Sarga 53

स तं वृक्षं समासाद्य सन्ध्यामन्वास्यपश्चिमाम्। रामो रमयतां श्रेष्ठ इति होवाच लक्ष्मणम्।।2.53.1।।

On reaching the foot of the tree, Rama offered oblations to Sandhya of the west. And then he who is ...

अद्येयं प्रथमा रात्रिर्याता जनपदाद्बहिः। या सुमन्त्रेण रहिता तां नोत्कण्ठितुमर्हसि।।2.53.2।।

We will have to spend this first night without Sumantra and away from human habitation. (Yet) you ne...

जागर्तव्यमतन्द्रिभ्यामद्यप्रभृति रात्रिषु। योगक्षेमौ हि सीताया वर्तेते लक्ष्मणावयोः।।2.53.3।।

O Lakshmana, from now on we must be sleeplessly vigilant at night. The welfare and safety of Sita de...

रात्रिं कथञ्चिदेवेमां सौमित्रे वर्तयामहे। अपावर्तामहे भूमावास्तीर्य स्वयमार्जितैः।।2.53.4।।

O Lakshmana, we will have to somehow pass this night, sleeping on the ground spread with whatever we...

स तु संविश्य मेदिन्यां महार्हशयनोचितः। इमाः सौमित्रये रामो व्याजहार कथाः शुभाः।।2.53.5।।

Rama who deserved a luxurious bed lay down on the ground and uttered these beneficial words to Laksh...

ध्रुवमद्य महाराजो दुःखं स्वपिति लक्ष्मण। कृतकामा तु कैकेयी तुष्टा भवितुमर्हति।।2.53.6।।

O Lakshmana, the maharaja must be having a painful sleep tonight. But Kaikeyi with her desires fulfi...

सा हि देवी महाराजं कैकेयी राज्यकारणात्। अपि न च्यावयेत्प्राणान् दृष्ट्वा भरतमागतम्।।2.53.7।।

After the arrival of Bharata, I hope queen Kaikeyi does not deprive the king of his life for the sak...

अनाथश्च हि वृद्धश्च मया चैव विनाकृतः। किं करिष्यति कामात्मा कैकेयी वशमागतः।।2.53.8।।

That lustful king, having come under the hold of Kaikeyi, has been deprived of my presence. What can...

इदं व्यसनमालोक्य राज्ञश्च मतिविभ्रमम्। काम एवार्थधर्माभ्यां गरीयानिति मे मतिः।।2.53.9।।

Reflecting on the calamity and mental aberration of the king, I think passion is stronger than wealt...

को ह्यविद्वानपि पुमान् प्रमदायाः कृते त्यजेत्। छन्दानुवर्तिनं पुत्रं तातो मामिव लक्ष्मण।।2.53.10।।

O Lakshmana, will even an illiterate man for the sake of a woman ever abandon his son like me who is...

सुखी बत सभार्यश्च भरतः केकयीसुतः। मुदितान् कोसलानेको यो भोक्ष्यत्यधिराजवत्।।2.53.11।।

Bharata, son of Kaikeyi, with his wife will alone enjoy like an emperor this kingdom of Kosala full ...

स हि सर्वस्य राज्यस्य मुखमेकं भविष्यति। ताते च वयसाऽतीते मयि चारण्यमास्थिते।।2.53.12।।

The king is advanced in age and I have to dwell in the forest. Therefore, Bharata alone will be the ...

अर्थधर्मौ परित्यज्य य काममनुवर्तते। एवमापद्यते क्षिप्रं राजा दशरथो यथा।।2.53.13।।

Any king who abandons dharma and artha and adopts a life of pleasure will very soon reach this state...

मन्ये दशरथान्ताय मम प्रव्राजनाय च। कैकेयी सौम्य सम्प्राप्ता राज्याय भरतस्य च।।2.53.14।।

O handsome Lakshmana I think Kaikeyi has come to our house for the destruction of Dasaratha, for my ...

अपीदानीं तु कैकेयी सौभाग्यमदमोहिता। कौसल्यां च सुमित्रां च सम्प्रबाधेत मत्कृते।।2.53.15।।

Intoxicated with her good fortune will not Kaikeyi torment Kausalya and Sumitra for my sake?

मा स्म मत्कारणाद्देवी सुमित्रा दुःखमावसेत्। अयोध्यामित एव त्वं काल्ये प्रविश लक्ष्मण।।2.53.16।।

O Lakshmana, because of me mother Sumitra should not live in sorrow. Therefore, tomorrow morning go ...

अहमेको गमिष्यामि सीतया सह दण्डकान्। अनाथाया हि नाथस्त्वं कौशल्याया भविष्यसि।।2.53.17।।

I shall go with Sita into the Dandaka forest and you be the protector of the helpless, Kausalya.

क्षुद्रकर्मा हि कैकेयी द्वेष्यमन्याय्यमाचरेत्। परिदद्याहि धर्मज्ञे भरते मम मातरम्।।2.53.18।।

Kaikeyi who is a woman of heinous deeds may follow, out of hostility, an unjust way in respect of my...

नूनं जात्यन्तरे कस्मिन् स्त्रियः पुत्रैर्वियोजिताः। जनन्या मम सौमित्रे तस्मादेतदुपस्थितम्।।2.53.19।।

O Lakshmana, surely in one of her previous births did my mother separate women from their sons. That...

मया हि चिरपुष्टेन दुखसंवर्धितेन च। विप्रयुज्यत कौशल्या फलकाले धिगस्तु माम्।।2.53.20।।

Kausalya nurtured me for a long time and reared me with great difficulty. When she was going to enjo...

मा स्म सीमन्तिनी काचिज्जनयेत्पुत्रमीदृशम्। सौमित्रे योऽहमम्बाया दद्मि शोकमनन्तकम्।।2.53.21।।

O Lakshmana, I am causing endless sorrow to my mother. May no mother give birth to a son like me

मन्ये प्रीतिविशिष्टा सा मत्तो लक्ष्मण शारिका। यस्यास्तच्छ्रूयते वाक्यं शुक पादमरेर्दश।।2.53.22।।

(On hearing my banishment) her myna would say to her parrot, 'O parrot, bite the foot of the enemy (...

शोचन्त्या अल्पभाग्याया न किञ्चिदुपकुर्वता। पुत्रेण किमपुत्राया मया कार्यमरिन्दम।।2.53.23।।

My mother has less fortune and more grief like a woman without a son, O Lakshmana, subduer of enemie...

अल्पभाग्या हि मे माता कौशल्या रहिता मया। शेते परमदुःखार्ता पतिता शोकसागरे।।2.53.24।।

My mother is unlucky as she has been separated from me. Extremely distressed, she must have plunged ...

एको ह्यहमयोध्यां च पृथिवीं चापि लक्ष्मण। तरेयमिषुभिः क्रुद्धो ननु वीर्यमकारणम्।।2.53.25।।

Once enraged, O Lakshmana I can overpower Ayodhya, even the whole world all by myself with my arrows...

अधर्मभयभीतश्च परलोकस्य चानघ। तेन लक्ष्मण नाद्याह मात्मानमभिषेचये।।2.53.26।।

O sinless one, I did not get myself coronated owing to fear of unrighteous conduct and fear of the o...

एतदन्यश्च करुणं विलप्य विजने वने। अश्रुपूर्णमुखो रामो निशि तूष्णीमुपाविशत्।।2.53.27।।

Like this and in many other ways Rama lamented pitifully in that desolate forest. When his face was ...

विलप्योपरतं रामं गतार्चिषमिवानलम्। समुद्रमिव निर्वेगमाश्वासयत लक्ष्मणः।।2.53.28।।

Lakshmana consoled Rama who ceased to lament like fire with extinguished flames or like a motionless...

ध्रुवमद्य पुरी राजन्नयोध्यायुधिनां वर। निष्प्रभा त्वयि निष्क्रान्ते गतचन्द्रेव शर्वरी।।2.53.29।।

O Rama, foremost of warriors, it is certain that since your departure, the city of Ayodhya must be l...

नैतदौपयिकं राम यदिदं परितप्यते। विषादयसि सीतां च मां चैव पुरुषर्षभ।।2.53.30।।

This is not the way you should lament, O Rama. O foremost of men, by doing so you are disheartening ...

न च सीता त्वया हीना न चाहमपि राघव। मुहूर्तमपि जीवावो जलान्मत्स्याविनोद्धृतौ।।2.53.31।।

Without you Sita or I will not survive even for a moment like a fish taken out of water, O Rama

नहि तातं न शत्रुघ्नं न सुमित्रां परन्तप। द्रष्टुमिच्छेयमद्याहं स्वर्गं चापि त्वया विना।।2.53.32।।

Without you, O Rama, tormentor of enemies, I wish to see neither father nor Satrughna nor Sumitra no...

ततस्तत्र सुखासीनौ नातिदूरे निरीक्ष्य ताम्। न्यग्रोधे सुकृतां शय्यां भेजाते धर्मवत्सलौ।।2.53.33।।

Thereafter Rama and Sita, the duo, nurturers of righteousness, from their comfortable seats moved t...

स लक्ष्मणस्योत्तमपुष्कलं वचो निशम्य चैवं वनवासमादरात्। समाः समस्ता विदधे परन्तपः प्रपद्य धर्मं सुचिर...

Rama, the tormentor of enemies, listened, out of love, to the excellent and copious words of Lakshma...

ततस्तु तस्मिन् विजने वने तदा महाबलौ राघववंशवर्धनौ। न तौ भयं सम्भ्रममभ्युपेयतु र्यथैव सिंहौ गिरिसानुग...

Then the two mighty perpetuators of the Raghu race, who were like two lions dwelling on the slopes o...