तच्छ्रुत्वा निपुणं सर्वं भरतः सह मन्त्रिभिः। इङ्गुदीमूलमागम्य रामशय्यामवैक्षत॥
Having heard everything, Bharata in company with the counsellors went to the foot of the Ingudi tree and saw the bed of Rāma.
अब्रवीज्जननीः सर्वा इह तस्य महात्मनः। शर्वरा शयिता भूमाविदमस्य विमर्दितम्॥
And he said to his mothers, That high-souled one lay down here on the ground during the night, and his limbs pressed this spot.
महाराजकुलीनेन महाभागेन धीमता। जातो दशरथेनोया न रामः स्वप्तुमर्हति॥
Begot of that foremost of monarchs, the exalted and intelligent Daſaratha, Rāma does not deserve to sleep on the earth.
अजिनोत्तरसंस्तीर्णे वरास्तरणसंचये। शयित्वा पुरुषव्याघ्रः कथं शेते महीतले॥
How can that chief of men having reposed in beds furnished with pillows made of deer-skins and having superb cloths, have lain down on the earth?
प्रासादाग्रविमानेषु वलभीषु च सर्वदा। हैमराजतभौमेषु वरास्तरणशालिषु॥ पुष्पसंचयचित्रेषु चन्दनागुरुगन्धिषु । पाण्डुराभ्रप्रकाशेषु शुकसंघरुतेषु च॥ प्रासादवरवर्येषु शीतवत्सु सुगन्धिषु। उषित्वा मेरुकल्पेषु कृतकाञ्चनभित्तिषु ॥ गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषैर्वराभरणनिःस्वनैः। मृदङ्गवरशब्दैश्च सततं प्रतिबोधितः॥ बन्धिभिर्वन्दितः काले बहुभिः सूतमागधैः। गाथाभिरनुरूपाभिः स्तुतिभिश्च परंतपः॥
Always reposing in mansions and in upper apartments paved with silver and gold and supplied with excellent bed-cloths, decked with heaps of flowers, perfumed with sandal and aguru, hued like to pale coulds, resonant with the notes of many parrots, in palaces going before the choicest of their class, ringing with music, and perfumed, like to Meru itself, with their bases composed of gold, Rāma used to be awakened with vocal and instrumental music, the tinklings of elegant ornaments and the peals of goodly mydargas, that subduer of foes being in due season hymned by the eulogists, and friends, bards and genealogists, with worthy ballads and panegyrics. (This assertion of Rāma's lying down on the ground) appears to me incredible:
अश्रद्धेयमिदं लोके न सत्यं प्रतिभाति मा। मुह्यते खलु मे भावः स्वप्नोऽयमिति मे गतिः॥
It does by no means look to me like truth. Forsooth, I am amazed. I take it, this is a vision.
न नूनं दैवतं किंचित् कालेन बलवत्तरम्। यत्र दाशरथी रामो भूमावेवमशेत सः॥ यस्मिन् विदेहराजस्य सुता च प्रियदर्शना। दयिता शयिता भूमौ स्नुषा दशरथस्य च॥
Verily, no destiny is superior to Time, since Dasaratha's son, Rāma himself, had to repose on the earth, and the beauteous beloved daughter of Videha's king, and the daughter-in-law of Dasaratha, had to lie down on the ground.
इयं शय्या मम भ्रातुरिदमावर्तितं शुभम्। स्थण्डिले कदिने सर्वं गात्रैर्विमृदितं तृणम्॥
This was the bed of my brother; on this hard spot did he turn his lovely limbs, and this grass was pressed by them.
मन्ये साभरणा सुप्ता सीतास्मिशयने शुभा। तत्र तत्र हि दृश्यन्ते सक्ताः कनकबिन्दवः॥
I think that the graceful Sītā adorned with ornaments slept in this bed, for here and there are scattered particles of gold.
उत्तरीयमिहासक्तं सुव्यक्तं सीतया तदा। तथा ह्येते प्रकाशन्ते सक्ताः कौशेयतन्तवः॥
It is clear that Sītā had spread her sheet at this spot, hence it is that fibres of silk are discoverable here.
मन्ये भर्तुः सुखा शय्या येन बाला तपस्विनी। सुकुमारी सती दुःखं न विजानाति मैथिली॥
I deem that the bed of her lord appears agreeable to a wife, since a girl tender and in affliction, the chaste daughter of Mithilā experienced no inconvenience (in sleeping in one such).
हा हतोऽस्मि नृशंसोऽस्मि यत् सभार्यः कृते मम । ईदशी राघवः शय्यामधिशेते ह्यनाथवत्॥
Ah, I am undone! baleful am I, for it is on my account that Rāghava along with his wife, lay down in such a bed, like one forlorn.
सार्वभौमकुले जातः सर्वलोकसुखावहः। सर्वप्रियकरस्त्यक्त्वा राज्यं प्रियमनुत्तमम्॥ कथमिन्दीवरश्यामो रक्ताक्षः प्रियदर्शनः। सुखभागी न दुःखार्हः शयितो भुवि राघवः॥
Born in the imperial race, and capable of conferring happiness on all, the bringer-about of all good, why did Rāghava of dark blue hue like that of a lotus, graceful, and crowned with red eyes, the inheritor of happiness and undeserving of misery, having left his dear consummate kingdom, lie down on the ground?
धन्वः खलु महाभागो लक्ष्मणः शुभलक्षणः। भ्रातरं विषमे काले यो राममनुवर्तते॥
Surely the mighty-armed Lakşmaņa graced with auspicious marks is blessed, he who in the time of dire adversity follows his brother Rāma.
सिद्धार्था खलु वैदेही पति यानुगता वनम्। वयं संशयिताः सर्वे हीनास्तेन महात्मना॥
And blessed is Videha's daughter who follows her husband into the woods. Bereft of that magnanimous one, we have all been brought into jeopardy.
अकर्णधारा पृथिवी शून्येव प्रतिभाति मे। गते दशरथे स्वर्गं रामे चारण्यमाश्रिते॥
The Earth without her helmsman seems to me quite empty, on Dasaratha having ascended the celestial regions and Rāma taken refuge in the wilderness.
न च प्रार्थयते कश्चिन्मनसापि वसुंधराम्। वने निवसतस्तस्य बाहुवीर्याभिरक्षिताम्॥
On Rãma having set up his dwelling in the forest, one (like me) does not even mentally covet this earth which had been protected by the immense prowess (of Rāghava).
शून्यसंवरणारक्षामयन्त्रितहयद्विपाम्। अनावृतपुरद्वारां राजधानीमरक्षिताम्॥ अप्रहृष्टबलां शून्यां विषमस्थामनावृताम्। शत्रवो नाभिमन्यन्ते भक्ष्यान् विषकृतानिव॥
With her walls undefined, her horses and elephants unrestrained, and her gates left open, the defenceless metropolis deprived of her power, placed in peril and without any protection, is surely not regarded by the enemies, like food mixed with poison.
अद्यप्रभृति भूमौ तु शयिष्येऽहं तृणेषु वा। फलमूलाशनो नित्यं जटाचीराणि धारयन्॥
From this day forth I will lie down on the ground, or on the grass, daily subsisting on fruits and roots, and bearing matted locks and a cloth of bark.
तस्याहमुत्तरं कालं निवत्स्यामि सुखं वने। तत् प्रतिश्रुतमार्यस्य नैव मिथ्या भविष्यति॥
And for his sake I will in future live happily in the woods. (By my doing so), the promise of that high-minded one shall not be rendered null.
वसन्तं भ्रातुराय शत्रुघ्नो मानुवत्स्यति। लक्ष्मणेन सहायोध्यामार्यो मे पालयिष्यति॥
Me residing in the forest in the interests of my brother, Satrughna shall bear company; while my noble one will rule Ayodhyā assisted by Laksmana.
अभिषेक्ष्यन्ति काकुत्स्थमयोध्यायां द्विजातयः। अपि मे देवताः कुर्युरिमं सत्यं मनोरथम्॥
The twice-born ones will sprinkle Kākutstha in Ayodhyā. May the deities realize this desire of mine!
प्रसाद्यमानः शिरसा मया स्वयं बहुप्रकारं यदि न प्रपत्स्यत। ततोऽनुवत्स्यामि चिराय राघवं वनेचरं नार्हति मामुपेक्षितुम्॥
Propitiated by me personally in various ways with bent head, if he do not consent, then shall I ever stay with Rāghava in the woods. Surely he cannot long persist in putting me off.