अपि स्वस्ति भवेद् द्वाभ्यां रहिताभ्यां मया वने। जनस्थाननिमित्तं हि कृतवैरोऽस्मि राक्षसैः
May all be well for those two, left alone by me in the forest; for, because of Janasthana, I have become an enemy to the rakshasas.
निमित्तानि च घोराणि दृश्यन्तेऽद्य बहूनि च। इत्येवं चिन्तयन् रामः श्रुत्वा गोमायुनिःस्वनम्
Many dreadful omens are seen today; thus thinking, Rama heard the jackal's howl.
निवर्तमानस्त्वरितो जगामाश्रममात्मवान्। आत्मनश्चापनयनं मृगरूपेण रक्षसा
Turning back quickly, self-possessed Rama went to the hermitage, reflecting on how the rakshasa, in the form of a deer, had drawn him away.
आजगाम जनस्थानं राघवः परिशङ्कितः। तं दीनमानसं दीनमासेदुर्मृगपक्षिणः
Rāghava, filled with anxiety, returned to Janasthāna; seeing him dejected in spirit, the forest animals and birds also gathered around him, sharing in his sorrow.
सव्यं कृत्वा महात्मानं घोरांश्च ससृजुः स्वरान्। तानि दृष्ट्वा निमित्तानि महाघोराणि राघवः। न्यवर्तताथ त्वरितो जवेनाश्रममात्मनः
Placing the great-souled one on their left, they uttered dreadful cries; seeing these terrible omens, Rāghava swiftly turned back toward his own hermitage with haste.
ततो लक्ष्मणमायान्तं ददर्श विगतप्रभम्। ततोऽविदूरे रामेण समीयाय स लक्ष्मणः
Then he saw Lakṣmaṇa approaching, his radiance faded; and Lakṣmaṇa drew near to Rāma, not far away.
विषण्णः सन् विषण्णेन दुःखितो दुःखभागिना। स जगर्हेऽथ तं भ्राता दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणमागतम्
Distressed himself, seeing his brother equally distressed and afflicted with sorrow, Rāma reproached Lakṣmaṇa as he arrived.
विहाय सीतां विजने वने राक्षससेविते। गृहीत्वा च करं सव्यं लक्ष्मणं रघुनन्दनः
Having left Sītā alone in the forest haunted by rākṣasas, Rāghava took Lakṣmaṇa's left hand.
उवाच मधुरोदर्कमिदं परुषमार्तवत्। अहो लक्ष्मण गर्ह्यं ते कृतं यत् त्वं विहाय ताम्
He spoke these words, both sweet and harsh in their import, filled with pain: 'Ah, Lakṣmaṇa, it is blameworthy what you have done, leaving her behind.'
सीतामिहागतः सौम्य कच्चित् स्वस्ति भवेदिति। न मेऽस्ति संशयो वीर सर्वथा जनकात्मजा
'You have come here, gentle one, leaving Sītā—may all be well! Yet, O hero, I have no doubt: the daughter of Janaka—'
विनष्टा भक्षिता वापि राक्षसैर्वनचारिभिः। अशुभान्येव भूयिष्ठं यथा प्रादुर्भवन्ति मे
'—has either perished or been devoured by the rākṣasas who roam the forest. For only inauspicious omens appear before me in abundance.'
अपि लक्ष्मण सीतायाः सामग्र्यं प्राप्नुयामहे। जीवन्त्याः पुरुषव्याघ्र सुताया जनकस्य वै
'O Lakṣmaṇa, will we find any trace of Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, the tiger among men, while she still lives?'
यथा वै मृगसंघाश्च गोमायुश्चैव भैरवम्। वाश्यन्ते शकुनाश्चापि प्रदीप्तामभितो दिशम्। अपि स्वस्ति भवेत् तस्या राजपुत्र्या महाबल
'Just as the herds of deer and the dreadful jackals howl, and birds cry out around the blazing quarters, may all be well with that royal maiden, O mighty one.'
इदं हि रक्षो मृगसंनिकाशं प्रलोभ्य मां दूरमनुप्रयातम्। हतं कथंचिन्महता श्रमेण स राक्षसोऽभून्म्रियमाण एव
'That demon, resembling a deer, lured me far away; after a great struggle, I somehow slew him as he was dying.'
मनश्च मे दीनमिहाप्रहृष्टं चक्षुश्च सव्यं कुरुते विकारम्। असंशयं लक्ष्मण नास्ति सीता हृता मृता वा पथि वर्तते वा
'My mind is dejected and joyless here, and my left eye twitches with agitation; without doubt, Lakṣmaṇa, Sītā is gone—either abducted, dead, or wandering somewhere.'
thumb|अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे अरण्यकाण्डे अष्टपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥३-
Listen now to the fifty-eighth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa.
स दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणं दीनं शून्यं दशरथात्मजः। पर्यपृच्छत धर्मात्मा वैदेहीमागतं विना
Seeing Lakṣmaṇa dejected and alone, the son of Daśaratha, righteous in nature, questioned him about Vaidehī, who had not come.
प्रस्थितं दण्डकारण्यं या मामनुजगाम ह। क्व सा लक्ष्मण वैदेही यां हित्वा त्वमिहागतः
'She who followed me when I set out for the Daṇḍaka forest—where is that Vaidehī, Lakṣmaṇa, whom you left behind and came here?'
राज्यभ्रष्टस्य दीनस्य दण्डकान् परिधावतः। क्व सा दुःखसहाया मे वैदेही तनुमध्यमा
'As I wander the Daṇḍaka forest, deprived of my kingdom and stricken with sorrow, where is that slender-waisted Vaidehī, my companion in suffering?'
यां विना नोत्सहे वीर मुहूर्तमपि जीवितुम्। क्व सा प्राणसहाया मे सीता सुरसुतोपमा
'O hero, without her I cannot bear to live even for a moment; where is that Sītā, my companion in life, who is like a daughter of the gods?'
पतित्वममराणां हि पृथिव्याश्चापि लक्ष्मण। विना तां तपनीयाभां नेच्छेयं जनकात्मजाम्
'O Lakṣmaṇa, even the sovereignty of the gods or the earth I would not desire without her, the daughter of Janaka, radiant as gold.'
कच्चिज्जीवति वैदेही प्राणैः प्रियतरा मम। कच्चित् प्रव्राजनं वीर न मे मिथ्या भविष्यति
Is Vaidehī, who is dearer to me than life itself, still alive? Hero, will my exile not be in vain?
सीतानिमित्तं सौमित्रे मृते मयि गते त्वयि। कच्चित् सकामा कैकेयी सुखिता सा भविष्यति
Saumitri, because of Sītā, if I am dead and you are gone, will Kaikeyī be happy and fulfilled?
सपुत्रराज्यां सिद्धार्थां मृतपुत्रा तपस्विनी। उपस्थास्यति कौसल्या कच्चित् सौम्येन कैकयीम्
Will gentle Kausalyā, bereft of her son and devoted to austerity, attend upon Kaikeyī, who has her son and the kingdom, and has achieved her desire?
यदि जीवति वैदेही गमिष्याम्याश्रमं पुनः। संवृत्ता यदि वृत्ता सा प्राणांस्त्यक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मण
If Vaidehī is alive, I will return to the hermitage; but if she is gone, Lakṣmaṇa, I will give up my life.
यदि मामाश्रमगतं वैदेही नाभिभाषते। पुरः प्रहसिता सीता विनशिष्यामि लक्ष्मण
If, when I reach the hermitage, Vaidehī does not speak to me with a smile, Lakṣmaṇa, I will perish.
ब्रूहि लक्ष्मण वैदेही यदि जीवति वा न वा। त्वयि प्रमत्ते रक्षोभिर्भक्षिता वा तपस्विनी
Tell me, Lakṣmaṇa, whether Vaidehī is alive or not; has the ascetic lady been devoured by the demons while you were distracted?
सुकुमारी च बाला च नित्यं चादुःखभागिनी। मद्वियोगेन वैदेही व्यक्तं शोचति दुर्मनाः
Vaidehī is delicate, young, and always unacquainted with suffering; surely, separated from me, she grieves, her mind troubled.
सर्वथा रक्षसा तेन जिह्मेन सुदुरात्मना। वदता लक्ष्मणेत्युच्चैस्तवापि जनितं भयम्
Certainly, that cruel and wicked demon, calling out 'Lakṣmaṇa' loudly, caused you fear.
श्रुतश्च मन्ये वैदेह्या स स्वरः सदृशो मम। त्रस्तया प्रेषितस्त्वं च द्रष्टुं मां शीघ्रमागतः
I think I heard a voice like mine from Vaidehī, and, terrified, she sent you, and you quickly came to see me.