Passage 1
तमाघ्राय शिरस्यार्यः परिरभ्य मुहुर्मुहुः। अङ्कमारोप्य दुःखार्तं समाधायान्वपृच्छत॥१॥
The noble Rāma smelled Bharata's head and embraced him again and again. He placed the grief-stricken prince upon his lap, calmed him, and began to ask:
Passage 2
क्व नु तात पितास्माकमभवत्पृथिवीपतिः। तं विहाय त्वमेकाकी कथं वनमुपागतः॥२॥
"Dear brother, where is our father, the lord of the earth? How have you left him and come alone into the forest?
Passage 3
नहि तस्मिन् गुरौ जीवत्यागन्तुमुचितो भवान्। चिरायाथ पुरीं त्यक्त्वा मन्ये त्वां दूरमागतम्॥३॥
"While that venerable one lives, it is not proper for you to come here. Since you have left the city for so long and traveled far, I fear something is wrong.
Passage 4
किं च वत्स तवारण्यमुपागन्तुं प्रयोजनम्॥४॥
"Child, what purpose has brought you into the forest?
Passage 5
अपि नः कुशली तात स राजा सत्यपालकः। येनेष्टं राजसूयैरप्यश्वमेधैरनेकशः॥५॥
"Is our father well—that king who guards truth and has repeatedly performed rājasūya and aśvamedha sacrifices?
Passage 6
स च ब्रह्मसभाश्रेष्ठस्तपस्वी विदिताखिलः। उपाध्यायो मतोऽस्माकं विधिवत्पूज्यते त्वया॥६॥
"Do you duly honor our preceptor, that ascetic foremost in the assembly of Vedic scholars who knows all things?
Passage 7
अपि नो मातरः सर्वाः कुशलिन्यो यथा पुरा। अपि सत्कुरुषे तात यथापूर्वं पुरोधसम्॥७॥
"Are all our mothers well as before? Dear brother, do you honor the royal priest as formerly?
Passage 8
वृद्धं वसिष्ठं यत्रैव रघूणां धर्म आहितः। अपि नः परमाचार्यः सुधन्वा सुखमेधते॥८॥
"Is aged Vasiṣṭha, in whom the dharma of the Raghus is established, well? And does our supreme teacher Sudhanvā prosper?
Passage 9
अग्निकार्येषु युक्तो यः सम्यग्धर्मनिवेदकः। काले काले विधातव्या इष्टयः कुरुते शुभम्॥९॥
"Does the priest charged with the sacred fires, who properly teaches dharma, perform the auspicious rites required at their proper times?
Passage 10
अपि तान् पुरुषान् शूरान् क्षत्रियाननुवर्तसे। अपि तान् मन्त्रिणो मान्यान् वृद्धान् मानयसे स्वयम्॥१०॥
"Do you retain the service of those heroic warriors? Do you personally honor the venerable and aged ministers?
Passage 11
अपि प्रबुध्यसे काले चिन्तयन्नर्थमात्मनः। अपि ते संवृतो मन्त्रः सम्यक् फलति कर्मसु॥११॥
"Do you wake at the proper time to consider matters of state? Are your secret counsels kept close and do they bear fruit in action?
Passage 12
अपि त्वमर्थलघुभिः प्राप्नोषि सुमहोदयम्। अर्थक्रियैव ते दत्ते क्रियाफलमहोदयम्॥१२॥
"Do you gain great results through modest expenditures? Does practical action bring you the abundant fruit of your efforts?
Passage 13
अपि स्वयं मन्त्रिभिर्वा बुध्यसे वेद्यमर्थवत्। अपि मूर्खाननाहृत्य पण्डितान् मन्यसे शुभान्॥१३॥
"Do you understand important matters yourself or through your ministers? Do you avoid bringing fools near and esteem wise men as auspicious counselors?
Passage 14
घोरेऽर्थकृच्छ्रे प्राप्तोऽपि राजा कल्याणमश्नुते। वसिष्ठवामदेवाद्या ये नो मन्त्रिपुरोहिताः॥१४॥
"Even amid a grave political crisis, a king attains welfare through counselors and priests such as our Vasiṣṭha and Vāmadeva.
Passage 15
अपि तान् मानयन् भक्त्या सभाजयसि धार्मिक। अपि ते दुष्कृतं हन्ति सुकृतोद्यैः पुरोहितः॥१५॥
"Righteous brother, do you honor and revere them with devotion? Does your priest remove wrongdoing through the exercise of sacred merit?
Passage 16
अप्यमात्यान् यथार्हं त्वं नियोजयसि कर्मसु। अयथार्ह नियुक्तास्तु न भवन्ति क्रियाक्षमाः॥१६॥
"Do you appoint officials to duties suited to their qualifications? Those wrongly appointed are not capable of effective action.
Passage 17
अपि नो दण्डयस्युग्रैर्दण्डैर्मन्त्रिकृताः प्रजाः। अपि तात त्वमात्मीयैः कदाचिन्नावमन्यसे॥१७॥
"Do you avoid punishing subjects harshly because of what ministers have done? Dear brother, do you ensure that your own people are never treated with contempt?
Passage 18
अपि ते मतिमान् द्रष्टः शूरः सेनापतिस्तव। अपि योधान् कार्यकरान् दृष्टानाद्रियसे सदा॥१८॥
"Is your commander discerning, farsighted, and brave? Do you always value warriors proven effective in their duties?
Passage 19
अपि दुष्टान् शठान् स्तब्धान् यथावदनुवर्तसे। अपि राज्यहरान् क्रूरान् नोन्मूलयसि तत्क्षणात्॥१९॥
"Do you deal properly with the wicked, deceitful, and arrogant? Do you uproot at once cruel men who would seize the kingdom?
Passage 20
अपि मान्यान् यथास्थानं मानयस्यादरादिभिः। अपि ते तत्पराः सेनाः सुसज्जाः कर्मकारिभिः॥२०॥
"Do you honor worthy people according to their station? Are your devoted forces well equipped and staffed by capable workers?
Passage 21
अपि धर्मार्थकामेषु परस्परमबाधयन्। विचारयसि नीतिज्ञ सर्वेषामुपबृंहणम्॥२१॥
"Skilled in policy, do you deliberate so that dharma, prosperity, and desire support one another without mutual obstruction?
Passage 22
अपि दीनान् दरिद्रांश्च सम्यग्भरसि राष्ट्रके। अप्याशिषो द्विजैर्दत्ताः सम्यग्गृह्णासि भक्तितः॥२२॥
"Do you properly support the helpless and poor throughout the realm? Do you devoutly receive the blessings given by the twice-born?
Passage 23
अपि राज्ञां हितां नीतिं शास्त्रदृष्ट्या निरीक्षसे। सामदानौ भेददण्डौ यथावदनुपश्यसि॥२३॥
"Do you examine beneficial royal policy through the vision of scripture and properly employ conciliation, gifts, division, and punishment?
Passage 24
अपि त्वं सफलारम्भोऽस्यपि त्वं सफलागमः। अपि त्वं सफलादेशोऽस्यपि त्वं सफलेप्सितः॥२४॥
"Are your undertakings fruitful, your acquisitions fruitful, your commands fruitful, and the ends you seek fruitful?
Passage 25
अपि ते बन्धवो दाराः सुहृदो मित्रवंशजाः। ज्येष्ठाः कनिष्ठाः पुरुषा अनुकूलाः समासते॥२५॥
"Are your relatives, wives, well-wishers, allies and their descendants, and people both elder and younger all favorably disposed toward you?
Passage 26
अपि मान्धातृमुख्या नः कुलजाः पृथिवीभृतः। यामधुस्तां निजां वृत्तिं सम्यक्तातानुतिष्ठसि॥२६॥
"Dear brother, do you properly follow the ancestral conduct maintained by Mandhātṛ and the other kings born in our lineage?
Passage 27
यया नीत्या नृपो विन्देत् परत्रेह च मङ्गलम्। तां नीतिमनुतिष्ठंस्त्वं सम्यक् पालयसि प्रजाः॥२७॥
"Do you follow that policy by which a king finds welfare here and hereafter, and thereby govern the people properly?" Bharata Rejects the Kingdom
Passage 28
इत्यापृच्छ्य रघुश्रेष्ठो भ्रातरं भरतं च तम्। यावत्तूष्णीं बभूवासौ तावदाह सुसन्ततः॥२८॥
After the foremost Raghu had questioned his brother Bharata in this way and fallen silent, the deeply distressed prince replied.
Passage 29
किं मे राज्येन किं नीत्या राजधर्मेण किं प्रभो। नित्यं त्वत्पादयोर्दास्यं सम्प्राप्य सुखितात्मनः॥२९॥
"Lord, what need have I of kingdom, policy, or royal duty? My soul finds happiness only in attaining perpetual service at your feet.
Passage 30
अपीदृशव्यसनकृत्तवार्यकुलपांसनः। विनिन्द्यजीवितः सोऽहं किं जातो राघवे कुले॥३०॥
"Having caused such a calamity, I am a stain upon your noble family and my life deserves condemnation. Why was I born in the lineage of Raghu?
Passage 31
नूनं धर्मविहीनोऽस्मि निन्दितोऽस्मि जगत्त्रये। यस्य माता हतभगा तवाप्रियमुपाचरत्॥३१॥
"Surely I am devoid of dharma and condemned throughout the three worlds, for my wretched mother acted against your welfare.
Passage 32
त्वं मे राजा पतिज्येष्ठः प्रभुर्भव महीपतिः। नाहं कनीयान् राज्यार्हः किमेवमभिभाषसे॥३२॥
"You, the eldest, are my king and master; become lord of the earth. I, the younger, am not fit for the throne. Why do you speak to me this way?
Passage 33
गच्छार्य नगरीं स्वीयामयोध्यां पूर्वजैर्धृताम्। राज्येऽभिषेचयात्मानं शुभाय च कुलस्य नः॥३३॥
"Noble brother, return to your city of Ayodhyā, upheld by our ancestors. Consecrate yourself as king for the welfare of our lineage.
Passage 34
त्वं राजेति मतो लोकैर्मया तु परदेवता। धर्मार्थकाममोक्षाणामीश्वरस्त्वं परः पुमान्॥३४॥
"The people regard you as king, but I regard you as the supreme deity. You are the Supreme Person, lord of dharma, prosperity, desire, and liberation. Daśaratha's Death Is Revealed
Passage 35
मयि कैकेयदेशस्थे मातुलेष्वधिवासिनि। त्वय्यरण्यं समायाते पिता नो विरहातुरः॥३५॥
"While I was staying with my maternal relatives in the land of Kekaya, and after you had entered the forest, our father was tormented by separation.
Passage 36
अगात् समाधिं धर्मात्मा तव शोकेन दुःखितः। रटन् रामेति रामेति रामेति करुणस्वरः॥३६॥
"Grieving for you, the righteous king entered his final absorption, crying in a piteous voice, 'Rāma! Rāma! Rāma!'
Passage 37
शत्रुघ्नेन मया चापि न तातस्य हितं भवेत्। प्रियस्तु तस्य नृपतेर्भवान् यावन्न यास्यति॥३७॥
"Neither Śatrughna nor I can bring our father peace. You were dearest to that king, and he cannot find rest until you return.
Passage 38
पितुस्ते प्रेमयुक्तस्य तावत्तृप्तिः कथं भवेत्। अतः कृत्वा हितं तस्मै भवान् गच्छतु तां पुरीम्॥३८॥
"How can your loving father be satisfied before then? Therefore act for his welfare and return to that city.
Passage 39
त्वां शोचंस्त्वददर्शनेप्सुरनिशं त्वय्येवसक्ताशयो यावत्त्वां विनिवर्तयेद्विपिनतो राजा निवर्त्येहितम्। तावत्त्वद्विरहानलद्रुततरज्वालावलीढातुर- प्राणः प्रेमवशात्त्वयीह विनिधायात्मानमास्थात्परम्॥३९॥
"The king ceaselessly mourned for you, longed to see you, and fixed his heart upon you alone, wishing only to bring you back from the forest. Before that could happen, the swiftly rising flames of separation consumed his suffering life. Overcome by love, he placed his very self in you and attained the supreme state."