Lakshmana Reveals the Truth

Shloka 1 (uttara.47.1)

अथ नावं सुविस्तीर्णां नैषादीं राघवानुजः । आरुरोह समायुक्तां पूर्वमारोप्य मैथिलीम् ।। 47.1 ।।

atha nāvaṃ suvistīrṇāṃ naiṣādīṃ rāghavānujaḥ | āruroha samāyuktāṃ pūrvamāropya maithilīm || 47.1 ||

Then Raghava's younger brother, having first placed Maithili upon it, boarded the broad, well-appointed boat of the Nishada boatmen.

Shloka 2 (uttara.47.2)

सुमन्त्रं चैव सरथं स्थीयतामिति लक्ष्मणः । उवाच शोकसन्तप्तः प्रयाहीति च नाविकम् ।। 47.2 ।।

sumantraṃ caiva sarathaṃ sthīyatāmiti lakṣmaṇaḥ | uvāca śokasantaptaḥ prayāhīti ca nāvikam || 47.2 ||

Lakshmana, tormented with grief, said to Sumantra, "Stay here with the chariot," and to the boatman, "Row on."

Shloka 3 (uttara.47.3)

ततस्तीरमुपागम्य भागीरथ्याः स लक्ष्मणः । उवाच मैथिलीं वाक्यं प्राञ्जलिर्बाष्पसम्प्लुतः ।। 47.3 ।।

tatastīramupāgamya bhāgīrathyāḥ sa lakṣmaṇaḥ | uvāca maithilīṃ vākyaṃ prāñjalirbāṣpasamplutaḥ || 47.3 ||

Then, having reached the bank of the Bhagirathi, Lakshmana, hands joined, his eyes streaming with tears, spoke this word to Maithili.

Shloka 4 (uttara.47.4)

हृद्गतं मे महच्छल्यं यस्मादार्येण धीमता । अस्मिन्निमित्ते वैदेहि लोकस्य वचनीकृतः ।। 47.4 ।।

hṛdgataṃ me mahacchalyaṃ yasmādāryeṇa dhīmatā | asminnimitte vaidehi lokasya vacanīkṛtaḥ || 47.4 ||

"A great thorn lies lodged in my heart, O Vaidehi — for on this account the noble, wise one has become the target of the world's talk.

Shloka 5 (uttara.47.5)

श्रेयो हि मरणं मे ऽद्य मृत्युर्वा यत्परं भवेत् । न चास्मिन्नीदृशे कार्ये नियोज्यो लोकनिन्दिते ।। 47.5 ।।

śreyo hi maraṇaṃ me 'dya mṛtyurvā yatparaṃ bhavet | na cāsminnīdṛśe kārye niyojyo lokanindite || 47.5 ||

"Better for me to die this day, or meet whatever greater death there be, than to be charged with a task such as this — one condemned by the world.

Shloka 6 (uttara.47.6)

प्रसीद च न मे पापं कर्तुमर्हसि शोभने । इत्यञ्जलिकृतो भूमौ निपपात स लक्ष्मणः ।। 47.6 ।।

prasīda ca na me pāpaṃ kartumarhasi śobhane | ityañjalikṛto bhūmau nipapāta sa lakṣmaṇaḥ || 47.6 ||

And be gracious; you must not, O lovely one, hold this sin against me." So saying, Lakshmana, hands still joined, fell to the ground.

Shloka 7 (uttara.47.7)

रुदन्तं प्राञ्जलिं दृष्ट्वा काङ्क्षन्तं मृत्युमात्मनः । मैथिली भृशसंविग्ना लक्ष्मणं वाक्यमब्रवीत् ।। 47.7 ।।

rudantaṃ prāñjaliṃ dṛṣṭvā kāṅkṣantaṃ mṛtyumātmanaḥ | maithilī bhṛśasaṃvignā lakṣmaṇaṃ vākyamabravīt || 47.7 ||

Seeing him weeping, hands joined, longing for his own death, Maithili, deeply alarmed, spoke to Lakshmana.

Shloka 8 (uttara.47.8)

किमिदं नावगच्छामि ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन लक्ष्मण । पश्यामि त्वां न च स्वस्थमपि क्षेमं महीपतेः ।। 47.8 ।।

kimidaṃ nāvagacchāmi brūhi tattvena lakṣmaṇa | paśyāmi tvāṃ na ca svasthamapi kṣemaṃ mahīpateḥ || 47.8 ||

"I cannot understand what this means — tell me truly, Lakshmana. I see you are not yourself, nor do I know whether the king fares well.

Shloka 9 (uttara.47.9)

शापितो ऽसि नरेन्द्रेण यत्त्वं सन्तापमागतः । तद्ब्रूयाः सन्निधौ मह्यमहमाज्ञापयामि ते ।। 47.9 ।।

śāpito 'si narendreṇa yattvaṃ santāpamāgataḥ | tadbrūyāḥ sannidhau mahyamahamājñāpayāmi te || 47.9 ||

"Even if the king has bound you by an oath, and it is this that has brought you such anguish, you must tell it to me now — I command you.

Shloka 10 (uttara.47.10)

वैदेह्या चोद्यमानस्तु लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः । अवाङ्मुखो बाष्पकलं वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 47.10 ।।

vaidehyā codyamānastu lakṣmaṇo dīnacetanaḥ | avāṅmukho bāṣpakalaṃ vākyametaduvāca ha || 47.10 ||

Thus pressed by Vaidehi, Lakshmana, his heart wretched, his face bowed down, spoke this word, his voice broken with tears.

Shloka 11 (uttara.47.11)

श्रुत्वा परिषदो मध्ये ह्यपवादं सुदारुणम् । पुरे जनपदे चैव त्वत्कृते जनकात्मजे । रामः सन्तप्तहृदयो मा निवेद्य गृहं गतः ।। 47.11 ।।

śrutvā pariṣado madhye hyapavādaṃ sudāruṇam | pure janapade caiva tvatkṛte janakātmaje | rāmaḥ santaptahṛdayo mā nivedya gṛhaṃ gataḥ || 47.11 ||

"Having heard, in the midst of the assembly, a most dreadful slander — current through the city and the country — concerning you, O daughter of Janaka, Rama, his heart tormented, went to his own chambers without telling me anything.

Shloka 12 (uttara.47.12)

न तानि वचनीयानि मया देवि तवाग्रतः । यानि राज्ञा हृदि न्यस्तान्यमर्षात्पृष्ठतः कृतः ।। 47.12 ।।

na tāni vacanīyāni mayā devi tavāgrataḥ | yāni rājñā hṛdi nyastānyamarṣātpṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtaḥ || 47.12 ||

"The things, O queen, which the king in his anguish laid upon my heart, and because of which I was sent back — those I cannot bring myself to speak before you.

Shloka 13 (uttara.47.13)

सा त्वं त्यक्ता नृपतिना निर्दोषा मम सन्निधौ । पौरापवादभीतेन ग्राह्यं देवि न ते ऽन्यथा ।। 47.13 ।।

sā tvaṃ tyaktā nṛpatinā nirdoṣā mama sannidhau | paurāpavādabhītena grāhyaṃ devi na te 'nyathā || 47.13 ||

"You, though innocent, have been cast off by the king, before me, out of his fear of the citizens' slander; O queen, you must understand it in no other way than this.

Shloka 14 (uttara.47.14)

आश्रमान्तेषु च मया त्यक्तव्या त्वं भविष्यसि । राज्ञः शासनमाज्ञाय तवेदं किल दौर्हृदम् ।। 47.14 ।।

āśramānteṣu ca mayā tyaktavyā tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi | rājñaḥ śāsanamājñāya tavedaṃ kila daurhṛdam || 47.14 ||

"And I am to leave you near the hermitages. Having learned the king's command — this, indeed, is your hard misfortune.

Shloka 15 (uttara.47.15)

तदेतज्जाह्नवीतीरे ब्रह्मर्षीणां तपोवनम् । पुण्यं च रमणीयं च मा विषादं कृथाः शुभे ।। 47.15 ।।

tadetajjāhnavītīre brahmarṣīṇāṃ tapovanam | puṇyaṃ ca ramaṇīyaṃ ca mā viṣādaṃ kṛthāḥ śubhe || 47.15 ||

"This penance-grove of the brahmin sages, here on the bank of the Jahnavi, is holy and beautiful. Do not grieve, O blessed one.

Shloka 16 (uttara.47.16)

राज्ञो दशरथस्येष्टः पितुर्मे मुनिपुङ्गवः । सखा परमको विप्रो वाल्मीकिः सुमहायशाः ।। 47.16 ।।

rājño daśarathasyeṣṭaḥ piturme munipuṅgavaḥ | sakhā paramako vipro vālmīkiḥ sumahāyaśāḥ || 47.16 ||

"There, dear to King Dasharatha, my father, foremost among sages, his truest friend — that greatly renowned brahmin is Valmiki.

Shloka 17 (uttara.47.17)

पादच्छायामुपागम्य सुखमस्य महात्मनः । उपवासपरैकाग्रा वस त्वं जनकात्मजे ।। 47.17 ।।

pādacchāyāmupāgamya sukhamasya mahātmanaḥ | upavāsaparaikāgrā vasa tvaṃ janakātmaje || 47.17 ||

"Come, then, into the shelter of this great soul's feet, and dwell there in peace, O daughter of Janaka, single-hearted in your devotions.

Shloka 18 (uttara.47.18)

पतिव्रतात्वमास्थाय रामं कृत्वा सदा हृदि । श्रेयस्ते परमं देवि तथा कृत्वा भविष्यति ।। 47.18 ।।

pativratātvamāsthāya rāmaṃ kṛtvā sadā hṛdi | śreyaste paramaṃ devi tathā kṛtvā bhaviṣyati || 47.18 ||

"Holding fast to your vow as a devoted wife, keeping Rama ever in your heart — doing so, O queen, your highest good shall come to pass."