२.१८.१
तथा तु विलपन्तीं तां कौसल्यां राममातरम् । उवाच लक्ष्मणो दीनस्तत्कालसदृशं वचः ॥
M N Dutt
At this time Laksmana, sorely distressed, addressed the weeping Kausalyā, the mother of Rāma with the following words suitable to that occasion.२.१८.२
न रोचते ममाप्येतदार्ये यद्राघवो वनम् । त्यक्त्वा राज्यश्रियं गच्छेत्स्त्रिया वाक्यवशं गतः ॥
M N Dutt
I like it not, Oh worshipful one, that Räghava, should repair to the forest, renouncing this grandeur of sovereignty. The king is uxorious, old and therefore of perverted judgement and is addicted to worldly affairs; being under the influence of his wife and passion what could he not speak?२.१८.३
विपरीतश्च वृद्धश्च विषयैश्च प्रधर्षितः । नृपः किमिव न ब्रूयाच्चोद्यमानः समन्मथः ॥
M N Dutt
I like it not, Oh worshipful one, that Räghava, should repair to the forest, renouncing this grandeur of sovereignty. The king is uxorious, old and therefore of perverted judgement and is addicted to worldly affairs; being under the influence of his wife and passion what could he not speak?२.१८.४
नास्यापराधं पश्यामि नापि दोषं तथा विधम् । येन निर्वास्यते राष्ट्राद्वनवासाय राघवः ॥
M N Dutt
I do not see any such fault or sin in Rāma that he should be banished from the kingdom to range in the wood.२.१८.५
न तं पश्याम्यहं लोके परोक्षमपि यो नरः । अमित्रोऽपि निरस्तोऽपि योऽस्य दोषमुदाहरेत् ॥
M N Dutt
I do not find any such man in this world, even amongst great enemies, who, forsaken for heinous sins, can cite, even in his absence, any fault of him.२.१८.६
देवकल्पमृजुं दान्तं रिपूणामपि वत्सलम् । अवेक्षमाणः को धर्मं त्यजेत्पुत्रमकारणात् ॥
M N Dutt
Observing what law of righteousness does the monarch, without any cause, renounce such a son who is like to celestials, simple, well disciplined and beloved even of the enemies?२.१८.७
तदिदं वचनं राज्ञः पुनर्बाल्यमुपेयुषः । पुत्रः को हृदये कुर्याद्राजवृत्तमनुस्मरन् ॥
M N Dutt
What son, remembering his father's conduct, shall carry in his heart these words of the king, who has again gone back to childhood?२.१८.८
यावदेव न जानाति कश्चिदर्थमिमं नरः । तावदेव मया सार्धमात्मस्थं कुरु शासनम् ॥
M N Dutt
Ere people come to know this proposal of exile, do you secure the government of the kingdom to yourself with me.२.१८.९
मया पार्श्वे सधनुषा तव गुप्तस्य राघव । कः समर्थोऽधिकं कर्तुं कृतान्तस्येव तिष्ठतः ॥
M N Dutt
Who can disturb the installation, Oh Rāghava, myself protecting you by your side with my bows, like to Death himself.२.१८.१०
निर्मनुष्यामिमां सर्वामयोध्यां मनुजर्षभ । करिष्यामि शरैस्तीक्ष्णैर्यदि स्थास्यति विप्रिये ॥
M N Dutt
If any body stands here as an enemy, surely shall I, Oh best of men, depopulate the whole city of Ayodhyā with sharp arrows.२.१८.११
भरतस्याथ पक्ष्यो वा यो वास्य हितमिच्छति । सर्वानेतान्वधिष्यामि मृदुर्हि परिभूयते ॥
M N Dutt
I shall immolate all who shall stand by Bharata or wish him well, certainly mildness brings about discomfiture.२.१८.१२
त्वया चैव मया चैव कृत्वा वैरमनुत्तमम् । कस्य शक्तिः श्रियं दातुं भरतायारिशासन ॥
M N Dutt
Who dares conferring on on Bharata the kingdom, carrying hostility with me and you?२.१८.१३
अनुरक्तोऽस्मि भावेन भ्रातरं देवि तत्त्वतः । सत्येन धनुषा चैव दत्तेनेष्टेन ते शपे ॥
M N Dutt
Oh worshipful one, verily am I attached at heart to my brother.२.१८.१४
दीप्तमग्निमरण्यं वा यदि रामः प्रवेक्ष्यते । प्रविष्टं तत्र मां देवि त्वं पूर्वमवधारय ॥
M N Dutt
By truth, bow, gifts and things dear to me, do I swear to you; if Rāma shall enter into the wood, know me, Oh worshipful one, to have entered into the fire before that.२.१८.१५
हरामि वीर्याद्दुःखं ते तमः सूर्य इवोदितः । देवी पश्यतु मे वीर्यं राघवश्चैव पश्यतु ॥
M N Dutt
Like to the sun dispelling darkness, shall I remove your sorrow by dint of my power; may your worshipful self and Rāghava witness it. Readily shall I despatch my father, whose heart is unduly attached to Kaikeyſ and who is therefore vile and being old contemptibly playing the child.२.१८.१६
एतत्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणस्य महात्मनः । उवाच रामं कौसल्या रुदन्ती शोकलालसा ॥
M N Dutt
Hearing these words of the high-souled Laks maņa, Kausaly, weeping and being pressed with sorrow spoke these words to Rāma.२.१८.१७
भ्रातुस्ते वदतः पुत्र लक्ष्मणस्य श्रुतं त्वया । यदत्रानन्तरं तत्त्वं कुरुष्व यदि रोचते ॥
M N Dutt
You have heard, Oh my son, what your brother Laksmana said; and if you like, do what seems reasonable to you.२.१८.१८
न चाधर्म्यं वचः श्रुत्वा सपत्न्या मम भाषितम् । विहाय शोकसंतप्तां गन्तुमर्हसि मामितः ॥
M N Dutt
It does not behove you, hearing the sinful words given vent to by the co-wife, to repair hence, leaving me who is sore distressed with sorrow.२.१८.१९
धर्मज्ञ यदि धर्मिष्ठो धर्मं चरितुमिच्छसि । शुश्रूष मामिहस्थस्त्वं चर धर्ममनुत्तमम् ॥
M N Dutt
Oh you pious one, having knowledge of religion, if do you wish to acquire righteousness, serve me here and continue practising the best of all virtues.२.१८.२०
शुश्रूषुर्जननीं पुत्र स्वगृहे नियतो वसन् । परेण तपसा युक्तः काश्यपस्त्रिदिवं गतः ॥
M N Dutt
Hear, Oh my son, the great ascetic Kasyapa, lived in his house, serving his mother continually and being crowned with best moral merit reached heaven.२.१८.२१
यथैव राजा पूज्यस्ते गौरवेण तथा ह्यहम् । त्वां नाहमनुजानामि न गन्तव्यमितो वनम् ॥
M N Dutt
As the monarch is worshipful to you in veneration so am I. I do not permit you, to repair hence to the forest.२.१८.२२
त्वद्वियोगान्न मे कार्यं जीवितेन सुखेन वा । त्वया सह मम श्रेयस्तृणानामपि भक्षणम् ॥
M N Dutt
Separated from you I do not need life or happiness; with you I would prefer faring on grass.२.१८.२३
यदि त्वं यास्यसि वनं त्यक्त्वा मां शोकलालसाम् । अहं प्रायमिहासिष्ये न हि शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम् ॥
M N Dutt
If do you depart to the forest leaving me troubled with sorrow, I shall resort to the vow of fasting and shall not be able to sustain my life.२.१८.२४
ततस्त्वं प्राप्स्यसे पुत्र निरयं लोकविश्रुतम् । ब्रह्महत्यामिवाधर्मात्समुद्रः सरितां पतिः ॥
M N Dutt
And then you shall receive the penalty of hell, well-known to the people, as did the ocean, the lord of rivers, for like unrighteousness, suffer the agony of Brahmanicide".* *The text has been here a little freely translated to make it compatible with the legend to which it refers. The ocean, thus goes the story, caused the grief of his mother. Upon which, Maharși Pippalāda, through magical power, subjected him to agony of hell. This agony the mother of Rāma relates as the same that follows the sin of Brahminicide.२.१८.२५
विलपन्तीं तथा दीनां कौसल्यां जननीं ततः । उवाच रामो धर्मात्मा वचनं धर्मसंहितम् ॥
M N Dutt
Whereupon to his mother Kausalyä, sorrowful and weeping, spoke Răma, virtuous-souled these words of righteousness.२.१८.२६
नास्ति शक्तिः पितुर्वाक्यं समतिक्रमितुं मम । प्रसादये त्वां शिरसा गन्तुमिच्छाम्यहं वनम् ॥
M N Dutt
There is no power in me to transgress my father's behest's; bend low I my head to you, I want to proceed to the forest.२.१८.२७
ऋषिणा च पितुर्वाक्यं कुर्वता व्रतचारिणा । गौर्हता जानता धर्मं कण्डुनापि विपश्चिता ॥
M N Dutt
The learned Rși Kandu, who lived in the forest keeping the word of his father, killed a cow, knowing it to be unrighteousness.२.१८.२८
अस्माकं च कुले पूर्वं सगरस्याज्ञया पितुः । खनद्भिः सागरैर्भूतिमवाप्तः सुमहान्वधः ॥
M N Dutt
In our line the descendants of Sagara, at the command of their father, met with signal destruction, while digging the earth.२.१८.२९
जामदग्न्येन रामेण रेणुका जननी स्वयम् । कृत्ता परशुनारण्ये पितुर्वचनकारिणा ॥
M N Dutt
Rāma the son of Jamadagni, at his father's words, decapitated his mother in the forest.२.१८.३०
न खल्वेतन्मयैकेन क्रियते पितृशासनम् । पूर्वैरयमभिप्रेतो गतो मार्गोऽनुगम्यते ॥
M N Dutt
I am not introducing some such righteousness, unfavourable to you, that has been never practised before.२.१८.३१
तदेतत्तु मया कार्यं क्रियते भुवि नान्यथा । पितुर्हि वचनं कुर्वन्न कश्चिन्नाम हीयते ॥
M N Dutt
I am simply treading the path, that has been upheld and followed by worthies gone before. Surely shall I accomplish that which is worthy of being performed in this world and nothing else, one going by his father's behest's is not certainly degraded."२.१८.३३
धर्मो हि परमो लोके धर्मे सत्यं प्रतिष्ठितम् । धर्मसंश्रितमेतच्च पितुर्वचनमुत्तमम् ॥
M N Dutt
Righteousness is the prime object in this world and in righteousness is established truth, and this excellent utterance of my father is in keeping with righteousness.२.१८.३४
संश्रुत्य च पितुर्वाक्यं मातुर्वा ब्राह्मणस्य वा । न कर्तव्यं वृथा वीर धर्ममाश्रित्य तिष्ठता ॥
M N Dutt
It does not become them, O hero, who abide in righteousness to fail to carry out the commands of father, mother or a Brahmin.२.१८.३५
सोऽहं न शक्ष्यामि पितुर्नियोगमतिवर्तितुम् । पितुर्हि वचनाद्वीर कैकेय्याहं प्रचोदितः ॥
M N Dutt
While I have been, Oh warrior, ordered by Kaikeyi at my father's words, I shall not be able to transgress those behest's again.२.१८.३६
तदेनां विसृजानार्यां क्षत्रधर्माश्रितां मतिम् । धर्ममाश्रय मा तैक्ष्ण्यं मद्बुद्धिरनुगम्यताम् ॥
M N Dutt
Do you relinquish therefore this unrighteous purpose of your consequent to the virtues of the Kșatriyas; do you abide by righteousness but not cruelty, and follow my decision.२.१८.३७
तमेवमुक्त्वा सौहार्दाद्भ्रातरं लक्ष्मणाग्रजः । उवाच भूयः कौसल्यां प्राञ्जलिः शिरसानतः ॥
M N Dutt
Saying these words to Lakşmaņa out of fraternal affection, spoke again Rāma to Kausalyā with clasped hands and with his head bending low.२.१८.३८
अनुमन्यस्व मां देवि गमिष्यन्तमितो वनम् । शापितासि मम प्राणैः कुरु स्वस्त्ययनानि मे । तीर्णप्रतिज्ञश्च वनात्पुनरेष्याम्यहं पुरीम् ॥
M N Dutt
I do bind you with an oath of my life, Oh venerable one, to allow me to wander away hence into the wood. Do you perform benedictory ceremonies for my welfare.२.१८.३९
यशो ह्यहं केवलराज्यकारणा;न्न पृष्ठतः कर्तुमलं महोदयम् । अदीर्घकाले न तु देवि जीविते; वृणेऽवरामद्य महीमधर्मतः ॥
M N Dutt
I cannot neglect eminent fame being impelled by avarice for kingdom alone. Life is but of short duration, Oh worshipful one, and as such I do not long for acquiring this nether earth by means unrighteous.२.१८.४०
प्रसादयन्नरवृषभः स मातरं; पराक्रमाज्जिगमिषुरेव दण्डकान् । अथानुजं भृशमनुशास्य दर्शनं; चकार तां हृदि जननीं प्रदक्षिणम् ॥
M N Dutt
Rāma, that foremost of men, with a view to range into the forest Dandaka after patiently propitiating his mother and instructing fully his younger brother the mysteries of righteousness, went round his mother with reverence and made up his mind to repair to the forest.
॥ इति रामायणम् — २.१८ ॥