Ayodhya Kanda: Chapter 43

तत: समीक्ष्य शयने सन्नं शोकेन पार्थिवम्। कौसल्या पुत्रशोकार्ता तमुवाच महीपतिम्॥
Then seeing the king lying down stupified with grief, Kausalya, aggrieved for her son, spoke to the lord of earth, saying.

राघवे नरशार्दूले विषं मुक्त्वाहिजिह्मगा। विचरिष्यति कैकेयी निर्मुक्तेव हि पन्नगी॥
O best of men, having vented her venom upon Rāghava, the crooked Kaikeyi will go about like a she serpent that has cast off her slough.

विवास्य रामं सुभगा लब्धकामा समाहिता। त्रासयिष्यति मां भूयो दुष्टाहिरिव वेश्मनि ॥
And that fortunate one having by her endeavours attained her end, will frighten me the more like a wicked serpent in one's house.

अथास्मिन् नगरे रामश्चरन् भैक्षं गृहे वसेत्। कामकारो वरं दातुमपि दासं ममात्मजम्॥
If Rāma had stayed in this city subsisting himself by alms, or had I made my son as Kaikeyi's slave, even that would have been preferable (before his retirement to the woods.)

पातयित्वा तु कैकेय्या रामं स्थानाद् यथेष्टतः। प्रविद्धो रक्षसां भागः पर्वणावाहिताग्निना॥ नागराजगतिर्वीरो महाबाहुर्धनुर्धरः। वनमाविशते नूनं सभार्यः सहलक्ष्मणः॥
Like to the sacrificial share cast to the Rākşasas by the sacrificers on the occasions of Parvas that wielder of the bow, the mightyarmed Rāma, gifted with the gait of the prince of elephants, cast off by Kaikeyī, takes refuge in the forest in company with his wife and Laks mana.

वने त्वदृष्टदुःखानां कैकेय्यनुमते त्वया। त्यक्तानां वनवासाय कान्यावस्था भविष्यति।७।।
Despatched by you to the woods at the command of Kaikeyi, to what a plight will they, not inured to the privations of a forest-life, be reduced!

ते रत्नहीनास्तरुणाः फलकाले विवासिताः। कथं वत्स्यन्ति कृपणाः फलमूलैः कृताशनाः॥
And bereft of elegant apparel, how will they of tender years, exiled in this time of enjoyment, pass their lives in misery, subsisting on fruits and roots!

अपीदानीं स काल: स्यान्मम शोकक्षयः शिवः। सहभायं सह भ्रात्रा पश्येयमिह राघवम्॥
Will such a time present itself now that my grief removed and my desire attained, I shall here behold Rāghava along with his wife and brother?

श्रुत्वैवोपस्थितौ वीरौ कदायोध्या भविष्यति। यशस्विनी हृष्टजना सूच्छ्रितध्वजमालिनी॥
When, hearing that those heroes have come, will Ayodhyā adorned with standards and garlands, attain fame, with her populace filled with joy?

कदा प्रेक्ष्य नरव्याघ्रावरण्यात् पुनरागतौ। भविष्यति पुरी हृष्टा समुद्र इव पर्वणि॥
When, seeing those foremost of men returned from the forest, will the city overflow with delight, like the ocean on the occasion of a Parva?

कदायोध्यां महाबाहुः पुरी वीरः प्रवेक्ष्यति। पुरस्कृत्य रथे सीतां वृषभो गोवधूमिव ॥
When will the mighty-armed hero enter the city of Ayodhyā, placing Sītā before him on the car, like to a bull having his bovine mate before him?

कदा प्राणिसहस्राणि राजमार्गे ममात्मजौ। लाजैरवकरिष्यन्ति प्रविशन्तावरिंदमौ॥
When will people by thousands shower fried paddy upon my sons on the road, as those repressors of foes will enter the city?

प्रविशन्तौ कदायोध्यां द्रक्ष्यामि शुभकुण्डलौ। उदग्रायुधनिस्त्रिंशौ सशृङ्गाविव पर्वतौ ॥
When shall I behold those (two) wearing burnished ear-rings, entering Ayodhyā, placing before them their weapons and swords, like unto two hills furnished with their summits?

कदा सुमनसः कन्या द्विजातीनां फलानि च। प्रदिशन्तः पुरीं हृष्टाः करिष्यन्ति प्रदक्षिणम्॥
When accepting flowers from girls and fruits from Brahmanas, will they, filled with delight, go round the palace?

कदा परिणतो बुद्ध्या वयसा चामरप्रभः। अभ्युपैष्यति धर्मात्मा सुवर्ष इव लालयन्॥
When with his intelligence ripened by time, although resembling a celestial in age, will that righteous-souled one come here, rejoicing people like a Trivarsa?* *Three consecutive showers, favourable tot he erops.

निःसंशयं मया मन्ये पुरा वीर कदर्यया। पातकामेषु वत्सेषु मातृणां शातिताः स्तनाः॥
Doubtless, O hero, formerly of vile ways that I was, I had cut off the paps of kine and thus prevented their calves hungering after their mothers' milk, from drinking it.

साहं गौरिव सिंहेन विवत्सा वत्सला कृता। कैकेय्या पुरुषव्याघ्र बालवत्सेव गौर्बलात्॥
And it is for this sin that, О foremost of men, have I, attached to my son, been forcibly deprived of him by Kaikeyi, like a cow deprived of her calf by a lion.

नहि तावद्गुणैर्जुष्टं सर्वशास्त्रविशारदम्। एकपुत्रा विना पुत्रमहं जीवितुमुत्सहे॥
Having an only son, I dare not live without him endowed with every virtue and versed in every branch of learning.

न हि मे जीविते किंचित् सामर्थ्यमिह कल्प्यते। अपश्यन्त्याः प्रियं पुत्रं लक्ष्मणं च महाबलम्॥
Not seeing my beloved son and the mighty Lakşmaņa, I cannot live at all.

स्तनूजशोकप्रभवो महाहितः। महीमिमां रश्मिभिरुत्तमप्रभो यथानिदाघे भगवान् दिवाकरः॥
As in summer the divine Sun furnished with fierce rays burns this earth, even so this raging fire of grief of account of my son consumes me.