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The Ramayana Book 2

Chapter 41

1 tatas tu tamasā tīraṃ ramyam āśritya rāghavaḥ
sītām udvīkṣya saumitrim idaṃ vacanam abravīt
2 iyam adya niśā pūrvā saumitre prasthitā vanam
vanavāsasya bhadraṃ te sa notkaṇṭhitum arhasi
3 paśya śūnyāny araṇyāni rudantīva samantataḥ
yathānilayam āyadbhir nilīnāni mṛgadvijaiḥ
4 adyāyodhyā tu nagarī rājadhānī pitur mama
sastrīpuṃsā gatān asmāñ śociṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
5 bharataḥ khalu dharmātmā pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca me
dharmārthakāmasahitair vākyair āśvāsayiṣyati
6 bharatasyānṛśaṃsatvaṃ saṃcintyāhaṃ punaḥ punaḥ
nānuśocāmi pitaraṃ mātaraṃ cāpi lakṣmaṇa
7 tvayā kāryaṃ naravyāghra mām anuvrajatā kṛtam
anveṣṭavyā hi vaidehyā rakṣaṇārthe sahāyatā
8 adbhir eva tu saumitre vatsyāmy adya niśām imām
etad dhi rocate mahyaṃ vanye 'pi vividhe sati
9 evam uktvā tu saumitraṃ sumantram api rāghavaḥ
apramattas tvam aśveṣu bhava saumyety uvāca ha
10 so 'śvān sumantraḥ saṃyamya sūrye 'staṃ samupāgate
prabhūtayavasān kṛtvā babhūva pratyanantaraḥ
11 upāsyatu śivāṃ saṃdhyāṃ dṛṣṭvā rātrim upasthitām
rāmasya śayanaṃ cakre sūtaḥ saumitriṇā saha
12 tāṃ śayyāṃ tamasātīre vīkṣya vṛkṣadalaiḥ kṛtām
rāmaḥ saumitriṇāṃ sārdhaṃ sabhāryaḥ saṃviveśa ha
13 sabhāryaṃ saṃprasuptaṃ taṃ bhrātaraṃ vīkṣya lakṣmaṇaḥ
kathayām āsa sūtāya rāmasya vividhān guṇān
14 jāgrato hy eva tāṃ rātriṃ saumitrer udito raviḥ
sūtasya tamasātīre rāmasya bruvato guṇān
15 gokulākulatīrāyās tamasāyā vidūrataḥ
avasat tatra tāṃ rātriṃ rāmaḥ prakṛtibhiḥ saha
16 utthāya tu mahātejāḥ prakṛtīs tā niśāmya ca
abravīd bhrātaraṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇaṃ puṇyalakṣaṇam
17 asmadvyapekṣān saumitre nirapekṣān gṛheṣv api
vṛkṣamūleṣu saṃsuptān paśya lakṣmaṇa sāmpratam
18 yathaite niyamaṃ paurāḥ kurvanty asmannivartane
api prāṇān asiṣyanti na tu tyakṣyanti niścayam
19 yāvad eva tu saṃsuptās tāvad eva vayaṃ laghu
ratham āruhya gacchāmaḥ panthānam akutobhayam
20 ato bhūyo 'pi nedānīm ikṣvākupuravāsinaḥ
svapeyur anuraktā māṃ vṛkṣamūlāni saṃśritāḥ
21 paurā hy ātmakṛtād duḥkhād vipramocyā nṛpātmajaiḥ
na tu khalv ātmanā yojyā duḥkhena puravāsinaḥ
22 abravīl lakṣmaṇo rāmaṃ sākṣād dharmam iva sthitam
rocate me mahāprājña kṣipram āruhyatām iti
23 sūtas tataḥ saṃtvaritaḥ syandanaṃ tair hayottamaiḥ
yojayitvātha rāmāya prāñjaliḥ pratyavedayat
24 mohanārthaṃ tu paurāṇāṃ sūtaṃ rāmo 'bravīd vacaḥ
udaṅmukhaḥ prayāhi tvaṃ ratham āsthāya sārathe
25 muhūrtaṃ tvaritaṃ gatvā nirgataya rathaṃ punaḥ
yathā na vidyuḥ paurā māṃ tathā kuru samāhitaḥ
26 rāmasya vacanaṃ śrutvā tathā cakre sa sārathiḥ
pratyāgamya ca rāmasya syandanaṃ pratyavedayat
27 taṃ syandanam adhiṣṭhāya rāghavaḥ saparicchadaḥ
śīghragām ākulāvartāṃ tamasām ataran nadīm
28 sa saṃtīrya mahābāhuḥ śrīmāñ śivam akaṇṭakam
prāpadyata mahāmārgam abhayaṃ bhayadarśinām
29 prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ paurās te rāghavo vinā
śokopahataniśceṣṭā babhūvur hatacetasaḥ
30 śokajāśruparidyūnā vīkṣamāṇās tatas tataḥ
ālokam api rāmasya na paśyanti sma duḥkhitāḥ
31 tato mārgānusāreṇa gatvā kiṃ cit kṣaṇaṃ punaḥ
mārganāśād viṣādena mahatā samabhiplutaḥ
32 rathasya mārganāśena nyavartanta manasvinaḥ
kim idaṃ kiṃ kariṣyāmo daivenopahatā iti
33 tato yathāgatenaiva mārgeṇa klāntacetasaḥ
ayodhyām agaman sarve purīṃ vyathitasajjanām

Next: Chapter 42