Ayodhya Kanda: Chapter 60

ततो भूतोपसृष्टेव वेपमाना पुनः पुनः। धरण्यां गतसत्त्वेव कौसल्या सूतमब्रवीत्॥
Then like one possessed by an evil spirit, and trembling again and again, Kausalyä lying down on the ground like one dead, spoke to the charioteer, saying.

नय मां यत्र काकुत्स्थ: सीता यत्र च लक्ष्मणः। तान् विना क्षणमप्यद्य जीवितुं नोत्सहे ह्यहम्॥
Do you take me where Kākutstha is and Sītā and Lakşınaņa: without them, I cannot live for a moment.

निवर्तय रथं शीघ्रं दण्डकान् नय मामपि। अथ तान् नानुगच्छामि गमिष्यामि यमक्षयम्॥
Do you without delay turn the car. Do you take me also to Dandaka. If I do not follow them, I shall repair to the mansion of Yama.

बाष्पवेगोपहतया स वाचा सज्जमानया। इदमासयन् देवीं सूतः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्॥ त्यज शोकं च मोहं च सम्भ्रंमं दुःखजं तथा। व्यवधूय च संतापं वने वत्स्यति राघवः॥
Thereat the cahrioteer with joined hands comforted that exalted lady with ready words faltering and choked with rising vapour, "Do you leave grief and sorrow and the violent emotion. Renouncing grief, Rāghava is living in the woods."

लक्ष्मणश्चापि रामस्य पादौ परिचरन् वने। आराधयति धर्मज्ञः परलोकं जितेन्द्रियः॥
And in the forest, the righteous Laksmara, having his senses under control, is ministering to Răma's feet and is thus adoring the gods for happiness in the next world.

विजनेऽपि वने सीता वासं प्राप्य गृहेष्विव। विस्रम्भं लभतेऽभीता राम विन्यस्तमानसा॥
And even in the lonely woods, Sītā as if remaining at home, having fixed her thoughts on Rāma, is living a life of love.

नास्या दैन्यं कृतं किंचित् सुसूक्ष्मपि लक्ष्यते। उचितेव प्रवासानां वैदेही प्रतिभाति मे॥
And there appears not the least trace of any distress afflicting her; and Vaidehi seems to me as if she were meant (by Nature) for a life away from home.

नगरोपवनं गत्वा यथा स्म रमते पुरा। तथैव रमते सीता निर्जनेषु वनेष्वपि॥
And as forinerly going to urban villas she disported, she disports now even in the lonely forest.

बालेव रमते सीताबालचन्द्रनिभानना। रामा रामे ह्यदीनात्मा विजनेऽपि वने सती॥
And although living in the lone forest, that one of a countenance resembling the infant moon, sports merrily like a girl, in the garden represented by Rāma's self.

तद्गतं हृदयं यस्यास्तदधीनं च जीवितम्। अयोध्या हि भवेदस्या रामहीना तथा वनम्॥
Ayodhyā without Rāma would have seemed a wilderness to her whose heart is fixed on him and whose very life depends upon him.

परिपृच्छति वैदेही ग्रामांश्च नगराणि च। गतिं दृष्ट्वा नदीनां च पादपान् विविधानपि॥ रामं वा लक्ष्मणं वापि दृष्ट्वा जानाति जानकी। अयोध्या क्रोशमात्रे तु विहारमिव साश्रिता।१३।।
Vaidehī is now asking (Rāma) concerning the villages and towns (in their way); and observing various trees and the courses of the rivers, Jānaki, asking Råma Laksmana (for information), is learning all about them. And Sītā sports as she used to do in arbours stationed at the distance of only one krosa from Ayodhyā.

इदमेव स्मराम्यस्याः सहसैवोपजल्पितम्। कैकेयीसंश्रितं जल्पं नेदानी प्रतिभाति माम्॥
This only I remember; but all that she had from sudden impulse communicated to me or concerning Kaikeyſ, does not rise into consciousness.

ध्वंसयित्वा तु तद् वाक्यं प्रमादात् पर्युपस्थितम्। ह्लादनं वचनं सूतो देव्या मधुरमब्रवीत्॥
Suppressing this topic which had come up through heedlessness, the charioteer spoke sweet words cheering up that noble lady.

अध्वना वातवेगेन सम्भ्रमेणातपेन च। न विगच्छति वैदेह्याश्चन्द्रांशुसदृशी प्रभा॥
Neither through the fatigue of travel, nor the influence of the wind, nor excitement, nor the sun, has Vaidehi's lustre resembling the lunar light suffered any diminution.

सदृशं शतपत्रस्य पूर्णचन्द्रोपमप्रभम्। वदनं तद् वदान्याया. वैदेह्या न विकम्पते ॥
The countenance of that fair-speaking one resembling the lotus and comparable to the full moon in splendour, has not waxed pale.

अलक्तरसरक्ताभावलक्तरसवर्जितौ। अद्यापि चरणौ तस्याः पद्मकोशसमप्रभौ॥
Her feet now without your dye of the liquid lac, but naturally furnished with the roseate hue of the same, are gorgeous like lotus buds.

नूपुरोत्कृष्टलीलेव खेलं गच्छति भामिनी। इदानीमपि वैदेही तद्रागान्यस्तभूषणा ॥
Still Vaidehī decked in ornaments from affection for Rāma, goes gracefully rebuking with her bangles the wavy gait (of cranes).

गजं वा वीक्ष्य सिंह वा व्याघ्र वा वनमाश्रिता। नाहारयति संत्रासं बाहू रामस्य संश्रिता॥
Supporting herself on Rāma's arm, Sītă arrived at the forest, is not inspired with fear on beholding either an elephant, or a lion, or a tiger.

न शोच्यस्ते न चात्मा ते शोच्यो नापि जनाधिपः। इदं हि चरितं लोके प्रतिष्ठास्यति शाश्वतम्॥
Therefore they are not to be bewailed, nor your own self, nor the lord of men. This history of Rāma will endure for ever in this world.

विधूय शोकं परिहृष्टमानसा महर्षियाते पथि सुव्यवस्थिताः। वने रता वन्यफलाशनाः पितुः शुभां प्रतिज्ञा प्रतिपालयन्ति ते॥
Renouncing grief and with cheerful hearts, well established in the life led by the Maharşis, they living in the forest on wild fruits as their sustenance, are maintaining the noble promise of their sire.

तथापि सूतेन सुयुक्तवादिना निवार्यमाणा सुतशोककर्शिता। न चैव देवी विरराम कूजितात् प्रियेति पुत्रेति च राघवेति च ॥
Consoled by the truth-telling yet sweetspeeched charioteer, that lady oppressed with grief for her son, ceased not to wail loudly, "My beloved,” “My son," "Rāghava."