तं तु रामः समाज्ञाय भ्रातरं गुरुवत्सलम्। लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा प्रष्टुं समुपचक्रमे॥
Knowing Bharata as devoted to his superior Răma along with his brother Lakşmaņa, asked him.
किमेतदिच्छेयमहं श्रोतुं प्रव्याहतं त्वया। यस्मात् त्वमागतो देशमिमं चीरजटाजिनी॥ यन्निमित्तमिमं देशं कृष्णाजिनजटाधरः। हित्वा राज्यं प्रविष्टस्त्वं तत् सर्वं वक्तुमर्हसि॥
What for is this (visit of yours to the woods)? I wish to hear as clearly related by you the reason why clad in blackdeerskin and wearing matted locks, you, leaving your kingdom, have come to these regions. It behoves you to tell me all this.
इत्युक्तः कैकेयीपुत्रः काकुत्स्थेन महात्मना। प्रगृह्य बलवद् भूयः प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।४।
Thus accosted by the high-souled Kākutstha, Kaikeyi's son, suppressing his grief by a strong effort, with joined hands said.
आर्य तातः परित्यज्य कृत्वा कर्म सुदुष्करम्। गतः स्वर्ग महाबाहुः पुत्रशोकाभिपीडितः॥ स्त्रिया नियुक्तः कैकेय्या मम मात्रा परंतप। चकार सा महत्पापमिदमात्मयशोहरम्॥
O noble one, forsaking us all, our father possessed of mighty arms, having performed this terrible task, in consequence of being urged by a woman, my mother Kaikeyi, has gone to heaven afflicted with grief on account of his son, O repressor of foes.
सा राज्यफलमप्राप्य विधवा शोककर्शिता। पतिष्यति महाघोरे नरके जननी मम ॥
And she has committed a signal sin capable of destroying her fame. And without obtaining the kingdom which she had coveted as the fruit of her action, a widow tried with grief, my mother will fall into a terrible hell.
तस्य मे दासभूतस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि। अभिषिञ्चस्व चाचैव राज्येन मघवानिव॥
Now it behoves you to extend your favour to me who have become your slave. Do you this very day get yourself installed in the kingdom, like to Indra himself.
इमाः प्रकृतयः सर्वा विधवा मातरश्च याः। त्वत्सकाशमनुप्राप्ताः प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि।९।।
All these subjects and our widowed mothers have come to you. It behoves you to show your favour to them.
तथानुपूर्व्या युक्तश्च युक्तं चात्मनि मानद। राज्यं प्राप्नुहि धर्मेण सकामान् सुहृदः कुरु॥
You are the first-born; and meet it is that you should get yourself installed, O bestower of honour. Therefore do you receive the kingdom righteously and fulfil the desire of your friends.
भवत्वविधवा भूमिः समग्रा पतिना त्वया। शशिना विमलेनेव शारदी रजनी यथा॥ एभिश्च सचिवैः सार्धं शिरसा याचितो मया। भ्रातुः शिष्यस्य दासस्य प्रसादं कर्तुमर्हसि॥
And like the autumnal Night on having the unclouded moon, let the entire Earth cease to be a widow on having you counsellors. It behoves you to show your favour to your brother, disciple, and slave.
तदिदं शाश्वतं पित्र्यं सर्वं सचिवमण्डलम्। पूजितं पुरुषव्याघ्र नातिक्रमितुमर्हसि ॥
Therefore, O chief of men, you ought not to pass by this honoured band of ancestral ministers, who have always been serving this race.
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुः सबाष्पः कैकयीसुतः। रामस्य शिरसा पादौ जग्राह भरतः पुनः॥
Having said this, with tears flooding his eyes, the mighty-armed son of Kaikeyi, Bharata, again took Rāma's feet on this head.
तं मत्तमिव मातङ्ग निःश्वसन्तं पुनः पुनः। भ्रातरं भरतं रामः परिष्वज्येदमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon Rāma embracing his brother Bharata resembling a mad elephant, and sighing again and again, said.
कुलीनः सत्त्वसम्पन्नस्तेजस्वी चरितव्रतः। राज्यहेतोः कथं पापमाचरेन्मद्विधो जनः॥
Of a high race, possessed of strength, endowed with energy, and vowed to sterling worth of character, how can one like me commit sin for the sake of dominion?
न दोषं त्वयि पश्यामि सूक्ष्ममप्यरिसूदन। न चापि जननी बाल्यात् त्वं विगर्हितुमर्हसि ॥
Fault find I none ever so small in you, you destroyer of foes. Nor does it become you from puerility to tax your mother.
कामकारो महाप्राज्ञ गुरूणां सर्वदानघ। उपपन्नेषु दारेषु पुत्रेषु च विधीयते॥
O exceedingly wise one, O you that are sinless, superiors may act as they list in relation to those wives and sons of theirs that are after theirs heart.
वयमस्य यथा लोके संख्याताः सौम्य साधुभिः। भार्याः पुत्राश्च शिष्याश्च त्वमपि ज्ञातुमर्हसि॥
And this also you should learn that wives, sons and disciples should always be obedient as has been held by the emancipated ones.
वने वा चीरवसनं सौम्य कृष्णाजिनाम्बरम्। राज्ये वापि महाराजो मां वासयितुमीश्वरः॥
O mild one, the monarch is competent to make me stay in the woods clad in black deerskin, as to establish me in the monarchy.
यावत् पितरि धर्मज्ञ गौरवं लोकसत्कृते। तावद् धर्मकृतां श्रेष्ठ जनन्यामपि गौरवम्॥
O you conversant with morality, O foremost of those observing righteousness, in respect of virtuous conduct a mother should be as much regarded (by a son) as a father is.
एताभ्यां धर्मशीलाभ्यां वनं गच्छेति राघव। मातापितृभ्यामुक्तोऽहं कथमन्यत् समाचरे॥
How can I, O descendant of Rāghava, having been told by my righteous father and mother, 'Go to the woods', act otherwise?
त्वया राज्यमयोध्यायां प्राप्तव्यं लोकसत्कृतम्। वस्तव्यं दण्डकारण्ये मया वल्कलवाससा॥
You ought to receive the kingdom, Ayodhyā, honoured of men; and I ought to dwell in Dandaka dressed in bark.
एवमुक्त्वा महाराजो विभागं लोकसंनिधौ। व्यादिश्य च महाराजो दिवं दशरथो गतः॥
Having made this division of duties in the presence of all, and also enjoined this, the mighty monarch, Dasaratha, has ascended heaven.
स च प्रमाणं धर्मात्मा राजा लोकगुरुस्तव। पित्रा दत्तं यथाभागमुपभोक्तं त्वमर्हसि ॥
That superior of all, even the virtuous king, is your evidence. It behoves you to enjoy that which has been assigned to you by your sire.
चतुर्दश समाः सौम्य दण्डकारण्यमाश्रितः। उपभोक्ष्ये त्वहं दत्तं भागं पित्रा महात्मना॥
And, O mild one, taking refuge in the forest of Dandaka for fourteen years, I will act the part that has been set apart for me by my magnanimous father.
यदब्रवीन्मां नरलोकसत्कृतः पिता महात्मा विबुधाधिपोपमः। तदेव मन्ये परमात्मनो हितं न सर्वलोकेश्वरभावमव्ययम्॥
What has been assigned to me by that one respected by all men, my high-souled father resembling the lord of celestials himself, is my prime good; the masterdom of all the worlds I would decline (should it be opposed to the will of my sire).