नाहं तत् प्रतिगृह्णीयां भक्षान् विषकृतानिव ।। २.९७.
Whatever wealth might come from the destruction of relatives or friends, I would not accept it, as one would not eat food mixed with poison.
धर्ममर्थं च कामं च पृथिवीं चापि लक्ष्मण। इच्छामि भवतामर्थे एतत् प्रतिश्रृणोमि ते ।। २.९७.
O Lakṣmaṇa, I desire righteousness, wealth, pleasure, and even the earth, for your sake; I promise you this.
भ्रातऽणां सङ्ग्रहार्थं च सुखार्थं चापि लक्ष्मण। राज्यमप्यहमिच्छामि सत्येनायुधमालभे ।। २.९७.
For the sake of gathering brothers and for happiness, O Lakṣmaṇa, I desire even the kingdom, and I swear this to you by truth.
नेयं मम मही सौम्य दुर्ल्लभा सागराम्बरा। नहीच्छेयमधर्मेण शक्रत्वमपि लक्ष्मण ।। २.९७.
This earth, O gentle one, surrounded by the ocean, is not difficult for me to obtain; but I would not desire even the lordship of the gods through unrighteousness, O Lakṣmaṇa.
यद्विना भरतं त्वां च शत्रुघ्नं चापि मानद। भवेन्मम सुखं किञ्चिद्भस्म तत् कुरुतां शिखी ।। २.९७.
If any happiness should come to me without Bharata, you, or even Śatrughna, O giver of honor, let that happiness be reduced to ashes by fire.
मन्येऽहमागतोऽयोध्यां भरतो भ्रातृवत्सल:। मम प्राणात् प्रियतर: कुलधर्ममनुस्मरन् ।। २.९७.
I think Bharata, who cherishes his brothers, has come to Ayodhya, remembering the family duty, dearer to me than my own life.
श्रुत्वा प्रव्राजितं मां हि जटावल्कलधारिणम्। जानक्या सहितं वीर त्वया च पुरुषर्षभ ।। २.९७.
Hearing that I have been exiled, wearing matted hair and bark garments, together with Janaki and you, O best of men—
स्नेहेनाक्रान्तहृदय: शोकेनाकुलितेन्द्रिय:। द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो ह्येष भरतो नान्यथा गत: ।। २.९७.
With his heart overcome by affection, his senses disturbed by grief, Bharata has surely come here to see me; it cannot be otherwise.
अम्बां च कैकयीं रुष्य परुषं चाप्रियं वदन्। प्रसाद्य पितरं श्रीमान् राज्यं मे दातुमागत: ।। २.९७.
Having spoken harsh and unpleasant words, angry with mother Kaikeyi, the illustrious one has come, having appeased our father, to give me the kingdom.
प्राप्तकालं यदेषोऽस्मान् भरतो द्रष्टुमिच्छति। अस्मासु मनसाप्येष नाप्रियं किञ्चिदाचरेत् ।। २.९७.
It is the right time that Bharata wishes to see us; he would not do anything displeasing to us, not even in thought.
विप्रियं कृतपूर्वं ते भरतेन कदा नु किम्। ईदृशं वा भयं तेऽद्य भरतं योऽत्र शङ्कसे ।। २.९७.
When, indeed, has Bharata ever done you any wrong in the past, or what kind of fear is it today that makes you suspect Bharata here?
नहि ते निष्ठुरं वाच्यो भरतो नाप्रियं वच:। अहं ह्यप्रियमुक्त: स्यां भरतस्याप्रिये कृते ।। २.९७.
Bharata should not be spoken to harshly or with unpleasant words by you; if anything disagreeable is said to Bharata, let it be said by me.
कथं नु पुत्रा: पितरं हन्यु: कस्याञ्चिदापदि। भ्राता वा भ्रातरं हन्यात् सौमित्रे प्राणमात्मन: ।। २.९७.
How could sons ever kill their father in any calamity, or a brother kill his brother, O Saumitri, who is as dear as one's own life?
यदि राज्यस्य हेतोस्त्वमिमां वाचं प्रभाषसे। वक्ष्यामि भरतं दृष्ट्वा राज्यमस्मै प्रदीयताम् ।। २.९७.
If you speak these words because of the kingdom, then, upon seeing Bharata, I will tell him: 'Let the kingdom be given to him.'
उच्यमानोऽपि भरतो मया लक्ष्मण तत्त्वत:। राज्यमस्मै प्रयच्छेति बाढमित्येव वक्ष्यति ।। २.९७.
Even if I say this truly to Bharata, O Lakshmana, 'Let the kingdom be given to him,' he will certainly reply, 'So be it.'
तथोक्तो धर्मशीलेन भ्रात्रा तस्य हिते रत:। लक्ष्मण: प्रविवेशेव स्वानि गात्राणि लज्जया ।। २.९७.
Thus addressed by his righteous brother, intent on his welfare, Lakshmana, out of shame, seemed to shrink into his own limbs.
तद्वाक्यं लक्ष्मण: श्रुत्वा व्रीडित: प्रत्युवाच ह। त्वां मन्ये द्रष्टुमायात: पिता दशरथ: स्वयम् ।। २.९७.
Hearing those words, Lakshmana, abashed, replied: 'I think it is our father, Dasharatha himself, who has come to see you.'
व्रीडितं लक्ष्मणं दृष्ट्वा राघव: प्रत्युवाच ह। एष मन्ये महाबाहुरिहास्मान् द्रष्टुमागत: ।। २.९७.
Seeing Lakshmana embarrassed, Raghava replied: 'I think this mighty-armed one has come here to see us.'
अथवा नौ ध्रुवं मन्ये मन्यमान: सुखोचितौ। वनवासमनुध्याय गृहाय प्रतिनेष्यति ।। २.९७.
Or perhaps, thinking that we, accustomed to comfort, are not suited for the forest, he will certainly take us back home.
इमां वाप्येष वैदेहीमत्यन्तसुखसेविनीम्। पिता मे राघव: श्रीमान् वनादादाय यास्यति ।। २.९७.
Or perhaps my illustrious father, Raghava, will take Vaidehi, who is accustomed to utmost comfort, from the forest and return.
एतौ तौ सम्प्रकाशेते गोत्रवन्तौ मनोरमौ। वायुवेगसमौ वीर जवनौ तुरगोत्तमौ ।। २.९७.
Those two splendid, well-bred, and delightful horses are visible, O hero, swift as the wind, the best of fast steeds.