Ayodhya Kanda: Chapter 51

तं जाग्रतमदम्भेन भ्रातुराय लक्ष्मणम्। गुहः संतापसंतप्तो राघवं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
As for the purpose of protecting his brother, Lakṣmaṇa was watching him out of sincere affection, Guha burning in grief addressed that descendant of Raghu, saying.

इयं तात सुखा शय्या त्वदर्थमुपकल्पिता। प्रत्याश्वसिहि साध्वस्यां राजपुत्र यथासुखम् ॥
This O child, is the easeful bed that has been prepared for you. O prince, do you as you listen, lie down upon it.

उचितोऽयं जनः सर्वः क्लेशानां त्वं सुखोचितः। गुप्त्यर्थं जागरिष्यामः काकुत्स्थस्य वयं निशाम्॥
These (foresters) are inured to this hardship; but you are worthy of ease. We will wake up during the night for guarding Kākutstha.

नहि रामात् प्रियतमो ममास्ते भुवि कश्चन। ब्रवीम्येव च ते सत्यं सत्येनैव च ते शपे।४।।
There is none on earth dearer to me than Răma. This I tell you truly and I swear by truth itself.

अस्य प्रसादादाशंसे लोकेऽस्मिन् सुमहद् यशः। धर्मावाप्ति च विपुलामर्थकामौ च पुष्कलौ॥
Through his grace I hope in this world to attain high fame, and great religious merit as well as completely secure profit and pleasure.

सोऽहं प्रियसखं रामं शयानं सह सीतया। रक्षिष्यामि धनुष्पाणिः सर्वथा ज्ञातिभिः सह ॥
I will bow in hand in company with my kindred adequately guard my dear friend reposing with Sītā.

न मेऽस्त्यविदितं किंचिद् वनेऽस्मिंश्चरतः सदा। चतुरङ्ग ह्यतिबलं सुमहत् संतरेमहि ॥
Always ranging in this forest, nothing herein is unknown to me. I shall vanquish even any mighty body of fourfold forces (that may come up against us.)

लक्ष्मणस्तु तदोवाच रक्ष्यमाणास्त्वयानघ। नात्र भीता वयं सर्वे धर्ममेवानुपश्यता॥ कथं दाशरथौ भूमौ शयाने सह सीतया। शक्या निद्रा मया लब्धं जीवितं वा सुखानि वा॥
Thereupon Laksmana said, O sinless one, protected by you ever having your sight fixed on virtue, we do not fear to live in this place. But how with Dasaratha's son lying down on the ground along with Sītă can I indulge in sleep or what is the use of my living and enjoying happiness?

यो न देवासुरैः सर्वैः शक्यः प्रसहितुं युधि । तं पश्य सुखसंसुप्तं तृणेषु सह सीतया॥ यो मन्त्रतपसा लब्धो विविधैश्च पराक्रमैः। एको दशरथस्यैष पुत्रः सदृशलक्षणः॥ अस्मिन् प्रव्रजिते राजा न चिरं वर्तयिष्यति। विधवा मेदिनी नूनं क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति॥
Him do you behold with ease asleep on the grass in company with Sītā, who was incapable of being borne in fight by the gods and the Asuras, and who obtained through Mantras and austerities and various endeavours, Dasaratha crowned with every auspicious mark, is the most meritorious son of the king. Rāma being banished, the king will not live long and the earth will shortly be widowed.

विनद्य सुमहानादं श्रमेणोपरताः स्त्रियः। निर्घोषोपरतं तात मन्ये राजनिवेशनम्॥
Having bewailed aloud, the women have, methinks, (by this time) ceased through fatigue, and the king's residence is still.

कौसल्या चैव राजा च तथैव जननी मम। नाशंसे यदि जीवन्ति सर्वे ते शर्वरीमिमाम्॥
I can not hope that Kausalyā, the king, and my mother (Sumitrā) all those are yet alive.

जीवेदपि हि मे माता शत्रुघ्नस्यान्ववेक्षया। तद् दुःखं यदि कौसल्या वीरसूर्विनशिष्यति॥
If they are, it is for this night only. Even if my mother live looking up to Satrughna, yet this is my grief that that mother of a hero, Kausalyā will breathe her last.

अनुरक्तजनाकीर्णा सुखालोकप्रियावहा। राजव्यसनसंसृष्टा सा पुरी विनशिष्यति॥
And that palace filled with people attached to Rāma and flooded with the light of delight, will, visited with the calamity that will befall the king meet with destruction.

कथं पुत्रं महात्मानं ज्येष्ठपुत्रमपश्यतः। शरीरं धारयिष्यन्ति प्राणा राज्ञो महात्मनः॥
How will the life of that high-souled king not seeing his magnanimous son, his eldest son, remain in this body?

विनष्टे नृपतौ पश्चात् कौसल्या विनशिष्यति। अनन्तरं च मातापि मम नाशमुपैष्यति॥
When the king is dead, Kausalyā will die after him and then my mother will depart this life.

अतिक्रान्तमतिक्रान्तमनवाप्य मनोरथम्। राज्ये राममनिक्षिप्य पिता मे विनशिष्यति॥
Frustrated in his desire, my father, foiled in his endeavours to confer the kingdom on Rāma, will, exclaiming 'All is lost,' 'All is lost,' give up the ghost.

सिद्धार्थाः पितरं वृत्तं तस्मिन् काले झुपस्थिते। प्रेतकार्येषु सर्वेषु संस्करिष्यन्ति राघवम्॥
Surely they are blessed that when the time shall come when the king will die, will perform the funeral rites of that descendant of Raghu.

रम्यचत्वरसंस्थानां संविभक्तमहापथाम्। हर्म्यप्रासादसम्पन्नां गणिकावरशोभिताम्॥ रथाश्वगजसम्बाधां तूर्यनादनिनादिताम्। सर्वकल्याणसम्पूर्णां हृष्टपुष्टजनाकुलाम्॥ आरामोद्यानसम्पन्नां समाजोत्सवशालिनीम्। सुखिता विचरिष्यन्ति राजधानी पितुर्मम॥
They will happily range the capital of my father, furnished with fair looking terraces, with its highways laid out orderly, having lordly edifices and palatial residences, graced with excellent courtezans, abounding with cars, elephants and horses, resounding with the notes of trumpets, the abode of all auspiciousness, filled with portly and contented folks, rich in gardens and villas, and celebrating popular festivites.

अपि जीवेद् दशरथो वनवासात् पुनर्वयम्। प्रत्यागम्य महात्मानमपि पश्याम सुव्रतम्॥
If Dasaratha live we shall returning from the forest, behold that high-souled one observing noble vows.

अपि सत्यप्रतिज्ञेन सार्धं कुशलिना वयम्। निवृत्ते वनवासेऽस्मिन्नयोध्यां प्रविशेमहि ॥
If we remain in peace, we shall returning from the forest with that one firm in promise, enter Ayodhyā?

परिवेदयमानस्य दुःखार्तस्य महात्मनः। तिष्ठतो राजपुत्रस्य शर्वरी सात्यवर्तत॥
As the high-souled son of the king oppressed with grief was thus lamenting sitting up, the day broke.

तथा हि सत्यं ब्रुवति प्रजाहिते नरेन्द्रसूनौ गुरुसौहृदाद् गुहः। मुमोच बाष्पं व्यसनाभिपीडितो ज्वरातुरो नाग इव व्यथातुरः॥
When that son of the foremost of men, intent on the welfare of the subjects had spoken thus truly, Guha, out of extreme affection for (Rāma), shed tears afflicted with grief and hurt like an elephant suffering from fever.