Sumantra Consoles Kausalya

Shloka 1 (ayodhya.60.1)

ततो भूतोपसृष्टेव वेपमाना पुनः पुनः। धरण्यां गतसत्त्वेव कौसल्या सूतमब्रवीत्॥ २-६०-१ ॥

tato bhūtopasṛṣṭeva vepamānā punaḥ punaḥ| dharaṇyāṃ gatasattveva kausalyā sūtam abravīt

Then Kausalya, trembling again and again as though possessed by a spirit, lying on the ground as if bereft of life, spoke to Sumantra:

Shloka 2 (ayodhya.60.2)

नय मां यत्र काकुत्स्थः सीता यत्र च लक्ष्मणः। तान्विना क्षणमप्यत्र जीवितुं नोत्सहे ह्यहम्॥ २-६०-२ ॥

naya māṃ yatra kākutsthaḥ sītā yatra ca lakṣmaṇaḥ| tān vinā kṣaṇam apy atra jīvituṃ notsahe hy aham

"Take me to where Kakutstha is, where Sita is, where Lakshmana is. Without them I cannot bear to live here even a moment.

Shloka 3 (ayodhya.60.3)

निवर्तय रथं शीघ्रं दण्डकान्नय मामपि। अथ तान्नानुगच्छामि गमिष्यामि यमक्षयम्॥ २-६०-३ ॥

nivartaya rathaṃ śīghraṃ daṇḍakān naya mām api| atha tān nānugacchāmi gamiṣyāmi yamakṣayam

"Turn the chariot back at once and take me too to Dandaka forest; if I cannot go after them, I shall go instead to Death's abode."

Shloka 4 (ayodhya.60.4)

बाष्पवेगोपहतया स वाचा सज्जमानया। इदमाश्वासयन् देवीं सूतः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्॥ २-६०-४ ॥

bāṣpavegopahatayā sa vācā sajjamānayā| idam āśvāsayan devīṃ sūtaḥ prāñjalir abravīt

With joined palms, in a voice choked and faltering with a rush of tears, Sumantra spoke these words to comfort the queen:

Shloka 5 (ayodhya.60.5)

त्यज शोकं च मोहं च संभ्रमं दुःखजं तथा। व्यवधूय च संतापं वने वत्स्यति राघवः॥ २-६०-५ ॥

tyaja śokaṃ ca mohaṃ ca saṃbhramaṃ duḥkhajaṃ tathā| vyavadhūya ca saṃtāpaṃ vane vatsyati rāghavaḥ

"Set aside your grief, your bewilderment, and the anxious haste born of sorrow. Raghava, warding off all distress, will live well in the forest.

Shloka 6 (ayodhya.60.6)

लक्ष्मणश्चापि रामस्य पादौ परिचरन् वने। आराधयति धर्मज्ञः परलोकं जितेन्द्रियः॥ २-६०-६ ॥

lakṣmaṇaścāpi rāmasya pādau paricaran vane| ārādhayati dharmajñaḥ paralokaṃ jitendriyaḥ

Lakshmana too, knower of dharma and master of his senses, tending Rama's feet in the forest, is winning merit for the world beyond.

Shloka 7 (ayodhya.60.7)

विजनेऽपि वने सीता वासं प्राप्य गृहेष्विव। विस्रम्भं लभतेऽभीता रामे संन्यस्तमानसा॥ २-६०-७ ॥

vijane 'pi vane sītā vāsaṃ prāpya gṛheṣviva| visrambhaṃ labhate 'bhītā rāme saṃnyastamānasā

Even in the desolate forest, Sita has found a home as though in her own house; her mind wholly given over to Rama, she remains fearless and at peace.

Shloka 8 (ayodhya.60.8)

नास्या दैन्यं कृतं किंचित्सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्षये। उचितेव प्रवासानां वैदेही प्रतिभाति मा॥ २-६०-८ ॥

nāsyā dainyaṃ kṛtaṃ kiṃcit susūkṣmam api lakṣaye| uciteva pravāsānāṃ vaidehī pratibhāti mā

I could see in her not the least trace of despondency; Vaidehi seemed to me as though long accustomed to a life of exile.

Shloka 9 (ayodhya.60.9)

नगरोपवनं गत्वा यथा स्म रमते पुरा। तथैव रमते सीता निर्जनेषु वनेष्वपि॥ २-६०-९ ॥

nagaropavanaṃ gatvā yathā sma ramate purā| tathaiva ramate sītā nirjaneṣu vaneṣv api

Just as she once delighted in visiting the gardens of the city, so too does Sita delight, even now, in these desolate forests.

Shloka 10 (ayodhya.60.10)

बालेव रमते सीता बालचन्द्रनिभानना। रामे ह्यदीनात्मा रम्या विजनेऽपि वने सती॥ २-६०-१० ॥

bāleva ramate sītā bālacandranibhānanā| rāme hy adīnātmā ramyā vijane 'pi vane satī

Like a young girl, Sita — her face like the crescent moon — plays and delights, her spirit never downcast, her heart set wholly on Rama, even while dwelling in that lonely forest.

Shloka 11 (ayodhya.60.11)

तद्गतं हृदयं ह्यस्यास्तदधीनं च जीवितम्। अयोध्यापि भवेत्तस्या रामहीना तथा वनम्॥ २-६०-११ ॥

tadgataṃ hṛdayaṃ hy asyās tadadhīnaṃ ca jīvitam| ayodhyāpi bhavet tasyā rāmahīnā tathā vanam

Her heart is fixed wholly on him, and her very life depends on him alone; even Ayodhya, were it without Rama, would seem to her no different from the forest.

Shloka 12 (ayodhya.60.12)

परिपृच्छति वैदेही ग्रामांश्च नगराणि च। गतिं दृष्ट्वा नदीनां च पादपान् विविधानपि॥ २-६०-१२ ॥

paripṛcchati vaidehī grāmāṃśca nagarāṇi ca| gatiṃ dṛṣṭvā nadīnāṃ ca pādapān vividhān api

Vaidehi keeps asking about the villages and towns, and, seeing the courses of rivers and trees of every kind, wonders about them.

Shloka 13 (ayodhya.60.13)

रामं हि लक्ष्मणं वापि पृष्ट्वा जानाति जानती। अयोध्याक्रोशमात्रे तु विहारमिव संश्रिता॥ २-६०-१३ ॥

rāmaṃ hi lakṣmaṇaṃ vāpi pṛṣṭvā jānāti jānatī| ayodhyākrośamātre tu vihāram iva saṃśritā

She learns of them only by questioning Rama or Lakshmana — just as if she were merely enjoying a stroll in a garden a short way outside Ayodhya.

Shloka 14 (ayodhya.60.14)

इदमेव स्मराम्यस्याः सहसैवोपजल्पितम्। कैकेयीसंश्रितं वाक्यं नेदानीं प्रतिभाति माम्॥ २-६०-१४ ॥

idam eva smarāmy asyāḥ sahasaivopajalpitam| kaikeyīsaṃśritaṃ vākyaṃ nedānīṃ pratibhāti mām

This alone I remember of her — a remark about Kaikeyi that she once let slip; but it does not seem right for me to repeat it to you now.

Shloka 15 (ayodhya.60.15)

ध्वंसयित्वा तु तद्वाक्यं प्रमादात्पर्युपस्थितम्। ह्लादनं वचनं सूतो देव्या मधुरमब्रवीत्॥ २-६०-१५ ॥

dhvaṃsayitvā tu tadvākyaṃ pramādāt paryupasthitam| hlādanaṃ vacanaṃ sūto devyā madhuram abravīt

Suppressing those words, which had come near his lips by inadvertence, Sumantra spoke to the queen only sweet and comforting words.

Shloka 16 (ayodhya.60.16)

अध्वना वातवेगेन संभ्रमेणातपेन च। न हि गच्छति वैदेह्याश्चन्द्रांशुसदृशी प्रभा॥ २-६०-१६ ॥

adhvanā vātavegena saṃbhrameṇātapena ca| na hi gacchati vaidehyāś candrāṃśusadṛśī prabhā

Neither the journey, nor the force of the wind, nor bewilderment, nor the heat of the sun has dimmed Vaidehi's radiance, which is like the very light of the moon.

Shloka 17 (ayodhya.60.17)

सदृशं शतपत्रस्य पूर्णचन्द्रोपमप्रभम्। वदनं तद्वदान्यायाः वैदेह्या न विकंपते॥ २-६०-१७ ॥

sadṛśaṃ śatapatrasya pūrṇacandropamaprabham| vadanaṃ tad vadānyāyāḥ vaidehyā na vikaṃpate

That generous face of Vaidehi's, lovely as a lotus and radiant as the full moon, remains entirely unshaken.

Shloka 18 (ayodhya.60.18)

अलक्तरसरक्ताभावलक्तरसवर्जितौ। अद्यापि चरणौ तस्याः पद्मकोशसमप्रभौ॥ २-६०-१८ ॥

alaktarasaraktābhāv alaktarasavarjitau| adyāpi caraṇau tasyāḥ padmakośasamaprabhau

Though no longer painted with red lac-dye, her feet still glow as red as if they were, radiant as the cups of lotus buds.

Shloka 19 (ayodhya.60.19)

नूपुरोद्घुष्टहेलेव खेलं गच्छति भामिनी। इदानीमपि वैदेही तद्रागान्न्यस्तभूषणा॥ २-६०-१९ ॥

nūpuroghuṣṭaheleva khelaṃ gacchati bhāminī| idānīm api vaidehī tadrāgān nyastabhūṣaṇā

That lovely lady still walks with the light, playful gait that sets her anklets ringing; and even now Vaidehi keeps her ornaments on, out of her deep love for Rama.

Shloka 20 (ayodhya.60.20)

गजं वा वीक्ष्य सिंहं वा व्याघ्रं वा वनमाश्रिता। नाहारयति संत्रासं बाहू रामस्य संश्रिता॥ २-६०-२० ॥

gajaṃ vā vīkṣya siṃhaṃ vā vyāghraṃ vā vanam āśritā| nāhārayati saṃtrāsaṃ bāhū rāmasya saṃśritā

Dwelling in the forest, even at the sight of an elephant, a lion, or a tiger, she feels no fear at all — sheltered as she is in the arms of Rama.

Shloka 21 (ayodhya.60.21)

न शोच्यास्ते न चात्मा ते शोच्यो नापि जनाधिपः। इदं हि चरितं लोके प्रतिष्ठास्यति शाश्वतम्॥ २-६०-२१ ॥

na śocyās te na cātmā te śocyo nāpi janādhipaḥ| idaṃ hi caritaṃ loke pratiṣṭhāsyati śāśvatam

There is no need to grieve for them, nor for yourself, nor even for the king; for this very story will stand established in the world forever.

Shloka 22 (ayodhya.60.22)

विधूय शोकं परिहृष्टमानसा महर्षियाते पथि सुव्यवस्थिताः। वने रता वन्यफलाशनाः पितुः शुभां प्रतिज्ञां परिपालयन्ति ते॥ २-६०-२२ ॥

vidhūya śokaṃ parihṛṣṭamānasā maharṣiyāte pathi suvyavasthitāḥ| vane ratā vanyaphalāśanāḥ pituḥ śubhāṃ pratijñāṃ paripālayanti te

Casting off sorrow, their hearts now cheerful, firmly settled on the path once trodden by great sages, delighting in the forest and living on its wild fruits, they are faithfully keeping their father's noble vow.

Shloka 23 (ayodhya.60.23)

तथापि सूतेन सुयुक्तवादिना निवार्यमाणा सुतशोककर्शिता। न चैव देवी विरराम कूजितात्प्रिय इति पुत्र इति च राघव इति च॥ २-६०-२३ ॥

tathāpi sūtena suyuktavādinā nivāryamāṇā sutaśokakarśitā| na caiva devī virarāma kūjitāt priya iti putra iti ca rāghava iti ca

Yet even so, though checked by Sumantra with such fitting words, the queen, wasted by grief for her son, could not stop her plaintive cries — "My beloved! My son! O Raghava!" — she went on weeping still.