अथ यात्रां समीहन्तं शत्रुघ्ने लक्ष्मणानुजः। भरतं शोकसंतप्तमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Then ſatrughna, the younger brother of Lakşmaņa spoke to Bharata burning in grief as he was revolving in his mind the (intended) journey (to Rāma).
गतिर्यः सर्वभूतानां दुःखे किं पुनरात्मनः। स रामः सत्त्वसम्पन्नः स्त्रिया प्रव्राजितो वनम् ॥
Need it be said that Rāma is the refuge both of himself and all creatures in trouble? That Rāma possessed of strength has been exiled into the woods by a woman!
बलवान् वीर्यसम्पन्नो लक्ष्मणो नाम योऽप्यसौ। किं न मोचयते रामं कृत्वापि पितृनिग्रहम्॥
And powerful and having prowess, why did not Laksmana deliver Rāma by checking our father?
पूर्वमेव तु विग्राह्यः समवेक्ष्य नयानयौ। उत्पथं यः समारूढो नार्या राजा वशं गतः॥
The king bent upon following an unrighteous course through the influence of a woman, should, the justice or otherwise of the measure being fully weighed, at the very outset have been checked.
इति सम्भाषमाणे तु शत्रुघ्ने लक्ष्मणानुजे। प्रारद्वारेऽभूत् तदा कुब्जा सर्वाभरणभूषिता॥ लिप्ता चन्दनसारेण राजवस्त्राणि बिभ्रती। विविधं विविधैस्तैस्तैर्भूषणैश्च विभूषिता॥
As Lakşmaņa's younger brother Satrughna was speaking thus, appeared there at the door in front the hump backed one adorned with every kind of ornament, with her body besmeared with sandal paste, wearing regal apparel, and variously decked out with a variety of ornaments.
मेखलादामभिश्चित्रैरन्यैश्च वरभूषणैः। बभासे बहुभिर्बद्धा रज्जुभिरिव वानरी॥
And adorned with elegant zones, and divers other superb ornaments, she looked like a female monkey tethered with a rope.
तां समीक्ष्य तदा द्वा:स्थो भृशं पापस्य कारिणीम्। गृहीत्वाकरुणं कुब्जां शत्रुघ्नाय न्यवेदयत्॥
At that time seeing that one of horrible misdeeds, (Bharata) who stood near the door, seizing the hump backed one ruthlessly, took her to Satrughna, and said.
यस्याः कृते वने रामो न्यस्तदेहश्च वः पिता। सेयं पापा नृशंसा च तस्याः कुरु यथामति।।।।
That one through whom Rāma has gone to the wood and our father has renounced his body this is that wicked and remorseless one. Do you deal with her as you like.
शत्रुघ्नश्च तदाज्ञाय वचनं भृशदुःखितः। अन्तःपुरचरान् सर्वानित्युवाच धृतव्रतः॥
At Bharata's command Satrughna observing vows waxing exceedingly aggrieved, addressed all the inmates of the inner apartment, saying.
तीव्रमुत्पादितं दुःखं भ्रातृणां मे तथा पितुः। यथा सेयं नृशंसस्य कर्मणः फलमश्नुताम्॥
This one has occasioned intense misery to my father and brothers Let her now take the fruit of her fell deed.
एवमुक्त्वा च तेनाशु सखीजनसमावृता। गृहीता बलवत् कुब्जा सा तद् गृहमनादयत्॥
Having said this, he furiously fell upon the hump backed one surrounded by her maids. Thereupon she with her cries made the chamber resound.
ततः सुभृशसंतप्तस्तस्याः सर्वः सखीजनः। क्रुद्धमाज्ञाय शत्रुघ्नं व्यपलायत सर्वशः॥
Concluding Śatrughna fired with rage, her associates extremely pained, fled away in all directions.
अमन्त्रयत कृत्स्नश्च तस्याः सर्वः सखीजनः। यथायं समुपक्रान्तो निःशेष नः करिष्यति॥
Then her companions in a body took counsel of each other, saying, “considering the way in which he has entered upon it, he will annihilate us quite."
सानुक्रोशां वदान्यां च धर्मज्ञां च यशस्विनीम्। कौसल्यां शरणं यामः सा हि नोऽस्ति ध्रुवा गतिः।।१५
Let us therefore seek the protection of the tender hearted generous, pious and illustrious Kausalyā. Even she is our sure refuge.
सच रोषेण संवीतः शत्रुघ्नः शत्रुशासनः। विचकर्ष तदा कुब्जां क्रोशन्तीं पृथिवीतले॥
Overpowered with rage, that chastiser of foes, Śatrughna, dragged the shrieking hump backed one to the ground.
तस्यां ह्याकृष्यमाणायां मन्थरायां ततस्ततः। चित्रं बहुविधं भाण्डं पृथिव्यां तद्व्यशीर्यत ॥
As Mantharā was pushed this way and that, her various ornaments were scattered over the floor.
तेन भाण्डेन विस्तीर्णं श्रीमद् राजनिवेशनम्। अशोभत तदा भूयः शारदं गगनं यथा॥
And strewn with those ornaments, the graceful chamber of the palace looked like the autumnal firmament.
स बली बलवत् क्रोधाद् गृहीत्वा पुरुषर्षभः। कैकेयीमभिनिर्भय॑ बभाषे परुषं वचः॥
And that foremost of men possessed of strength holding her, began to reprove Kaikeyī with harsh speech.
तैर्वाक्यैः परुषैर्दुःखैः कैकेयी भृशदुःखिता। शत्रुघ्नभयसंत्रस्ता पुत्रं शरणमागता॥
Extremely hurt by those rough words, Kaikeyi terrified on account of Satrughna, took refuge with her son.
तं प्रेक्ष्य भरतः क्रुद्धं शत्रुघ्नमिदमब्रवीत्। अवध्याः सर्वभूतानां प्रमदाः क्षम्यतामिति॥
Thereupon casting his eyes on Satrughna, Bharata said, “A woman is incapable of being slain by any. Do you therefore excuse her.”
हन्यामहमिमां पापां कैकेयीं दुष्टचारिणीम्। यदि मां धार्मिको रामो नासूयेन्मातृघातकम्॥
I myself would have slain this wicked Kaikeyi of impious deeds, if the righteous Rāma should not be displeased with me on account of my slaying my mother.
इमामपि हतां कुब्जां यदि जानाति राघवः। त्वां च मां चैव धर्मात्मा नाभिभाषिष्यते ध्रुवम्॥
If Rāghava knows that the hump-backed one has been slain, he sure' will speak neither with you nor me.
भरतस्य वचः श्रुत्वा शत्रुघ्नो लक्ष्मणानुजः। न्यवर्तत ततो दोषात् तां मुमोच च मूर्च्छिताम्॥
Hearing Bharata's words, Satrughna, younger brother to Lakşmaņa, refrained from that wrong and set free the hump-backed woman in a swoon.
सा पादमूले कैकेय्या मन्थरा निपपात ह। निःश्वसन्ती सुदुःखार्ता कृपणं विललाप ह॥
Thereat, sighing hard in exceeding grief, Mantharā flung herself and Kaikeyi's feet, weeping piteously.
शत्रुघ्नविक्षेपविमूढसंज्ञां समीक्ष्य कुब्जां भरतस्य माता। शनैः समाश्वासयदार्तरूपां कौचीं विलग्नामिव वीक्षमाणाम्॥
Seeing the hump-backed one deprived of her senses in consequence of the pushing she had received at the hands of Satrughna, Bharata's mother consoled that distressed woman, who appeared like a Krauñci that had been entrapped.