Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— रामं प्रवास्य सत्येन जातशोको महीपतिः। पर्यशोचन्मनसा सम्प्रबुध्य निशीथके॥१॥
Brahmā said: Having sent Rāma into exile for the sake of truth, the grief-struck king awoke at midnight and lamented within his mind.
Passage 2
पूर्वकर्मविपाकोत्थं स्वीयं दुष्कृतमस्मरत्। स्मृत्वा तापसशापोत्थां मरणान्तां महापदम्॥२॥
He remembered his own evil deed whose ripened consequence had now arisen, and the great calamity ending in death that had sprung from an ascetic’s curse.
Passage 3
उवाच महिषीं ज्येष्ठां कौसल्यां राममातरम्। जागर्षि यदि कल्याणि शृणु मे पूर्वकर्म तत्॥३॥
He addressed his chief queen, Kauśalyā, the mother of Rāma: “Auspicious lady, if you are awake, hear of that former deed of mine.
Passage 4
कृत्वा दोषसमारम्भं यः काङ्क्षति गुणोदयम्। मृषा तस्य मनःकामो दोष एव फलायति॥४॥
“One who begins with a wrongful act yet hopes for virtue to arise desires in vain; it is the fault itself that comes to fruition.
Passage 5
उप्त्वा कण्टकिनो वृक्षान् भिद्यते किं न कण्टकैः। एवं दुष्कृतमारभ्य को वाञ्छेत् पुण्यजं फलम्॥५॥
“When one plants thorn trees, is one not pierced by thorns? In the same way, who could undertake an evil act and expect the fruit born of merit?
Passage 6
मया खलु पुरारब्धं दुष्कृतं सुविपत्प्रदम्। तच्छृणुष्वाद्य कल्याणि मम कर्म पुरातनम्॥६॥
“Long ago I indeed committed an evil deed that brings terrible calamity. Auspicious lady, now hear of that ancient act of mine.
Passage 7
एकदाहं तवोद्वाहात् पूर्वकाले सुदुर्मदः। तारुण्यारम्भदुःशीलं मृगयां समशीलयम्॥७॥
“Once, before my marriage to you, I was exceedingly arrogant. At the onset of youth I cultivated the harmful habit of hunting.
Passage 8
युवराजपदं प्राप्य तारुण्यमदभावितः। धनुरादाय विपिने विचरामि भृतेषुधिः॥८॥
“Having received the rank of crown prince and become intoxicated with youth, I took up my bow and roamed the forest with a full quiver.
Passage 9
निहन्मि महिषान् कोलान् सिंहान् व्याघ्रान् वनेचरान्। मातङ्गांश्चापि सम्प्राप्य छन्दमात्राद्भिनद्म्यहम्॥९॥
“I killed buffalo, boars, lions, tigers, and other forest creatures. Whenever I encountered elephants, I pierced them merely for sport.
Passage 10
शब्दवेधीशरक्रीडादुर्मदो मृगयारतः। सरयूतीरमासाद्य क्रीडामि दिवसे निशि॥१०॥
“Proud of the sport of shooting arrows by sound and devoted to the hunt, I reached the bank of the Sarayū and pursued my sport day and night.
Passage 11
कदाचिज्जलकुम्भस्य पूर्यमाणस्य वेगतः। श्रुत्वा शब्दं मुक्तबाणः कञ्चित्तापसबालकम्॥११॥
“One night I heard the forceful sound of a water pot being filled and released an arrow, striking a certain young ascetic.
Passage 12
अन्धयोरात्मनः पित्रोरेकदृष्टिममाश्रयम्। पर्यवेधयमत्युग्रशापसम्प्राप्तिहेतवे॥१२॥
“I pierced the sole sight and support of his two blind parents, thereby creating the cause for an exceedingly terrible curse to fall upon me. The Wounded Boy’s Lament
Passage 13
इषुणा छिन्नहृदयः सोऽन्धतापसबालकः। अरोदीत्करुणं भूयस्तातनामपुरःसरम्॥१३॥
“That son of the blind ascetics, his heart torn by the arrow, cried piteously again and again, first calling out his father’s name.
Passage 14
तस्येषुणा विभिन्नस्य प्रोतस्य निजमर्मणि। आर्तशब्दं ममाकर्ण्य तदन्तिकमुपागतः॥१४॥
“Hearing the anguished cry of the boy pierced by my arrow in a vital place, I approached him.
Passage 15
दुःखेनैषुणा विद्धो घूर्णमानो घटोपरि। अन्धतापसयोर्बालः सोऽनङ्कुरितकूर्चकः॥१५॥
“Struck by the arrow and reeling in agony over his pot, there lay the beardless young son of the two blind ascetics.
Passage 16
आः पापकर्मणा केन हतोऽहमिषुणामुना। निर्वैरो विजने नद्यां जलाहरणकार्यकृत्॥१६॥
“He cried, ‘Ah, what evildoer has struck me with this arrow? I had no enemy and was alone by the river, engaged only in fetching water.
Passage 17
सोऽहं तयोस्तापसयोर्मदेकसुतयोर्गतिः। संन्यस्तदण्डयोर्दण्डः केन पापीयसा हतः॥१७॥
“‘I am the refuge of those two ascetics, whose only son I am, and the staff of those who have laid aside every other staff. What sinner has struck me down?
Passage 18
अन्धो वृद्धः सुदीनात्मा वनवासी तपोरतः। मत्पिता मां विना कं नु हस्तग्राहं श्रयिष्यति॥१८॥
“‘My father is blind, aged, helpless, forest-dwelling, and devoted to austerity. Without me, whose hand will he grasp for support?
Passage 19
कस्याभून्मद्वधे बुद्धिः पापस्योन्मत्तचेतसः। किं फलं मम घातेन निर्वैरस्य वनस्थितेः॥१९॥
“‘What deranged sinner conceived the thought of killing me? What fruit can be gained by slaying a harmless person dwelling in the forest?
Passage 20
मय्यद्य निहते केनाप्युन्मत्तेनाद्यकारिणा। कां गतिं खलु गन्तारौ पितरौ हीनचक्षुषौ॥२०॥
“‘Now that some reckless wrongdoer has killed me, what fate can my two sightless parents possibly meet?
Passage 21
जानाति मम माता सा नद्यां क्रीडति मे सुतः। सोऽहं पापीयसा केनाप्यसुहीनः कृतो निशि॥२१॥
“‘My mother thinks, “My son is lingering by the river.” But here in the night, some sinner has robbed that son of life.’
Passage 22
इत्थं भूयो विलपतस्तस्यार्तरवमीदृशम्। अश्रौषं विजने रात्रौ दूरेऽप्यतिसमीपवत्॥२२॥
“As he continued lamenting in this way, I heard his anguished cries through the desolate night; though distant, they sounded exceedingly near.
Passage 23
ततो भृशं विषण्णोऽहं हत्वा बाणेन तापसम्। प्रमादादात्मनः कर्म शोचन्नासं सुदुर्मनाः॥२३॥
“Realizing that I had struck an ascetic with my arrow, I became utterly despondent. Grieving my own reckless deed, I stood there in misery.
Passage 24
हा हा मया हतः कश्चित्तापसः संहतेषुणा। ततो गवेषयामास तमहं परपारगम्॥२४॥
“‘Alas, alas! I have struck some ascetic with my well-aimed arrow.’ I then began searching for that one who had reached the far shore of discipline. Daśaratha Finds the Boy
Passage 25
नदीं स्वल्पजलां तत्र तीर्त्वा बभ्राम भूरिशः। निशीथे तमसि व्याप्ते नालभं मुनिपुत्रकम्॥२५॥
“I crossed the shallow river and searched widely, but in the darkness of midnight I could not find the sage’s son.
Passage 26
ततश्चाभ्युदिते चन्द्रे तं देशमगमं तदा। ददर्शं सरयूतीरे घूर्णन्तं कलशोपरि॥२६॥
“Then, when the moon rose, I reached that place and saw him reeling over his water pot on the bank of the Sarayū.
Passage 27
बालकं प्राप्तकैशोरमनङ्कुरितकूर्चकम्। प्रविकीर्णजटाभारं सायकप्रोतविग्रहम्॥२७॥
“He was a boy just entering adolescence, with no beard yet grown, his mass of matted hair disheveled and his body transfixed by the arrow.
Passage 28
क्षतजोक्षितसर्वाङ्गमनर्हमीदृशीं दशाम्। शयानं घटमालिङ्ग्य विलप्य विरतं क्षणात्॥२८॥
“His whole body was drenched in blood, though he deserved no such condition. He lay embracing the pot, having ceased his lament for a moment.
Passage 29
अपश्यं चास्य हृदये संलग्नं बाणमात्मनः। तथा तस्य दशां दृष्ट्वा विसंज्ञ इव चाभवम्॥२९॥
“I saw my own arrow lodged in his heart. Beholding him in such a state, I became almost unconscious.
Passage 30
ततो मां वीक्ष्य बालोऽसौ तापसो वधकारिणम्। उवाच करुणं तादृगात्तिप्रस्खलिताक्षरम्॥३०॥
“Then that young ascetic saw me, the cause of his death, and spoke piteously, his words faltering under such intense pain.
Passage 31
किं तेऽपराद्धं नृपते मया निर्वैरवृत्तिना। एकेनैवेषुणाकस्माद् विद्धोऽहं क्लेशमावहन्॥३१॥
“‘King, what offense have I, who live without enmity, committed against you? Why have I suddenly been pierced by a single arrow and made to bear this agony?
Passage 32
पितरौ तापसावन्धौ तयोरथ जलार्थिनोः। मम प्राणास्त्वया राजन् गृहीता एकबाणतः॥३२॥
“‘My parents are blind ascetics, and I came to fetch water for them. Yet, King, with a single arrow you have taken my life.
Passage 33
ईदृशी मृगया राजंस्तव साधीयसी वने। मदसुव्ययकृत् सम्यक् शिक्षिता शब्दवेधिता॥३३॥
“‘Excellent indeed is this forest hunting of yours, King! Well trained is your skill at shooting by sound, which has brought about the waste of my life.
Passage 34
मृते मयि महीपाल घोरेण तव पत्रिणा। मा त्वां दहतु मे तातस्तापसः पुत्रमारिणम्॥३४॥
“‘Lord of the earth, when I die from your terrible arrow, may my father, the ascetic, not burn you with a curse for killing his son.
Passage 35
पुत्रशोकसमुद्भूतदुःखेनाकुलमानसः। त्वां मेऽसुघातिनं मत्वा शपेन्मम पिता मुनिः॥३५॥
“‘His heart overwhelmed by pain born of grief for his son, my sage father may recognize you as the destroyer of my life and curse you.
Passage 36
सर्वस्यास्त्वं भुवो भर्ता त्वयि दुर्गतिमागते। अनाथाः किं न शीयेयुस्त्वदेकशरणाः प्रजाः॥३६॥
“‘You are lord of the whole earth. If misfortune overtakes you, would not the people, who have no other refuge, perish like orphans?
Passage 37
न चाहं जीविता राजन् दुःखं स्याद् द्विगुणं ततः। विज्ञापयाशु गत्वा त्वं नचिरात्पितरौ मम॥३७॥
“‘King, I shall not live, and then their pain will be doubled. Go quickly and without delay inform my parents.
Passage 38
यावन्न शपते क्रुद्धः पिता मे त्वां महीपते। तावदात्मकृतं कर्म घोरं तस्मै निवेदय॥३८॥
“‘Lord of the earth, before my angry father curses you, tell him of the dreadful deed you have committed.’ The Arrow Is Withdrawn
Passage 39
इति वादिन एवास्य विश्रतो दीर्घवेदनाम्। बाणमाशीविषाकारमहमुत्पाटितवान् बलात्॥३९॥
“While he was speaking thus and suffering prolonged agony, I forcibly pulled out the arrow, which resembled a venomous serpent.
Passage 40
उत्पाटिते हृदयाद् बाणे तस्मिंस्तज्जीवनाशया। एकया हिक्कया प्राणान् जहौ तापसबालकः॥४०॥
“When the arrow was drawn from his heart, his hope of life departed. With a single final gasp, the young ascetic gave up his life-breaths.
Passage 41
प्रसारिताङ्घ्रिं परिवृत्तलोचनं दृष्ट्वा मृतं तापसबालकं तथा। विसंज्ञ आसं भृशदुःखितान्तरो मुनेश्च शापेन नितान्तभीतिमान्॥४१॥
“Seeing the young ascetic lying dead with legs outstretched and eyes rolled back, I nearly lost consciousness. I was tormented within by grief and utterly terrified of the sage’s curse.” *Thus ends Chapter Twenty-three, “The Account of the Killing of the Sage’s Son,” in the Dakṣiṇa-khaṇḍa of the dialogue of Brahmā and Bhuśuṇḍa in the venerable Ādi-Rāmāyaṇa.*