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.
स एष सुमहाकाय: कम्पते वाहिनीमुखे। नाग: शत्रुञ्जयो नाम वृद्धस्तातस्य धीमत: ।। २.९७.
That great-bodied elephant at the head of the army is Shatrunjaya by name, aged, belonging to my wise father.
न तु पश्यामि तच्छत्ऺत्रं पाण्डरं लोकसत्कृतम्। पितुर्दिव्यं महाबाहो संशयो भवतीह मे ।। २.९७.
But I do not see that white parasol, honored by the world, my father's divine one, O mighty-armed; this causes me doubt here.
प्रथममर्धमुत्तरार्धेन योजनीयम् ।। २.९७.
The first half should be joined with the latter half.
अवतीर्य्य तु सालाग्रात्तस्मात्स समितिञ्जय:। लक्ष्मण: प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा तस्थौ रामस्य पार्श्वत: ।। २.९७.
Then Lakshmana, victorious in battle, descended from the hall, stood beside Rama with joined palms.
भरतेनापि सन्दिष्टा सम्मर्दो न भवेदिऺति। समन्तात्तस्य शैलस्य सेना वासमकल्पयत् ।। २.९७.
By Bharata's command, so that there would be no confusion, the army set up camp all around that mountain.
अध्यर्द्धमिक्ष्वाकुचमूर्योजनं पर्वतस्य सा। पार्श्वे न्यविशदावृत्य गजवाजिरथाकुला ।। २.९७.
That army of the Ikshvakus, filled with elephants, horses, and chariots, occupied one and a half yojanas along the side of the mountain.
सा चित्रकूटे भरतेन सेना धर्मं पुरस्कृत्य विधूय दर्प्पम्। प्रसादनार्थं रघुनन्दनस्य विराजते नीतिमता प्रणीता ।। २.९७.
That army, led by the wise Bharata, having set aside pride and upholding righteousness, shone on Chitrakuta for the sake of pleasing the descendant of Raghu.
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये श्रीमदयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तनवतितम: सर्ग:
Thus ends the ninety-seventh sarga of the Ayodhya Kanda in the glorious Ramayana, the first poem, composed by the sage Valmiki.
thumb|अष्टनवतितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center निवेश्य सेनां तु विभु: पद्भ्यां पादवतां वर:। अभिगन्तुं स काकुत्स्थमियेष गुरुवर्त्तकम् ।। २.९८.
Having stationed the army, the mighty one, best among those who walk on foot, set out on foot to approach Kakutstha, following the path of his elders.
निविष्टमात्रे सैन्ये तु यथोद्देशं विनीतवत्। भरतो भ्रातरं वाक्यं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत् ।। २.९८.
When the army was settled in its proper place, Bharata spoke these words to his brother Shatrughna.