Sumantra's Hidden Secret

Shloka 1 (uttara.50.1)

दृष्ट्वा तु मैथिलीं सीतामाश्रमे सम्प्रवेशिताम् । सन्तापमगमद्घोरं लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः ।। 50.1 ।।

dṛṣṭvā tu maithilīṃ sītāmāśrame sampraveśitām | santāpamagamadghoraṃ lakṣmaṇo dīnacetanaḥ || 50.1 ||

Having seen Maithili Sita led into the hermitage, Lakshmana, his heart wretched, fell into terrible anguish.

Shloka 2 (uttara.50.2)

अब्रवीच्च महातेजाः सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रसारथिम् । सीतासन्तापजं दुःखं पश्य रामस्य सारथे ।। 50.2 ।।

abravīcca mahātejāḥ sumantraṃ mantrasārathim | sītāsantāpajaṃ duḥkhaṃ paśya rāmasya sārathe || 50.2 ||

That greatly splendorous one said to Sumantra, the trusted charioteer, "Behold, O charioteer, the sorrow that will spring from Sita's anguish upon Rama.

Shloka 3 (uttara.50.3)

ततो दुःखतरं किं नु राघवस्य भविष्यति । पत्नीं शुद्धसमाचारां विसृज्य जनकात्मजाम् ।। 50.3 ।।

tato duḥkhataraṃ kiṃ nu rāghavasya bhaviṣyati | patnīṃ śuddhasamācārāṃ visṛjya janakātmajām || 50.3 ||

"What sorrow could be greater for Raghava than this — to have cast away his wife of pure conduct, the daughter of Janaka?

Shloka 4 (uttara.50.4)

व्यक्तं दैवादहं मन्ये राघवस्य विना भवम् । वैदेह्या सारथे नित्यं दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम् ।। 50.4 ।।

vyaktaṃ daivādahaṃ manye rāghavasya vinā bhavam | vaidehyā sārathe nityaṃ daivaṃ hi duratikramam || 50.4 ||

"Clearly, I think, it is by fate alone that Raghava is parted from Vaidehi forever, O charioteer; for fate indeed is hard to overcome.

Shloka 5 (uttara.50.5)

यो हि देवान्सगन्धर्वानसुरान्सह राक्षसैः । निहन्याद्राघवः क्रुद्धः स दैवमनुवर्तते ।। 50.5 ।।

yo hi devānsagandharvānasurānsaha rākṣasaiḥ | nihanyādrāghavaḥ kruddhaḥ sa daivamanuvartate || 50.5 ||

"He who, roused to wrath, could destroy the gods with the gandharvas, and the asuras with the rakshasas — even that Raghava submits to fate.

Shloka 6 (uttara.50.6)

पुरा रामः पितुर्वाक्याद्दण्डके विजने वने । उषित्वा नव वर्षाणि पञ्च चैव महावने ।। 50.6 ।।

purā rāmaḥ piturvākyāddaṇḍake vijane vane | uṣitvā nava varṣāṇi pañca caiva mahāvane || 50.6 ||

"Once before, Rama, at his father's word, dwelt in the lonely Dandaka forest, nine years and five, in that vast wilderness.

Shloka 7 (uttara.50.7)

ततो दुःखतरं भूयः सीताया विप्रवासनम् । पौराणां वचनं श्रुत्वा नृशंसं प्रतिभाति मे ।। 50.7 ।।

tato duḥkhataraṃ bhūyaḥ sītāyā vipravāsanam | paurāṇāṃ vacanaṃ śrutvā nṛśaṃsaṃ pratibhāti me || 50.7 ||

"Yet more grievous still than that is this exile of Sita's; hearing the citizens' talk, it seems to me a cruel thing indeed.

Shloka 8 (uttara.50.8)

को नु धर्माश्रयः सूत कर्मण्यस्मिन्यशोहरे । मैथिलीं प्रतिसम्प्राप्तः पौरैर्हीनार्थवादिभिः ।। 50.8 ।।

ko nu dharmāśrayaḥ sūta karmaṇyasminyaśohare | maithilīṃ pratisamprāptaḥ paurairhīnārthavādibhiḥ || 50.8 ||

"Where, charioteer, is the refuge of dharma in this deed that steals away honor — this that has befallen Maithili because of citizens who spoke such base, worthless words?

Shloka 9 (uttara.50.9)

एता वाचो बहुविधाः श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणभाषिताः । सुमन्त्रः श्रद्धया प्राज्ञो वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ।। 50.9 ।।

etā vāco bahuvidhāḥ śrutvā lakṣmaṇabhāṣitāḥ | sumantraḥ śraddhayā prājño vākyametaduvāca ha || 50.9 ||

Hearing these many words spoken by Lakshmana, the wise Sumantra, with all reverence, spoke this word.

Shloka 10 (uttara.50.10)

न सन्तापस्त्वया कार्यः सौमित्रे मैथिलीं प्रति । दृष्टमेतत्पुरा विप्रैः पितुस्ते लक्ष्मणाग्रतः ।। 50.10 ।।

na santāpastvayā kāryaḥ saumitre maithilīṃ prati | dṛṣṭametatpurā vipraiḥ pituste lakṣmaṇāgrataḥ || 50.10 ||

"You should not grieve so, Saumitri, over Maithili; this, Lakshmana, was foreseen long ago by brahmins, in your own father's presence.

Shloka 11 (uttara.50.11)

भविष्यति दृढं रामो दुःखप्रायो ऽपि सौख्यभाक् । प्राप्स्यते च महाबाहुर्विप्रयोगं प्रियैर्ध्रुवम् ।। 50.11 ।।

bhaviṣyati dṛḍhaṃ rāmo duḥkhaprāyo 'pi saukhyabhāk | prāpsyate ca mahābāhurviprayogaṃ priyairdhruvam || 50.11 ||

"Rama, though mostly given over to sorrow, shall surely know happiness too; and the mighty-armed one shall assuredly know separation from those dear to him.

Shloka 12 (uttara.50.12)

त्वां चैव मैथिलीं चैव शत्रुघ्नभरतावुभौ । सन्त्यजिष्यति धर्मात्मा कालेन महता महान् ।। 50.12 ।।

tvāṃ caiva maithilīṃ caiva śatrughnabharatāvubhau | santyajiṣyati dharmātmā kālena mahatā mahān || 50.12 ||

"You, and Maithili, and Shatrughna and Bharata both — that great, righteous soul shall, when the great time comes, part from you all.

Shloka 13 (uttara.50.13)

इदं त्वयि न वक्तव्यं सौमित्रे भरते ऽपि वा । राज्ञा वो ऽव्याहृतं वाक्यं दुर्वासा यदुवाच ह ।। 50.13 ।।

idaṃ tvayi na vaktavyaṃ saumitre bharate 'pi vā | rājñā vo 'vyāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ durvāsā yaduvāca ha || 50.13 ||

"This is not something to be told to you, Saumitri, nor to Bharata — a word Durvasa once spoke, which the king never disclosed to either of you.

Shloka 14 (uttara.50.14)

महाजनसमीपे च मम चैव नरर्षभ । ऋषिणा व्याहृतं वाक्यं वसिष्ठस्य च सन्निधौ ।। 50.14 ।।

mahājanasamīpe ca mama caiva nararṣabha | ṛṣiṇā vyāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ vasiṣṭhasya ca sannidhau || 50.14 ||

"This word, O bull among men, was spoken by that sage in the presence of a great assembly, and before me, and before Vasishtha too.

Shloka 15 (uttara.50.15)

ऋषेस्तु वचनं श्रुत्वा मामाह पुरुषर्षभः । सूत न क्वचिदेवं ते वक्तव्यं जनसन्निधौ ।। 50.15 ।।

ṛṣestu vacanaṃ śrutvā māmāha puruṣarṣabhaḥ | sūta na kvacidevaṃ te vaktavyaṃ janasannidhau || 50.15 ||

"Hearing the sage's word, that bull among men said to me: 'Charioteer, this is never to be spoken by you, anywhere, before others.'

Shloka 16 (uttara.50.16)

तस्याहं लोकपालस्य वाक्यं तत्सुसमाहितः । नैव जात्वनृतं कार्यमिति मे सौम्य दर्शनम् ।। 50.16 ।।

tasyāhaṃ lokapālasya vākyaṃ tatsusamāhitaḥ | naiva jātvanṛtaṃ kāryamiti me saumya darśanam || 50.16 ||

"That command of the king, guardian of his people, I have ever kept closely — never, I resolved, gentle one, should it be broken.

Shloka 17 (uttara.50.17)

सर्वथैव न वक्तव्यं मया सौम्य तवाग्रतः । यदि ते श्रवणे श्रद्धा श्रूयतां रघुनन्दन ।। 50.17 ।।

sarvathaiva na vaktavyaṃ mayā saumya tavāgrataḥ | yadi te śravaṇe śraddhā śrūyatāṃ raghunandana || 50.17 ||

"In every way, gentle one, I ought not speak this before you. Yet if you have the will to hear it, Raghunandana, then let it be heard.

Shloka 18 (uttara.50.18)

यद्यप्यहं नरेन्द्रेण रहस्यं श्रावितः पुरा । तथाप्युदाहरिष्यामि दैवं हि दुरतिक्रमम् ।। 50.18 ।।

yadyapyahaṃ narendreṇa rahasyaṃ śrāvitaḥ purā | tathāpyudāhariṣyāmi daivaṃ hi duratikramam || 50.18 ||

"Though the king once made me hear this secret in confidence, I shall relate it nonetheless; for fate indeed is hard to overcome.

Shloka 19 (uttara.50.19)

येनेदमीदृशं प्राप्तं दुःखं शोकसमन्वितम् । न त्वया भरते वाच्यं शत्रुघ्नस्यापि सन्निधौ ।। 50.19 ।।

yenedamīdṛśaṃ prāptaṃ duḥkhaṃ śokasamanvitam | na tvayā bharate vācyaṃ śatrughnasyāpi sannidhau || 50.19 ||

"That which has brought this grief, laden with sorrow — this you must not repeat to Bharata, nor even in Shatrughna's presence.

Shloka 20 (uttara.50.20)

तच्छ्रुत्वा भाषितं तस्य गम्भीरार्थपदं महत् । तथ्यं ब्रूहीति सौमित्रिः सूतं वाक्यमथाब्रवीत् ।। 50.20 ।।

tacchrutvā bhāṣitaṃ tasya gambhīrārthapadaṃ mahat | tathyaṃ brūhīti saumitriḥ sūtaṃ vākyamathābravīt || 50.20 ||

Hearing his weighty and deeply meaningful words, Saumitri then spoke this word to the charioteer: "Tell me the truth."