रामस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा मुनिवेषधरं च तम्। समीक्ष्य सह भाभी राजा विगतचेतनः॥
Hearing Rāma's words, and seeing him dressed like an ascetic, the king in the midst of his wives was deprived of his senses.
नैनं दुःखेन संतप्तः प्रत्यवैक्षत राघवम्। न चैनमभिसम्प्रेक्ष्य प्रत्यभाषत दुर्मनाः॥
And burning in grief, the king could not eye Rāghava, nor seeing him could that one of arilicted mind answer anything.
स मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञो दुःखितश्च महीपतिः। विललाप महाबाहू राममेवानुचिन्तयन्॥
Then remaining unconscious for a while, the mighty-armed lord of earth oppressed by grief began to bewail, thinking of Rāma.
मन्ये खलु मया पूर्वं विवत्सा बहवः कृताः। प्राणिनो हिंसिता वापि तन्मामिदमुपस्थितम् ॥
I conclude that formerly I deprived many a cow of her calf, and took the life of many creature, and it is for this that the present calamity has befallen me.
न त्वेवानागते काले देहाच्च्यवति जीवितम्। कैकेय्या क्लिश्यमानस्य मृत्युर्मम न विद्यते॥ योऽहं पावकसंकाशं पश्यामि पुरतः स्थितम्। विहाय वसने सूक्ष्मे तापसाच्छादमात्मजम्॥
(I infer) that life never departs from the body unless the time comes, for although sore tried by Kaikeyſ, my life does not go out of me, and for I can see before me this one resembling fire, clad in the dress of an ascetic, having left his fine venture.
एकस्याः खलु कैकेय्याः कृतेऽयं खिद्यते जनः। स्वार्थ प्रयतमानायाः संश्रित्य निकृतिं त्विमाम्॥
These people are in trouble in consequence of Kaikeyi alone striving by help of this craftiness to secure her interest.
एवमुक्त्वा तु वचनं बाष्पेण विहतेन्द्रियः। रामेति सकृदेवोक्त्वा व्याहर्तुं न शशाक सः॥
Having said these words, Dasaratha, his senses overpowered by the vapour of sorrow, exclaimed "Rāma!” and could not proceed further.
संज्ञां तु प्रतिलभ्यैव मुहूर्तात् स महीपतिः। नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यां सुमन्त्रमिदमब्रवीत्॥
Then soon regaining consciousness, the lord of earth with tearful eyes, addressed Sumantra, saying.
औपवाह्यं रथं युक्त्वा त्वमायाहि हयोत्तमैः। प्रापयैनं महाभागमितो जनपदात् परम्॥
Yoking a riding car with excellent horses, do you come hither; and take the exalted one to the south of the kingdom.
एवं मन्ये गुणवतां गुणानां फलमुच्यते। पित्रा मात्रा च यत्साधुर्वीरो निर्वास्यते वनम्॥
The virtuous and heroic Rāma is being banished by his father and, mother Even this methinks will be asserted as the fruit of the virtues possessed by the pious.
राज्ञो वचनमाज्ञाय सुमन्त्रः शीघ्रविक्रमः। योजयित्वा ययौ तत्र रथमश्वरलंकृतम्॥
Receiving the mandate of the sovereign, Sumantra endued with fleet vigour, yoking a car adorned with horses, came there.
तं रथं राजपुत्राय सूतः कनकभूषितम्। आचचक्षेऽञ्जलिं कृत्वा युक्तं परमवाजिभिः॥
Then the charioteer with joined hands announced to the prince that the car adorned with gold was ready, yoked with excellent horses.
राजा सत्वरमाहूय व्यापृतं वित्तसंचये। उवाच देशकालज्ञो निश्चितं सर्वतः शुचिः॥
The king, versed in time and place, and pure, speedily summoning his treasurer, said to him these words firmly.
वासांसि च वराहा॑णि भूषणानि महान्ति च। वर्षाण्येतानि संख्याय वैदेह्याः क्षिप्रमानय॥
Do you without delay bring to Vaidehī excellent and costly attires and noble ornaments, counting these (ten and four) years.
नरेन्द्रेणैवमुक्तस्तु गत्वा कोशगृहं ततः। प्रायच्छत् सर्वमाहृत्य सीतायै क्षिप्रमेव तत्॥
Thus desired by the foremost of men, that officer repairing to the treasury, procuring all those, speedily presented them to Sītā.
सा सुजाता सुजातानि वैदेही प्रस्थिता वनम्। भूषयामास गात्राणि तैर्विचित्रैर्विभूषणैः॥
Thereupon that pure-sprung one, Vaidehi, ordered to the forest, adorned her goodly limbs with those rare ornaments.
व्यराजयत वैदेही वेश्म तत् सुविभूषिता। उद्यतोऽशुमतः काले खं प्रभेव विवस्वतः॥
Thus decked out, Vaidehī graced that chamber like the effulgence of the Sun irradiating the welkin with his rays.
तां भुजाभ्यां परिष्वज्य श्वश्रूर्वचनमब्रवीत्। अनाचरन्तीं कृपणं मू[पाघ्राय मैथिलीम्।१९।।
Then embracing with her arms Mithila's daughter of noble behaviour, and smelling the crown of her head, Sītā's mother-in-law said.
असत्यः सर्वलोकेऽस्मिन् सततं सत्कृताः प्रियैः। भर्तारं नानुमन्यन्ते विनिपातगतं स्त्रियः॥
Those women that although having always been carefully tended by their husbands, do not regard them during the incident of adversity, are in this world reckoned as unchaste.
एष स्वभावो नारीणामनुभूय पुरा सुखम्। अल्पामप्यापदं प्राप्य दुष्यन्ति प्रजहत्यपि॥
Even this is the nature of women: having formerly tasted happiness (at the hands of their husbands), they, on the accession of an inconsiderable misfortune, take them to task, nay, forsake them utterly.
असत्यशीला विकृता दुर्गा अहृदयाः सदा। असत्यः पापसंकल्पाः क्षणमात्रविरागिणः॥
Those women that are untruthful, unmindful, of evil ways heartless, intent on unrighteous acts, and whose love is evanescent. are unchaste.
न कुलं न कृतं विद्या न दत्तं नापि संग्रहः। स्त्रीणां गृह्णाति हृदयमनित्यहृदया हि ताः॥
Neither lineage, no benefit, nor learning, nor gift, nor forbearance of faults, can secure the hearts of females, surely their hearts are unstable.
साध्वीनां तु स्थितानां तु शीले सत्ये श्रुते स्थिते। स्त्रीणां पवित्रं परमं पतिरेको विशिष्यते॥
But chaste women of good character, abiding in truth, acting in accordance with the precepts of superiors, and maintaining the dignity of their race, single out their lords as the prime means of compassing their spiritual welfare.
स त्वया नावमन्तव्यः पुत्रः प्रव्राजितो वनम्। तव देवसमस्त्वेष निर्धनः सधनोऽपि वा॥
Therefore although my son is going to be banished to the woods, you should by no means disregard him. Whether he be wealthy or poor, he is to you like a god.
विज्ञाय वचनं सीता तस्या धर्मार्थसंहितम्। कृत्वाञ्जलिमुवाचेदं श्वश्रूमभिमुखे स्थिता॥
Hearing her mother-in-law's words fraught with virtue and interest, Sītā facing that lady, said with joined palms.
करिष्ये सर्वमेवाहमार्या यदनुशास्ति माम्। अभिज्ञास्मि यथा. भर्तुर्वर्तितव्यं श्रुतं च मे॥
I will do all that the noble one says. I know how I should act by my husband. I have heard all about that (from my parents.)
न मामसज्जनेनार्या समानयितुमर्हति। धर्माद् विचलितुं नाहमलं चन्द्रादिव प्रभा॥
The worshipful one ought not to place me on the same footing with unrighteous persons. As brightness does not depart from the moon, so I cannot swerve from virtue.
नातन्त्री वाद्यते वीणा नाचक्रो विद्यते रथः। नापतिः सुखमेधेत या स्यादपि शतात्मजा ॥
The Viņā without strings does not sound; and the car without wheels does not move, so although having an hundred sons, a woman without her husband cannot attain happiness.
मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं भ्राता मितं सुतः। अमितस्य तु दातारं भर्तारं का न पूजयेत्॥
The father gives in measure, the father and the son give in measure, but who does not worship that bestower of riches fineless', the husband?
साहमेवंगता श्रेष्ठा श्रुतधर्मपरावरा। आर्ये किमवमन्येयं स्त्रिया भर्ता हि दैवतम्॥
O exalted one, having learnt from my superiors the principal as well the minor duties, shall I disregard (my lord)? A husband is a deity to the wife.
सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा कौसल्या हृदयङ्गमम्। शुद्धसत्त्वा मुमोचाश्रु सहसा दुःखहर्षजम्॥
Hearing Sītā's words which went directly to the heart, Kausalyā endued with purity of spirit, out of fullness of bliss and bale suddenly shed tears.
तां प्राञ्जलिरभिप्रेक्ष्य मातृमध्येऽतिसत्कृताम्। रामः परमधर्मात्मा मातरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Then with joined hands that foremost of virtuous ones addressed his mother, who, duly honoured by all, was seated in the midst of his other mothers, saying.
अम्ब मा दुःखिता भूत्वा पश्येस्त्वं पितरं मम। क्षयोऽपि वनवासस्य क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति॥
O mother, without indulging in grief, you should minister to my father, and the term of my abode in the woods will shortly expire.
सुप्तायास्ते गमिष्यन्ति नव वर्णाणि पञ्च च। समग्रमिह सम्प्राप्तं मां द्रक्ष्यसि सुहद्वतम्॥
You will find these five and nine years pass away as if in a sleep. Then again, getting me, you will see me surrounded by my friends and relatives.
एतावदभिनीतार्थमुक्त्वा स जननीं वचः। त्रयः शतशतार्धा हि ददर्शावेक्ष्य मातरः॥ ताश्चापि स तथैवार्ता मातृर्दशरथात्मजः। धर्मयुक्तमिदं वाक्यं निजगाद कृताञ्जलिः॥
Having spoken out his mind to his mother, Rāma attentively eyed his three hundred and fifty mothers. And with joined hands Daśaratha's son spoke words fraught with virtue to his mothers afflicted like Kausalyā herself.
संवासात् पुरुषं किंचिदज्ञानादपि यत् कृतम्। तन्मे समुपजानीत सर्वाश्चामन्त्रयामि वः॥
If have said anything harsh to you in consequence of familiarity, or done any wrong through ignorance, do you forgive the same. I salute you all.
वचनं राघवस्यैतद् धर्मयुक्तं समाहितम्। शुश्रुवुस्ताः स्त्रियः सर्वाः शोकोपहतचेतसः॥
These calm words of Rāghava informed with piety were heard by the ladies overwhelmed with grief.
जज्ञेऽथ तासां संनादः क्रौञ्चीनामिव निःस्वनः। मानवेन्द्रस्य भार्याणामेवं वदति राघवे॥
As Rāghava was speaking thus, there arose a loud wail proceeding from those wives of that chief of men, like to the cries of Krauncis.
मुरजपणवमेघघोषवद् दशरथवेश्म बभूव यत् पुरा। विलपितपरिवेदनाकुलं व्यसनगतं तदभूत् सुदुःखितम्॥
And the abode of Dasaratha which formerly resounded with Murajas, Panavas, meghas,* was now filled with cries of distress and lamentations. *Musical instruments.