Yuddha Kanda: Chapter 5

सा तु नीलेन विधिवत्स्वारक्षा सुसमाहिता। सागरस्योत्तरे तीरे साधु सा विनिवेशिता॥
There on the northern shore of the ocean the army was encamped and arranged in order by Nila.

मैन्दश्च द्विविदश्चोभौ तत्र वानरपुङ्गवौ। विचेरतुश्च तां सेनां रक्षार्थं सर्वतो दिशम्॥
The two leading monkeys Mainda and Dvivida patrolled about on all sides to protect the monkey host.

निविष्टायां तु सेनायां तीरे नदनदीपतेः। पार्श्वस्थं लक्ष्मणं दृष्ट्वा रामो वचनमब्रवीत्॥
The army being encamped on the shore of the lord of streams and rivers, Rāma, beholding Laksmana by his side, spoke, saying.

शोकश्च किल कालेन गच्छता ह्यपगच्छति। मम चापश्यतः कान्तामहन्यहनि वर्धते॥
I know that grief abates as time passes by, but my sorrow arising from the separation of my spouse, is increasing day by day.

न मे दुःखं प्रिया दूरे न मे दुःखं हृतेति च। एतदेवानुशोचामि वयोऽस्या ह्यतिवर्तते॥
I am not sorry that she has been stealthily taken away by the demon-but my sorrow is that her end is drawing high.

वाहि वात यतः कान्ता तां स्पृष्ट्वा मामपि स्पृश। त्वयि मे गात्रसंस्पर्शश्चन्द्रे दृष्टिसमागमः॥
O Wind, do you go there where my dear spouse is, and touching her person, do you touch me, for I shall then be happy stationing my looks in the Moon and being touched by you.

तन्मे दहति गात्राणि विषं पीतमिवाशये। हा नाथेति प्रिया सा मां ह्रियमाणा यदब्रवीत्॥
Alas! my dear one cried 'O lord, O lord' when she was taken away. Those words, revolving burn me like poison.

तद्वियोगेन्धनवता तच्चिन्ताविमलार्चिषा। रात्रिंदिवं शरीरं मे दह्यते मदनाग्निा॥
I am now being burnt down day and night by the fire of desire, having separation from her for its fuel and her thoughts for its flame.

अवगाह्यार्णवं स्वप्स्ये सौमित्रे भवता विना। एवं च प्रज्वलन्कामो न मां सुप्तं जले दहेत्॥
Leaving you, O Son of Sumitrā, I shall jump into the deep and then shall not this fire burn me any more.

बह्वेतत्कामयानस्य शक्यमेतेन जीवितुम्। यदहं सा च वामोरूरेका धरणिमाश्रितौ॥
This is my only consolation, for which I draw my vital breath-that myself and she breathe on the same earth.

केदारस्येव केदारः सोदकस्य निरूदकः। उपस्नेहेन जीवामि जीवन्तीं यच्छृणोमि ताम्॥
Like to a dry land drawing water from a watered ground, I do live, hearing that Janaki still survives.

कदा नु खलु सुश्रोणीं शतपत्रायतेक्षणाम्। विजित्य शत्रून्द्रक्ष्यामि सीतां स्फीतामिव श्रियम्॥
When shall I, discomfiting my enemies, behold Sītā, having a beautiful waist and eyes resembling lotus-petals, as a victorious hero behold the royal Grace.

कदा सुचारुदन्तोष्ठं तस्याः पद्ममिवाननम्। ईषदुनाम्य पास्यामि रसायनमिवातुरः॥
Like to the sick drinking the elixir of life, when shall I, raising a little her lotus-like countenance having graceful teeth and lips, imprint kisses thereon?

तौ तस्याः सहितौ पीनौ स्तनौ तालफलोपमौ। कदा नु खलु सोत्कम्पौ हसन्त्या मां भजिष्यतः॥
When shall she, laughing, embrace me with her rising breast resembling the palm fruit?

सा नूनमसितापाङ्गी रक्षोमध्यगता सती। मन्नाथा नाथहीनेव त्रातारं नाधिगच्छति॥
Alas that chaste dame having scarlet corners of the eye, being encircled by the demons, is wishing for a protector like to one having no husband, albeit having a husband in me.

कथं जनकराजस्य दुहिता मम च प्रिया। राक्षसीमध्यगा शेते स्नुषा दशरथस्य च ॥
How fare in the midst of the shc-demons, that daughter of the king Janaka, my beloved spouse, and the daughter-in-law of king Dasaratha?

अविक्षोभ्याणि रक्षांसि सा विधूयोत्पतिष्यति। विधूय जलदानीलाञ्छशिलेखा शरत्स्विव॥
And having those Rākṣasas, hard to repress, slain by me, truly shall she appear like to the rays of the Moon extricated from sable autumnal clouds.

स्वभावतनुका नूनं शोकेनानशनेन च। भूयस्तनुतरा सीता देशकालविपर्ययात्॥
Sītā is constitutionally slender, and forsooth, she has been greatly reduced by sorrow, fasting and calamities touching time and place.

कदा नु राक्षसेन्द्रस्य निधायोरसि सायकान्। शोकं प्रत्याहरिष्यामि शोकमुत्सृज्य मानसम्॥
When shall I, piercing with my shafts the breast of the lord of Raksasas, renounce my mind's grief?

कदा नु खलु मे साध्वी सीतामरसुतोपमा। सोत्कण्ठा कण्ठमालम्ब्य मोक्ष्यत्यानन्दजं जलम्॥
When shall my devoted Sītā resembling the daughter of a celestial, fling herself anxiously around my neck and shed tears of joy?

कदा शोकमिमं घोरं मैथिलीविप्रयोगजम्। सहसा विप्रमोक्ष्यामि वासः शुक्लेतरं यथा॥
When shall I renounce this my sorrow arising out of Maithili's separation, like to one casting off his soiled clothes?

एवं विलपतस्तस्य तत्र रामस्य धीमतः। दिनक्षयान्मन्दवपुर्भास्करोऽस्तमुपागतः॥
The highly intelligent Rāma bewailing thus, the day passed away and the Sun, decreasing gradually, disappeared at last.

आश्वासितो लक्ष्मणेन रामः संध्यामुपासत। स्मरन्कमलपत्राक्षी सीतां शोकाकुलीकृतः॥
And consoled by Laksmana, Rama, stricken with thought touching Sītā having eyes like lotus-petals, engaged in rites relating to the worship of Eve.