Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— तथोक्तो भरतेनासौ बभाषे स निषादराट्। स्मृत्वा रामस्य चरणौ योगिनां ध्यानमङ्गली॥१॥
Brahmā said: Thus addressed by Bharata, the Niṣāda king spoke after remembering Rāma’s feet, the auspicious object of the yogins’ meditation.
Passage 2
अयमिङ्गुदीतरुरुदेति ते पुरो ननु यत्र राघव उवास सीतया। धरणीतलेऽनुजविनिर्मितं महच्छयनं नवीनदलक्लृप्तमास्थितः॥२॥
“This iṅgudī tree rises before you. Here Rāghava stayed with Sītā, resting upon the ground on a great bed that his younger brother fashioned from fresh leaves.
Passage 3
उपनीतमिन्दुसितमादरान्मया शयनं हृदा स विगणय्य धार्मिकः। शयितो महीतलरजोभराञ्चिते शयनं स्वबाहुमुपधाय मे प्रभुः॥३॥
“The righteous lord declined the moon-white bed that I respectfully brought with all my heart. My master lay upon the dust-covered ground, using his own arm as a pillow. Lakṣmaṇa and Guha Keep Watch
Passage 4
निशि तत्र लक्ष्मण उदारविक्रमो धनुराततज्यमिषुयुक्तमात्मनः। करयोर्विधाय कथयन् कथाः शुभाः प्रयतञ्चकार विधिवत्प्रजागरम्॥४॥
“That night noble and valiant Lakṣmaṇa held his strung bow and fitted arrow in his hands. Telling sacred stories, he carefully maintained the prescribed vigil.
Passage 5
निजार्यकक्ष्यशयितस्य गुप्तयेऽनलसो विनिद्र इदमीरितो मया। ननु जागराम्यहमुदायुधो भवान् शयनेऽधितिष्ठतु मयोपकल्पिते॥५॥
“Tireless and sleepless, he guarded his noble brother sleeping nearby. I said to him, ‘I shall surely remain awake with weapon raised; please rest upon the bed I have prepared.’
Passage 6
स्वजनैश्च बन्धुभिरुपेत आदरादहमत्र न स्वपिमि जागरं दधे। स्वपति प्रभौ मम सह स्वभार्यया विजने वने बहुलहिंस्रसंकुले॥६॥
“‘Attended by my people and kinsmen, I shall respectfully keep watch here and not sleep while my lord rests with his wife in this lonely forest crowded with beasts of prey.’
Passage 7
तत आह लक्ष्मण इदं मया सखे स्वपितुं न शक्यत ईदृशापदि। स्वपति क्षितौ मम गुरौ रघूद्वहे परिणद्धराज्यसुखभोजनोचिते॥७॥
“Lakṣmaṇa then replied, ‘Friend, I cannot sleep amid such adversity while my venerable lord, the bearer of Raghu’s line—worthy of every royal pleasure and enjoyment—sleeps upon the earth.’
Passage 8
प्रयतास्ततस्त्वञ्च गहने वयं त्रयो भृशमाततज्यशरचापपाणयः। रजनीमनेष्म रघुनाथविस्फुरद्गुणवर्णनप्रभवशुद्धबुद्धयः॥८॥
“Thus alert in that deep forest, the three of us passed the night with arrows and tightly strung bows in hand, our minds purified by recounting the radiant virtues of the lord of the Raghus. Lakṣmaṇa’s Lament
Passage 9
अथ वीक्ष्य तां निजगुरोर्विपद्दशामतदर्हदुःखततिभोगभूयसीम्। विललाप लक्ष्मण उदीरयन् गिरं करुणाममेयबलवीर्यविक्रमः॥९॥
“Then mighty Lakṣmaṇa, whose strength, courage, and valor are immeasurable, beheld his lord’s calamity and undeserved suffering and raised his voice in a piteous lament.
Passage 10
ध्रुवमद्य कोसलपुराधिपः स नौ जनकः कथं नु विपदा भविष्यति। गहनं गते प्रियहिते निजात्मजे विरहेण नूनमसुभिर्विमोक्ष्यते॥१०॥
“‘What will now become of our father, the lord of Kosala? With his beloved and devoted son gone into the deep forest, he will surely surrender his life in separation.
Passage 11
अयमिन्दुसुन्दरमुखः सरोरुहच्छदनापमातिसुकुमारविग्रहः। मिथिलाधिराजसुतया सुखार्हया सहितोऽद्य संस्वपिति मेदिनीतले॥११॥
“‘This prince whose face is beautiful as the moon and whose exceedingly tender body resembles a lotus petal sleeps today upon the ground beside the daughter of Mithilā’s king, who deserves every comfort.
Passage 12
ससुरासुरत्रिभुवनेऽतुलप्रभो रजनीशकोटिकमनीयदर्शनः। स्वजनेषु सर्वसुखदानशक्तिभृत् कथमीदृशीं नु भजते सुदुर्दशाम्॥१२॥
“‘His power is unequalled throughout the three worlds of gods and demons, and his beauty is lovelier than millions of moons. Able to grant every happiness to his people, how does he endure such terrible distress?
Passage 13
जगतामयं प्रणयभाजनं महान् सुमहोदयः सकलचित्तरञ्जनः। किमु कैकयेन्द्रसुतया नृशंसया सदनात्प्रवास्य विपिनेऽधिवासितः॥१३॥
“‘This great and supremely noble one is the beloved of all worlds and the delight of every heart. Why has the cruel daughter of Kekaya banished him from his home to dwell in the forest?
Passage 14
रहिता पुरी ध्रुवमनेन कोसला विसुखा श्मशानधरणीव दुर्भगा। उदिताश्रुलोचनरुदन्महाजना बहुशोकसागरगताद्य नङ्क्ष्यति॥१४॥
“‘Deprived of him, the city of Kosala must be joyless and wretched like a cremation ground. Its multitudes weep with tear-filled eyes; submerged in a vast ocean of grief, it will perish today.
Passage 15
रघुवंशभूषण उदित्वरः श्रिया विजयी त्रिलोकजनशोकनाशनः। अयमार्य उज्ज्वलगुणौघमण्डितः कथमेवमर्हति नितान्तमापदम्॥१५॥
“‘This noble ornament of Raghu’s lineage shines with splendor, is ever victorious, and destroys the sorrow of the three worlds. Adorned with a flood of brilliant virtues, how can he deserve so extreme a calamity?’ Rāma Crosses the Gaṅgā
Passage 16
इति लक्ष्मणो बहु विलप्य तां निशामनयत्ततोऽभ्युदितवत्यहस्करे। वटदुग्धदिग्धविलसज्जटाधरो वनवासयोग्यकुशचीरवाससी॥१६॥
“Lamenting much in this way, Lakṣmaṇa passed the night. When the maker of day arose, the brothers wore shining matted locks dressed with banyan sap and garments of kuśa and bark suitable for forest life.
Passage 17
धृततापसोचितसुवेशविग्रहावपि कामपि श्रियमतीव बिभ्रतौ। पुरतो विधाय जनकात्मजामुभौ त्रिदिवापगां व्यतितरीतुमीयतुः॥१७॥
“Although they had assumed the form and fitting dress of ascetics, the two possessed an indescribable splendor. Placing Janaka’s daughter before them, they went to cross the river that descends from heaven.
Passage 18
रघुवंशसिन्धुतुहिनद्युतिस्तदा प्रणतं सुमन्त्रमथ संनिवर्तयन्। बहु संदिदेश पितरं च मातरं विनयाद्भवन्तमुपदर्शितार्जवः॥१८॥
“Rāma, the moon of the ocean of Raghu’s lineage, then turned back the bowing Sumantra. With transparent sincerity, he respectfully entrusted many messages for his father, his mothers, and you.
Passage 19
अनुजं सरोषकटुभाषिणं तदा विनिवार्य साधुधिषणस्तमूचिवान्। पुरुषं यदाह वचनं ममानुजो न सुमन्त्र तत्कथय मत्पितुः पुरः॥१९॥
“The wise prince restrained his younger brother, who had spoken harshly in anger, and said, ‘Sumantra, do not repeat before my father the words that my younger brother spoke about that noble man.
Passage 20
वनवासनेन सततोऽयलालिते प्रणयो मयि क्षितिपतेर्न हीयते। स हि सत्यवाक् पुरुषधोरणीमणिर्न मयापनेतुमुचितः स्वसत्यतः॥२०॥
“‘The king’s affection for me, his son whom he has always cherished, is not diminished by this forest exile. He speaks truth and is the jewel among foremost men; it is not right for me to draw him away from his own truth.’
Passage 21
इति शीतलैरमृतसारसुन्दरैर्वचनैः सुमन्त्रमभिधाय धैर्यभृत्। विससर्ज दुःखितमुदश्रुलोचनं सहगन्तुमाहितमनोरथं प्रभुः॥२१॥
“With these soothing words, beautiful with the essence of nectar, the steadfast lord dismissed Sumantra, who was sorrowful, tearful, and intent on accompanying him.
Passage 22
परिपश्यतामलघुबाष्पचक्षुषां स हि नस्तदेक्षणपथं व्यतीयिवान्। मदुपाहितां समधिरुह्य तां तरीं जनकात्मजानुजनिषेविताङ्घ्रिकः॥२२॥
“While our eyes streamed abundant tears, he passed beyond our range of sight after boarding the boat I provided, his feet attended by Janaka’s daughter and his younger brother.
Passage 23
स मयोपनीतमधिकं चतुर्विधं रसनीयभोज्यनिवहं न चाददे। अनुजोपनीतमुदकं मुदायुतो जनकात्मजासहित आश धार्मिकः॥२३॥
“The righteous Rāma did not accept the abundant array of delicious food of four kinds that I offered. Joyfully accompanied by Janaka’s daughter, he took only the water brought by his younger brother.
Passage 24
नयनाध्वनः परमुपेतवत्सु तेष्वधिकात्तिमिन्धुविनिमग्नमानसौ। विरहाधिवृन्दभृदहं च सारथिः परिमुष्टशून्यहृदयौ न्यवर्तताम्॥२४॥
“When they had passed beyond the pathway of our eyes, the charioteer and I returned with minds submerged in dense darkness, bearing the anguish of separation and with our plundered hearts left empty.” Bharata Faints
Passage 25
इतीरितं गुहेन संनिशम्य कैकयीसुतः। रघूद्वहं विचिन्तयन् मुमोह भूरिदुःखतः॥२५॥
Hearing Guha’s account, the son of Kaikeyī contemplated the bearer of Raghu’s line and fainted under the weight of immense sorrow.