Sarga 39

रामस्य तु वचः शृत्वा मुनिवेशधरं च तम्। समीक्ष्य सह भार्याभी राजा विगतचेतनः।।2.39.1।। नैनं दुःखेन सन्...

After hearing Rama and beholding him in the robes of an ascetic, Dasaratha and his wives fell unco...

रामस्य तु वचः शृत्वा मुनिवेशधरं च तम्। समीक्ष्य सह भार्याभी राजा विगतचेतनः।।2.39.1।। नैनं दुःखेन सन्...

After hearing Rama and beholding him in the robes of an ascetic, Dasaratha and his wives fell unco...

स मुहूर्तमिवासंज्ञो दुःखितश्च महीपतिः। विललाप महाबाहू राममेवानुचिन्तयन्।।2.39.3।।

The mightyarmed king lost consciousness for a moment and in grief lamented, brooding only over Rama.

मन्ये खलु मया पूर्वं विवत्सा बहवःकृताः। प्राणिनो हिंसिता वापि तस्मादिदमुपस्थितम्।।2.39.4।।

'In the past I must have separated many from their children or harmed many living beings. That is wh...

न त्वेवानागते काले देहाच्च्यवति जीवितम्। कैकेय्या क्लिश्यमानस्य मृत्युर्मम न विद्यते।।2.39.5।। योऽहं...

Unless the destined hour arrives, life does not leave the body. Therefore, even though I am tormente...

न त्वेवानागते काले देहाच्च्यवति जीवितम्। कैकेय्या क्लिश्यमानस्य मृत्युर्मम न विद्यते।।2.39.5।। योऽहं...

Unless the destined hour arrives, life does not leave the body. Therefore, even though I am tormente...

एकस्याः खलु कैकेय्याः कृतेऽयं क्लिश्यते जनः। स्वार्थे प्रयतमानायाः संश्रित्य निकृतिं त्विमाम्।।2.39....

Only because of Kaikeyi who resorted to this deception in pursuit of selfish ends so many people ar...

एवमुक्त्वा तु वचनं बाष्पेण पिहितेन्द्रियः। रामेति सकृदेवोक्त्वा व्याहर्तुं न शशाक ह।।2.39.8।।

Having uttered these words and muttering, 'O Rama' only once, his vision blurred by tears, he could ...

संज्ञां तु प्रतिलभ्यैव मुहूर्तात्स महीपतिः। नेत्राभ्यामश्रुपूर्णाभ्यां सुमन्त्रमिदमब्रवीत्।।2.39.9।।

Regaining his senses in a moment, the king, with eyes filled with tears, said to Sumantra:

औपवाह्यं रथं युक्त्वा त्वमायाहि हयोत्तमैः। प्रापयैनं महाभागमितो जनपदात्परम्।।2.39.10।।

Harness the finest horses to the chariot suitable for the journey, drive this magnanimous Rama to a ...

एवं मन्ये गुणवतां गुणानां फलमुच्यते। पित्रा मात्रा च यत्साधुर्वीरो निर्वास्यते वनम्।।2.39.11।।

That the pious and heroic son is banished by his parents to the forest is, I think, the reward to th...

राज्ञो वचनमाज्ञाय सुमन्त्रः शीघ्रविक्रमः। योजयित्वाऽययौ तत्र रथमश्वैरलङ्कृतम्।।2.39.12।।

In obedience to the words of the king, Sumantra promptly harnessed the horses to a welldecorated cha...

तं रथं राजपुत्राय सूत: कनकभूषितम्। आचचक्षेऽञ्जलिं कृत्वा युक्तं परमवाजिभिः।।2.39.13।।

With folded palms Sumantra informed the prince that a chariot, decked in gold and harnessed with exc...

राजा सत्वरमाहूय व्यापृतं वित्तसंञ्चये। उवाच देशकालज्ञो निश्चितं सर्वत श्शुचिम्।।2.39.14।।

The king who was aware of the right place and time summoned hurriedly the treaury officer, who was f...

वासांसि च महार्हाणि भूषणानि वराणि च। वर्षाण्येतानि सङ्ख्याय वैदेह्याः क्षिप्रमानय।।2.39.15।।

Assess the (needs for) number of years the princess of Videha (Sita) is going to be in the forest, a...

नरेन्द्रेणैवमुक्तस्तु गत्वा कोशगृहं ततः। प्रायच्छत्सर्वमाहृत्य सीतायै सममेव तत्।।2.39.16।।

Ordered thus by the king, the officer went to the treasury, collected all the things and presented t...

सा सुजाता सुजातानि वैदेही प्रस्थिता वनम्। भूषयामास गात्राणि तैर्विचित्रैर्विभूषणैः।।2.39.17।।

That princess of noble birth from Videha adorned her beautiful limbs with the sparkling ornaments an...

व्यराजयत वैदेही वेश्म तत्सुविभूषिता। उद्यतोंऽशुमतः काले खं प्रभेव विवस्वतः।।2.39.18।।

Welladorned Sita illumined the palace like the rising Sun lighting up the sky at dawn.

तां भुजाभ्यां परिष्वज्य श्वश्रूर्वचनमब्रवीत्। अनाचरन्ती कृपणं मूर्ध्न्युपाघ्राय मैथिलीम्।।2.39.19।।

Kausalya, Sita's motherinlaw, took her in her arms, embraced her, kissed her on the forehead, and sa...

असत्य स्सर्वलोकेऽस्मिन्सततं सत्कृताः प्रियैः। भर्तारं नानुमन्यन्ते विनिपातगतं स्त्रियः।।2.39.20।।

Those women who, although always gratified, do not follow their husband when they fall into misfortu...

एष स्वभावो नारीणामनुभूय पुरा सुखम्। अल्पामप्यापदं प्राप्य दुष्यन्ति प्रजहत्यपि।।2.39.21।।

Though they have enjoyed all pleasures (with their husbands) earlier, they censure them in the wake ...

असत्यशीला विकृता दुर्ग्राह्यहृदयास्सदा। युवत्यः पापसंङ्कल्पाः क्षणमात्राद्विरागिणः।।2.39.22।।

Evilminded young ladies are infidels. They are of perverted nature. They are inscrutable. In an inst...

न कुलं न कृतं विद्या न दत्तं नापि सङ्ग्रहः। स्त्रीणां गृह्णाति हृदयमनित्यहृदया हि ताः।।2.39.23।।

Neither family traditions nor benefits received, nor education nor affection nor gifts nor even accu...

साध्वीनां हि स्थितानां तु शीले सत्ये श्रुते शमे। स्त्रीणां पवित्रं परमं पतिरेको विशिष्यते।।2.39.24।।

But for those virtuous women whose minds are fixed in chastity, truth, scriptures and stability, the...

स त्वया नावमन्तव्यः पुत्रः प्रव्राजितो मम। तव दैवतमस्त्वेष निर्धनः सधनोऽपि वा।।2.39.25।।

You must not underestimate my son in his exile. You must treat him as your god whether he is wealthy...

विज्ञाय वचनं सीता तस्या धर्मार्थसंहितम्। कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेदं श्वश्रूमभिमुखे स्थिताम्।।2.39.26।।

Sita who understood the import of these words which were in conformity with dharma and artha, repile...

करिष्ये सर्वमेवाहमार्या यदनुशास्ति माम्। अभिज्ञास्मि यथा भर्तुर्वर्तितव्यं श्रुतं च मे।।2.39.27।।

I shall do exactly all that the venerable motherinlaw instructs me. I have heard it earlier and have...

न मामसज्जनेनार्या समानयितुमर्हति। धर्माद्विचलितुं नाहमलं चन्द्रादिव प्रभा।।2.39.28।।

My worshipful motherinlaw should not equate me with wicked people (women). I cannot swerve from the ...

नातन्त्री वाद्यते वीणा नाचक्रो वर्तते रथः। नापतिस्सुखमेधेत या स्यादपि शतात्मजा।।2.39.29।।

A veena (lute) sans strings cannot be played. A chariot without wheels cannot move. Similarly, a wom...

मितं ददाति हि पिता मितं माता मितं सुतः। अमितस्य हि दातारं भर्तारं का न पूजयेत्।।2.39.30।।

While the happiness that the father, mother and son give is limited, a husband gives unlimited happi...

साहमेवं गता श्रेष्ठा श्रुतधर्मपरावरा। आर्ये किमवमन्येऽहं स्त्रीणां भर्ता हि दैवतम्।।2.39.31।।

Instructed about my obligations by an eminent lady (her mother?), imbued with these ideals, how can ...

सीताया वचनं श्रुत्वा कौशल्या हृदयङ्गमम्। शुद्धसत्त्वा मुमोचाश्रु सहसा दुःखहर्षजम्।।2.39.32।।

Listening to the heartstirring words of Sita, Kausalya with her heart so pure burst instantaneously ...

तां प्राञ्जलिरभिक्रम्य मातृमध्येऽतिसत्कृताम्। रामः परमधर्मात्मा मातरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्।।2.39.33।।

Most virtuous Rama approached his mother, that highly revered lady among all his mothers, and with f...

अम्ब मा दुःखिता भूस्त्वं पश्य त्वं पितरं मम।। क्षयो हि वनवासस्य क्षिप्रमेव भविष्यति।।2.39.34।।

O mother, do not grieve. Look after my father. My stay in the forest will soon come to an end.

सुप्तायास्ते गमिष्यन्ति नव वर्षाणि पञ्च च। सा समग्रमिह प्राप्तं मां द्रक्ष्यसि सुहृद्वृतम्।।2.39.35।...

Fourteen years will pass off like a night's sleep. You will see me come home safe and sound, surroun...

एतावदभिनीतार्थमुक्त्वा स जननीं वचः। त्रयश्शतशतार्धाश्च ददर्शा वेक्ष्य मातरः।।2.39.36।।

Speaking thus to his mother with highly polished words, he then turned his gaze at his other three h...

ता श्चापि स तथैवार्ता मातृ़र्दशरथात्मजः। धर्मयुक्तमिदं वाक्यं निजगाद कृताञ्जलिः।।2.39.37।।

To all the mothers who stood deeply distressed with grief the son of Dasaratha spoke with folded han...

संवासात्परुषं किञ्चिदज्ञानाद्वापि यत्कृतम्। तन्मे समनुजानीत सर्वाश्चामन्त्रयामि वः।।2.39.38।।

If I have been harsh towards you, on account of our living together or through ignorance may you for...

वचनं राघवस्यैतध्दर्मयुक्तं समाहितम्। शुश्रुवुस्ताः स्त्रियंस्सर्वा श्शोकोपहतचेतसः।।2.39.39।।

All the women with their senses afflicted by grief heard the virtuous and wellbalanced words of the ...

जज्ञेऽथ तासां सन्नादः क्रौञ्चीनामिव निस्वनः। मानवेन्द्रस्य भार्याणामेवं वदति राघवे।।2.39.40।।

While Rama said so, there arose a loud cry of the wives of the king like the cry of the female heron...

मुरजपणवमेघघोषवत् दशरथवेश्म बभूव यत्पुरा। विलपितपरिदेवनाकुलं व्यसनगतं तदभूत्सुदुःखितम्।।2.39.41।।

Dasaratha's palace which reverberated, like the rumblings of the cloud, with the sounds of drums and...