तां तदा दर्शयित्वा तु मैथिली गिरिनिम्नगाम्। निषसाद गिरिप्रस्थे सीतां मांसेन छन्दयन्॥
Having showed to Mithila's daughter the river belonging to the mountain, Rāma sat down on its table-land and, gratifying Sita with meat, said to her.
इदं मेध्यमिदं स्वादु निष्टप्तमिदमग्निना। एवमास्ते स धर्मात्मा सीतया सह राघवः॥ तथा तत्रासतस्तस्य भरतस्योपयायिनः। सैन्यरेणुश्च शब्दश्च प्रादुरास्तां नभस्पृशौ ॥
This clean meat tastes sweet, having been roasted in fire. The righteous Rāghava was thus seated in company with Sītā, when Bharata's followers came there. And filling the heavens, there arose clouds of dust raised by the army as well as an uproar.
एतस्मिन्नन्तरे त्रस्ताः शब्देन महता ततः। अर्दिता यूथपा मत्ताः सयुथाद् दुद्रुवुर्दिशः॥
And at this time mad leaders of elephant-herds accompanied by the latter, scared by the terrible tumult, scudded on all sides.
स तं सैन्यसमुद्भूतं शब्दं शुश्राव राघवः। तांश्च विप्रदुतान् सर्वान् यूथपानन्ववैक्षत ॥
And Rāghava heard the noise raised by the army; and also saw all those leaders of elephantherds scampering away.
तांश्च विप्रदुतान् दृष्ट्वा तं च श्रुत्वा महास्वनम्। उवाच रामः सौमित्रिं लक्ष्मणं दीप्ततेजसम्॥
And having seen them running away and heard that hubbub, Rāma spoke to Sumitrā's son, Lakşmaņa of flaming energy.
हन्त लक्ष्मण पश्येह सुमित्रा सुप्रजास्त्वया। भीमस्तनितगम्भीरं तुमुलः श्रूयते स्वनः॥ गजयूथानि वारण्ये महिषा वा महावने। वित्रासिता मृगाः सिंहै: सहसा प्रदुता दिशः।।।।। राजा वा राजपुत्रो वा मृगयामटते वने। अन्यद्वा श्वापदं किंचित् सौमित्रे ज्ञातुमर्हसि॥
Ha! Lakşmaņa, in whom Şumitrā has been blest with a worthy son, hark! A tremendous and dreadful uproar resembling the rumbling of clouds is being heard; and in the woods and mighty forest, deer and buffaloes and herds of elephants being accompanied by lions are suddenly scampering away in all directions. O Sumitrā's son, it behoves you to learn whether any king or prince is hunting in the forest, or any ferocious beast is (ravaging the woods).
सुदुश्चरो गिरिश्चायं पक्षिणामपि लक्ष्मण। सर्वमेतद् यथातत्त्वमभिज्ञातुमिहार्हसि॥
O Lakşmana, this mountain is even incapable of being frequented by fowls. Therefore it behoves you to learn all about it, as has actually been the case.
स लक्ष्मणः संत्वरितः सालमारुह्य पुष्पितम्। प्रेक्षमाणो दिशः सर्वाः पूर्वां दिशमवैक्षत॥
Thereat, hurriedly ascending a flowering Säla tree, Laksmana surveying all sides, fixed his gaze on the east. to
उदङ्मुखः प्रेक्षमाणो ददर्श महतीं चमुम्। गजाश्वरथसम्बाधां यत्तैर्युक्तां पदातिभिः॥
And viewing the east, he discovered a mighty army, abounding with elephants, horses and cars, and consisting of equipped infantry.
तामश्वरथसम्पूर्णां रथध्वजविभूषिताम्। शशंस सेनां रामाय वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥
Thereupon, Lakşmaņa communicated Rāma tidings concerning that army filled with elephants and steeds, and decked with cars and streamers; and spoke to Rāma, saying.
अग्नि संशमयत्वार्यः सीता च भजतां गुहाम्। सज्जं कुरुष्व चापं च शरांश्च कवचं तथा॥
O noble one, do you put out the fire; and let Sītā go into the cave. And do you string your bow and make ready the arrows and don on your mail.
तं रामः पुरुषव्याघ्रो लक्ष्मणं प्रत्युवाच ह। अङ्गावेक्षस्व सौमित्रे कस्येमां मन्यसे चमूम्॥
Thereat, Rāma-chief of men, answered Lakş mana, saying O son of Sumitra, do you (first) ascertain whom this host belongs to.
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण लक्ष्मणो वाक्यमब्रवीत्। दिधक्षन्निव तां सेनां रुषितः पावको यथा॥
Thus accosted by Rama, Laksmana, as if consuming that army by his wrath resembling fire, said.
सम्पन्नं राज्यमिच्छंस्तु व्यक्तं प्राप्याभिषेचनम्। आवां हन्तुं समभ्येति कैकेय्या भरतः सुतः॥
Having got himself installed, Kaikeyi's son, Bharata, anxious to render his royalty perfectly safe, is coming hither for the purpose of slaying us both.
एष वै सुमहाञ्छ्रीमान् विटपी सम्प्रकाशते। विराजत्युज्ज्वलस्कन्धः कोविदारध्वजो रथे।॥
Yonder is seen the graceful tree. By the same apr-ars on the car the Kovidāra standard, having a shining top.
भजन्त्येते यथाकाममश्वानारुह्य शीघ्रगान्। एते भ्राजन्ति संहृष्टा गजानारुह्य सादिनः॥
And men riding swift coursers are at their riders, riding on elephants, are also cheerfully directing their course hither.
गृहीतधनुषावाचां गिरिं वीर श्रयावहे। अथवेहैव तिष्ठावः संनद्धाबुद्यतायुधौ॥ अपि नौ वशमागच्छेत् कोविदारध्वजो रणे। अपि द्रक्ष्यामि भरतं यत्कृते व्यसनं महत्॥ त्वया राघव सम्प्राप्तं सीतया च मया तथा। यनिमित्तं भवान् राज्याच्च्युतो राघव शाश्वतात्॥
Let us, O hero, taking our bows, station ourselves on this hill. I will (to day) see Bharata, for whom we have come by this mighty misfortune. Or let us rather remain where we are accoutred in mail and with our arms ready. Shall he of the Kovidāra banner in conflict come under our sway? O hero, we have met with that foe of ours for whom, O Rāghava, you, Sītā and myself have (experienced such misery), for whom, O Rāghava, you have been cast off from the entire kingdom.
सम्प्राप्तोऽयमरिर्वीर भरतो वध्य एव हि। भरतस्य वधे दोषं नाहं पश्यामि राघव॥ पूर्वापकारिणं हत्वा न ह्यधर्मेण युज्यते। पूर्वापकारी भरतस्त्यागे धर्मश्च राघव॥
Surely, Bharata should be slain by me. O Rāghava, fault find I none in slaying Bharata; slaying a former wronger, one does not reap unrighteousness. O Raghava, there is religious merit to be reaped by slaying Bharata, who had formerly done us wrong.
एतस्मिन् निहते कृत्स्नामनुशाधि वसुंधराम्। अद्य पुत्रं हतं संख्ये कैकेयी राज्यकामुका॥ मया पश्येत् सुदुःखार्ता हस्तिभिन्नमिव द्रुमम्।
On this one being slain, you will rule the entire earth. To day shall Kaikeyi lusting after the kingdom, with grief behold her son slain in battle by me, like a tree riven by an elephants.
कैकेयीं च वधिष्यामि सानुबन्धां सबान्धवाम्॥ कलुषेणाद्य महता मेदिनी परिमुच्यताम्।
I will also kill Kaikeyi along (with the humpbacked one, and her friends. Let the earth today be freed from foul sins.
अद्येमं संयतं क्रोधमसत्कारं च मानद॥ मोक्ष्यामि शत्रुसैन्येषु कक्षेष्विव हुताशनम्।
To day will I, O bestower of honour, vent my restrained ire and bad blood upon the hostile hosts, like fire set to a heap of hay.
अद्यैव चित्रकूटस्य काननं निशितैः शरैः॥ छिन्दञ्छत्रुशरीराणि करिष्ये शोणितोक्षितम्।
To day with sharpened shafts will I cut the bodies of the hostile hosts and drench the woods of Citrakuta with their blood.
शरैर्निभिन्नहृदयान् कुञ्जरांस्तुरगांस्तथा॥ श्वापदाः परिकर्षन्तु नरांश्च निहतान् मया।
The ferocious beasts shall drag away elephants and steeds and men slaughtered by me with arrows penetrating into their hearts.
शराणां धनुषश्चाहमनृणोऽस्मिन् महावने। ससैन्यं भरतं हत्वा भविष्यामि न संशयः॥
I will, without doubt, in this forest pay the debt I owe to my bow and arrows, by slaying Bharata together with all his forces.