Passage 1
श्रीराम उवाच— शरदं पश्य सौमित्रे प्रसृतां परितो भुवि। वनेषु फुल्लमल्ली या जलेषूत्फुल्लपङ्कजा॥१॥
Śrī Rāma said: “Saumitri, behold autumn spread across the whole earth, with jasmine flowering in the forests and lotuses opening upon the waters.
Passage 2
प्राप्तोऽभिषेणनं कर्तुं कालोऽयं लोकसौख्यदः। तुल्यशीतोष्मविभवस्तुल्यरात्रिदिनोदयः॥२॥
“This season, which brings comfort to the world, has arrived for launching a military expedition: heat and cold are balanced, and night and day rise in equal measure.
Passage 3
इदानीमेव च प्रायो राजानः कुर्वतेतराम्। दिग्जैत्रयात्राप्रस्थानं सुकरं सुखसाधनम्॥३॥
“At precisely this time kings commonly set out upon an easy and auspicious campaign to conquer the directions.
Passage 4
प्राप्तश्च नेह सुग्रीवो विश्वास्य वचनेन माम्। तत्रैव तस्थौ भुञ्जानः किष्किन्धाराज्यसम्पदम्॥४॥
“Yet Sugrīva has not come here after securing my trust with his promise. He has remained there enjoying the wealth of Kiṣkindhā's kingdom.
Passage 5
न तं विना भवेज्जातु सेनासंघटनं मम। कथमायाति चेदानीं स दोषाद्विस्मृतो नु किम्॥५॥
“Without him I can never assemble the army. Why has he not come now? Has some failing made him forget?
Passage 6
मित्रं स्वच्छतया यो वै शीलयेच्छुद्धमानसः। तस्यायं च परो लोकः सर्वर्द्धिसुखसम्पदः॥६॥
“For one who cultivates friendship sincerely with a pure heart, both this world and the next are endowed with every prosperity, happiness, and treasure.
Passage 7
यदि मां वञ्चयित्वैष तिष्ठेन्निजपुरे कपिः। तदद्य किमहं कुर्यां परदेशकृतागमः॥७॥
“If this monkey deceives me and remains in his own city, what can I do now, having come into a foreign land?
Passage 8
पश्य लक्ष्मण विश्वासात्तस्याहं माल्यवद्गिरौ। एतावन्तं कालमत्रासं चातुर्मास्यं च यापितम्॥८॥
“See, Lakṣmaṇa: trusting him, I have remained here on Mount Mālyavat all this time and passed the four rainy months.
Passage 9
स च मां नोपपातोऽत्र किं कार्यमधुना मया। न चेह मत्स्थितौ हेतुः सेनासंघटनात्परः॥९॥
“Yet he has not come to me here. What should I do now? There is no reason for me to remain here apart from assembling the army.
Passage 10
नूनं राज्यमदाविष्टः सुग्रीवः कपिपुङ्गवः। किष्किन्धानगरीभोगसुखासक्तः क्व मां स्मरेत्॥१०॥
“Sugrīva, foremost of monkeys, is surely intoxicated with kingship. Absorbed in the pleasures and comforts of Kiṣkindhā, why would he remember me?
Passage 11
मातरं पितरं मित्रं भ्रातरं बान्धवानपि। विस्मरन्ति मदाविष्टा यदुक्तं पूर्वमात्मना॥११॥
“Those overcome by intoxication forget mother, father, friend, brother, relatives, and even what they themselves promised before.
Passage 12
तस्य राज्यमदो भूयान्निःसपत्नां पुरीमिमाम्। शासतो विविधान् भोगान् भुञ्जानस्य निरन्तरम्॥१२॥
“His intoxication with sovereignty must be immense as he rules this city without a rival and ceaselessly enjoys its many pleasures.
Passage 13
तारया रूपवत्या स चिराभिलषितया तया। कुर्वाणोऽतितरां भोगान्न मां स्मरति वानरः॥१३॥
“Indulging excessively with beautiful Tārā, whom he had desired for so long, that monkey does not remember me.
Passage 14
स राजा कपिकोटीनां बलवान् दुर्गसंस्थितः। भुङ्क्ते भोगान् सदा मत्तः किं मत्तोऽस्य प्रयोजनम्॥१४॥
“He is the powerful king of millions of monkeys, secure within his fortress and always drunk upon enjoyment. What need does he have of me?
Passage 15
अकैतवः सखा भूमौ सज्जनश्चातिदुर्लभः। मां वञ्चयन् स्फुटमसौ भुङ्क्ते राज्यमकण्टकम्॥१५॥
“A guileless friend and a truly good person are exceedingly rare upon the earth. Plainly deceiving me, he enjoys a kingdom free from every thorn.” Lakṣmaṇa Offers to Bring Sugrīva by Force
Passage 16
इत्यार्यस्य वचः श्रुत्वा सौमित्रिः क्रोधवान् कपौ। उवाच धनुरुद्यम्य तदङ्घ्रिनिहितेक्षणः॥१६॥
Hearing his noble brother's words, Saumitri grew angry with the monkey. Raising his bow while keeping his eyes fixed upon Rāma's feet, he spoke.
Passage 17
गत्वाहमार्य किष्किन्धां त्वत्प्रतापेन निर्भयः। तं बद्ध्वा सद्य आनेष्ये मित्रवञ्चनकारकम्॥१७॥
“Noble brother, made fearless by your majesty, I shall go to Kiṣkindhā, bind him, and immediately bring back this betrayer of friendship.
Passage 18
स पापो येन मित्रस्य विश्वासो घातितः प्रभो। क्व तस्य भाग्ये तद्राज्यं तस्मिन् वालिनि जीवति॥१८॥
“Lord, the sinner has violated his friend's trust. While Vāli lived, where in Sugrīva's destiny was that kingdom?
Passage 19
स्फुटं विद्रावितो युद्धात्स तेन बलशालिना। त्वयैव कृपया नाथ प्रापितस्तादृशं पदम्॥१९॥
“That mighty Vāli plainly drove him from battle; only through your grace, Lord, was he raised to such a station.
Passage 20
न त्वां स्मरति दुष्टश्चेद्राज्यभोगमदेन सः। तदद्य नूनं हन्तव्यो बद्ध्वाऽनेयस्त्वदन्तिकम्॥२०॥
“If that wicked monkey does not remember you because he is drunk on royal enjoyment, then today he must surely be punished and brought bound into your presence.
Passage 21
क्व तानि वचनान्यस्य क्व तद्दैन्यं क्व सा मतिः। सर्वं विस्मृत्य वीरेन्द्र मुग्धो राज्यमदेन सः॥२१॥
“Where are all his words now? Where is that humility, and where is that understanding? Heroic lord, deluded by the intoxication of kingship, he has forgotten everything.” Rāma Commands Conciliation
Passage 22
इत्युक्तवति सक्रोधं सुमित्रानन्दने स्फुटम्। उवाच रामः सौम्यत्वं दर्शयन् बुद्धिसागरः॥२२॥
When Sumitrā's son had spoken so openly in anger, Rāma, the ocean of wisdom, displayed his gentleness and replied.
Passage 23
गच्छ लक्ष्मण किष्किन्धां तमानय कृतादरः। साम्नैव सिध्यतो भ्रातस्तुर्योपायो न योज्यताम्॥२३॥
“Go to Kiṣkindhā, Lakṣmaṇa, and bring him back with due regard. Brother, when the objective can be achieved by conciliation, do not employ the fourth expedient of force.
Passage 24
नूनमायास्यति मम स्नेहबद्धः कपीश्वरः। बोधनीयः पुनरयं यत्तेन मयि भाषितम्॥२४॥
“Bound to me by affection, the monkey lord will surely come. He need only be reminded once more of what he said to me.
Passage 25
स्मृत्वा प्रतिज्ञामात्मीयां नूनमेष महामतिः। समुद्बुद्धतमस्नेहो न स्थास्यति निजे पुरे॥२५॥
“When this wise one remembers his own pledge and his deep affection fully awakens, he certainly will not remain in his city.
Passage 26
प्रियावियुक्तं क्लिश्यन्तं विदूनं वनवासतः। कृतोपकारं मामेष तत्क्षणादुपयास्यति॥२६॥
“He will come to me at once when he recalls that I am separated from my beloved, afflicted and distressed by forest exile, and that I rendered him aid.
Passage 27
न पुनर्भवता कार्यस्तस्मिन् मित्रे निरागसि। लेशोऽपि कोपस्य सखे यावत्साम्ना प्रसीदति॥२७॥
“Friend, do not show even the slightest anger toward that innocent ally so long as he can be won through peaceful counsel.
Passage 28
सहैव तेन सौमित्रे त्वमायास्यसि मामिह। अन्ये च ये कपिभटा अनुगास्तस्य तैरपि॥२८॥
“Saumitri, you will return here to me together with him and with the other monkey warriors who follow him.”
Passage 29
इति रघुपतिमतमेष गृहीत्वा परिणतमनिरथ तेन विसृष्टः। पदसरसिजयुगमस्य च नत्वा कपिपरिवृढसविधं स जगाम॥२९॥
Thus accepting Raghupati's mature counsel and dispatched by him with settled resolve, Lakṣmaṇa bowed to the pair of lotus feet and departed for the presence of the monkey chief.