Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 60

ततो भूतोपसृष्टेव वेपमाना पुनः पुनः। धरण्यां गतसत्त्वेव कौसल्या सूतमब्रवीत्।।2.60.1।।

tato bhūtopasṛṣṭeva vepamānā punaḥ punaḥ| dharaṇyāṃ gatasattveva kausalyā sūtamabravīt

Thereafter Kausalya, trembling as if possessed by an evil spirit and rolling on the floor like one who her senses now and again, said to the charioteer (Sumantra):

नय मां यत्र काकुत्स्थस्सीता यत्र च लक्ष्मणः। तान्विना क्षणमप्यत्र जीवितुं नोत्सहेह्यहम्।।2.60.2।।

naya māṃ yatra kākutsthassītā yatra ca lakṣmaṇaḥ| tānvinā kṣaṇamapyatra jīvituṃ notsahehyaham

Take me where Rama, Sita and Lakshmana are. I do not wish to live even for a moment without them.

निवर्तय रथं शीघ्रं दण्डकान्नय मामपि। अथ तान्नानुगच्छामि गमिष्यामि यमक्षयम्।।2.60.3।।

nivartaya rathaṃ śīghraṃ daṇḍakānnaya māmapi| atha tānnānugacchāmi gamiṣyāmi yamakṣayam

'Turn back your chariot immediately and take me to the Dandaka forest. If I do not follow them, I shall enter the world of Yama'.

बाष्पवेगोपहतया स वाचा सज्जमानया। इदमाश्वासयन्देवीं सूतः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत्।।2.60.4।।

bāṣpavegopahatayā sa vācā sajjamānayā| idamāśvāsayandevīṃ sūtaḥ prāñjalirabravīt

With folded hands and faltering words choked by his fastflowing tears the charioteer tried to console Kausalya:

त्यज शोकं च मोहं च सम्भ्रमं दुःखजं तथा। व्यवधूय च सन्तापं वने वत्स्यति राघवः।।2.60.5।।

tyaja śokaṃ ca mohaṃ ca sambhramaṃ duḥkhajaṃ tathā| vyavadhūya ca santāpaṃ vane vatsyati rāghavaḥ

Abandon your tears, delusion and despair arising out of sorrow. Rama is going to live in the forest, brushing aside all agony.

लक्ष्मणश्चापि रामस्य पादौ परिचरन्वने। आराधयति धर्मज्ञः परलोकं जितेन्द्रियः।।2.60.6।।

lakṣmaṇaścāpi rāmasya pādau paricaranvane| ārādhayati dharmajñaḥ paralokaṃ jitendriyaḥ

Selfcontrolled Lakshmana, aware of his duty, serves Rama in the forest. By this he is securing his next world.

विजनेऽपि वने सीता वासं प्राप्य गृहेष्विव। विस्रम्भं लभतेऽभीता रामे सन्न्यस्तमानसा।।2.60.7।।

vijane'pi vane sītā vāsaṃ prāpya gṛheṣviva| visrambhaṃ labhate'bhītā rāme sannyastamānasā

Sita with her mind fixed on Rama is living confidently in that desolate forest without any fear as if it were her home.

नास्या दैन्यं कृतं किञ्चित्सुसूक्ष्ममपि लक्ष्यते। उचितेव प्रवासानां वैदेही प्रतिभाति मा।।2.60.8।।

nāsyā dainyaṃ kṛtaṃ kiñcitsusūkṣmamapi lakṣyate| uciteva pravāsānāṃ vaidehī pratibhāti mā

I could not see even the slightest depression in Sita as if she was accustomed to staying away from home.

नगरोपवनं गत्वा यथा स्मरमते पुरा। तथैव रमते सीता निर्जनेषु वनेष्वपि।।2.60.9।।

nagaropavanaṃ gatvā yathā smaramate purā| tathaiva ramate sītā nirjaneṣu vaneṣvapi

Earlier, just as Sita used to revel in the gardens of the city, so does she now in those desolate forests.

बालेव रमते सीताऽबालचन्द्रनिभानना। रामा रामे ह्यधीनात्मा विजनेऽपि वने सती।।2.60.10।।

bāleva ramate sītā'bālacandranibhānanā| rāmā rāme hyadhīnātmā vijane'pi vane satī

Charming Sita whose face resembles the full Moon, with her mind fixed on Rama, is enjoying even the desolate forest like a child.

तद्गतं हृदयं ह्यस्यास्तदधीनं च जीवितम्। अयोध्यापि भवेऽत्तस्या रामहीना तदा वनम्।।2.60.11।।

tadgataṃ hṛdayaṃ hyasyāstadadhīnaṃ ca jīvitam| ayodhyāpi bhave'ttasyā rāmahīnā tadā vanam

Her heart is ever united with Rama, and her life is under his control. Without Rama, even Ayodhya would become a forest for her.

परिपृच्छति वैदेही ग्रामांश्च नगराणि च। गतिं दृष्ट्वा नदीनां च पादपान्विविधानपि।।2.60.12।। रामं हि लक्ष्मणं वापि पृष्ट्वा जानाति जानकी। अयोध्या क्रोशमात्रे तु विहारमिव संश्रिता।।2.60.13।।

paripṛcchati vaidehī grāmāṃśca nagarāṇi ca| gatiṃ dṛṣṭvā nadīnāṃ ca pādapānvividhānapi rāmaṃ hi lakṣmaṇaṃ vāpi pṛṣṭvā jānāti jānakī| ayodhyā krośamātre tu vihāramiva saṃśritā

Seeing villages, cities, trees of different kinds and courses of rivers, Sita is enquiring from Rama or Lakshmana about them. She feels as though she is sporting in the pleasuregarden just a krosa from Ayodhya.

परिपृच्छति वैदेही ग्रामांश्च नगराणि च। गतिं दृष्ट्वा नदीनां च पादपान्विविधानपि।।2.60.12।। रामं हि लक्ष्मणं वापि पृष्ट्वा जानाति जानकी। अयोध्या क्रोशमात्रे तु विहारमिव संश्रिता।।2.60.13।।

paripṛcchati vaidehī grāmāṃśca nagarāṇi ca| gatiṃ dṛṣṭvā nadīnāṃ ca pādapānvividhānapi rāmaṃ hi lakṣmaṇaṃ vāpi pṛṣṭvā jānāti jānakī| ayodhyā krośamātre tu vihāramiva saṃśritā

Seeing villages, cities, trees of different kinds and courses of rivers, Sita is enquiring from Rama or Lakshmana about them. She feels as though she is sporting in the pleasuregarden just a krosa from Ayodhya.

इदमेव स्मराम्यस्यास्सहसैवोपजल्पितम्। कैकेयी संश्रितं वाक्यं नेदानीं प्रतिभाति मा।।2.60.14।।

idameva smarāmyasyāssahasaivopajalpitam| kaikeyī saṃśritaṃ vākyaṃ nedānīṃ pratibhāti mā

Sita did say something about Kaikeyi, but now I do not remember what.

ध्वंसयित्वा तु तद्वाक्यं प्रमादात्पर्युपत्स्थितम्। ह्लादनं वचनं सूतो देव्या मधुरमब्रवीत्।।2.60.15।।

dhvaṃsayitvā tu tadvākyaṃ pramādātparyupatsthitam| hlādanaṃ vacanaṃ sūto devyā madhuramabravīt

Diverting the context of what he uttered inadvertently relating to Kaikeyi, the charioteer said pleasing words of consolation to Kausalya.

अध्वना वातवेगेन सम्भ्रमेणाऽऽतपेन च। न विगच्छति वैदेह्याश्चन्द्रांशु सदृशी प्रभा।।2.60.16।।

adhvanā vātavegena sambhrameṇā''tapena ca| na vigacchati vaidehyāścandrāṃśu sadṛśī prabhā

Just like the beams of the Moon, Sita's glow is not affected by the fatigue of the journey or by the speed of the wind or by the scorching heat.

सदृशं शतपत्रस्य पूर्णचन्द्रोपमप्रभम्। वदनं तद्वदान्याया वैदेह्या न विकम्पते।।2.60.17।।

sadṛśaṃ śatapatrasya pūrṇacandropamaprabham| vadanaṃ tadvadānyāyā vaidehyā na vikampate

The countenance of Sita with her gentle eloquence resembles a hundredpetalled lotus. She has the luminance of the full Moon that has not wilted.

अलक्तरसरक्ताभावलक्तरसवर्जितौ। अद्यापि चरणौ तस्याः पद्मकोशसमप्रभौ।।2.60.18।।

alaktarasaraktābhāvalaktarasavarjitau| adyāpi caraṇau tasyāḥ padmakośasamaprabhau

Her feet, now devoid of lacdye, still look red like lac and shine like the lotus bud.

नूपुरोद्घुष्टहेलेव खेलं गच्छति भामिनी। इदानीमपि वैदेही तद्रागान्नयस्त भूषणा।।2.60.19।।

nūpurodghuṣṭaheleva khelaṃ gacchati bhāminī| idānīmapi vaidehī tadrāgānnayasta bhūṣaṇā

Casting off her ornaments, the damsel (Sita) is gracefully walking as if dalliant with her tinkling anklets for her love for him (Rama).

गजं वा वीक्ष्य सिंहं वा व्याघ्रं वा वनमाश्रिता। नाऽहारयति सन्त्रासं बाहू रामस्य संश्रिता।।2.60.20।।

gajaṃ vā vīkṣya siṃhaṃ vā vyāghraṃ vā vanamāśritā| nā'hārayati santrāsaṃ bāhū rāmasya saṃśritā

Though in the forest, Sita, under the protection of Rama's arms, is afraid of neither elephants nor lions nor tigers.

न शोच्यास्ते न चात्मनश्शोच्यो नापि जनाधिपः। इदं हि चरितं लोके प्रतिष्ठास्यति शाश्वतम्।।2.60.21।।

na śocyāste na cātmanaśśocyo nāpi janādhipaḥ| idaṃ hi caritaṃ loke pratiṣṭhāsyati śāśvatam

You need not lament for them or for yourself or for the king. This story of Rama will endure permanently in the world.

विधूय शोकं परिहृष्टमानसा महर्षियाते पथि सुव्यवत्स्थिताः। वनेरता वन्यफलाशनाः पितुश्शुभां प्रतिज्ञां परिपालयन्ति ते।।2.60.22।।

vidhūya śokaṃ parihṛṣṭamānasā maharṣiyāte pathi suvyavatsthitāḥ| vaneratā vanyaphalāśanāḥ pituśśubhāṃ pratijñāṃ paripālayanti te

They are upholding the sacred promise of their father with cheerful hearts, grief given the goby, steadfastly pursuing the path established by maharsis, subsisting on forest fruits and enjoying the forest life.

तथापि सूतेन सुयुक्तवादिना निवार्यमाणा सुतशोककर्शिता। न चैव देवी विरराम कूजितात्प्रियेति पुत्रेति च राघवेति च।।2.60.23।।

tathāpi sūtena suyuktavādinā nivāryamāṇā sutaśokakarśitā| na caiva devī virarāma kūjitātpriyeti putreti ca rāghaveti ca

Though Sumantra was speaking with befitting words to prevent Kausalya from weeping over her son which had enfeebled her, she did not stop crying, 'O my beloved', 'O my son', 'O Rama'. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे षष्टितमस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the sixtieth sarga in Ayodhyakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.