ततस्तु तमसातीरं रम्यमाश्रित्य राघवः। सीतामुद्वीक्ष्य सौमित्रिमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्॥
Then Rāghava pausing on the banks of the Tamasā, looked at Sītā and spoke to Sumitrā's son, saying.
इयमद्य निशा पूर्वा सौमित्रे प्रहिता वनम्। वनवासस्य भद्रं ते न चोत्कण्ठितुमर्हसि॥
O son of Sumitrā, this is the first night of our exile into the forest. From this day it behoveth you not, good betide you, to suffer your mind to grieve (by dwelling on past joys.)
पश्य शून्यान्यरण्यानि रुदन्तीव समन्ततः। यथा निलयमायद्भिर्निलीनानि मृगद्विजैः॥
The empty forest resounding with the cries of beasts and birds returned to their abodes, covered with gloom, seems to weep on all sides.
अद्यायोध्या तु नगरी राजधानी पितुर्मम। सस्त्रीपुंसा गतानस्माञ्छोचिष्यति न संशयः॥
Doubtless to-day the men and women of Ayodhyā, the metropolis of my father, are bewailing us retired to the forest.
अनुरक्ता हि मनुजा राजानं बहुभिर्गुणैः। त्वां च मां च नरव्याघ्र शत्रुघ्नभरतौ तथा॥
O foremost of men, the people are attached to yourself, the monarch, Bharata, Satrughna, and myself, because of our various good qualities.
पितरं चानुशोचामि मातरं च यशस्विनीम्। अपि नान्धौ भवेतां नौ रुदन्तौ तावभीक्ष्णशः॥
I bewail our father as well as my illustrious mother. I fear lest lamenting ceaselessly, they become blind.
भरतः खलु धर्मात्मा पितरं मातरं च मे। धर्मार्थकामसहितैर्वाक्यैराश्वासयिष्यति॥
But surely the virtuous Bharata will console our father and mother with words fraught with virtuc, interest and profit.
भरतस्यानृशंसत्वं संचिन्त्याहं पुनः पुनः। नानुशोचामि पितरं मातरं च महाभुज॥
Reflecting again and again on Bharata's sincerity of soul, I do not, O mighty-armed one, bewail either my mother or my father.
त्वया कार्यं नरव्याघ्र मामनुव्रजता कृतम्। अन्वेष्टव्या हि वैदेह्या रक्षणार्थं सहायता॥ अद्भिरेव हि सौमित्रे वत्स्याम्यद्य निशामिमाम्। एतद्धि रोचते मह्यं वन्येऽपि विविधे सति॥
foremost of men, that you have followed me in what is your duty. (If you had not done so), I should have to seek elsewhere for the protection of Vaidehī.
एवमुक्त्वा तु सौमित्रिं सुमन्त्रमपि राघवः। अप्रमत्तस्त्वमश्वेषु भव सौम्येत्युवाच ह॥
O Sumitrā's son, I will spend here this night, subsisting alone. Even this recommends itself to me, although the forest yields various kinds of fruits.
सोऽश्वान् सुमन्त्रः संयम्य सूर्येऽस्तं समुपागत। प्रभूतयवसान् कृत्वा बभूव प्रत्यनन्तरः॥
Having said this to Sumitrā's son, Raghava spoke to Sumantra, saying, “O mild one, do you now heedfully tend the horses.” Then at sunset, fastening the horses, Sumantra fed them plentifully with grass, and then came back.
उपास्य तु शिवां संध्यां दृष्ट्वा रात्रिमुपागताम्। रामस्य शयनं चक्रे सूतः सौमित्रिणा सह ॥
Then seeing the night arrived, the charioteer worshipped the beneficent Sandhyā, and then in company with Sumitrā's son, prepared Rāma's bed. on water
तां शय्यां तमसातीरे वीक्ष्य वृक्षदलैर्वृताम्। रामः सौमित्रिणा सार्धं सभार्यः संविवेश ह॥
And looking at that bed on the shores of the Tamasā surrounded by trees, Rāma along with his wife and the son of Sumitrā, lay down,
सभार्यं सम्प्रसुप्तं तु श्रान्तं सम्प्रेक्ष्य लक्ष्मणः। कथयामास सूताय रामस्य विविधान् गुणान्॥
When Lakşmaņa found that Rāma afflicted with fatigue had slept together with his spouse, he began to speak to the charioteer concerning the various qualities of Rāma.
जाग्रतोरेव तां रात्रिं सौमित्ररुदितो रविः। सूतस्य तमसातीरे रामस्य ब्रुवतो गुणान्॥
As remaining awake in the night, Sumitrā's son was engaged in expatiating to the charioteer on the virtues of Rāma on the banks of the Tamasă, the sun arose.
गोकुलाकुलतीरायास्तमसाया विदूरतः। अवसत् तत्र तां रात्रिं रामः प्रकृतिभिः सह ॥
Rāma abode that night along with the subjects at some distance from the banks of the Tamasā filled with kine.
उत्थाय च महातेजाः प्रकृतीस्ता निशाम्य च। अब्रवीद् भ्रातरं रामो लक्ष्मणं पुण्यलक्षणम्॥
Rising (from his bed), that highly energetic one, Rāma, viewing the subjects (asleep), addressed his brother Lakşmana graced with auspicious marks.
अस्मद्यपेक्षान् सौमित्रे नियंपेक्षान् गृहेष्वपि । वृक्षमूलेषु संसक्तान् पश्य लक्ष्मण साम्प्रतम्॥
O son of Sumitrā, these that for our sake have disregarded their own homes, are still asleep beneath the trees.
यथेते नियमं पौराः कुर्वन्त्यस्मन्निवर्तने। अपि प्राणान् न्यसिष्यन्ति न तु त्यक्ष्यन्ति निश्चयम्।।२०
These citizens have determined upon making me turn back from the forest, they would rather renounce their lives than give up their resolve.
यावदेव तु संसुप्तास्तावदेव वयं लघु। रथमारुह्य गच्छामः पन्थानमकुतोभयम्॥
Let us while they are asleep ascending on our car, swiftly go our way without fear of molestation.
अतो भूयोऽपि नेदानीमिक्ष्वाकुपुरवासिनः। स्वपेयुरनुरक्ता मा वृक्षमूलेषु संश्रिताः॥
Attached to me, the denizons of Ikşvāku's city will not again indulge in sleep underneath trees.
पौरा ह्यात्मकृताद् दुःखाद् विप्रमोच्या नृपात्मजैः। न तु खल्वात्मना योज्या दुःखेन पुरवासिनः॥
A prince should deliver citizens from the calamity they bring upon themselves; but he should by no means drag them into those which he himself has brought on.
अब्रवील्लक्ष्मणो रामं साक्षाद् धर्ममिव स्थितम्। रोचते मे तथा प्राज्ञ क्षिप्रमारुह्यतामिति ॥
Then Lakşmana spoke to Rāma like to manifest Virtue on earth, "O wise one, even this is relished also by me. Do you speedily ascend (the car.)"
अथ रामोऽब्रवीत् सूतं शीघ्रं संयुज्यतां रथः। गमिष्यामि ततोऽरण्यं गच्छ शीघ्रमितः प्रभो॥
Rāma said to the charioteer, "Do you at once yoke the car. I will repair to the forest. Do you, my master, swiftly go hence."
सूतस्ततः संत्वरितः स्यन्दनं तैहयोत्तमैः। योजयित्वा तु रामस्य प्राञ्जलिः प्रत्यवेदयत्॥
Thereupon the charioteer bestirring himself, yoking the excellent horses to the car, said to Rāma with joined hands.
अयं युक्तो महाबाहो रथस्ते रथिनां वर। त्वरयारोह भद्रं ते ससीतः सहलक्ष्मणः॥
Here, O mighty-armed one, is your car ready yoked, O foremost of car-warriors. Do you speedily ascend, good betide you, along with Sītā and Laksmaņa.
तं स्यन्दनमधिष्ठाय राघवः सपरिच्छदः। शीघ्रगामाकुलावर्ती तमसामतरत्रदीम्॥
Ascending the car after equipping himself, Rāghava crossed the rapidly-rushing Tamasā abounding in eddies.
स संतीर्य महाबाहुः श्रीमाञ्छिवमकण्टकम्। प्रापद्यत महामार्गमभयं भयदर्शिनाम्॥
Having crossed (the stream), the auspicious and mighty-armed one came upon a safe and goodly-high way capable of inspiring even timid people with confidence.
मोहनार्थं तु पौराणां सूतं रामोऽब्रवीद् वचः। उदङ्मुखः प्रयाहि त्वं रथमारुह्य सारथे॥ मुहूर्तं त्वरितं गत्वा निवर्तय रथं पुनः। यथा न विद्युः पौरा मां तथा कुरु समाहितः॥
But with the view of deluding the citizens, Rāma said to the charioteer, "O charioteer, do you ascending the car proceed northwards; and having proceeded swiftly for a while, do you turn the car. Do you carefully act so that the citizens nay not perceive this."
रामस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा तथा चक्रे च सारथिः। प्रत्यागम्य च रामस्य स्यन्दनं प्रत्यवेदयत्॥
Hearing Rāma's words, the charioteer did accordingly, and having returned said to Rāma to ascend the car.
तौ सम्प्रयुक्तं तु रथं समास्थितौ तदा ससीतौ रघुवंशवर्धनौ। प्रचोदयामास ततस्तुरंगमान् स सारथिर्येन पथा तपोवनम्॥
Then on those perpetuators of the Raghu race having along with Sītā been seated on the car, the charioteer drove the horses by that road which conducted to the hermitage.
ततः समास्थाय रथं महारथः ससारथिर्दाशरथिर्वनं ययौ। उदङ्मुखं तं तु रथं चकार प्रयाणमाङ्गल्यनिमित्तदर्शनात्॥
Then placing the car with its face northwards for the purpose of invoking auspiciousness on their journey, that mighty charioteer, Dasaratha's son established on the vehicle, set out for the forest.