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The Ramayana Book 2

Chapter 8

1 mantharā tv abhyasūyyainām utsṛjyābharaṇaṃ ca tat
uvācedaṃ tato vākyaṃ kopaduḥkhasamanvitā
2 harṣaṃ kim idam asthāne kṛtavaty asi bāliśe
śokasāgaramadhyastham ātmānaṃ nāvabudhyase
3 subhagā khalu kausalyā yasyāḥ putro 'bhiṣekṣyate
yauvarājyena mahatā śvaḥ puṣyeṇa dvijottamaiḥ
4 prāptāṃ sumahatīṃ prītiṃ pratītāṃ tāṃ hatadviṣam
upasthāsyasi kausalyāṃ dāsīva tvaṃ kṛtāñjaliḥ
5 hṛṣṭāḥ khalu bhaviṣyanti rāmasya paramāḥ striyaḥ
aprahṛṣṭā bhaviṣyanti snuṣās te bharatakṣaye
6 tāṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaprītāṃ bruvantīṃ mantharāṃ tataḥ
rāmasyaiva guṇān devī kaikeyī praśaśaṃsa ha
7 dharmajño gurubhir dāntaḥ kṛtajñaḥ satyavāk śuciḥ
rāmo rājñaḥ suto jyeṣṭho yauvarājyam ato 'rhati
8 bhrātṝn bhṛtyāṃś ca dīrghāyuḥ pitṛvat pālayiṣyati
saṃtapyase kathaṃ kubje śrutvā rāmābhiṣecanam
9 bharataś cāpi rāmasya dhruvaṃ varṣaśatāt param
pitṛpaitāmahaṃ rājyam avāpsyati nararṣabhaḥ
10 sā tvam abhyudaye prāpte vartamāne ca manthare
bhaviṣyati ca kalyāṇe kimarthaṃ paritapyase
kausalyāto 'tiriktaṃ ca sa tu śuśrūṣate hi mām
11 kaikeyyā vacanaṃ śrutvā mantharā bhṛśaduḥkhitā
dīrgham uṣṇaṃ viniḥśvasya kaikeyīm idam abravīt
12 anarthadarśinī maurkhyān nātmānam avabudhyase
śokavyasanavistīrṇe majjantī duḥkhasāgare
13 bhavitā rāghavo rājā rāghavasya ca yaḥ sutaḥ
rājavaṃśāt tu bharataḥ kaikeyi parihāsyate
14 na hi rājñaḥ sutāḥ sarve rājye tiṣṭhanti bhāmini
sthāpyamāneṣu sarveṣu sumahān anayo bhavet
15 tasmāj jyeṣṭhe hi kaikeyi rājyatantrāṇi pārthivāḥ
sthāpayanty anavadyāṅgi guṇavatsv itareṣv api
16 asāv atyantanirbhagnas tava putro bhaviṣyati
anāthavat sukhebhyaś ca rājavaṃśāc ca vatsale
17 sāhaṃ tvadarthe saṃprāptā tvaṃ tu māṃ nāvabudhyase
sapatnivṛddhau yā me tvaṃ pradeyaṃ dātum icchasi
18 dhruvaṃ tu bharataṃ rāmaḥ prāpya rājyam akaṇṭakam
deśāntaraṃ nāyayitvā lokāntaram athāpi vā
19 bāla eva hi mātulyaṃ bharato nāyitas tvayā
saṃnikarṣāc ca sauhārdaṃ jāyate sthāvareṣv api
20 goptā hi rāmaṃ saumitrir lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi rāghavaḥ
aśvinor iva saubhrātraṃ tayor lokeṣu viśrutam
21 tasmān na lakṣmaṇe rāmaḥ pāpaṃ kiṃ cit kariṣyati
rāmas tu bharate pāpaṃ kuryād iti na saṃśayaḥ
22 tasmād rājagṛhād eva vanaṃ gacchatu te sutaḥ
etad dhi rocate mahyaṃ bhṛśaṃ cāpi hitaṃ tava
23 evaṃ te jñātipakṣasya śreyaś caiva bhaviṣyati
yadi ced bharato dharmāt pitryaṃ rājyam avāpsyati
24 sa te sukhocito bālo rāmasya sahajo ripuḥ
samṛdhārthasya naṣṭārtho jīviṣyati kathaṃ vaśe
25 abhidrutam ivāraṇye siṃhena gajayūthapam
pracchādyamānaṃ rāmeṇa bharataṃ trātum arhasi
26 darpān nirākṛtā pūrvaṃ tvayā saubhāgyavattayā
rāmamātā sapatnī te kathaṃ vairaṃ na yātayet
27 yadā hi rāmaḥ pṛthivīm avāpsyati; dhruvaṃ pranaṣṭo bharato bhaviṣyati
ato hi saṃcintaya rājyam ātmaje; parasya cādyaiva vivāsa kāraṇam

Next: Chapter 9