तस्मिंस्तु पुरुषव्याघ्र निष्क्रामति कृताञ्जलौ। आर्तशब्दो महान् जज्ञे स्त्रीणामन्तःपुरे तदा॥
There arose a great uproar of cry in the apartment of the females, when that best of men went out with clasped hands.
कृत्येष्वचोदितः पित्रा सर्वस्यान्त:पुरस्य च। गतिश्च शरणं चासीत् स रामोऽद्य प्रवत्स्यति॥
That Rāma, who used to serve all the females in all matters even without his father's permission, who was our stay and protector, is going to the forest.
कौसल्यायां यथा युक्तो जनन्यां वर्तते सदा। तथैव वर्ततेऽस्मासु जन्मप्रभृति राघवः॥
Raghava from his birth pays as much attention to us as to his mother Kausalya.
न क्रुध्यभिशप्तोऽपि क्रोधनीयानि वर्जयन्। क्रुद्धान् प्रसादयन् सर्वान् स इतोऽद्य प्रवत्स्यति॥
He, who being cursed, does not get angry, pacifies the wrathful and studiously avoids words and deeds that excite anger in others, will repair hence this day to the forest.
अबुद्धिर्बत नो राजा जीवलोकं जरत्ययम्। यो गतिं सर्वभूतानां परित्यजति राघवम्॥
Senseless is our king, who forsakes Rāghava who is the stay of all people, and thus kills his subjects.
इति सर्वा महिष्यस्ता विवत्सा इव धेनवः। पतिमाचुक्रुशुश्चापि सस्वनं चापि चुक्रुशुः॥
Thus the queens of Dasaratha, like to the cows that have lost their young ones, began to blame him and cry aloud.
स हि चान्तःपुरे घोरमार्तशब्दं महीपतिः। पुत्रशोकाभिसंतप्तः श्रुत्वा व्यालीयतासने।७।।
Hearing this terrible uproar of cry in the female apartment, that lord of earth, racked with sorrow on account of his son, hid himself in the seat (with head hanging downwards).
रामस्तु भृशमायस्तो निःश्वसत्रिव कुञ्जरः। जगाम सहितो भ्रात्रा मातुरन्तःपुरं वशी।८।।
Rāma too, having control over his own self, experiencing sorrow (for his relatives) and sobbing like an (enchained) elephant, entered into his mother's apartment, together with his brother.
सोऽपश्यत् पुरुषं तत्र वृद्धं परमपूजितम्। उपविष्टं गृहद्वारि तिष्ठतश्चापरान् बहून्॥
He saw a venerable old man, sitting at the gate and many other persons.
दृष्ट्वैव तु तदा रामं ते सर्वे समुपस्थिताः। जयेन जयतां श्रेष्ठं वर्धयन्ति स्म राघवम्॥
All those present, seeing Rāma, began to shower benedictions on him, the best of all victorious heroes, saying,"Victory to you".
प्रविश्य प्रथमां कक्ष्यां द्वितीयायां ददर्श सः। ब्राह्मणान् वेदसम्पन्नान् वृद्धान् राज्ञाभिसत्कृतान्॥
Having passed through the first apartment he saw in the second, many.old Brahmanas, versed in the Vedas and honoured by the king.
प्रणम्य रामस्तान् वृद्धांस्तृतीयायां ददर्श सः। स्त्रियो बालाश्च वृद्धाश्च द्वाररक्षणतत्पराः॥
Having bowed down to them, Rāma saw in the third apartment, women, boys, and old men, all engaged in watching the gate.
वर्धयित्वा प्रहृष्टास्ताः प्रविश्य च गृहं स्त्रियः। न्यवेदयन्त त्वरितं राममातुः प्रियं तदा॥
The female warders honoured Rāma rejoicing, and entering his mother's apartment, communicated to her speedily this pleasant news.
कौसल्यापि तदा देवी रात्रि स्थित्वा समाहिता। प्रभाते चाकरोत् पूजां विष्णोः पुत्रहितैषिणी॥
Worshipful Kausalyā, seeking her son's welfare, kept up the whole night being absorbed in meditation, and was, in the morning, worshipping the God Vişņu.
सा क्षौमवसना हृष्टा नित्यं व्रतपरायणा। अग्निं जुहोति स्म तदा मन्त्रवद् कृतमङ्गला॥
Wearing silk-cloth, pleased, and accustomed to the performance of religious rites every day, she, performing benedictory ceremonies, was offering oblation to the fire.
प्रविश्य तु तदा रामो मातुरन्तःपुरं शुभम्। ददर्श मातरं तत्र हावयन्ती हुताशनम्॥
Rāma entering the auspicious abode of his mother, beheld her thus engaged in the sacrifice to the fire.
देवकार्यनिमित्तं च तत्रापश्यत् समुद्यतम्। दध्यक्षतघृतं चैव मोदकान् हविषस्तथा॥ लाजान् माल्यानि शुक्लानि पायसं कृसरं तथा। समिधः पूर्णकुम्भांश्च ददर्श रघुनन्दनः॥
The descendant of Raghu saw there, brought for the service of the celestials, curd, grains, clarified butter, sweetmeats, things fit for oblations to the fire, fried paddy, white garlands, rice boiled in milk and sugar, rice sesamum and pea mixtures, sacrificial fuels and jars full of water.
तां शुक्लक्षौमसंवीतां व्रतयोगेन कर्शिताम्। तर्पयन्तीं ददर्शाद्भिर्देवतां वरवर्णिनीम्॥ सा चिरस्यात्मजं दृष्ट्वा मातृनन्दनमागतम्। अभिचक्राम संहृष्टा किशोरं वडवा यथा॥
He saw his virtuous mother wearing white silk, pulled down by the austere performance of religious rites, and engaged in propitiating the deities with the offering of water. She seeing her son, ever advancing the joy of his mother, approach, became pleased, and stepped forward like unto a mare beholding her young one.
स मातरमुपक्रान्तामुपसंगृह्य राघवः। परिष्वक्तश्च बाहुभ्यामवघ्रातश्च मूर्धनि॥
Seeing his mother approach, Rāghava bowed low, and (Kausalyā) embracing him in her arms smelt his head.
तमुवाच दुराधर्षं राघवं सुतमात्मनः। कौसल्या पुत्रवात्सल्यादिदं प्रियहितं वचः॥
Kausalya, out of motherly affection, spoke these sweet and beneficent words to her own invincible son, Rāghava.
वृद्धानां धर्मशीलानां राजर्षीणां महात्मनाम्। प्राप्नुह्यायुश्च कीर्तिं च धर्म चाप्युचितं कुले॥
May you obtain the life and fame of the pious, old Rājarşis, and the virtue worthy of your family.
सत्यप्रतिज्ञं पितरं राजानं पश्य राघव। अद्यैव त्वां स धर्मात्मा यौवराज्येऽभिषेक्ष्यति ॥ दत्तमासनमालभ्य भोजनेन निमन्त्रितः। मातरं राघवः किंचित् प्रसार्याञ्जलिमब्रवीत्॥ स स्वभावविनीतश्च गौरवाच्च तथानतः। प्रस्थितो दण्डकारण्यमाप्रष्टुमुपचक्रमे॥
See, Oh Rāghava, how truthful is your father the king! That virtuous-souled one shall install you this day as the heir-apparent of the throne Rāghava, humble by nature, who was offered by his mother a seat and asked by her to eat something, stretching forth a little his clasped hands, and with his head down wards with a view to show respects towards his mother, touched the seat, and began to relate to her the object of his repairing to the Dandaka forest.
देवि नूनं न जानीषे महद् भयमुपस्थितम्। इदं तव च दुःखाय वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणस्य च॥ गमिष्ये दण्डकारण्यं किमनेनासनेन मे। विष्टरासनयोग्यो हि कालोऽयं मामुपस्थितः॥
O worshipful one, certain it is that you know not the great impending calamity; It is for the distress of yours, Laksmana and Vaidehi, that shall I wend my way to the Daņdaka forest. What is the use of a seat to me then? Now is the time come when I deserve a seat made of Kusa grass.
चतुर्दश हि वर्षाणि वत्स्यामि विजने वने। कन्दमूलफलैर्जीवन् हित्वा मुनिवदामिषम्॥
I shall live in the forest for fourteen years abstaining from animal food and living on tuberous roots and fruits like to the ascetics.
भरताय महाराजो यौवराज्यं प्रयच्छति। मां पुनर्दण्डकारण्यं विवासयति तापसम्॥
The king shall confer upon Bharata the heirapparentship and shall banish me as an ascetic into the forest.
सषट् चाष्टौ च वर्षाणि वत्स्यामि विजने वने। आसेवमानो वन्यानि फलमूलैश्च वर्तयन्॥
And I shall live in that solitary forest for eight and six years, feasting on roots, and fruits and performing the duties of a hermit.
सा निकृत्तेव सालस्य यष्टिः परशुना वने। पपात सहसा देवी देवतेव दिवश्च्युता॥
Like to the stem of a sāla tree cut asunder by an axe in a wood, like to a female celestial fallen down from the abode of the gods, she fell down suddenly (hearing these heart-rending words.)
तामदुःखोचितां दृष्ट्वा पतितां कदलीमिव। रामस्तूत्थापयामास मातरं गतचेतसम्॥ उपावृत्योत्थितां दीनां वडवामिव वाहिताम्। पांसुगुण्ठितसर्वाङ्गी विममर्श च पाणिना॥
Rāma seeing his mother, who deserved no distress, fall down like a plantain tree and insensible, raised her up, and finding her covered with dust all over her body like to a mare risen up after rolling on the ground on account of toil of bearing heavy burden, wiped off (her body) gently with his hand.
सा राघवमुपासीनमसुखार्ता सुखोचिता। उवाच पुरुषव्याघ्रमुपशृण्वति लक्ष्मणे ॥
She, deserving happiness, being racked with the destruction of her delight, spoke thus to Rāghava, that best of men, in the presence of Laksmana.
यदि पुत्र न जायेथा मम शोकाय राघव। न स्म दुःखमतो भूयः पश्येयमहमप्रजाः॥
Oh! my son, Oh! Rāghava, had you not been born for my grief I would have been sonless only, but would not have been subject to this greater grief.
एक एव हि वन्ध्यायाः शोको भवति मानसः। अप्रजास्मीति संतापो न ह्यन्यः पुत्र विद्यते॥
A sonless woman has only one cause of mental affliction. Her only sorrow is “I have no child" and nothing else my son.
न हृष्टपूर्वं कल्याणं सुखं वा पतिपौरुषे। अपि पुत्रे विपश्येयमिति रामास्थितं मया॥
I have not experienced in my life that blessing and pleasure which women generally feel when their husbands are devoted to them. I have sustained my life so long, O Rāma, only with the hope that I shall witness this and other happiness when I shall have a son.
सा बहून्यमनोज्ञानि वाक्यानि हृदयच्छिदाम्। अहं श्रोष्ये सपत्नीनामवराणां परा सती॥
Myself, being the eldest of all the queens, shall have to hear unpleasant and heart-rending words from the co-wives who are all younger than I.
अतो दु:खतरं किं नु प्रमदानां भविष्यति। मम शोको विलापश्च यादृशोऽयमनन्तकः॥
There can be no greater misery for women than this my boundless grief and lamentations.
त्वयि संनिहितेऽप्येवमहमासं निराकृता। किं पुनः प्रोषिते तात ध्रुवं मरणमेव हि॥ अत्यन्तं निगृहीतास्मि भर्तुर्नित्यमसम्मता। परिवारेण कैकेय्याः समा वाप्यथवावरा।॥
You being present, they have reduced me to this miserable plight, I do not know what else they will do, you being away; there is death certain for me, Oh my darling! Being disregarded by my husband I have been greatly insulted, I am equal to the maid-servants of Kaikeyi or even inferior to them.
यो हि मां सेवते कश्चिदपि वाप्यनुवर्तते। कैकेय्या पुत्रमन्वीक्ष्य स जनो नाभिभाषते॥
Those who serve me or are obedient to me, shall not even speak with me when they will see the son of Kaikeyi (installed).
नित्यक्रोधतया तस्याः कथं नु खरवादिनम्। कैकेय्या वदनं द्रष्टुं पुत्र शक्ष्यामि दुर्गता॥
She is always of fretful temper, how shall I, reduced to misery (on account of your exile), eye the face of Kaikeyī, uttering harsh words.
दश सप्त च वर्षाणि जातस्य तव राघव। अतीतानि प्रकासन्त्या मया दुःखपरिक्षयम्॥ तदक्षयं महदुःखं नोत्सहे सहितुं चिरात्। विप्रकारं सपत्नीनामेवं जीर्णापि राघव ॥
I have spent, Oh Rāghava, ten years and seven from your (second) birth* birth* expecting a termination of my sorrow. Even though worn out, Oh Rāghava, shall not be able to suffer this great misery consequent upon your unending exile and the contempt of the co-wives. *Here the commentators differ in fixing the age of Rāma at the time of his going to the forest Rāma's age was under sixteen at the time of marriage, and after he has married to Sită he enjoyed her company for twelve years, when the proposal of installation was made. This makes totally age of twenty-seven. In the text ‘dasa sapta ca' (ten and seven) ten years fall short which are to be made up by taking into account the age of ten being left out, preceding Rāma's entering into the second birth which begins at maunjibandhana or initiation into the mysteries of the Vedic literature. Following the example of Bhāșyakāra Patañjali, the commentator, Rāmānuju, has in the sentence ‘daśa supta ca' supplied another (dasa) (ten) by means of ellipsis, thus giving an age of twentyseven. This, however, contradicts the statement of Sītā to Rāvana in guise of an anchorite, informing him of the age of her husband being twenty-five. A modern annotator with great ingenuity has devised ways to make up this discrepancy. The age of Rāma was under sixteen, when Visvamitra asked his assistance in destroying Taraka. 'Under sixteen' may mean fifteen or twelve as well. After marriage at twelve, Rāma enjoyed twelve years more the pleasure of home. This giving in total twenty-four, it is to be supposed that when he was exiled he stepped at twenty-five. The text dasa sapta ca' is correct, considering the age of eight being left out preceding his second birth at the initiation into the mysteries of the Veda.
अपश्यन्ती तव मुखं परिपूर्णशशिप्रभम्। कृपणा वर्तयिष्यामि कथं कृपणजीविका ॥
How shall I, of miserable life, pass my days in grief not seeing your face, effulgent like to the full-moon.
उपवासैश्च योगैश्च बहुभिश्च परिश्रमैः। दुःखसंवर्धितो मोघं त्वं हि दुर्गतया मया॥
Wretched as I am, in vain have I brought you up with fasts, contemplation's and many other toilsome austerities.
स्थिरं नु हृदयं मन्ये ममेदं यन्न दीर्यते। प्रावृषीव महानद्याः स्पृष्टं कूलं नवाम्भसा ॥
Surely, I consider my heart is very hard, as it does not rend like to the bank of a great river in contact with new water in the rainy season.
ममैव नूनं मरणं न विद्यते न चावकाशोऽस्ति यमक्षये मम। यदन्तकोऽद्यैव न मां जिहीर्षति प्रसह्य सिंहो रुदती मृगीमिव ॥ स्थिरं हि नूनं हृदयं ममायसं न भिद्यते यद् भुवि नो विदीर्यते। अनेन दुःखेन च देहमर्पित ध्रुवं ह्यकाले मरणं न विद्यते॥
There is no death for me, no vacant place in the abode of Yama; otherwise why does not Death take me away like to a lion snatching away a weeping hind; certain it is that my heart is made of iron, as it does not rend nor does my body being pressed down with this sorrow and (falling) down on earth, break into pieces; verily have I no death before time.
इदं तु दु:खं यदनर्थकानि मे व्रतानि दानानि च संयमाश्च हि। तपश्च तप्तं यदपत्यकाम्यया सुनिष्फलं बीजमिवोप्तमूषरे॥
This distresses me that all my religious vows, alms giving, self-restraint and austerity, performed with a view of obtaining a son, have been fruitless, like to the seeds thrown on a barren soil.
यदि ाकाले मरणं यदृच्छया लभेत कश्चिद् गुरुदुःखकर्शितः। गताहमचैव परेतसंसदं विना त्वया धेनुरिवात्मजेन वै॥
If any body in this life, being pressed down with some great calamity, could meet with death of his own accord, I would have instantly gone to the abode of death, being cut off from you like to a cow from her young one.
अथापि किं जीवितमद्य मे वृथा त्वया विना चन्द्रिभाननाप्रभ। अनुव्रजिष्यामि वनं त्वयैव गौः सुदुर्बला वत्समिवाभिकाश्या॥
Oh, you, having a countenance of moon-like splendour, wretched indeed is my life without you, I shall follow you to the forest out of great affection, like to an enfeebled cow following her young one.
भृशमसुखममर्षिता तदा बहु विललाप समीक्ष्य राघवम्। व्यसनमुपनिशाम्य सा महत् सुतमिव बद्धमवेक्ष्य किंनरी॥
Kausalyā like a Kinnarī unable to bear this great calamity, anticipating great misfortune and seeing Rāma bound (with a great vow), began to lament in various ways. some