Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 31
एवं श्रुत्वा स संवादं लक्ष्मणः पूर्वमागतः। बाष्पपर्याकुलमुखः शोकं सोढुमशक्नुवन्॥ १॥
Meaning
Hearing the dialogue that passed between Śrī Rāma and Sītā as reproduced above, the illustrious Lakṣmaṇa, who had already reached there from Kausalyā’s apartments alongwith Śrī Rāma could not bear the grief born of his impending separation from Śrī Rāma, his face covered with tears. (1)
स भ्रातुश्चरणौ गाढं निपीड्य रघुनन्दनः। सीतामुवाचातियशां राघवं च महाव्रतम्॥ २॥
Meaning
Tightly pressing the feet of his eldest brother, Lakṣmaṇa, the delight of the Raghus, spoke as follows to Sītā, who enjoyed great celebrity, as also to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who had undertaken a great vow : (2)
यदि गन्तुं कृता बुद्धिर्वनं मृगगजायुतम्। अहं त्वानुगमिष्यामि वनमग्रे धनुर्धरः॥ ३॥
Meaning
“If your mind is set on proceeding to the forest, full of deer and elephants I shall accompany you to the woodland, walking ahead of you armed with a bow. (3)
मया समेतोऽरण्यानि रम्याणि विचरिष्यसि। पक्षिभिर्मृगयूथैश्च संघुष्टानि समन्ततः॥ ४॥
Meaning
“Accompanied by me you will roam about in delightful woodlands rendered noisy all round by birds and swarms of deer. (4)
न देवलोकाक्रमणं नामरत्वमहं वृणे। ऐश्वर्यं चापि लोकानां कामये न त्वया विना॥ ५॥
Meaning
“Without you I do not wish to ascend to heaven nor do I solicit godhood nor again do I crave for the rulership of the spheres.” (5)
एवं ब्रुवाणः सौमित्रिर्वनवासाय निश्चितः। रामेण बहुभिः सान्त्वैर्निषिद्धः पुनरब्रवीत्॥ ६॥
Meaning
Speaking thus, Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā, who was determined to dwell in the forest with his eldest brother and was discouraged by Śrī Rāma in so many soothing words, submitted once more as follows : (6)
अनुज्ञातस्तु भवता पूर्वमेव यदस्म्यहम्। किमिदानीं पुनरपि क्रियते मे निवारणम्॥ ७॥
Meaning
“Even though I stand already permitted by you to accompany you to the forest, how am I being prohibited anew this moment? (7)
यदर्थं प्रतिषेधो मे क्रियते गन्तुमिच्छतः। एतदिच्छामि विज्ञातुं संशयो हि ममानघ॥ ८॥
Meaning
“I wish to know definitely wherefore I am being disallowed though longing to proceed with you; for there is doubt in my mind, O sinless brother as to how permission was granted in the beginning and is being withheld now.” (8)
ततोऽब्रवीन्महातेजा रामो लक्ष्मणमग्रतः। स्थितं प्राग्गामिनं धीरं याचमानं कृताञ्जलिम्॥ ९॥
Meaning
Śrī Rāma, who was endowed with great splendour, then replied as follows to the strong-minded Lakṣmaṇa, who stood before him eager to precede Śrī Rāma to the forest and soliciting the latter’s permission with joined palms : (9)
स्निग्धो धर्मरतो धीरः सततं सत्पथे स्थितः। प्रियः प्राणसमो वश्यो विजेयश्च सखा च मे॥ १०॥
Meaning
“Full of affection for me, devoted to virtue, resolute, constantly firm on the right path as shown by the Vedas, dear to me as life, amenable to my control and obedient, you are my boon companion too and, therefore, worthy in every way of accompanying me. (10)
मयाद्य सह सौमित्रे त्वयि गच्छति तद्वनम्। को भजिष्यति कौसल्यां सुमित्रां वा यशस्विनीम्॥ ११॥
Meaning
“Yet if you proceed with me to the forest for which I am leaving today, O son of Sumitrā, who will serve the illustrious Kausalyā and Sumitrā? (11)
अभिवर्षति कामैर्यः पर्जन्यः पृथिवीमिव। स कामपाशपर्यस्तो महातेजा महीपतिः॥ १२॥
Meaning
“That highly glorious king, our father, who showered blessings on the people even as the god of rain sends down rain on the earth stands fettered by the cord of love. (12)
सा हि राज्यमिदं प्राप्य नृपस्याश्वपतेः सुता। दुःखितानां सपत्नीनां न करिष्यति शोभनम्॥ १३॥
Meaning
“Obtaining this kingdom, Kaikeyī, the daughter of King Aśwapati, will certainly not accord good treatment to her afflicted co-wives. (13)
न भरिष्यति कौसल्यां सुमित्रां च सुदुःखिताम्। भरतो राज्यमासाद्य कैकेय्यां पर्यवस्थितः॥ १४॥
Meaning
“Having attained sovereignty Bharata too will not maintain the extremely miserable Kausalyā and Sumitrā, devoted as he will naturally be to Kaikeyī, his own mother. (14)
तामार्यां स्वयमेवेह राजानुग्रहणेन वा। सौमित्रे भर कौसल्यामुक्तमर्थममुं चर॥ १५॥
Meaning
“By your own effort or by securing the goodwill of the king, O son of Sumitrā, please look after here the aforesaid Kausalyā, who is worthy of the utmost respect. Pray, accomplish this aforesaid purpose of mine. (15)
एवं मयि च ते भक्तिर्भविष्यति सुदर्शिता। धर्मज्ञगुरुपूजायां धर्मश्चाप्यतुलो महान्॥ १६॥
Meaning
“On service being thus rendered to elders, O knower of what is right, devotion to me will have been fully demonstrated by you and incomparably great religious merit too will accrue to you. (16)
एवं कुरुष्व सौमित्रे मत्कृते रघुनन्दन। अस्माभिर्विप्रहीणाया मातुर्नो न भवेत् सुखम्॥ १७॥
Meaning
“For my sake, therefore, O son of Sumitrā, do as aforesaid; for there will be no happiness for my mother bereft of us, O scion of Raghu !” (17)
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण लक्ष्मणः श्लक्ष्णया गिरा। प्रत्युवाच तदा रामं वाक्यज्ञो वाक्यकोविदम्॥ १८॥
Meaning
Spoken to thus by Śrī Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, for his part, who knew how to speak, then replied in sweet words as follows to his eldest brother, a master of expression himself : (18)
तवैव तेजसा वीर भरतः पूजयिष्यति। कौसल्यां च सुमित्रां च प्रयतो नास्ति संशयः॥ १९॥
Meaning
“Inspired by your moral lustre itself the devout Bharata will treat with respect Kausalyā and Sumitrā too: there is no doubt about it, O valiant prince ! (19)
यदि दुःस्थो न रक्षेत भरतो राज्यमुत्तमम्। प्राप्य दुर्मनसा वीर गर्वेण च विशेषतः॥ २०॥ तमहं दुर्मतिं क्रूरं वधिष्यामि न संशयः। तत्पक्षानपि तान् सर्वांस्त्रैलोक्यमपि किं तु सा॥ २१॥ कौसल्या बिभृयादार्या सहस्रं मद्विधानपि। यस्याः सहस्रं ग्रामाणां सम्प्राप्तमुपजीविनाम्॥ २२॥
Meaning
“If led astray in consequence of having obtained this first-rate kingdom, Bharata does not protect his mothers through perversity and particularly from pride, O heroic brother, I shall make short work not only of that evil-minded and cruel fellow but all his well-known adherents too, nay, all the three worlds if they side with him : there is no doubt about it. But the celebrated Kausalyā, who is worthy of the highest respect and even by whose dependants thousands of villages have been duly obtained as grants, can support thousands like me. (20—22)
तदात्मभरणे चैव मम मातुस्तथैव च। पर्याप्ता मद्विधानां च भरणाय मनस्विनी॥ २३॥
Meaning
“As such the high-minded Kausalyā is capable of maintaining herself as well as myself and even so my mother, Sumitrā, and those like me. (23)
कुरुष्व मामनुचरं वैधर्म्यं नेह विद्यते। कृतार्थोऽहं भविष्यामि तव चार्थः प्रकल्प्यते॥ २४॥
Meaning
“Therefore, kindly make me your attendant : there will be no unrighteousness in it. I shall thereby have accomplished my object and your purpose too will be adequately served. (24)
धनुरादाय सगुणं खनित्रपिटकाधरः। अग्रतस्ते गमिष्यामि पन्थानं तव दर्शयन्॥ २५॥
Meaning
“Taking my stringed bow and carrying a spade and a basket, I shall walk ahead of you showing you the way. (25)
आहरिष्यामि ते नित्यं मूलानि च फलानि च। वन्यानि च तथान्यानि स्वाहार्हाणि तपस्विनाम्॥ २६॥
Meaning
“Nay, I shall procure for you from day to day wild roots and fruits and other products as well fit for being consigned as oblation into the sacred fire. (26)
भवांस्तु सह वैदेह्या गिरिसानुषु रंस्यसे। अहं सर्वं करिष्यामि जाग्रतः स्वपतश्च ते॥ २७॥
Meaning
“You will sport at will with Sītā, a princess of the Videha clan, on mountain-tops. I shall do everything for you whether you are waking or sleeping.” (27)
रामस्त्वनेन वाक्येन सुप्रीतः प्रत्युवाच तम्। व्रजापृच्छस्व सौमित्रे सर्वमेव सुहृज्जनम्॥ २८॥
Meaning
Highly pleased at this submission Śrī Rāma for his part replied as follows to Lakṣmaṇa : “Go, take leave to proceed to the forest, O son of Sumitrā, of all your near and dear ones. (28)
ये च राज्ञो ददौ दिव्ये महात्मा वरुणः स्वयम्। जनकस्य महायज्ञे धनुषी रौद्रदर्शने॥ २९॥ अभेद्ये कवचे दिव्ये तूणी चाक्षय्यसायकौ। आदित्यविमलाभौ द्वौ खड्गौ हेमपरिष्कृतौ॥ ३०॥ सत्कृत्य निहितं सर्वमेतदाचार्यसद्मनि। सर्वमायुधमादाय क्षिप्रमाव्रज लक्ष्मण॥ ३१॥
Meaning
“Nay, the two heavenly bows, dreadful to look at, which the high-souled Varuṇa, the god of water, personally gave to King Janaka at a grand sacrifice performed by the latter, a pair of impenetrable pieces of armour, a couple of quivers containing an inexhaustible stock of arrows and a pair of swords shedding a spotless lustre like that of the sun and decked with gold—all these which had been presented to me by King Janaka as part of my dowry lie deposited after paying due reverence at the residence of our preceptor, Sage Vasiṣṭha. Taking all those arms return soon, O Lakṣmaṇa !” (29—31)
स सुहृज्जनमामन्त्र्य वनवासाय निश्चितः। इक्ष्वाकुगुरुमागम्य जग्राहायुधमुत्तमम्॥ ३२॥
Meaning
Taking leave of his near and dear ones and approaching Vasiṣṭha, the preceptor of the Ikṣwākus, the prince, who was now assured of his sojourn in the forest, took all the excellent arms etc. (32)
तद् दिव्यं राजशार्दूलः सत्कृतं माल्यभूषितम्। रामाय दर्शयामास सौमित्रिः सर्वमायुधम्॥ ३३॥
Meaning
Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā, a tiger among princes, showed to Śrī Rāma all the aforesaid weapons, that were adored as divine and stood decorated with garlands. (33)
तमुवाचात्मवान् रामः प्रीत्या लक्ष्मणमागतम्। काले त्वमागतः सौम्य कांक्षिते मम लक्ष्मण॥ ३४॥
Meaning
To Lakṣmaṇa, who had come back, Śrī Rāma, who had fully brought his mind under control, lovingly said, “You have returned within an hour as desired by me, O gentle Lakṣmaṇa ! (34)
अहं प्रदातुमिच्छामि यदिदं मामकं धनम्। ब्राह्मणेभ्यस्तपस्विभ्यस्त्वया सह परंतप॥ ३५॥ वसन्तीह दृढं भक्त्या गुरुषु द्विजसत्तमाः। तेषामपि च मे भूयः सर्वेषां चोपजीविनाम्॥ ३६॥
Meaning
“With you, O chastiser of foes, I wish to give away whatever wealth of my own there is with me to Brāhmaṇas engaged in austerities as also to those jewels among Brāhmaṇas, who are firmly devoted to their preceptors and live here (in my palace) and again to all my dependants too. (35-36)
वसिष्ठपुत्रं तु सुयज्ञमार्यं त्वमानयाशु प्रवरं द्विजानाम्। अपि प्रयास्यामि वनं समस्ता- नभ्यर्च्य शिष्टानपरान् द्विजातीन्॥ ३७॥
Meaning
“Meanwhile bring you speedily the most adorable Suyajña, son of Vasiṣṭha and the foremost among the Brāhmaṇas, as also other cultured Brāhmaṇas. Fully adoring them all, I shall forthwith proceed to the forest.” (37)
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