Sources

Left near the hermitage

Valmiki · Uttara Kanda
7.46.11–7.48.26 (CrEd 7.45.10–7.47.18)

Lakshmana drives Sita, who thinks she is going to visit the hermitages, to the Ganga, and there, weeping, tells her that Rama has abandoned her for fear of the citizens' slander, and that he must leave her near Valmiki's hermitage. Sita refuses to end her life, lest her husband's line be mocked, and sends Rama a message: to treat his people as his brothers. Lakshmana crosses back and goes, and Sita, alone on the bank, weeps aloud in the forest loud with peacocks.

Sanskrit · English·Translation: Raam Leela

Show

Part 1

The road to the river

Valmiki 7.46.11–34 (CrEd 7.45.10–28)

॥ 7.46.12 ॥

CrEd 7.45.10cd-ef

silent moment

॥ 7.46.11a ॥

CrEd 7.45.10ab

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

इमानि मुनिपत्नीनां दास्याम्य् आभरणान्य् अहम् ॥

imāni munipatnīnāṃ dāsyāmy ābharaṇāny aham

English

These, to the wives of the sages,
shall be my gift, these ornaments.

॥ 7.46.12 ॥

CrEd 7.45.10c, ef

silent moment

॥ 7.46.13–14 ॥

CrEd 7.45.11–12

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

अशुभानि बहून्य् अद्य पश्यामि रघुनन्दन नयनं मे स्फुरत्य् अद्य गात्रोत्कम्पश् च जायते हृदयं चैव सौमित्रे अस्वस्थम् इव लक्षये ॥

aśubhāni bahūny adya paśyāmi raghunandana nayanaṃ me sphuraty adya gātrotkampaś ca jāyate hṛdayaṃ caiva saumitre asvastham iva lakṣaye

English

Many ill omens today
I see, O Raghunandana;
my eye throbs today,
and a trembling seizes my limbs;
and my heart, Saumitri,
I find as if not at ease.

॥ 7.46.15 ॥

CrEd 7.45.13

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

औत्सुक्यं परमं चापि अधृतिश् च परा मम शून्याम् इव च पश्यामि पृथिवीं पृथुलोचन ॥

autsukyaṃ paramaṃ cāpi adhṛtiś ca parā mama śūnyām iva ca paśyāmi pṛthivīṃ pṛthulocana

English

Great is my disquiet,
and gone is all my calm;
empty, as it were, I see
the earth, O wide-eyed one.

॥ 7.46.15 ॥

CrEd 7.45.13

silent moment

॥ 7.46.16–17 ॥

CrEd 7.45.14–15

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

अपि स्वस्ति भवेत् तस्य भ्रातुस् ते भ्रातृभिः सह श्वश्रूणां चैव मे वीर सर्वासाम् अविशेषतः पुरे जनपदे चैव कुशलं प्राणिनाम् अपि ॥

api svasti bhavet tasya bhrātus te bhrātṛbhiḥ saha śvaśrūṇāṃ caiva me vīra sarvāsām aviśeṣataḥ pure janapade caiva kuśalaṃ prāṇinām api

English

May it be well with that brother of yours,
together with his brothers,
and with my mothers-in-law, O hero,
all of them, none set apart;
and in the city and the land,
well with every living thing.

॥ 7.46.18 ॥

CrEd 7.45.16

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

लक्ष्मणोऽर्थं तु तं श्रुत्वा शिरसा वन्द्य मैथिलीम् शिवम् इत्य् अब्रवीद् धृष्टो हृदयेन विशुष्यता ॥

lakṣmaṇo 'rthaṃ tu taṃ śrutvā śirasā vandya maithilīm śivam ity abravīd dhṛṣṭo hṛdayena viśuṣyatā

English

Lakshmana heard her meaning,
bowed his head to Maithili,
and gladly said, “All is well,”
with a heart that was withering.

॥ 7.46.19ab ॥

CrEd 7.45.17ab

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

ततो वासम् उपागम्य गोमतीतीर आश्रमे ॥

tato vāsam upāgamya gomatītīra āśrame

English

Then, coming to rest for the night
at a hermitage on the Gomati’s bank,

॥ 7.46.19cd–20 ॥

CrEd 7.45.17cd–18

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

योजयस्व रथं शीघ्रम् अद्य भागीरथीजलम् शिरसा धारयिष्यामि त्र्यम्बकः पर्वते यथा ॥

yojayasva rathaṃ śīghram adya bhāgīrathījalam śirasā dhārayiṣyāmi tryambakaḥ parvate yathā

English

Yoke the chariot, quickly;
today the Bhagirathi’s water
I shall bear upon my head,
as the Three-eyed on the mountain.

॥ 7.46.21 ॥

CrEd 7.45.19

Uttara · later layer

Sumantra

Sanskrit

सोऽश्वान् विचारयित्वाशु रथे युक्त्वा मनोजवान् आरोहस्वेति वैदेहीं सूतः प्राञ्जलिर् अब्रवीत् ॥

so 'śvān vicārayitvāśu rathe yuktvā manojavān ārohasveti vaidehīṃ sūtaḥ prāñjalir abravīt

English

He looked the horses over, quickly,
yoked them, swift as thought, to the chariot;
“Mount,” to Vaidehi
the charioteer said, with joined palms.

॥ 7.46.22, 23cd–24 ॥

CrEd 7.45.20–21

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

सा तु सूतस्य वचनाद् आरुरोह रथोत्तमम् ।
सीता सौमित्रिणा सार्धं सुमन्त्रेण च धीमता ।
अथार्धदिवसं गत्वा भागीरथ्या जलाशयम् ।
निरीक्ष्य लक्ष्मणो दीनः प्ररुरोद महास्वनम् ॥

sā tu sūtasya vacanād āruroha rathottamam
sītā saumitriṇā sārdhaṃ sumantreṇa ca dhīmatā
athārdhadivasaṃ gatvā bhāgīrathyā jalāśayam
nirīkṣya lakṣmaṇo dīnaḥ praruroda mahāsvanam

English

At the charioteer’s word she mounted
the finest of chariots,
Sita, with Saumitri
and with wise Sumantra.
Then, half the day gone,
seeing the Bhagirathi’s waters,
Lakshmana, stricken,
wept with a loud cry.

॥ 7.46.25cd–26 ॥

CrEd 7.45.22cd–23

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

धर्मज्ञ किम् इदं रुद्यते त्वया जाह्नवीतीरम् आसाद्य चिराभिलषितं मम हर्षकाले किम् अर्थं मां विषादयसि लक्ष्मण ॥

dharmajña kim idaṃ rudyate tvayā jāhnavītīram āsādya cirābhilaṣitaṃ mama harṣakāle kim arthaṃ māṃ viṣādayasi lakṣmaṇa

English

You who know dharma,
why do you weep like this?
We have reached the Jahnavi’s bank,
long my heart’s desire:
why, in my hour of joy,
do you sadden me, Lakshmana?

॥ 7.46.27 ॥

CrEd 7.45.24

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

नित्यं त्वं रामपादेषु वर्तसे पुरुषर्षभ कच्चिद् विनाकृतस् तेन द्विरात्रे शोकम् आगतः ॥

nityaṃ tvaṃ rāmapādeṣu vartase puruṣarṣabha kaccid vinākṛtas tena dvirātre śokam āgataḥ

English

Always at Rama’s feet
you live, O bull among men;
is it that, parted from him
two nights, you have come to grief?

॥ 7.46.28 ॥

CrEd 7.45.25

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

ममापि दयितो रामो जीवितेनापि लक्ष्मण न चाहम् एवं शोचामि मैवं त्वं बालिशो भव ॥

mamāpi dayito rāmo jīvitenāpi lakṣmaṇa na cāham evaṃ śocāmi maivaṃ tvaṃ bāliśo bhava

English

Dear to me too is Rama,
more than life, Lakshmana;
yet I do not grieve like this.
Do not be such a child.

॥ 7.46.29–30 ॥

CrEd 7.45.26–27

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

तारयस्व च मां गङ्गां दर्शयस्व च तापसान् ततो धनानि वासांसि दास्याम्य् आभरणानि च ततः कृत्वा महर्षीणां यथार्हम् अभिवादनम् तत्र चैकां निशाम् उष्य यास्यामस् तां पुरीं पुनः ॥

tārayasva ca māṃ gaṅgāṃ darśayasva ca tāpasān tato dhanāni vāsāṃsi dāsyāmy ābharaṇāni ca tataḥ kṛtvā maharṣīṇāṃ yathārham abhivādanam tatra caikāṃ niśām uṣya yāsyāmas tāṃ purīṃ punaḥ

English

Take me across the Ganga,
and show me the ascetics;
then riches and clothes
I shall give, and ornaments.
Then, when I have greeted the great sages
as is due to each,
and stayed one night there,
we shall go back to that city.

॥ 7.46.32ab, 34a ॥

CrEd 7.45.28

silent moment

Part 2

The far bank

Valmiki 7.47.1–18; 7.48.1 (CrEd 7.46.1–18; 7.47.1)

॥ 7.47.1 ॥

CrEd 7.46.1

silent moment

॥ 7.47.2 ॥

CrEd 7.46.2

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

सुमन्त्रं चैव सरथं स्थीयताम् इति लक्ष्मणः उवाच शोकसंतप्तः प्रयाहीति च नाविकम् ॥

sumantraṃ caiva sarathaṃ sthīyatām iti lakṣmaṇaḥ uvāca śokasaṃtaptaḥ prayāhīti ca nāvikam

English

To Sumantra, with the chariot,
“Wait here,” Lakshmana said,
burning with grief,
and “Go” to the boatman.

॥ 7.47.2 ॥

CrEd 7.46.2

silent moment

॥ 7.47.3 ॥

CrEd 7.46.3

silent moment

॥ 7.47.4 ॥

CrEd 7.46.4

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

हृद्गतं मे महच् छल्यं यद् अस्म्य् आर्येण धीमता अस्मिन् निमित्ते वैदेहि लोकस्य वचनीकृतः ॥

hṛdgataṃ me mahac chalyaṃ yad asmy āryeṇa dhīmatā asmin nimitte vaidehi lokasya vacanīkṛtaḥ

English

A great dart is in my heart,
that by my wise and noble brother,
for this cause, Vaidehi,
I am made the talk of the world.

॥ 7.47.5 ॥

CrEd 7.46.5

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

श्रेयो हि मरणं मेऽद्य मृत्योर् वा यत् परं भवेत् न चास्मिन्न् ईदृशे कार्ये नियोज्यो लोकनिन्दिते ॥

śreyo hi maraṇaṃ me 'dya mṛtyor vā yat paraṃ bhavet na cāsminn īdṛśe kārye niyojyo lokanindite

English

Better death for me today,
or what lies beyond death,
than to be set to a deed like this,
a deed the world condemns.

॥ 7.47.6a ॥

CrEd 7.46.6ab

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

प्रसीद न च मे रोषं कर्तुम् अर्हसि सुव्रते ॥

prasīda na ca me roṣaṃ kartum arhasi suvrate

English

Be gracious, and do not be
angry with me, lady of good vows.

॥ 7.47.6b–7a ॥

CrEd 7.46.6cd–7ab

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

इत्य् अञ्जलिकृतो भूमौ निपपात स लक्ष्मणः ।
रुदन्तं प्राञ्जलिं दृष्ट्वा काङ्क्षन्तं मृत्युम् आत्मनः ॥

ity añjalikṛto bhūmau nipapāta sa lakṣmaṇaḥ
rudantaṃ prāñjaliṃ dṛṣṭvā kāṅkṣantaṃ mṛtyum ātmanaḥ

English

So saying, palms joined,
Lakshmana fell to the ground;
seeing him weeping, palms joined,
longing for his own death,

॥ 7.47.8 ॥

CrEd 7.46.8

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

किम् इदं नावगच्छामि ब्रूहि तत्त्वेन लक्ष्मण पश्यामि त्वां च न स्वस्थम् अपि क्षेमं महीपतेः ॥

kim idaṃ nāvagacchāmi brūhi tattvena lakṣmaṇa paśyāmi tvāṃ ca na svastham api kṣemaṃ mahīpateḥ

English

What is this? I do not understand;
tell me truly, Lakshmana.
I see you are not at ease:
is it well with the lord of the earth?

॥ 7.47.9 ॥

CrEd 7.46.9

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

शापितोऽसि नरेन्द्रेण यत् त्वं संतापम् आत्मनः तद् ब्रूयाः संनिधौ मह्यम् अहम् आज्ञापयामि ते ॥

śāpito 'si narendreṇa yat tvaṃ saṃtāpam ātmanaḥ tad brūyāḥ saṃnidhau mahyam aham ājñāpayāmi te

English

By the king you are bound by oath:
whatever anguish is your own,
tell it here before me.
I command you.

॥ 7.47.10 ॥

CrEd 7.46.10

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

वैदेह्या चोद्यमानस् तु लक्ष्मणो दीनचेतनः ।
अवाङ्मुखो बाष्पगलो वाक्यम् एतद् उवाच ह ॥

vaidehyā codyamānas tu lakṣmaṇo dīnacetanaḥ
avāṅmukho bāṣpagalo vākyam etad uvāca ha

English

Pressed by Vaidehi,
Lakshmana, sick at heart,
his face turned down, tears in his throat,
spoke these words.

॥ 7.47.11a, 12 ॥

CrEd 7.46.11–12

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

श्रुत्वा परिषदो मध्ये अपवादं सुदारुणम् पुरे जनपदे चैव त्वत्कृते जनकात्मजे न तानि वचनीयानि मया देवि तवाग्रतः यानि राज्ञा हृदि न्यस्तान्य् अमर्षः पृष्ठतः कृतः ॥

śrutvā pariṣado madhye apavādaṃ sudāruṇam pure janapade caiva tvatkṛte janakātmaje na tāni vacanīyāni mayā devi tavāgrataḥ yāni rājñā hṛdi nyastāny amarṣaḥ pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtaḥ

English

Hearing, amid the assembly,
a slander most cruel,
in the city and the countryside,
about you, daughter of Janaka,
those words are not to be spoken
by me, my lady, before you,
which the king laid in his heart,
his anger put behind him.

॥ 7.47.13 ॥

CrEd 7.46.13

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

सा त्वं त्यक्ता नृपतिना निर्दोषा मम संनिधौ पौरापवादभीतेन ग्राह्यं देवि न तेऽन्यथा ॥

sā tvaṃ tyaktā nṛpatinā nirdoṣā mama saṃnidhau paurāpavādabhītena grāhyaṃ devi na te 'nyathā

English

You are cast off by the king,
blameless, in my presence,
for fear of the citizens’ slander;
do not take it otherwise, my lady.

॥ 7.47.14 ॥

CrEd 7.46.14

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

आश्रमान्तेषु च मया त्यक्तव्या त्वं भविष्यसि राज्ञः शासनम् आज्ञाय तवैवं किल दौर्हृदम् ॥

āśramānteṣu ca mayā tyaktavyā tvaṃ bhaviṣyasi rājñaḥ śāsanam ājñāya tavaivaṃ kila daurhṛdam

English

And near the hermitages, by me,
you are to be left behind,
at the king’s command:
this, they say, was your longing.

॥ 7.47.16–17 ॥

CrEd 7.46.16–17

Uttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

राज्ञो दशरथस्यैष पितुर् मे मुनिपुंगवः सखा परमको विप्रो वाल्मीकिः सुमहायशाः पादच्छायाम् उपागम्य सुखम् अस्य महात्मनः उपवासपरैकाग्रा वस त्वं जनकात्मजे ॥

rājño daśarathasyaiṣa pitur me munipuṃgavaḥ sakhā paramako vipro vālmīkiḥ sumahāyaśāḥ pādacchāyām upāgamya sukham asya mahātmanaḥ upavāsaparaikāgrā vasa tvaṃ janakātmaje

English

Of King Dasharatha,
my father, this bull among sages
is the dearest friend, a brahmin,
Valmiki, of great renown.
Come to the shade of the feet
of this great-souled one, and happily,
intent on fasting, single of mind,
live here, daughter of Janaka.

॥ 7.48.1 ॥

CrEd 7.47.1

silent moment

॥ 7.48.1 ॥

CrEd 7.47.1

silent moment

Part 3

Alone on the bank

Valmiki 7.48.2–26 (CrEd 7.47.2–18)

॥ 7.48.2 ॥

CrEd 7.47.2

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

सा मुहूर्तम् इवासंज्ञा बाष्पव्याकुलितेक्षणा ।
लक्ष्मणं दीनया वाचा उवाच जनकात्मजा ॥

sā muhūrtam ivāsaṃjñā bāṣpavyākulitekṣaṇā
lakṣmaṇaṃ dīnayā vācā uvāca janakātmajā

English

For a moment as if senseless,
her eyes clouded with tears,
to Lakshmana, in a pitiful voice,
Janaka’s daughter spoke.

॥ 7.48.3 ॥

CrEd 7.47.3

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

मामिकेयं तनुर् नूनं सृष्टा दुःखाय लक्ष्मण धात्रा यस्यास् तथा मेऽद्य दुःखमूर्तिः प्रदृश्यते ॥

māmikeyaṃ tanur nūnaṃ sṛṣṭā duḥkhāya lakṣmaṇa dhātrā yasyās tathā me 'dya duḥkhamūrtiḥ pradṛśyate

English

This body of mine was surely
made for sorrow, Lakshmana,
by the Creator, for today
I appear as sorrow’s form.

॥ 7.48.4 ॥

CrEd 7.47.4

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

किं नु पापं कृतं पूर्वं को वा दारैर् वियोजितः याहं शुद्धसमाचारा त्यक्ता नृपतिना सती ॥

kiṃ nu pāpaṃ kṛtaṃ pūrvaṃ ko vā dārair viyojitaḥ yāhaṃ śuddhasamācārā tyaktā nṛpatinā satī

English

What sin did I commit before,
or whom did I part from his wife,
that I, pure in conduct,
faithful, am cast off by the king?

॥ 7.48.5–6 ॥

CrEd 7.47.5–6

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

पुराहम् आश्रमे वासं रामपादानुवर्तिनी अनुरुध्यापि सौमित्रे दुःखे विपरिवर्तिनी सा कथं ह्य् आश्रमे सौम्य वत्स्यामि विजनीकृता आख्यास्यामि च कस्याहं दुःखं दुःखपरायणा ॥

purāham āśrame vāsaṃ rāmapādānuvartinī anurudhyāpi saumitre duḥkhe viparivartinī sā kathaṃ hy āśrame saumya vatsyāmi vijanīkṛtā ākhyāsyāmi ca kasyāhaṃ duḥkhaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇā

English

Once I made my dwelling in a hermitage,
following Rama’s feet,
by my own will, Saumitri,
turning amid hardship.
How shall I, gentle one, now live
in a hermitage, left alone?
And to whom shall I tell my sorrow,
I whose refuge is sorrow?

॥ 7.48.8 ॥

CrEd 7.47.8

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

न खल्व् अद्यैव सौमित्रे जीवितं जाह्नवीजले त्यजेयं राजवंशस् तु भर्तुर् मे परिहास्यते ॥

na khalv adyaiva saumitre jīvitaṃ jāhnavījale tyajeyaṃ rājavaṃśas tu bhartur me parihāsyate

English

No, not this very day, Saumitri,
will I in the Jahnavi’s water
give up my life: my husband’s
royal line would be mocked.

॥ 7.48.9 ॥

CrEd 7.47.9

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

यथाज्ञां कुरु सौमित्रे त्यज मां दुःखभागिनीम् निदेशे स्थीयतां राज्ञः शृणु चेदं वचो मम ॥

yathājñāṃ kuru saumitre tyaja māṃ duḥkhabhāginīm nideśe sthīyatāṃ rājñaḥ śṛṇu cedaṃ vaco mama

English

Do as you are bidden, Saumitri;
leave me, whose share is sorrow.
Keep to the king’s command,
and hear these words of mine.

॥ 7.48.10 ॥

CrEd 7.47.10

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

श्वश्रूणाम् अविशेषेण प्राञ्जलिः प्रग्रहेण च शिरसा वन्द्य चरणौ कुशलं ब्रूहि पार्थिवम् ॥

śvaśrūṇām aviśeṣeṇa prāñjaliḥ pragraheṇa ca śirasā vandya caraṇau kuśalaṃ brūhi pārthivam

English

At my mothers-in-law’s feet, all alike,
with joined palms and with reverence,
bow your head; and to the king
speak my wish for his welfare.

॥ 7.48.14b–15 ॥

CrEd 7.47.11

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

यथा भ्रातृषु वर्तेथास् तथा पौरेषु नित्यदा परमो ह्य् एष धर्मः स्याद् एषा कीर्तिर् अनुत्तमा ॥

yathā bhrātṛṣu vartethās tathā paureṣu nityadā paramo hy eṣa dharmaḥ syād eṣā kīrtir anuttamā

English

As you deal with your brothers,
so deal with the citizens, always;
for this would be the highest dharma,
this the fame unsurpassed.

॥ 7.48.16–17ab ॥

CrEd 7.47.12

Uttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

यत् त्वं पौरजनं राजन् धर्मेण समवाप्नुयाः अहं तु नानुशोचामि स्वशरीरं नरर्षभ यथापवादं पौराणां तथैव रघुनन्दन ॥

yat tvaṃ paurajanaṃ rājan dharmeṇa samavāpnuyāḥ ahaṃ tu nānuśocāmi svaśarīraṃ nararṣabha yathāpavādaṃ paurāṇāṃ tathaiva raghunandana

English

That you, O king, may win
the citizens by dharma:
for I do not mourn
my own body, best of men,
so much as the citizens’ slander,
O Raghunandana.

॥ 7.48.18cd ॥

popular text only · not in the CrEdUttara · later layer

Sita

Sanskrit

निरीक्ष्य माऽद्य गच्छ त्वम् ऋतुकालातिवर्तिनीम् ॥

nirīkṣya mā 'dya gaccha tvam ṛtukālātivartinīm

English

Look on me today, then go:
my season has gone by.

॥ 7.48.19 ॥

CrEd 7.47.13

silent moment

॥ 7.48.21 ॥

popular text only · not in the CrEdUttara · later layer

Lakshmana

Sanskrit

दृष्टपूर्वं न ते रूपं पादौ दृष्टौ तवानघे कथम् अत्र हि पश्यामि रामेण रहितां वने ॥

dṛṣṭapūrvaṃ na te rūpaṃ pādau dṛṣṭau tavānaghe katham atra hi paśyāmi rāmeṇa rahitāṃ vane

English

Your form I have never seen;
your feet I have seen, sinless one.
How then shall I look on you here,
in the forest, without Rama?

॥ 7.48.20ab, 22 ॥

CrEd 7.47.14

silent moment

॥ 7.48.23–24 ॥

CrEd 7.47.15–16

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

स गत्वा चोत्तरं कूलं शोकभारसमन्वितः ।
संमूढ इव दुःखेन रथम् अध्यारुहद् द्रुतम् ।
मुहुर् मुहुर् अपावृत्य दृष्ट्वा सीताम् अनाथवत् ।
वेष्टन्तीं परतीरस्थां लक्ष्मणः प्रययाव् अथ ॥

sa gatvā cottaraṃ kūlaṃ śokabhārasamanvitaḥ
saṃmūḍha iva duḥkhena ratham adhyāruhad drutam
muhur muhur apāvṛtya dṛṣṭvā sītām anāthavat
veṣṭantīṃ paratīrasthāṃ lakṣmaṇaḥ prayayāv atha

English

He reached the northern bank,
weighed down with grief,
and, as if dazed with sorrow,
quickly mounted the chariot.
Turning back again and again,
seeing Sita, as one unprotected,
writhing on the farther shore,
Lakshmana went on.

॥ 7.48.25 ॥

CrEd 7.47.17

silent moment

॥ 7.48.26 ॥

CrEd 7.47.18

Uttara · later layer

Valmikiverse caption

Sanskrit

सा दुःखभारावनता तपस्विनी यशोधरा नाथम् अपश्यती सती ।
रुरोद सा बर्हिणनादिते वने महास्वनं दुःखपरायणा सती ॥

sā duḥkhabhārāvanatā tapasvinī yaśodharā nātham apaśyatī satī
ruroda sā barhiṇanādite vane mahāsvanaṃ duḥkhaparāyaṇā satī

English

Bowed beneath the weight of sorrow, the ascetic,
keeper of her good name, the faithful, seeing no protector,
wept in the forest that rang with peacocks,
wept aloud, the faithful one, given over to sorrow.

॥ 7.48.26 ॥

CrEd 7.47.18

silent moment