एष मे जीवितस्यान्तो रामो यदभिषिच्यते। इति ब्रुवाणां कैकेयीं श्वशुरो मे स पार्थिवः
'This is the end of my life if Rāma is consecrated,' so spoke Kaikeyī to my father-in-law, the king.
अयाचतार्थैरन्वर्थैर्न च याच्ञां चकार सा। मम भर्ता महातेजा वयसा पञ्चविंशकः
She did not ask for wealth or other benefits, nor did she make any further requests; my husband, of great splendor, was twenty-five years old.
अष्टादश हि वर्षाणि मम जन्मनि गण्यते। रामेति प्रथितो लोके सत्यवान् शीलवान् शुचिः
Eighteen years have passed since my birth; in the world, I am known as Rāma—truthful, virtuous, and pure.
विशालाक्षो महाबाहुः सर्वभूतहिते रतः। कामार्तश्च महाराजः पिता दशरथः स्वयम्
Wide-eyed, strong-armed, devoted to the welfare of all beings, my father is King Daśaratha himself, a man driven by desire.
कैकेय्याः प्रियकामार्थं तं रामं नाभ्यषेचयत्। अभिषेकाय तु पितुः समीपं राममागतम्
For the sake of fulfilling Kaikeyī’s cherished wish, my father did not anoint me, Rāma, though I had come before him for the consecration.
कैकेयी मम भर्तारमित्युवाच द्रुतं वचः। तव पित्रा समाज्ञप्तं ममेदं शृणु राघव
Kaikeyī quickly spoke these words to my husband: ‘Hear this, Rāghava, as commanded by your father on my behalf.’
भरताय प्रदातव्यमिदं राज्यमकण्टकम्। त्वया तु खलु वस्तव्यं नव वर्षाणि पञ्च च
‘This untroubled kingdom must be given to Bharata, and you must indeed dwell in the forest for nine and five years.’
वने प्रव्रज काकुत्स्थ पितरं मोचयानृतात् । तथेत्युवाच तां रामः कैकेयीमकुतोभयः
‘Go to the forest, O descendant of Kakutstha, and free your father from falsehood.’ Rāma, undaunted, replied to Kaikeyī, ‘So be it.’
चकार तद्वचः श्रुत्वा भर्ता मम दृढव्रतः। दद्यान्न प्रतिगृह्णीयात् सत्यं ब्रूयान्न चानृतम्
Hearing those words, my steadfast husband did as he was told; he would give but not accept, speak truth and never falsehood.
एतद् ब्राह्मण रामस्य व्रतं धृतमनुत्तमम्। तस्य भ्राता तु वैमात्रो लक्ष्मणो नाम वीर्यवान्
O Brāhmaṇa, this is the supreme vow firmly held by Rāma; his brother, born of another mother, is named Lakṣmaṇa, mighty in valor.
रामस्य पुरुषव्याघ्रः सहायः समरेऽरिहा। स भ्राता लक्ष्मणो नाम ब्रह्मचारी दृढव्रतः
Lakṣmaṇa, tiger among men, is Rāma’s companion and destroyer of foes in battle; that brother, named Lakṣmaṇa, is a devoted celibate, firm in his vows.
अन्वगच्छद् धनुष्पाणिः प्रव्रजन्तं मया सह। जटी तापसरूपेण मया सह सहानुजः
Armed with a bow, he followed Rāma as he departed, together with me; wearing matted hair, in the guise of ascetics, he and his younger brother accompanied me.
प्रविष्टो दण्डकारण्यं धर्मनित्यो दृढव्रतः। ते वयं प्रच्युता राज्यात् कैकेय्यास्तु कृते त्रयः
Constant in righteousness and steadfast in his vows, he entered the Daṇḍaka forest; thus, we three were cast out from the kingdom because of Kaikeyī.
विचराम द्विजश्रेष्ठ वनं गम्भीरमोजसा। समाश्वस मुहूर्तं तु शक्यं वस्तुमिह त्वया
O best of Brāhmaṇas, with vigor we wander this deep forest; you may stay here for a moment and rest if you wish.
आगमिष्यति मे भर्ता वन्यमादाय पुष्कलम्। रुरून् गोधान् वराहांश्च हत्वाऽऽदायामिषं बहु
My husband will return, bringing abundant forest fare—having slain deer, iguanas, and boars, he will bring much meat.
स त्वं नाम च गोत्रं च कुलमाचक्ष्व तत्त्वतः। एकश्च दण्डकारण्ये किमर्थं चरसि द्विज
So, tell me truly your name, lineage, and family; and, O Brāhmaṇa, for what purpose do you wander alone in the Daṇḍaka forest?
एवं ब्रुवत्यां सीतायां रामपत्न्यां महाबलः। प्रत्युवाचोत्तरं तीव्रं रावणो राक्षसाधिपः
As Sītā, wife of Rāma, was speaking thus, the mighty lord of the Rākṣasas, Rāvaṇa, gave her a harsh reply.
येन वित्रासिता लोकाः सदेवासुरमानुषाः। अहं स रावणो नाम सीते रक्षोगणेश्वरः
I am that Rāvaṇa, by whom the worlds—together with gods, asuras, and humans—have been terrified, O Sītā, lord of the Rākṣasas.
त्वां तु काञ्चनवर्णाभां दृष्ट्वा कौशेयवासिनीम्। रतिं स्वकेषु दारेषु नाधिगच्छाम्यनिन्दिते
Seeing you, faultless one, with golden complexion and clad in silk, I find no pleasure in my own wives.
बह्वीनामुत्तमस्त्रीणामाहृतानामितस्ततः। सर्वासामेव भद्रं ते ममाग्रमहिषी भव
Among the many excellent women I have brought from here and there, let all be well with you—become my chief queen.
लङ्का नाम समुद्रस्य मध्ये मम महापुरी। सागरेण परिक्षिप्ता निविष्टा गिरिमूर्धनि
Lanka is the name of my great city, situated in the midst of the ocean, encircled by the sea and established atop a mountain.
तत्र सीते मया सार्धं वनेषु विचरिष्यसि। न चास्य वनवासस्य स्पृहयिष्यसि भामिनि
There, O Sita, you will wander with me through the forests, and you will not yearn for this forest exile, O beautiful one.
पञ्च दास्यः सहस्राणि सर्वाभरणभूषिताः। सीते परिचरिष्यन्ति भार्या भवसि मे यदि
Five thousand maidservants adorned with every ornament will attend upon you, Sita, if you become my wife.
रावणेनैवमुक्ता तु कुपिता जनकात्मजा। प्रत्युवाचानवद्याङ्गी तमनादृत्य राक्षसम्
But when Ravana spoke thus, Janaka’s daughter, flawless in form, became angry and replied to that rakshasa, disregarding him.
महागिरिमिवाकम्प्यं महेन्द्रसदृशं पतिम्। महोदधिमिवाक्षोभ्यमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, who is unshakable like a great mountain, majestic as Mahendra, and unfathomable as the vast ocean.
सर्वलक्षणसम्पन्नं न्यग्रोधपरिमण्डलम्। सत्यसंधं महाभागमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, who possesses all auspicious marks, whose form is like a banyan tree, who is steadfast in truth and noble in character.
महाबाहुं महोरस्कं सिंहविक्रान्तगामिनम्। नृसिंहं सिंहसंकाशमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, whose arms are mighty, whose chest is broad, who strides with the gait of a lion, a lion among men, and whose appearance is like a lion’s.
पूर्णचन्द्राननं रामं राजवत्सं जितेन्द्रियम्। पृथुकीर्तिं महाबाहुमहं राममनुव्रता
I am devoted to Rama, whose face is like the full moon, who is a royal scion, who has mastered his senses, whose fame is widespread, and whose arms are powerful.
त्वं पुनर्जम्बुकः सिंहीं मामिहेच्छसि दुर्लभाम्। नाहं शक्या त्वया स्प्रष्टुमादित्यस्य प्रभा यथा
You are like a jackal desiring a lioness, which is unattainable; you cannot touch me, just as one cannot grasp the radiance of the sun.
पादपान् काञ्चनान् नूनं बहून् पश्यसि मन्दभाक्। राघवस्य प्रियां भार्यां यस्त्वमिच्छसि राक्षस
You must surely see many golden trees, O fool, since you desire the beloved wife of Raghava, O rakshasa.