सान्त्व्यमाना तु रामेण मैथिली जनकात्मजा। वनवासनिमित्तार्थं भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्॥ सा तमुत्तमसंविग्ना सीता विपुलवक्षसम्। प्रणयाच्चाभिमानाच्च परिचिक्षेप राघवम्॥
Being consoled thus by Rāma, Maithilī, the daughter of Janaka, fearing separation, lovingly and haughtily laughed at Rāghava of spacious breast, and spoke to him, her husband, the following words with a view to follow him to the forest.
किं त्वामन्यत वैदेहः पिता मे मिथिलाधिपः। राम जामातरं प्राप्य स्त्रियं पुरुषविग्रहम्॥
What thought of you, O Rāma, my father, the king of Mithilā, accepting you as his son-in-law, who was a man if form but (in deeds)a woman?
अनृतं वत लोकोऽयमज्ञानाद् यदि वक्ष्यति। तेजो नास्ति परं रामे तपतीव दिवाकरे॥
Henceforth, if people through ignorance say that the sun has not that burning flood of light which in Rāma does shine forth, woe is them, it is falsehood.
किं हि कृत्वा विषण्णस्त्वं कुतो वा भयमस्ति ते। यत् परित्यक्तुकामस्त्वं मामनन्यपरायणाम्॥
Why are you so dejected and whence is your fear that you are willing to leave behind your wife who has none else but you?
धुमत्सेनसुतं वीरं सत्यवन्तमनुव्रताम्। सावित्रीमिव मां विद्धि त्वमात्मवशवर्तिनीम्॥
Know me to be perfectly under your influence like to Sāvitri, following her husband Satyavān, the son of Dyumatsen.
न त्वहं मनसा त्वन्यं द्रष्टास्मि त्वदृतेऽनघ। त्वया राघव गच्छेयं यथान्या कुलपांसनी॥
I have not, like one bringing stigma on her line, ever in my life thought of a second person, but of you whom I must follow into the forest.
स्वयं तु भार्यां कौमारी चिरमध्युषितां सतीम्। शैलूष इव मां राम परेभ्यो दातुमिच्छसि॥
Do you, like to an ordinary actor, wish to hand me over to others, who am chaste, pure as a virgin, and long held in conjugal affection?
यस्य पथ्यंचरामात्थ यस्य चार्थेऽवरुध्यसे। त्वं तस्य भव वश्यश्च विधेयश्च सदानघ॥
O, sinless one, do you become subservient and serviceable to him whose pleasure you bid me seek, and for whom you have suffered yourself to be impeded (in the installation).
स मामनादाय वनं न त्वं प्रस्थितुमर्हसि। तपो वा यदि वारण्यं स्वर्गो वा स्यात् त्वया सह ।।१०।
It does not behove you to repair to the forest without taking me along with you. Be it the austerity of an ascetic, the forest or heaven, with you will I be everywhere.
न च मे भविता तत्र कश्चित् पथि परिश्रमः। पृष्ठतस्तव गच्छन्त्या विहारशयनेष्विव ॥
No toil shall I suffer on the way, as if lying on a bed of luxury, while following you in they footstep.
कुशकाशशरेषीका ये च कण्टकिनो द्रुमाः। तूलाजिनसमस्पर्शा मार्गे मम सह त्वया॥
When with you, the various thorny grasses, the Kuśa, the Käsa, the Sara, and the Işika, and the thistles and brambles on the way, shall be to me in touch like to linen and deer-skin.
महावातसमुद्भूतं यन्मामवकरिष्यति। रजो रमण तन्मन्ये परार्ध्यमिव चन्दनम्॥
The dust that will cover me, thrown up by the gush of wind shall be, O ravisher of my heart regarded by me as the finest sandal dust.
शाद्वलेषु यदा शिश्ये वनान्तर्वनगोचरा। कुथास्तरणयुक्तेषु किं स्यात् सुखतरं ततः॥
When I shall lie down on the bed of green grass in the forest, it shall appear to me more pleasant than one covered with a coloured blanket.
पत्रं मूलं फलं यत्तु अल्पं वा यदि वा बहु। दास्यसे स्वयमाहृत्य तन्मेऽमृतरसोपमम्॥
Fruits, roots and leaves which you will bring yourself and give me, be they great or small in quantity, shall be to me like to the ambrosiajuice.
न मातुर्न पितुस्तत्र स्मरिष्यामि न वेश्मनः। आर्तवान्युपभुञ्जाना पुष्पाणि च फलानि च ॥
I shall never think of my father, mother, or my abode; I shall enjoy fruits and flowers growing in various seasons.
न च तत्र ततः किंचिद् द्रष्टुमर्हसि विप्रियम्। मत्कृते न च ते शोको न भविष्यामि दुर्भरा॥
You shall not witness any thing disagreeable there; for me you shall not experience any sorrow, no shall I be a burden to you; do you take me with you.
यस्त्वया सह स स्वर्गो निरयो यस्त्वया विना। इति जानन् परां प्रीतिं गच्छ राम मया सह॥ अथ मामेवमव्यग्रां वनं नैव नयिष्यसे। विषमद्यैव पास्यामि मा वशं द्विषतां गमम्॥
O, Rāma, conceiving with pleasure that your company is a heaven to me and your absence a hell. If you do not take me to the forest which I count freed from all evils, surely I shall drink poison and never come under the influence of my enemies.
पश्चादपि हि दुःखेन मम नैवास्ति जीवितम्। उज्झितायास्त्वया नाथ तदैव मरणं वरम्॥ इमं हि सहितुं शोकं मुहुर्तमपि नोत्सहे। किं पुनर्दश वर्षाणि त्रीणि चैकं च दुःखिता॥
When through affliction I shall not live after separation, better it is, O Lord, that I die immediately at the time of my being forsaken by you; I cannot bear this grief even for a moment. How shall I be able to live without you for fourteen years?
इति सा शोकसंतप्ता विलप्य करुणं बहु। चुक्रोश पतिमायस्ता भृशमालिङ्गय सस्वरम्॥
Thus lamenting, Sītā, racked with sorrow, embraced her husband and began to cry aloud.
सा विद्धा बहुभिर्वाक्यैर्दिग्धैरिव गजाङ्गना। चिरसंनियतं बाष्पं मुमोचाग्निमिवारणिः॥
Like to a she-elephant, she being pierced by the poisonous shafts of Rāma's words, began to shed tears, long kept off, as an Araņi wood emits fire continually.
तस्याः स्फटिकसंकाशं वारि संतापसम्भवम्। नेत्राभ्यां परिसुस्राव पङ्कजाभ्यामिवोदकम्॥
Tears caused by her sorrow and white as the crystal began to trickle down from her eyes, like to water falling in drops from lotus petals.
तत्सितामलचन्द्राभं मुखमायतलोचनम्। पर्यशुष्यत बाष्पेण जलोद्धृतमिवाम्बुजम्॥
And that beautiful face having expansive eyes and resembling the full moon in its splendour, with tears became pale and parched, like to a lotus taken out of its watery bed.
तां परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यां विसंज्ञामिव दुःखिताम्। उवाच वचनं रामः परिविश्वासयंस्तदा॥
Finding her almost insensible with sorrow, Rāma flung his arms round her and reviving her (with consolation) spoke the following words to her.
न देवि बत दुःखेन स्वर्गमप्यभिरोचये। नहि मेऽस्ति भयं किंचित् स्वयम्भोरिव सर्वतः॥
I do not long for, Oh worshipful one, even the abode of celestials gained through your affliction; fear there is none for me like to the self-create Brahma.
तव सर्वमभिप्रायमविज्ञाय शुभानने। वासं न रोचयेऽरण्ये शक्तिमानपि रक्षणे॥
Not apprised of your full intention, O you of beautiful countenance, I could not, though capable of escorting you, desire your abode in the forest.
यत् सृष्टासि मया सार्धं वनवासाय मैथिलि। न विहातुं मया शक्या प्रीतिरात्मवता यथा ॥
When you are determined O Maithili, repair to the forest with me, I cannot leave you behind, as one possessing self-knowledge cannot renounce munificence.
धर्मस्तु गजनासोरु सद्भिराचरितः पुरा। तं चाहमनुवर्तिष्ये यथा सूर्यं सुवर्चला॥
O you, having thighs resembling the trunks of an elephant, I shall resort to that virtue which was exercised by great and good men going before, do you follow me therefore like Suvarcalā following the Sun.
न खल्वहं न गच्छेयं वनं जनकनन्दिनि । वचनं तन्नयति मां पितुः सत्योपबृंहितम्॥
I cannot but go to the forest, O daughter of Janaka, as the truthful word of my father leads me thereto.
एष धर्मश्च सुश्रोणि पितुर्मातुश्च वश्यता। आज्ञां चाहं व्यतिक्रम्य नाहं जीवितुमुत्सहे॥
Obedience to his parents is the virtue of a son. Disobeying the command of my father I am not eager to live. we
अस्वाधीनं कथं दैवं प्रकारैरभिराध्यते। स्वाधीनं समतिक्रम्य मातरं पितरं गुरुम्॥
Why should with meditations and adorations worship Destiny, which is not cognizable to the worshippers, neglecting our parents, who are ever present to our senses?
यत्र त्रयं त्रयो लोकाः पवित्रं तत्समं भुवि। नान्यदस्ति शुभापाङ्गे तेनेदमभिराध्यते॥
In the worship of the parents are fulfilled the triple object of religious pursuit, and the adoration of the three regions, there is nothing equal to it, conducing to purity; so do I, O you of excellent-look , resort to it.
न सत्यं दानमानौ वा यज्ञो वाप्याप्तदक्षिणः। तथा बलकराः सीते यथा सेवा पितुर्मता॥
Truth, almsgiving, honour, and sacrifices with profuse gifts are not so strengthening (in life to come) as the service rendered to the parents.
स्वर्गो धनं वा धान्यं वा विद्या पुत्राः सुखानि च । गरुवृत्त्यनुरोधेन न किंचिदपि दुर्लभम् ॥
Heaven, wealth, grains, learning, son, and happiness, nothing remains inaccessible to us.
देवगन्धर्वगोलोकान् ब्रह्मलोकांस्तथापरान्। प्राप्नुवन्ति महात्मानो मातापितृपरायणाः॥
Great souls following the desires, and resorting to the service of their parents, get at the abodes of celestials, Gandharvas, the seats of Brahma and Vişnu, and other excellent regions.
स मा पिता यथा शास्ति सत्यधर्मपथे स्थितः। तथा वर्तितुमिच्छामि स हि धर्मः सनातनः॥
Therefore do I desire to follow what my father commands me, treading in the path of truth, and this is the virtue eternal.
मम सना मतिः सीते नेतुं त्वां दण्डकावनम्। वसिष्यामीति सा त्वं मामनुयातुं सुनिश्चिता॥
My resolution of not taking you, O Sītā, to the forest of Dandaka is now rent asunder, as you have prepared yourself to live in the forest and follow me.
सा हि दिष्टानवद्याङ्गि वनाय मदिरेक्षणे। अनुगच्छस्व मां भीरु सहधर्मचरी भव॥
Permitted by me, O fair one of exquisite beauty, to repair to the forest, do you follow me, O you timid one, and be the partner of my righteousness.
सर्वथा सदृशं सीते मम स्वस्य कुलस्य च। व्यवसायमनुक्रान्ता कान्ते त्वमतिशोभनम्॥
Your determination to follow me, O beautiful one, is very excellent and is in perfect keeping with myself and my family.
आरभस्व शुभश्रोणि वनवासक्षमाः क्रियाः। नेदानीं त्वदृते सीते स्वर्गोऽपि मम रोचते।॥
Do you address yourself to repairing to the forest, for without this now even heaven itself does not please me.
ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च रत्नानि भिक्षुकेभ्यश्च भोजनम्। देहि चाशंसमानेभ्यः संत्वरस्व च मा चिरम्॥
Do you give away jewels to the Brāhmaṇas and edibles to the beggars longing for them, and make haste without delay.
भूषणानि महार्हाणि वरवस्त्राणि यानि च। रमणीयाश्च ये केचित् क्रीडार्थाश्चाप्युपस्कराः॥ शयनीयानि यानानि मम चान्यानि यानि च। देहि स्वभृत्यवर्गस्य ब्राह्मणानामनन्तरम्॥ अनुकूलं तु सा भर्तुर्ज्ञात्वा गमनमात्मनः। क्षिप्रं प्रमुदिता देवी दातुमेव प्रचक्रमे॥
Confer upon the Brāhmaṇas, valuable ornaments, excellent clothes, pleasant toys, beds, conveyances and other fine things in your possession and then what remains do you distribute amongst the servants.
ततः प्रहृष्टा प्रतिपूर्णमानसा यशस्विनी भर्तुरवेक्ष्य भाषितम्। धनानि रत्नानि च दातुमङ्गना प्रचक्रमे धर्मभृतां मनस्विनी।।४७
Convinced that her going to the forest was desired by her husband, Sītā began to distribute them speedily with a delighted heart.