तस्मान्नृत्यति रम्येषु वनेषु सह कान्तया। मम त्वयं विना वासः पुष्पमासे सुदुःसहः
That is why he dances with his beloved in these delightful woods; but for me, living without her in this season of flowers is unbearable.
पश्य लक्ष्मण संरागस्तिर्यग्योनिगतेष्वपि। यदेषा शिखिनी कामाद् भर्तारमभिवर्तते
See, Lakṣmaṇa, how passion stirs even among creatures of other species: this peahen approaches her mate out of desire.
ममाप्येवं विशालाक्षी जानकी जातसम्भ्रमा। मदनेनाभिवर्तेत यदि नापहृता भवेत्
If she had not been abducted, my wide-eyed Janakī, too, would have come to me, stirred by love.
पश्य लक्ष्मण पुष्पाणि निष्फलानि भवन्ति मे। पुष्पभारसमृद्धानां वनानां शिशिरात्यये
See, Lakṣmaṇa, the flowers are fruitless for me; after the cold season, the forests, though heavy with blossoms, yield nothing.
रुचिराण्यपि पुष्पाणि पादपानामतिश्रिया। निष्फलानि महीं यान्ति समं मधुकरोत्करैः
Even the beautiful flowers of the trees, though splendid, fall to the ground fruitlessly, together with swarms of bees.
नदन्ति कामं शकुना मुदिताः सङ्घशः कलम्। आह्वयन्त इवान्योन्यं कामोन्मादकरा मम
The birds sing joyfully in groups, calling to one another as if inviting each other; their cries stir my longing.
वसन्तो यदि तत्रापि यत्र मे वसति प्रिया। नूनं परवशा सीता सापि शोचत्यहं यथा
If spring has come even where my beloved dwells, surely Sītā, too, is helpless and grieves as I do.
नूनं न तु वसन्तस्तं देशं स्पृशति यत्र सा। कथं ह्यसितपद्माक्षी वर्तयेत् सा मया विना
Surely spring does not touch the place where she is; how could the dark-eyed Sītā endure without me?
अथवा वर्तते तत्र वसन्तो यत्र मे प्रिया। किं करिष्यति सुश्रोणी सा तु निर्भर्त्सिता परैः
Or perhaps spring does come where my beloved is; what will the lovely-waisted one do, scorned by others?
श्यामा पद्मपलाशाक्षी मृदुभाषा च मे प्रिया। नूनं वसन्तमासाद्य परित्यक्ष्यति जीवितम्
My beloved, dark-skinned, lotus-eyed, gentle in speech—surely, upon the arrival of spring, she will abandon her life.
दृढं हि हृदये बुद्धिर्मम सम्परिवर्तते। नालं वर्तयितुं सीता साध्वी मद्विरहं गता
A firm conviction turns in my heart: Sītā, so virtuous, cannot endure my absence.
मयि भावो हि वैदेह्यास्तत्त्वतो विनिवेशितः। ममापि भावः सीतायां सर्वथा विनिवेशितः
Vaidehī’s love is truly fixed in me; my love for Sītā is likewise fixed in every way.
एष पुष्पवहो वायुः सुखस्पर्शो हिमावहः। तां विचिन्तयतः कान्तां पावकप्रतिमो मम
This flower-laden breeze, pleasant to the touch and cool, feels like fire to me as I think of my beloved.
सदा सुखमहं मन्ये यं पुरा सह सीतया। मारुतः स विना सीतां शोकसंजननो मम
I once thought this wind, so pleasant with Sītā, brought happiness; now, without her, it only brings me sorrow.
तां विनाथ विहङ्गोऽसौ पक्षी प्रणदितस्तदा। वायसः पादपगतः प्रहृष्टमभिकूजति
Without her, that bird, the crow, perched on the tree, cries out joyfully.
एष वै तत्र वैदेह्या विहगः प्रतिहारकः। पक्षी मां तु विशालाक्ष्याः समीपमुपनेष्यति
That bird is the doorkeeper for Vaidehī; but the bird will bring me near to the wide-eyed one.
पश्य लक्ष्मण संनादं वने मदविवर्धनम्। पुष्पिताग्रेषु वृक्षेषु द्विजानामवकूजताम्
See, Lakṣmaṇa, the sound in the forest, swelling with passion, as the birds sing atop blossoming trees.
विक्षिप्तां पवनेनैतामसौ तिलकमञ्जरीम्। षट्पदः सहसाभ्येति मदोद्धूतामिव प्रियाम्
The wind scatters this cluster of sesame flowers; the bee suddenly approaches, as if drawn to a beloved stirred by passion.
कामिनामयमत्यन्तमशोकः शोकवर्धनः। स्तबकैः पवनोत्क्षिप्तैस्तर्जयन्निव मां स्थितः
This ashoka tree, beloved of lovers, stands before me, increasing my sorrow, as if threatening me with its wind-tossed clusters.
अमी लक्ष्मण दृश्यन्ते चूताः कुसुमशालिनः। विभ्रमोत्सिक्तमनसः साङ्गरागा नरा इव
Look, Lakshmana, here are mango trees laden with blossoms, their minds uplifted by the play of the wind, like men adorned with sandalwood, stirred by passion.
सौमित्रे पश्य पम्पायाश्चित्रासु वनराजिषु। किंनरा नरशार्दूल विचरन्ति यतस्ततः
Son of Sumitra, see how, in the wondrous groves along Pampa, Kinnaras roam here and there, O tiger among men.
इमानि शुभगन्धीनि पश्य लक्ष्मण सर्वशः। नलिनानि प्रकाशन्ते जले तरुणसूर्यवत्
Behold, Lakshmana, these fragrant lotuses shining everywhere in the water, radiant like the rising sun.
एषा प्रसन्नसलिला पद्मनीलोत्पलायुता। हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णा पम्पा सौगन्धिकायुता
This Pampa, with its clear waters, filled with lotuses and blue lilies, thronged with swans and waterfowl, is adorned with fragrant flowers.
जले तरुणसूर्याभैः षट्पदाहतकेसरैः। पङ्कजैः शोभते पम्पा समन्तादभिसंवृता
Pampa shines all around, encircled by lotuses whose filaments are struck by bees, glowing in the water like the young sun.
चक्रवाकयुता नित्यं चित्रप्रस्थवनान्तरा। मातङ्गमृगयूथैश्च शोभते सलिलार्थिभिः
Always filled with chakravaka birds and the varied slopes of the forest, it is beautiful with herds of elephants and deer seeking water.
पवनाहतवेगाभिरूर्मिभिर्विमलेऽम्भसि। पङ्कजानि विराजन्ते ताड्यमानानि लक्ष्मण
The lotuses, struck by the wind-driven waves on the clear water, shine brilliantly, Lakshmana.
पद्मपत्रविशालाक्षीं सततं प्रियपङ्कजाम्। अपश्यतो मे वैदेहीं जीवितं नाभिरोचते
Without seeing Vaidehi, whose eyes are wide as lotus petals, ever dear as the lotus itself, life does not please me.
अहो कामस्य वामत्वं यो गतामपि दुर्लभाम्। स्मारयिष्यति कल्याणीं कल्याणतरवादिनीम्
Ah, how perverse is desire! Even now, it makes me remember the noble one, who is gone and hard to find, she who spoke words more auspicious than the most auspicious.
शक्यो धारयितुं कामो भवेदभ्यागतो मया। यदि भूयो वसन्तो मां न हन्यात् पुष्पितद्रुमः
Desire could be borne, even if it comes upon me, if only spring, with its blossoming trees, would not destroy me again.
यानि स्म रमणीयानि तया सह भवन्ति मे। तान्येवारमणीयानि जायन्ते मे तया विना
All those things that were delightful to me with her, now, without her, become joyless.