Ayodhya Kanda: Chapter 62

एवं तु क्रुद्धया राजा राममात्रा सशोकया। श्रावितः परुषं वाक्यं चिन्तयामास दुःखितः॥ चिन्तयित्वा स च नृपो मोहव्याकुलितेन्द्रियः। अथ दीर्पण कालेन संज्ञामाप परंतपः॥
Thus harshly addressed by the indignant mother of Rāma, the king aggrieved was plunged in thought. Having thought for a long while, that repressor of foes, the king, who had lost his senses through grief, regained consciousness.

स संज्ञामुपलभ्यैव दीर्घमुष्णं च निःश्वसन्। कौसल्या पार्श्वतो दृष्ट्वा ततश्चिन्तामुपागमत्॥
Having regained his senses, he sighing hot and hard, seeing Kausalyā beside him, was again lost in thought.

तस्य चिन्तयमानस्य प्रत्यभात् कर्म दुष्कृतम्। यदनेन कृतं पूर्वमज्ञानाच्छब्दवेधिना॥
As he was thinking, the sinful act which he had through ignorance formerly committed by means of the shaft which hits by sounds, rose up in his recollection,

अमानास्तेन शोकेन रामशोकेन च प्रभुः। द्वाभ्यामपि महाराजः शोकाभ्यामभितप्यते॥
Afflicted with this grief as well as that on account of Rāma, that lord, the king, burned in these two several griefs.

दह्यमानस्तु शोकाभ्यां कौसल्यामाह दुःखितः। वेपमानोऽञ्जलिं कृत्वा प्रसादार्थमवाङ्मुखः। ॥
Burning in grief and distressed, he trembling and with joined hands, with his head hanging down, addressed Kausalyā, with the view of pacifying her.

प्रसादये त्वां कौसल्ये रचितोऽयं मयाञ्जलिः। वत्सला चानृशंसा च त्वं हि नित्यं परेष्वपि॥
I deprecate your displeasure. O Kausalyä with joined hands. You are ever affectionate and did not treat harshly even enemies.

कौसल्या व्यसृजद् भर्ता तु खलु नारीणां गुणवान् निर्गुणोऽपि वा। धर्मं विमृशमानानां प्रत्यक्षं देवि दैवतम्॥
Verily to women cognizant of virtue, a husband, whether he has any merits or not, is a very deity.

सा त्वं धर्मपरा नित्यं दृष्टलोकपरावरा। नार्हसे विप्रियं वक्तुं दुःखितापि सुदुःखितम्॥
Ever virtuous, you, that have seen both the virtuous and the vicious, although aggrieved, ought not to say anything unpleasant to me who am weighed down with woe.

तद् वाक्यं करुणं राज्ञः श्रुत्वा दीनस्य भाषितम्। बाष्पं प्रणालीव नवोदकम्॥
Having heard these piteous words of the distressed king, Kausalyā uttered words even as a water-way lets out fresh accession of rain.

सा मूर्ध्नि बद्ध्वा रुदती राज्ञः पद्ममिवाञ्जलिम्। सम्भ्रमादब्रवीत् त्रस्ता त्वरमाणाक्षरं वचः॥
And weeping, she drew on her head the joined hands of the king resembling lotuses; and then flurried spoke these words hurriedly informed with extreme affection.

प्रसीद शिरसा याचे भूमौ निपतितास्मि ते। याचितास्मि हता देव क्षन्तव्याहं नहि त्वया॥
Be you propitious; I beseech with (bended) head. I bow to you, falling on the ground. O reverend one, besought by you, I shall be undone. I do not deserve to be forgiven by you.

नैषा हि सा स्त्री भवति श्लाघनीयेन धीमता। उभयोर्लोकयोर्लोके पत्या या सम्प्रसाद्यते॥
She cannot be reckoned a gentlewoman, who is propitiated by her intelligent husband, worthy of being extolled in both worlds.

जानामि धर्मे धर्मज्ञ त्वां जाने सत्यवादिनम्। पुत्रशोकार्तया तत्तु मया किमपि भाषितम्॥
I know duty, O righteous one; I know that you are truth-telling. And it is because I was exceedingly distressed on account of my son that I spoke harshly to you.

शोको नाशयते धैर्यं शोको नाशयते श्रुतम्। शोको नाशयते सर्वं नास्ति शोकसमो रिपुः॥
Sorrow destroys patience, sorrow destroys knowledge of the scriptures, sorrow destroys every things; there is no enemy like to sorrow.

शक्यमापतितः सोढुं प्रहारो रिपुहस्ततः। शोढुमापतितः शोकः सुसूक्ष्मोऽपि न शक्यते॥
One can falling down bear ever beating from an enemy; but one cannot falling down bear ever so little sorrow.

वनवासाय रामस्य पञ्चरात्रोऽत्र गण्यते। यः शोकहतहर्षायाः पञ्चवर्षोपमो मम॥
This is the fifth night of the banishment of Rāma, as calculated by me; and to me rendered cheerless by sorrow, this interval has assumed the proportions of five years.

तं हि चिन्तयमानायाः शोकोऽयं हृदि वर्धते। नदीनामिव वेगेन समुद्रसलिलं महत्॥
And fostered by thought on my part, this grief increases in my bosom, like the mighty waters of the ocean increased by the vehement discharge of rivers.

एवं हि कथयन्त्यास्तु कौसल्यायाः शुभं वचः। मन्दरश्मिरभूत् सूर्यो रजनी चाभ्यवर्तत॥ अथ प्रह्लादितो वाक्यैर्देव्या कौसल्यया नृपः। शोकेन चसमाक्रान्तो निद्राया वशमेयिवान्॥
As Kausalyā was thus speaking auspiciously, the rays of the sun grew milder, and the night arrived. Cheered up by the words of Kausalya, the king overcome by grief, felt the influence of sleep.