वनं गते धर्मरते रामे रमयतां वरे। कौसल्या रुदती चार्ता भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत्॥
On that foremost of those capable of charming people, the righteous Rāma, repairing to the forest, Kausalyā crying in grief said to her husband.
यद्यपि त्रिषु लोकेषु प्रथितं ते महद् यशः। सानुक्रोशो वदान्यश्च प्रियवादी च राघवः॥
Your great fame has spread over the three worlds; and the descendant of Raghu is kind, munificent and fair-speaking.
कथं नरवर श्रेष्ठ पुत्रौ तौ सह सीतया। दुःखितौ सुखसंवृद्धौ वने दुःखं सहिष्यतः॥
Why then have you forsaken those foremost of men along with Sītā? Brought up in happiness, and now brought to misery, how can they bear it?
सा नूनं तरुणी श्यामा सुकुमारी सुखोचिता। कथमुष्णं च शीतं च मैथिली विसहिष्यते॥
How can the youthful daughter of Mithilā of slender make, tender, and deserving of happiness, bear heat and cold?
भुक्त्वाशनं विशालाक्षी सूपदंशान्वितं शुभम्। वन्यं नैवारमाहारं कथं सीतोपभोक्ष्यते॥
Having formerly partaken of (excellent) rice with curries, how will Sita feed on wild rice?
गीतवादित्रनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा शुभसमन्विता। कथं क्रव्यादसिंहानां शब्दं श्रोष्यत्यशोभनम्॥
Having heard excellent vocal and instrumental music, how will Sītă hear the frightful cries of carnivorous lions?
महेन्द्रध्वजसंकाशः क्व नु शेते महाभुजः। भुजं परिघसंकाशमुपाधाय महाबलः॥
Resembling the gonfalon of the great Indra, where sleeps the mighty-armed and exceedingly powerful Råma, making his arm like to a mace his pillow?
पद्मवर्णं सुकेशान्तं पद्मनिःश्वासमुत्तमम्। कदा द्रक्ष्यामि रामस्य वदनं पुष्करेक्षणम्॥
When shall I behold Rāma's countenance hued like the lotus, with his hair ending beautifully (in curls), and his breath impregnated with the fine perfume of the lotus, and his eyes resembling lotus leaves?
वज्रसारमयं नूनं हृदयं मे न संशयः। अपश्यन्त्या न तं यद् वै फलतीदं सहस्रधा॥
Surely my heart, without doubt, is made of the essence of the thunderbolt, since not beholding him, it is not cracked in a thousand fragments.
यत् त्वया करुणं कर्म व्यपोह्य मम बान्धवाः। निरस्ताः परिधावन्ति सुखार्हाः कृपणा वने॥
It is because of your sad act that mine own, being thwarted, although worthy of happiness, are miserably ranging the wilderness.
यदि पञ्चदशे वर्षे राघवः पुनरेष्यति। जह्याद् राज्यं च कोशं च भरतो नोपलक्ष्यते॥
If after the expiration of the five and ten years, Rāghava does return, it does not appear likely that Bharata will renounce the kingdom and the exchequer.
भोजयन्ति किल श्राद्धे केचित् स्वानेव बान्धवान्। ततः पश्चात् समीक्षन्ते कृतकार्या द्विजोत्तमान्॥ तत्र ये गुणवन्तश्च विद्वांसश्च द्विजातयः। न पश्चात् तेऽभिमन्यन्ते सुधामपि सुरोपमाः॥
Some on the occasions of the Sradha (first) feast their own friends, and having done this, they mind the choice Brāhmaṇas. But those twice-born ones that are meritorious, learned, and like to celestials, do not at the last moment regard even viands resembling ambrosia.
ब्राह्मणेष्वपि वृत्तेषु भुक्तशेष द्विजोत्तमाः। नाभ्युपेतुमलं प्राज्ञाः शृङ्गच्छेदमिवर्षभाः॥
Brāhmaṇas of high respectability endowed with wisdom never bear being entertained after the other twice-born ones have been feasted, even as bulls never quietly bear to have their horns cut off.
एवं कनीयसा भ्रात्रा भुक्तं राज्यं विशाम्पते। भ्राता ज्येष्ठो वरिष्ठश्च किमर्थं नावमन्यते॥
Why will not an elder brother and one who has sterling merits, O monarch, disregard a kingdom which has been thus enjoyed by his younger brother?
न परेणाहृतं भक्ष्यं व्याघ्रः खादितुमिच्छति। एवमेव नरव्याघ्रः परलीढं न मंस्यते॥
A tiger does not like to feed on food procured by others. Even so that tiger-like personage does not regard anything that has come to be tasted by another.
हविराज्यं पुरोडाशः कुशा यूपाश्च खादिराः। नैतानि यातयामानि कुर्वन्ति पुनरध्वरे ॥
Clarified butter, sacrificial cakes, Kusa, stakes of catechu having been used in one sacrifice cannot be used in another.
तथा ह्यात्तमिदं राज्यं हृतसारां सुरामिव। नाभिमन्तुमलं रामो नष्टसोममिवाध्वरम्॥
Even so this kingdom which has been already enjoyed, like to liquor deprived of its essence or a sacrifice whose soma has been eaten, cannot be accepted by Rāma.
नैवंविधमसत्कारं राघवो मर्षयिष्यति। बलवानिव शार्दूलो वालधेरभिमर्शनम्॥
Such an ill treatment Rāghava will not put up with, even as a powerful tiger cannot bear the rubbing of its tail (by another).
नैतस्य सहिता लोका भयं कुर्युर्महामृधे। अधर्मं त्विह धर्मात्मा लोकं धर्मेण योजयेत्॥
This world aided by the gods fear to encounter him in high conflict; but he restrains himself, thinking any such action on his part as unrighteous. Indeed, that righteous one brings back people to morality.
नन्वसौ काञ्चनैर्बाणैर्महावीर्यो महाभुजः। युगान्त इव भूतानि सागरानपि निर्दहेत्॥
Surely, that mighty-armed one endowed with exceeding prowess, can with his golden shafts burn all creatures and the oceans, like the Day at the dissolution of all.
स तादृशः सिंहबलो वृषभाक्षो नरर्षभः। स्वयमेव हतः पित्रा जलजेनात्मजो यथा॥
But such a man of men, possessed of leonine strength, and graced with the eyes of a bull, has been destroyed by his father, like a fish destroying his offspring.
द्विजातिचरितो धर्मः शास्त्रे दृष्टः सनातनैः। यदि ते धर्मनिरते त्वया पुत्रे विवासिते॥
If you had believed in the morality prescribed in the scriptures, and which is followed by the twice-born ones, you would not have banished your son. But disregarding such morality, you have banished your virtuous son.
गतिरेका पतिर्नार्या द्वितीया गतिरात्मजः। तृतीया ज्ञातयो राजश्चतुर्थी नैव विद्यते॥
One of the refuges of a woman is her husband, a second is her son, and a third is her relatives; and a fourth she has none.
तत्र त्वं मम नैवासि रामश्च वनमाहितः। न वनं गन्तुमिच्छामि सर्वथा हा हता त्वया॥
But you cease to be mine; and Rāma has been sent to the woods. I do not like to go into the forest; so I am entirely undone by you.
हतं त्वया राष्ट्रमिदं सराज्यं हताः स्म सर्वाः सह मन्त्रिभिश्च। हता सपुत्रास्मि हताश्चं पौराः सुतश्च भार्या च तव प्रहृष्टौ ॥
This kingdom, your own kingdom, has been destroyed by you; destroyed are all along with the counsellors; destroyed am I with my son; and destroyed are the citizens: your son and your wife are alone delighted.
इमां गिरं दारुणशब्दसंहितां निशम्य रामेति मुमोह दुःखितः। ततः स शोकं प्रविवेश पार्थिवः स्वदुष्कृतं चापि पुनस्तथास्मरत्॥
Hearing these words uttered in heart-rending accents, Dasaratha exceedingly distressed, became senseless. And being afflicted with grief, he again remembered his evil act.