लक्ष्मणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा दारुणं जनकात्मजा। परं विषादमागम्य वैदेही निपपात ह॥
Hearing the ruthless words of Laksmana, the daughter of Janaka, greatly sorry, fell down on earth.
सा मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञा वाष्पपर्याकुलेक्षणा। लक्ष्मणं दीनया वाचा उवाच जनकात्मजा॥
And remaining senseless for some time, Sītā, with her eyes full of tears said to Lakşmaņa.
मामिकेयं तनु'नं सृष्टा दुःखाय लक्ष्मण। धात्रा यस्यास्तथा मेऽद्य दुःखमूर्तिः प्रदृश्यते॥
Forsooth, O Laksmana, the great Dispenser has created this body to suffer miseries, and all my affections are manifest in form today.
किं नु पापं कृतं पूर्वं को वा दारैर्वियोजितः। याहं शुद्धसमाचारा त्यक्ता नृपतिना सती।४।।
Methinks, I committed a mighty iniquity in my pristine existence or brought about me albeit I am pure and chaste.
पुराहमाश्रमे वासं रामपादानुवर्तिनी। अनुरुध्यापि सौमित्रे दुःखे च परिवर्तिनी॥
O son of Sumitrā, the affliction of residing in the forest appeared to me as pleasure ere this for I knew that I would be able to serve Rāma's feet.
सा कथं ह्याश्रमे सौम्य वत्स्यामि विजनीकृता। आख्यास्यामि च कस्याहं दुःखं दुःखपरायणा ।।६
But how shall I, O gentle one, live in the hermitage being divorced from all my kith and kin? and being afflicted to whom shall I express my sorrow?
किं नु वक्ष्यामि मुनिषु कर्म चासत्कृतं प्रभो। कस्मिन्वा कारणे त्यक्ता राघवेण महात्मना॥
What reply shall I offer to the ascetics when they shall ask me "Child, why has the highsouled Rāghava renounced you? What sin have you committed?"
न खल्वद्यैव सौमित्रे जीवितं जाह्नवीजले। त्यजेयं राजवंशस्तु भर्तुर्मे परिहास्यते॥
O Saumitri, I shall just renounce my life in the waters of Jāhnavi? But I desist from this for it shall bring about the termination O my husband's race.
यथाशं कुरु सौमित्रे त्यज्य मां दुःखभागिनीम्। निदेशे स्थीयतां राज्ञः शृणु चेदं वचो मम॥
O Saumitri, do you carry out the orders you have received. By renouncing this wretched wight do you satisfy the King's orders. But hear, what I say.
श्वश्रूणामविशेषण प्राञ्जलिप्रग्रहेण च। शिरसा वन्द्य चरणौ कुशलं ब्रूहि पार्थिवम्॥
Without making any distinction, do you, in my name, with folded hands, bow to my mothers-in-law and then ask the well-being of the kingdom.
शिरसाभिनतो ब्रूयाः सर्वासामेव लक्ष्मण। वक्तव्यश्चापि नृपतिर्धर्मेषु सुसमाहितः॥ जानासि च यथा शुद्धा सीता तत्त्वेन राघव। भक्त्या च परया युक्ता हिता च तव नित्यशः॥
Thereupon saluting the pious King do you address him, in my name, saying:-You know, O Råghava, that Sitā is pure, ever devoted to you and engaged in your well-being.
अहं त्यक्ता च ते वीर अयशोभीरुणा जने। यच्च ते वचनीयं स्यादपवादः समुत्थितः॥ मया च परिहर्तव्यं त्वं हि मे परमा गतिः।
She knows it full well, that afraid of a bad name you have renounced her. It is her duty to put a stop to your ill-name and censure; for you are her excellent refuge.
वक्तव्यश्चैव नृपतिर्धर्मेण सुसमाहितः॥ यथा भ्रातृषु वर्तेथास्तथा पौरेषु नित्यदा। परमो ह्येष धर्मस्ते तस्मात्कीतिरनुत्तमा॥ यत्तु पौरजने राजन्धर्मेण समवाप्नुयात्।
Do you tell further-more that king established in righteousness to treat the citizens as his brothers, to acquire piety by protecting his subjects duly for this is the greatest mortality and by this may be acquired excellent fame,
अहं तु नानुशोचामि स्वशरीरं नरर्षभ॥ यथापवादः पौराणां तथैव रघुनन्दन।
Tell him that I am not sorry for my person-my greatest sorrow is that the citizens have vilified me.
पतिहि देवता नार्याः पतिर्बन्धुः पतिर्गुरुः॥ प्राणैरपि प्रियं तस्माद्भर्तुः कार्य विशेषतः।
Husband is a woman's god-her friend and spiritual guide. It is proper therefore to wok out husband's well-being even at the sacrifice of life.
इति मद्वचनाद्रामो वक्तव्यो मम संग्रहः॥ निरीक्ष्य माद्य गच्छ त्वमृतुकालातिवर्तिनीम्।
Do you, O Lakşmaņa, communicate it in short to Rāma, in my name. Do you go now and behold the signs of pregnancy are manifest in me.
एवं ब्रुवन्त्यां सीतायां लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः॥ शिरसा वन्द्य धरणीं व्याहतुं न शशाक ह।
Sita having said this, Laksmana, with a bewildered heart, saluted her touching the ground which his head. He could not speak more.
प्रदक्षिणं च तां कृत्वा रुदन्नेव महास्वनः॥ ध्यात्वा मुहूर्तं तामाह किं मां वक्ष्यसि शोभने।
Thereupon bewailing aloud and circumbulating her, he, meditating a little, said. "What are you speaking to me, O worshipful dame?
दृष्टपूर्वं न ते रूपं पादौ दृष्टौ तवानघे॥ कथमत्र हि पश्यामि रामेण रहितां वने।
O you having no sin, upto this time I have seen any portion of your beautiful person but feet. This is a solitary forest and besides the worshipful Räma, is not present here-under these circumstances how can I cast looks upon you?
इत्युक्त्वा तां नमस्कृत्य पुनर्नावमुपारुहत्॥ आरुरोह पुनर्नावं नाविकं चाभ्यचोदयत्।
Having addressed Sītā in this wise Lakşmaņa again sent for a boat and ascending it ordered the boatman to go.
स गत्वा चोत्तरं तीरं शोकभारसमन्वितः॥ संमूढ इव दुःखेन रथमध्यारुहद्भुतम्।
Thereupon having reached the other side and being beside himself with sorrow and grief he speedily ascended the car.
मुहुर्मुहुः परावृत्य दृष्ट्वा सीतामनाथवत्॥ चेष्टन्तीं परतीरस्थां लक्ष्मणः प्रययावथ। दूरस्थे रथमालोक्य लक्ष्मणं च मुहुर्मुहुः। निरीक्षमाणां तूद्विग्नां सीतां शोकः समाविशत्।।२५
And casting his looks behind behind while proceeding he espied that Sītā, on the other side of the Gangă, was rowing wildly like one having none to look after her. Looking again and again when Sītā saw that Lakşmaņa and the chariot have gone beyond the range of her vision, she became overwhelmed with anxiety and grief.
सा दुःखभारावनता यशस्विनी यशोधरा नाथमपश्यती सती। रुरोद सा बहिणनादिते वने महास्वने दुःखपरायणा सती ॥
Being sunk in grief and pressed down with the weight of sorrow on not beholding Rāma, the foremost of the illustrious, the chaste Şītā began to cry aloud in the forest resounded with the notes of peacocks.