तदप्रियममित्रघ्नो वचनं मरणोपमम्। श्रुत्वा न विव्यथे रामः कैकेयी चेदमब्रवीत्।।।
Hearing these unpleasant words like to death, Rama, the destroyer of foes, was not pained, and spoke thus to Kaikeyī.
एवमस्तु गमिष्यामि वनं वस्तुमहं त्वितः। जटाचीरधरो राज्ञः प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्॥
Be it what you say; carrying out the promise of the king, I shall repair to the forest from this place wearing bark and matted hair.
इदं तु ज्ञातुमिच्छामि किमर्थं मां महीपतिः। नाभिनन्दति दुर्धर्षो यथापूर्वभरिंदमः॥
Now I want to know only why that lord of the earth, invincible and the conqueror of foes, does not receive me in the same way as he used to do on previous occasions.
मन्युर्न च त्वया कार्यो देवि ब्रूमि तवाग्रतः। यास्यामि भव सुप्रीता वनं चीरजटाधरः॥
be not angry, Oh worshipful one, I speak before you, be you propitiated well, and I shall go to the forest wearing bark and matted hair.
हितेन गुरुणा पित्रा कृतज्ञेन नृपेण च। नियुज्यमानो विस्रब्धः किं न कुर्यााहं प्रियम्॥
What is there that I cannot perform, considering it good without suspicion, if I am ordered so by my well-wisher, spiritual leader, father and king, who acknowledges your service (rendered in time of danger).* *The epithet Krtajñena may as well as be rendered into general terms; such as 'who acknowledges services rendered to him.' Here in translation I have followed the commentator who has restricted it to the special sense suitable to the occasion.
अलीकं मानसं त्वेकं हृदयं दहते मम। स्वयं यन्नाह मां राजा भरतस्याभिषेचनम्॥
But this one sorrow burns my heart, why king did not tell me personally of the installation of Bharata.
अहं हि सीतां राज्यं च प्राणानिष्टान् धनानि च । हृष्टो भ्रात्रे स्वयं दद्यां भरताय प्रचोदितः॥ किं पुनर्मनुजेन्द्रेण स्वयं पित्रा प्रचोदितः। तव च प्रियकामार्थं प्रतिज्ञामनुपालयन्॥
What of the command of the king, my father, I shall even at your mandate joyfully make over to Bharata, my kingdom, Sītā, wealth and even my life, thereby satisfying you, and fulfilling my promise.
तथाश्वासय ह्रीमन्तं किंत्विदं यन्महीपतिः। वसुधासक्तनयनो मन्दमश्रूणि मुञ्चति ॥
Do you now console the bashful king; why has he, with his eyes steadily fixed on the ground, been shedding tears slowly?
गच्छन्तु चैवानयितुं दूताः शीघ्रजवैर्हयैः। भरतं मातुलकुलादद्यैव नृपशासनात्॥
Let messengers, with fast going steeds go today at the command of the king to fetch Bharata from his maternal uncle's house.
दण्डकारण्यमेषोऽहं गच्छाम्येव हि सत्वरः। अविचार्य पितुर्वाक्यं समा वस्तुं चतुर्दश॥
I shall, not even judging the propriety of my father's words, speedily repair to the forest of Dandaka for fourteen years.
सा हृष्टा तस्य तद् वाक्यं श्रुत्वा रामस्य कैकयी। प्रस्थानं श्रद्दधाना सा त्वरयामास राघवम्॥
Hearing those words of Rāma, Kaikeyi was pleased, and being certain about his departure, hurried on Raghava.
यास्यन्ति दूताः शीघ्रजवैर्हयैः। भरतं मातुलकुलादिहावर्तयुतं नराः॥
Let it be that messengers with fast going steeds shall go to bring Bharata from his maternal uncle's residence.
एवं भवतु तव त्वहं क्षमं मन्ये नोत्सुकस्य विलम्बनम्। राम तस्मादितः शीघ्रं वनं त्वं गन्तुमर्हसि ॥
I do not think it proper for you, O Rāma, to delay, when you are so anxious; it behoves you therefore to depart from this place speedily to the forest.
व्रीडान्वितः स्वयं यच्च नृपस्त्वां नाभिभाषते। नैतत् किंचिन्नरश्रेष्ठ मन्युरेषोऽपनीयताम्॥
The king being abashed, does not himself address you, there is nothing else than this. Do you, Oh best of men, dispel this wretchedness of his.
यावत्त्वं न वनं यातः पुरादस्मादतित्वरम्। पिता तावन्नते राम स्नास्यते भोक्ष्यतेऽपि वा॥
As long as you shall not hurriedly depart from his presence, Oh Rāma, your father shall not bathe, or eat anything.
धिक्कष्टमिति निःश्वस्य राजा शोकपरिप्लुतः। मूर्च्छितो न्यपतत् तस्मिन् पर्यङ्के हेमभूषिते॥
'Oh fie!' 'what affliction' sobbing hard with these words, the monarch, filled with sorrow, swooned away and fell down upon the sofa, embellished with gold.
रामोऽप्युत्थाप्प राजानं कैकेय्याभिप्रचोदितः। कशयेव हतो वाजी वनं गन्तुं कृतत्वरः॥
Raising the king up, Rāma, being directed by Kaikeyī, began to hurry on his departure to the forest, like to a steed struck sharp with a whip.
तदप्रियमनाया वचनं दारुणोदयम्। श्रुत्वा गतव्यथो रामः कैकेयीं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥
Hearing those cruel and unpleasant words of the wicked Kaikeyi, Rama, not being distressed, began to address her with the following words.
नाहमर्थपरो देवि लोकमावस्तुमुत्सहे। विद्धि मामृषिभिस्तुल्यं विमलं धर्ममास्थितम् ॥
Oh worshipful one, being addicted to wealth do I not long for living in this world; like to Rșis, know me, to be well established in pure religion.
यत् तत्र भवतः किंचिच्छक्यं कर्तुं प्रियं मया। प्राणानपि परित्यज्य सर्वथा कृतमेव तत्॥
If I can, even at the sacrifice of my own life, satisfy my worshipful father, rest assured it is to be done first in all manner.
न ह्यतो धर्मचरणं किंचिदस्ति महत्तरम्। यथा पितरि शुश्रूषा तस्य वा वचनक्रिया॥
There is no virtue greater than the serving of the father and carrying out his words.
अनुक्तोऽप्यत्रभवता भवत्या वचनादहम्। वने वत्स्यामि विजने वर्षाणीह चतुर्दश॥
Even though not commanded by him, I shall, for your words, live in a solitary forest for fourteen years.
न न्यूनं मयि कैकेयि किंचिदाशंससे गुणान् । यद् राजानमवोचस्त्वं ममेश्वरतरा सती ॥
Oh Kaikeyī, certain it is that you are not acquainted with my foremost virtues, inasmuch as possessing full authority to rule me, you have requested the monarch for this.
यावन्मातरमापृच्छे सीतां जानुनयाम्यहम्। ततोऽद्यैव गमिष्यामि दण्डकानां महद् वनम्॥
Excuse me until I ask my mother, and comfort Sītā; even this very day shall I wend my way to the great forest of Dandaka.
भरतः पालयेद् राज्यं शुश्रूषेच्च पितुर्यथा। तथा भवत्या कर्तव्यं स हि धर्मः सनातनः॥
If behoves you to do that by which Bharata may govern the kingdom and tend our father, for this is the virtue eternal.
रामस्य तु वचः श्रुत्वा भृशं दुःखगतः पिता। शोकादशक्नुवन् वक्तुं प्ररुरोद महास्वनम्॥
Hearing these words of Rāma, his father, greatly afflicted and incapable of speaking anything on account of sorrow, began to cry aloud.
वन्दित्वा चरणौ राज्ञो विसंज्ञस्य पितुस्तदा। कैकेय्याश्चाप्यना या निष्पपात महाद्युतिः॥
Worshipping the feet of the king lying insensible, and those of vicious Kaikeyi, that greatly effulgent one went out.
स रामः पितरं कृत्वा कैकेयीं च प्रदक्षिणम्। निष्क्रम्यान्तःपुरात् तस्मात् स्वं ददर्श सुहज्जनम्॥
And reverentially going round his father and Kaikeyi, and issuing out of the female apartment, Rāma saw his own friends and relatives.
तं बाष्पपरिपूर्णाक्षः पृष्ठतोऽनुजगाम ह। लक्ष्मणः परमक्रुद्धः सुमित्रानन्दवर्धनः॥
Then followed him Lakşmaņa, the enhance of Sumitra's joy, greatly angry and with his eyes full of tears.
आभिषेचनिकं भाण्डं कृत्वा रामः प्रदक्षिणम्। शनैर्जगाम सापेक्षो दृष्टिं तत्राविचालयन्॥
Going round with reverence the house of installation full of necessary articles, not turning away from it his wistful look, Rāma began to proceed slowly.
न चास्य महतीं लक्ष्मी राज्यनाशोऽपकर्षति। लोककान्तस्य कान्तत्वाच्छीतरश्मेरिव क्षयः॥
Loss of kingdom could not diminish the great beauty of that beloved of the people on account of its everlasting pleasantness, like to the wane of the moon.
न वनं गन्तुकामस्य त्यजतश्च वसुंधराम्। सर्वलोकातिगस्येव लक्ष्यते चित्तविक्रिया॥
There was manifest in his no change of mind, who was about to fly as an exile to the forest and leave the world, like to one emancipated while yet living.
प्रतिषिध्य शुभं छत्रं व्यजने च स्वलंकृते। विसर्जयित्वा स्वजनं रथं पौरांस्तथा जनान्॥ धारयन् मनसा दु:खमिन्द्रियाणि निगृह्य च। प्रविवेशात्मवान् वेश्म मातुरप्रियशंसिवान्॥
Leaving aside the excellent umbrella and well adorned chowries, forsaking his relatives, chariot, citizens and other people, calmly bearing the affliction in mind and not manifesting the outward signs of sorrow, Rāma, with a view to communicate this unpleasant news to his mother, entered her abode.
सर्वोऽप्यभिजनः श्रीमाञ्श्रीमतः सत्यवादिनः। नालक्षयत रामस्य कंचिदाकारमानने॥
All persons, who were present there and who adorned themselves on account of the installation, did not perceive any sign of mental agony on the face of Rāma.
उचितं च महाबाहुर्न जहौ हर्षमात्मवान्। शारदः समुदीर्णांशुश्चन्द्रस्तेज इवात्मजम्॥
Like to the rays of the fully brilliant autumnal moon, that hero of mighty arms, having control over himself, did not forsake his native cheerfulness.
वाचा मधुरया रामः सर्वं सम्मानयञ्जनम्। मातुः समीपं धर्मात्मा प्रविवेश महायशाः॥
The pious Rāma, having high fame, entered into the presence of his mother, manifesting great regards for the people with sweet speech.
तं गुणैः समतां प्राप्तो भ्राता विपुलविक्रमः। सौमित्रिरनुवव्राज धारयन् दुःखमात्मजम्॥
Then followed him, the son of Sumitrā, of mighty prowess, of equal accomplishments with his brother, and bearing the mental sorrow. Rāma, entering the abode of his mother.
प्रविश्य वेश्मातिभृशं मुदा युतं समीक्ष्य तां चार्थविपत्तिमागताम्। न चैव रामोऽत्र जगाम विक्रियां सुहृज्जनस्यात्मविपत्तिशङ्कया॥
Saw it filled with all sorts of amusements; and even though his mind was not agitated with any mental disturbance seeing the impending calamity of loss of wealth, he was anxious lest the lives of his dear relatives mighty be in danger.