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Asharfi Lal Mishra
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|| THE RAMAYANA ||
(Condensed)
*Yuddhakanda*
[Poet:Valmiki]
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तद्गच्छ ह्यभ्यनुज्ञाता यथेष्टं जनकात्मजे।
एता दश दिशो भद्रे कार्यमस्ति न मे त्वया।।
Therefore ,O daughter of Janaka , with my permission go where you like ; all about you are the ten cardinal points . O amiable one ,you are of no use me any more .
कः पुमान हि कुले जातः स्त्रियं परगृहोषिताम।
तेजस्वी पुनराद्यात सुहृल्लेख्येन चेतसा।।
For,which man of a good family and a bright reputation will take back with eager heart a wife that has lived in another's house ?
रावणाङकपरिभ्रष्टां दृष्टां दुष्टेन चक्षुषा।
कथं त्वां पुनरादद्यां कुलं व्यपदिशन्महत।।
How can I , claiming noble descent , take back you who have been disgraced by remaining on Ravana's lap and who have been looked at by him with evil eyes ?
नास्ति मे त्वय्यभिष्वङ्गो यथेष्टं गम्यतामितः।।
I have no desire for you. You may go from here wherever you like ."
एवमुक्ता तु वैदेही परुषं रोमहर्षणम।
शनैर्गद्ग्दया वाचा भर्तारमिदमब्रवीत।।
Hearing such harsh words, making the hair stand on end , Vaidehi said slowly and in faltering accents to her lord:
किं मामसदृशं वाक्यम ईदृशं श्रोत्रदारुणम।
रूक्षं श्रावयसे वीर प्राकृतः प्रकृतामिव।।
" O hero, why do you speak to me such unbecoming and harsh words, which are painful to the ear , like a common man addressing a common women ?
न तथाSस्मि महाबाहो यथा त्वमवगच्छसि।
प्रत्ययं गच्छ मे येन चारित्रेणैव ते शपे।।
O mighty-armed one, I am not as you think me . Have belief in me . I swear to you by my character .
पृथक्स्त्रीणां प्रचारेण जातिं तां परिशङ्कसे।
परित्यजेमां शङ्कां तु यदि तेSहं परीक्षता।।
By the conduct of low women, you suspect the whole sex .Leave this suspicion if you have proved me .
अद्यहं गात्रसंस्पर्शँ गताSस्मि विवशा प्रभो।
कामकारो न मे तत्र दैवं तत्रापराध्यति।।
My lord , if I have been brought into contact with another's body , I was powerless; it was not of my volition ; fate is to be blamed in the matter.
मदधीनं तु यत्तन्मे हृदयं त्वयि वर्तते।
पराधीनेषु गात्रेषु किं करिष्याम्यनीश्वरा।।
That which is entirely in my control , my heart , has always been fixed on you .But with regard to my body which has been beyond my control , what could I do , powerless as I was?
सहसंवृद्धभावाच्च संसर्गेण च मानद।
यद्यहं ते न विज्ञाता हता तेनास्मि शाश्वतम।।
O fountain of honour , if , because of our having lived together long and of our intimacy , I am not already well-known to you alas , I am ruined for ever.
प्रेषितस्ते यदा वीरो हनूमानवलोककः।
लङ्कास्थाSहं त्वया वीर किं टाडा न विसर्जिता।।
O hero, when the heroic Hanuman was sent by you to look for me , why was I , being in Lanka , not renounced by you then?
प्रत्यक्षं वानरेन्द्रस्य त्वद्वाक्यसमनन्तरम।
त्वया संत्यक्तया वीर त्यक्तं स्याज्जीवितं मया।।
O hero, if I had been renounced by a direct message from you by Hanuman , my life too would have been renounced by me then .
न वृथा ते श्रमोSयं स्यात संशये न्यस्य जीवितम।।
सुहृज्जनपरिक्लेशो न चायं निष्फलस्तव।।
In that event all this trouble , involving risk to your life , would have been avoided ; so this unnecessary affliction of your allies.
त्वया तु नरशार्दूल क्रोधमेवानुवर्तता।
लघुनेव मनुष्येण स्त्रीत्वमेव पुरस्कृतम।।
O foremost of men , being wholly swayed by anger , you have , like any low man , seen only womanhood in me .
न प्रमाणीकृतः पाणिर्बाल्ये बालेन पीडितः।
मम भक्तिश्च शीलं च सर्वं ते पृष्ठतः।।
No heed has been paid to the fact that when I was young , you as a young man took my hand (in marriage) ; my devotion to you and my character ~~ all these are held as naught by you .
चिन्तां मे कुरु सौमित्रे प्रवेक्ष्ये हव्यवाहनम।।
O Lakshmana , son of Sumitra , prepare the funeral pyre for me , I shall enter the fire ."
स विज्ञाय ततश्छन्दं रामस्याकारसूचितम।
चिन्तां चकार सौमित्रिर्मते रामस्य वीर्यवान।।
Understanding Rama's mind by signs and complying with his desire , the heroic Lakshmana prepared the funeral pyre.
अधोमुखं तदा रामं शनैः कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम।
प्रणम्य देवताभ्यश्च ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च मैथिली।।
After slowly going round Rama, who was looking down , and paying obeisance to the gods and the Brahmanas ,Maithili (said):
यथा मे हृदयं नित्यं नापसर्पति राघवात।
तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः।।
" As surely as my heart has never moved away from Rama ( even for a minute) , even so let Fire , the witness of all the world , protect me on all sides.
यथा मां शुद्धचारित्रां दुष्टां जानाति राघवः।
तथा लोकस्य साक्षी मां सर्वतः पातु पावकः।।
As surely as I am pure in conduct through Raghava thinks ill of me , even so let fire , the witness of all the world , protect me on all sides.
कर्मणः मनसा वाचा यथा नातिचाराम्यहम।
राघवं सर्वधर्मज्ञं तथा मां पातु पावकः।।
As surely as I have never transgressed against Ragahava , the knower of all dharma , by thought , word or deed , even so let Fire protect me ."
एवमुक्त्वा तु वैदेही परिक्रम्य हुताशनम।
विवेश ज्वलनं दीप्तिं निःशङ्केनान्तरात्मना।।
Speaking thus and circumambulating the fire, Vaidehi plunged in the blazing and flaming fire with an undaunted heart .
ततः सहस्ताभरणान प्रगृह्य बिपुलान भुजान।
अब्रुवंस्त्रिदशश्रेष्ठाः प्राञ्जलिं राघवं स्थितम।।
Then raising up their big hands bedecked with ornaments, the most exalted celestials beings said to Raghava who was standing with folded hands :
कर्ता सर्वस्व लोकस्य श्रेष्ठो ज्ञानवतां वरः।
उपेक्षसे कथं सीतां पतन्तीं हव्यवाहने।।
" You , who are the creator of all the worlds and the foremost of wise men , why are you indifferent when Sita plunges into the Fire ?"
ददौ रामाय वैदेहीम अङ्के कृत्वा विभावसुः।
अब्रवीच्च तदा रामं साक्षी लोकस्य पावकः।।
Vibhavasu , the god of Fire and the witness of all the worlds , placed Vaidehi in his lap and then have her to Rama and said to Rama :
विशुद्धभावां निष्पापां प्रतिगृह्वीष्व राघव।।
" O Raghava , receive her who is pure at heart and devoid of all sin ."
एवमुक्तो महातेजा द्युतिमान दृढविक्रमः।
अब्रवीत त्रिदशश्रेष्ठं रामो धर्मभृतां वरः।।
When thus addressed , Rama , the highly effulgent , brilliant , of proved valour and the foremost of the celestials :
अवश्यं तु मया कार्यं सर्वेषां वो वचः शुभम।।
स्निग्धानां लोकमान्यानाम एवं च ब्रुवतां हितम।।
" The auspicious commands of all of you , who are affectionate , worthy of the highest regard from all and who speak what is beneficial , shall necessarily be done by me ."
एतच्छ्रुत्वा शुभं वाक्यं राघवेणानुभाषितम।
ततः शुभतरं वाक्यं व्याजहार महेश्वरः।।
Hearing these pleasing words which were spoken by Rama, Mahadeva , the great lord , uttered pleasing words thus :
एष राजा दशरथो विमानस्थः पिता तव।
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्राता त्वमेनमभिवादय।।
" This your father , king Dasharatha is in the Vimana , Salute him along with your brother Lakshmana."
महादेववचः श्रुत्वा राघवस्सहलक्ष्मणः।
विमानशिखरस्थस्य प्रणाममकरोत पितुः।।
Hearing the words of Mahadeva , Raghava, along with Lakshmana , made his obeisance to his father seated high in the Vimana .
हर्षेण महताSSविष्टः पुत्रं दशरथस्तदा।
बाहुभ्यां संपरिष्वज्य ततो वाक्यं समाददे।।
Experiencing the highest delight , and embracing his son with both his hands , Dashratha then uttered these words :
न मे स्वर्गो बहुमतः सत्यं प्रतिश्रृणोमि ते।
इदानीं तु विजानामि यथा सौम्य सुरेश्वरैः।
वधार्थं रावणस्येदं विहितं पुरुषोत्तम।।
" I swear to you truly ; heaven itself is not much to me . O amiable one , foremost of mortals , I understand only now that this has been ordained by the gods for the killing of Ravana .
रावणं च रणे हत्वा देवास्ते परितोषिताः।
भ्रातृभिस्सह राज्यस्थो दीर्घमायुरवाप्नुहि।।
The gods are well satisfied by the killing of Ravana in battle .Firmly established in your kingdom along with your brothers , may you have long life."
इति ब्रुवाणं राजानं रामः प्राञ्जलिरब्रवीत।।
To the king who spoke thus , Rama replied with folded hands:
कुरु प्रसादं धर्मज्ञ कैकेय्या भरतस्य च।
सपुत्रां त्वां त्यजामीति यदुक्ता कैकेयी त्वया।
स शापः कैकेयीं घोरः सपुत्रां न स्पृशेत प्रभो।।
" O knower of dharma , be gracious to Kaikeyi and Bharata . O Lord , that curse which was uttered to Kaikeyi by you , 'I shall forsake you along with your son ' ~~ let not that terrible curse affect Kaikeyi or her son ."
स तथेति महाराजो राममुक्त्वा कृताञ्जलिम।
लक्ष्मणं च परिष्वज्य पुनर्वाक्यमुवाच ह।।
Saying 'be it so 'to Rama of foded hands , the great king embraced Lakshmana and spoke to him thus :
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