Ayodhya Kanda — Sarga 97

सुसंरब्धं तु भातं लक्ष्मणं क्रोधमूर्छितम्। रामस्तु परिसान्त्व्याथ वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्॥

Pacifying Sumitrā's son, Laksmana, transported with rage and eager for encounter, Rama addressed him, saying.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.1

किमत्र धनुषा कार्यमसिना वा सचर्मणा। महाबले महोत्साहे भरते स्वयमागते ॥

When the mighty Bharata possessed of high spirits has himself come here, what is the use of the bow or the sword or the shield?

Ayodhya Kanda 97.2

पितुः सत्यं प्रतिश्रुत्य हत्वा भरतमाहवे। किं करिष्यामि राज्येन सापवादेन लक्ष्मण॥

Having promised to maintain my father's truth, what, O Laksmana, shall I, having slain Bharata in battle, do with the kingdom with a stain attached to it?

Ayodhya Kanda 97.3

यद् द्रव्यं बान्धवानां वा मित्राणां वा क्षये भवेत्। नाहं तत् प्रतिगृह्णीयां भक्ष्यान् विषकृतानिव॥

That thing which falls to my lot on the destruction of friends and adherents I never accept, even like food mixed with poison.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.4

धर्ममर्थं च कामं च पृथिवीं चापि लक्ष्मण। इच्छामि भवतामर्थे एतत् प्रतिश्रृणोमि ते॥

I swear to you, I wish for the (possession of) righteousness, interest, desire and the earth, in your interests alone, O Laksmana.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.5

भ्रातॄणां संग्रहार्थं च सुखार्थं चापि लक्ष्मण। राज्यमप्यहमिच्छामि सत्येनायुधमालभे॥

O Lakşmaņa, I swear by my weapon that it is for the maintenance and happiness of my brothers that I wish for the kingdom.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.6

नेयं मम मही सौम्य दुर्लभा सागराम्बरा। नहीच्छेयमधर्मेण शक्रत्वमपि लक्ष्मण॥

O mild one, this Earth herself is not difficult of being attained by me; but, O Laksmana, I do not through unrighteousness wish to possess myself of Sakra's state.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.7

यद् विना भरतं त्वां च शत्रुघ्नं वापि मानद। भवेन्मम सुखं किंचिद् भस्म तत् कुरुतां शिखी॥

May fire reduce to ashes any happiness of mine that, O bestower of honour, happens to be dissevered from Bharata, or yourself, or Satrughna.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.8

मन्येऽहमागतोऽयोध्यां भरतो भ्रातृवत्सलः। मम प्राणैः प्रियतरः कुलधर्ममनुस्मरन्॥ श्रुत्वा प्रवाजितं मां हि जटावल्कलधारिणम्। जानक्या सहितं वीर त्वया च पुरुषोत्तम॥ स्नेहेनाक्रान्तहृदयः शोकेनाकुलितेन्द्रियः। द्रष्टुमभ्यागतो ह्येष भरतो नान्यथाऽऽगतः॥

I think Bharata attached to his brothers had come to Ayodhyā; and then, following the morality regulating the race, that one dearer to me than life, hearing of me banished, bearing matted locks and bark, together with Jānakī, O hero, and yourself, you foremost of men, has, with his heart surcharged with affection, and his senses overwhelmed by grief, come hither for seeing us. He cannot have come on any other account.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.9

अम्बां च केकयीं रुष्य भरतश्चाप्रियं वदन्। प्रसाद्य पितरं श्रीमान् राज्यं मे दातुमागतः॥

And having got wroth with Kaikeyī, and given her rough speech, that auspicious one, having gratified my sire, has come hither to make the kingdom over to me.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.10

प्राप्तकालं यथैषोऽस्मान् भरतो द्रष्टुमर्हति। अस्मासु मनसाप्येष नाहितं किंचिदाचरेत्॥

And the season being fit. meet it is that Bharata should see us. He does not even in thought act against us.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.11

विप्रियं कृतपूर्वं ते भरतेन कदा नु किम्। ईदृशं वा भयं तेऽद्य भरतं यद् विशङ्कसे॥

Has ere this Bharata done you any bad turn? Or did he tell you any thing so alarming that today you stand in fear of him?

Ayodhya Kanda 97.12

नहि ते निष्ठुरं वाच्यो भरतो नाप्रियं वचः। अहं ह्यप्रियमुक्तः स्यां भरतस्याप्रिये कृते॥

Certainly you ought not to say cruel or unpleasant words in relation to Bharata, if wrong be done to Bharata, I shall consider myself as wornged.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.13

कथं नु पुत्राः पितरं हन्युः कस्यांचिदापदि। भ्राता वा भ्रातरं हन्यात् सौमित्रे प्राणमात्मनः॥

Do sons, in times of peril, ever slay their father, or brothers their brother like to their life, O son of Sumitrā?

Ayodhya Kanda 97.14

यदि राज्यस्य हेतोस्त्वमिमां वाचं प्रभाषसे। वक्ष्यामि भरतं दृष्ट्वा राज्यमस्मै प्रदीयताम्॥

If you speak thus for the sake of the monarchy, on seeing Bharata, I will say to him, "Make over the kingdom to this one/"

Ayodhya Kanda 97.15

उच्यमानो हि भरतो मया लक्ष्मण तद्वचः। ' राज्यमस्मै प्रयच्छेति बाढमित्येव मंस्यते॥

Earnestly exhorted by me, saying, “Do you place the kingdom in his hands', he will say, "Very well'."

Ayodhya Kanda 97.16

तथोक्तो धर्मशीलेन भ्रात्रा तस्य हिते रतः। लक्ष्मणः प्रविवेशेव स्वानि गात्राणि लज्जया॥

Thus addressed by his brother of a virtuous disposition, Laksmana ever engaged in Rama's good, from shame seemed to enter into his body.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.17

तद्वाक्यं लक्ष्मणः श्रुत्वा व्रीडितः प्रत्युवाच ह। त्वां मन्ये द्रष्टुमायातः पिता दशरथः स्वयम्॥

And hearing those words, Lakşmaņa affected 'by shame, answered, I conceive our father Daśaratha himself has come to see you.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.18

व्रीडितं लक्ष्मणं दृष्ट्वा राघवः प्रत्युवाच ह। एष मन्ये महाबाहुरिहास्मान् द्रष्टुमागतः॥ अथवा नौ ध्रुवं मन्ये मन्यमानः सुखोचितौ। वनवासमनुध्याय गृहाय प्रतिनेष्यति॥

And finding Lakşmaņa overcome with shame, Rāghava replied, I think that mighty-armed one has come hither to see us; or I take it for certain that, considering that we are fit for ease only, and taking our banishment to heart, he will take us home.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.19

इमां चाप्येष वैदेहीमत्यन्तसुखसेविनीम्। पिता मे राघवः श्रीमान् वनादादाय यास्यति॥

Or it may be that graceful descendant of Raghu, my father, will go away, taking form the forest Videha's daughter brought up in the lap of luxury.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.20

एतौ तौ सम्प्रकाशेते गोत्रवन्तौ मनोरमौ। वायुवेगसमौ वीरौ जवनौ तुरगोत्तमौ॥

There are seen these graceful and well-bred steeds, courageous, swift, and furnished with the speed of the wind, the best of horses.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.21

स एष सुमहाकायः कम्पते वाहिनीमुखे। नागः शचुंजयो नाम वृद्धस्तातस्य धीमतः॥

And this huge elephant belonging to our aged sire, named Satrunjaya, proceeds in the van of the army.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.22

न तु पश्यामि तच्छत्रं पाण्डुरं लोकविश्रुतम्। पितुर्दिव्यं महाभाग संशयो भवतीह मे॥

But, you exalted one, I do not see the splendid white umbrella of our father known among men. Therefore, doubts arise in my mind.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.23

वृक्षाग्रादवरोह त्वं कुरु लक्ष्मण मद्वचः। इतीव रामो धर्मात्मा सौमित्रिं तमुवाच ह॥ अवतीर्य तु सालाग्रात् तस्मात् स समितिंजयः। लक्ष्मणः प्राञ्जलिर्भूत्वा तस्थौ रामस्य पार्श्वतः॥

Do you descend from the top of the tree, O Laksmana. Do my bidding. Thus did the righteous Rāma accosts Sumitra's Descending from the top of the Sāla tree, that conqueror in battles, Lakşmaņa, stood by Rāma with joined hands. son.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.24

भरतेनाथ संदिष्टा सम्पर्दो न भवेदिति। समन्तात् तस्य शैलस्य सेना वासमकल्पयत्॥

Commanded by Bharata, Let not (Rāma's asylum) by trampled by the forces, the army took up its quarters at a distance from the hill.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.25

अध्यर्धमिक्ष्वाकुचमूर्योजनं पर्वतस्य ह। पार्वे न्यविशदावृत्य गजवाजिनराकुला॥

And the Ikşvāku host filled with elephants and steeds covering half a Yojana, encamped at the side of the mountain.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.26

सा चित्रकूटे भरतेन सेना धर्म पुरस्कृत्य विधूय दर्पम्। प्रसादनार्थं रघुनन्दनस्य विरोचते नीतिमता प्रणीता॥

And keeping morality in their fore-front, and renouncing pride, the disciplined forces schooled by Bharata in view of pleasing that descendant of Raghu (Rāma), stayed in Citrakuța.

Ayodhya Kanda 97.27