Passage 1
ब्रह्मोवाच— निशम्य भरतेनोक्तां पितुः समाधिमिश्चिताम्। अत्यर्थकरुणां वाचं मुमूर्छ रघुवल्लभः॥१॥
Brahmā said: Hearing Bharata's deeply sorrowful account confirming his father's death, the beloved Raghu fainted.
Passage 2
पतितं धरणीपृष्ठे रामं शोकौघविह्वलम्। दुःखिताः सीतया सार्धं सिषिचुर्भ्रातरोऽश्रुभिः॥२॥
Rāma fell upon the earth, overwhelmed by a flood of grief. His anguished brothers, together with Sītā, bathed him in their tears.
Passage 3
ततः संज्ञां परिप्राप्य बभाषे रघुपुङ्गवः। हा तात हा सत्यपते हा नः परमसंश्रय। हा पालक धरानाथ त्वं गतो गतिमीदृशीम्॥३॥
Regaining consciousness, the foremost Raghu cried, "Alas, Father! Alas, lord of truth, our supreme refuge! Alas, protector and lord of the earth, you have gone to such a state!
Passage 4
हा वात्सल्यनिधेऽस्माकमाजन्म परिरक्षक। हानेकसौख्यदातस्त्वं क्व नु दृश्योऽसि साम्प्रतम्॥४॥
"Alas, treasury of affection, our lifelong protector and giver of countless joys! Where can you be seen now?
Passage 5
हा हा बत ममाभाग्यं योऽन्तेऽपि त्वां न दृष्टवान्। दुर्जनेन मया तात कर्तव्यं किं नु ते प्रियम्॥५॥
"Alas, how unfortunate I am, for I did not see you even at the end! Father, what act pleasing to you can this wretched son now perform?
Passage 6
मृतस्त्वं मम शोकेन त्वयाहं नैव संगतः। हा तात तं दुःसमयं यस्मिन् विरहितस्त्वया॥६॥
"You died grieving for me, while I was not beside you. Alas, Father, what a terrible hour that was when I was separated from you!
Passage 7
समाप्य वनवासं च त्वया हीनां पुरीमहम्। कथं द्रक्ष्यामि दुर्भाग्यः शून्यामिव समन्ततः॥७॥
"When the forest exile is complete, how shall unfortunate I behold the city deprived of you and seemingly empty on every side?
Passage 8
कदापि ते प्रियं तात न कृतं दुहृदा मया। यथा शोकेन पञ्चत्वं गतोऽसि विलपन् मुहुः॥८॥
"Heartless son that I am, I never did anything pleasing to you, and you passed away in grief while repeatedly lamenting.
Passage 9
तानि स्वभावरम्याणि तव वाक्यानि भूपते। मत्संबोधनयुक्तानि श्रोतुं नार्हे मम श्रुती॥९॥
"King, my ears are no longer worthy to hear those naturally charming words of yours addressed to me.
Passage 10
इत्थं विलप्य करुणं रघूणां वल्लभो रुदन्। भार्यां चानुजमभ्येत्य प्रोवाच कृपणो यथा॥१०॥
Lamenting piteously in this way, the beloved Raghu approached his wife and younger brother and spoke through tears like one utterly forlorn.
Passage 11
वैदेहि तव धर्मात्मा श्वशुरो मरणं गतः। भ्रातस्त्वं तातहीनोऽसि दुःखं स्यात्किमतः परम्॥११॥
"Vaidehī, your righteous father-in-law has died. Brother, you are bereft of our father. What sorrow could be greater than this?"
Passage 12
ततो लक्ष्मणसीताभ्यां सहितो रघुपुङ्गवः। अरुदत्करुणं भूयो दुःखवेगसमाकुलः॥१२॥
Then the foremost Raghu, together with Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā, wept piteously again, overwhelmed by a surge of grief. Bharata Steadies the Family
Passage 13
धैर्यमालम्ब्य तान् क्लिष्टानूचे केकयिनन्दनः। उदश्रुनयनः शोकात्सान्त्वयन् कलया गिरा॥१३॥
Summoning courage, Kaikeyī's son addressed the afflicted family. His eyes were full of tears, yet he consoled them in a gentle voice.
Passage 14
अलं दुःखेन ते तस्मिंस्ताते स्वर्गमितेऽधुना। विलोक्य विलपन्तं त्वां दीर्यते हृदयं मम॥१४॥
"Enough of this grief now that our father has gone to heaven. Seeing you lament, my heart is breaking.
Passage 15
किमेतावद्विलपता मया लब्धं रघूद्वह। त्वमेव नः पितेदानीं गुरुर्बन्धुः सुहृत्पतिः॥१५॥
"Foremost Raghu, what have I gained by lamenting so much? You alone are now our father, teacher, kinsman, well-wisher, and lord.
Passage 16
उत्तिष्ठार्योदकं देहि प्रमीतस्यात्मनः पितुः। शत्रुघ्नेन मया चापि पुरैव विहितं तथा॥१६॥
"Rise, noble brother, and offer water to our departed father. Śatrughna and I have already performed the rite."
Passage 17
रुदतीं जानकीं रामः परिष्वज्य समाददे। लक्ष्मणं चाब्रवीदेतद्दुःखिनं भूरिदुःखतः॥१७॥
Rāma embraced and comforted the weeping Jānakī. In the depth of his sorrow he then spoke to grieving Lakṣmaṇa.
Passage 18
भ्रातरानय मे सद्यो बदराण्यैङ्गुदानि च। तैरहं निर्वपिष्यामि पिण्डान् प्रेतस्य मे पितुः॥१८॥
"Brother, quickly bring me jujube and iṅguda fruits. With them I shall prepare the ancestral offerings for my departed father.
Passage 19
आनयस्वोत्तरीयं मे कुर्यां पितुरुदक्रियाम्। ततस्तेऽन्वगमन् सर्वे पुण्यां मन्दाकिनीं नदीम्॥१९॥
"Bring my upper cloth so that I may perform Father's water rite." They all then followed him to the sacred Mandākinī River.
Passage 20
सुतीर्थां स्वच्छपुलिनां देवगन्धर्वसेविताम्। सानुजः सहभार्यश्च तत्र स्नात्वा रघूद्वहः॥२०॥
It possessed an excellent ford and clean sandbanks and was frequented by gods and gandharvas. The foremost Raghu bathed there with his brother and wife.
Passage 21
स्वर्गस्थायात्मनः पित्रे प्रददावुदकाञ्जलीन्। ततस्तीरे समागत्य पिण्डान् निरवपद्भुवि॥२१॥
He offered handfuls of water to his father established in heaven. Coming onto the bank, he then placed the ancestral food offerings upon the earth.
Passage 22
बदरैङ्गुदपिण्याकं सुमेध्यं दर्भसंस्तरे। पुनः पर्णकुटीमीयुर्भ्रातरः सह सीतया॥२२॥
The pure offering of jujube and iṅguda pulp lay upon a bed of darbha. The brothers then returned to the leaf-hut with Sītā.
Passage 23
तस्या द्वारे स्थितो राम उभौ भरतलक्ष्मणौ। कराभ्यां सुसमादाय रुरोद पितरं स्मरन्॥२२॥
Standing at its door, Rāma took Bharata and Lakṣmaṇa securely by the hands and wept as he remembered his father. The witness repeats printed marker 22 for this independent passage. It is registered editorially as passage 23; the printed marker is preserved above. Ayodhyā's People Join the Mourning
Passage 24
तेषां प्ररुदतां तत्र वैदेह्या सह दुःखतः। उदभूत्करुणः शब्दो हरीणामिव गर्जताम्॥२४॥
As they wept there in anguish with Vaidehī, a piteous sound arose like the roaring of lions.
Passage 25
कृत्वोदकं पितुः सर्वे भ्रातरस्तत्र संगताः। रुरुदुः करुणां वाचमीरयन्तः परस्परम्॥२५॥
After making the water offering to their father, all the brothers gathered there and wept, exchanging words of grief.
Passage 26
सैनिकास्तमुपश्रुत्य तुमुलं रोदनध्वनिम्। अज्ञासिषुः सहार्येण भरतः संगतोऽधुना॥२६॥
Hearing that tremendous sound of weeping, the soldiers understood that Bharata had now met his noble brother.
Passage 27
रुदन्ति पितृशोकार्तास्तेषां नः स्वरा इति। ततः सहस्रं पुरुषा रामदर्शनकाङ्क्षया॥२७॥
"They are weeping, stricken by grief for their father; those are their voices." Then a thousand men, longing to see Rāma—
Passage 28
तत्राजग्मुः पर्णकुटीं यत्र श्रीमत आश्रमः। तेषामागच्छतामासीद् गजाश्वरथजो ध्वनिः॥२८॥
—came to the leaf-hut where the glorious Lord's hermitage stood. As they approached, the noise of elephants, horses, and chariots arose.
Passage 29
समागते बले तत्र गजाश्वरथसंकुले। वित्रेसुर्वन्यपशवो वराहमहिषादयः॥२९॥
When the force crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots arrived, the wild animals—boars, buffaloes, and others—became terrified.
Passage 30
सिंहा व्याघ्राश्च गोकर्णा गवयाः सैन्यशब्दतः। संत्रस्ताः कन्दरां भेजुश्चित्रकूटमहीभृतः॥३०॥
Lions, tigers, antelope, and wild oxen, frightened by the army's noise, fled into the caves of Mount Citrakūṭa.
Passage 31
शुककोकिलकाकाद्याः कोककारण्डवादयः। दात्यूहाः सारसा हंसा नानारूपा विहंगमाः॥३१॥
Parrots, cuckoos, crows, chakravākas, ducks, dātyūhas, cranes, swans, and birds of many forms—
Passage 32
विसंज्ञाः सैन्यनादेन वित्रस्ताः सकला दिशः। उत्पेतुर्मण्डलं बद्ध्वा गगनान्तरचारिणः॥३२॥
—were stunned by the army's roar. Terrified in every direction, the sky-going birds rose in circling flocks.
Passage 33
उच्चैः पक्षिगणाकीर्णं गगनं पर्यराजत। अधः सैन्यसमूहेन व्याप्तं धरणिमण्डलम्॥३३॥
The sky shone overhead, crowded by multitudes of birds, while below the surface of the earth was covered by the massed army.
Passage 34
पारिरेभे जनान् कांश्चित्कांश्चिद्रामोऽभ्यवादयत्। कांश्चिज्जग्राह दृष्ट्यैव कांश्चित्सम्भाषणादिभिः॥३४॥
Rāma embraced some people and greeted others. Some he received merely with a glance and others through conversation and further courtesies.
Passage 35
कैश्चिन्नतः सविनयं कैश्चिदङ्घ्र्योश्च वन्दितः। सर्वानाददृशे रामः पितृशोकाकुलोऽपि सन्॥३५॥
Some bowed humbly to him and others venerated his feet. Though overwhelmed by grief for his father, Rāma acknowledged everyone.
Passage 36
चक्षुर्लज्जाननो मौनं पितृशोकेन विह्वलः। आत्मानं मन्यमानश्च पित्रा रहितमातुरः॥३६॥
His eyes and face lowered in reserve, he remained silent, overcome by grief for his father and suffering as he reflected upon himself bereft of him.
Passage 37
रुरोद भ्रातृभिः सार्धं पुनर्नूतनयञ्छुचम्। अधोमुखस्तदातिष्ठच्चिन्ताशोकसमाकुलः॥३७॥
He wept with his brothers, renewing his sorrow, and remained with face bowed, overcome by grief and troubled thought.
Passage 38
भृशं रुदञ्छोकनिपातरुग्णः सन्नादशब्देन गुहागतेन। निनादयन् भूमिधरं समन्ताद् धृत्या न रोद्धुं हृदयं शशाक॥३८॥
Weeping intensely and stricken by the fall of grief, he filled the mountain on every side with a resonant cry that entered its caves. Even with all his fortitude, he could not restrain his heart.