Śrīmad Vālmīki Rāmāyana (English Translation)

Apprised of Śrī Rāma’s arrival by Sumantra, Daśaratha commands him to usher in Śrī Rāma with his consort. Seeing the Emperor fall unconscious at the very sight of the heir-apparent, the ladies of the royal household start wailing piteously. On Śrī Rāma’s soliciting his permission to retire to the woods, the king enjoins him to take his father captive and ascend the throne. Śrī Rāma in his turn con...

Having distributed his immense riches among the Brāhmanas and others, Śrī Rāma, accompanied by Sītā and Laksmana, proceeds to his father’s gynaeceum to take leave of him. Remaining unruffled even on hearing en route the diverse talks of the citizens gathered here and there, with melancholy writ large on their faces, the royal trio reach their destination and urge Sumantra to apprise their royal fa...

Having received gifts of jewels and ornaments from Śrī Rāma and Sītā, Suyajña invokes divine blessings on the couple. Enjoined by Śrī Rāma, Laksmana then bestows silk costumes and ornaments etc., on the sons of Sage Agastya and others. Urged by his wife, a sage, Trijata by name, approaches Śrī Rāma and seeks riches from him. Śrī Rāma thereupon bestows on him thousands of cows and distributes his r...

Hearing the dialogue of Śrī Rāma and Sītā, Laksmana seeks his permission to accompany him to the forest. Śrī Rāma desires him to stay in Ayodhyā in order to look after his mothers. But seeing his insistence, he agrees to take him as well and urges him to bring Suyajña and other Rsis, accounting them worthy of receiving gifts from him.

Though consoled by Śrī Rāma in many ways, Sītā did not change her mind and seeing her insistent on accompanying him, Śrī Rāma agrees to take her to the forest and asks her to prepare for the journey and to give away all her personal belongings in charity.

Sītā continues to implore Śrī Rāma to take her to the forest alongwith him. Śrī Rāma, however, is adamant and goes on consoling her and asking her to stay on in Ayodhyā.

Bringing home to Sītā the austerity and hardships of forest life, Śrī Rāma tries once more to dissuade her from her insistence on accompanying him to the forest.

Exhorted by Śrī Rāma to stay in Ayodhyā to look after his parents, Sītā submits in reply that she being his counterpart, her exile is implied in his and insists on her being taken with him since she would not be able to bear separation from him.

Beholding Śrī Rāma depressed in spirits and lustreless with frustration writ large on his countenance, Sītā, who knew nothing about the interruption of his installation and had been eagerly and joyfully awaiting his return, inquires about the cause of his dejection and is told how his installation has been stopped and how he is going to be sent into exile by his father, and exhorted to look after...

Having received the motherís benedictions for the journey, Śrī Rāma falls at her feet and proceeds to the apartments of Sītā in order to see her.

Finding Śrī Rāma firm in his obedience to the command of his parents, Kausalyā (Śrī Rāma’s mother) urges him to take her alongwith him. On being told, however, that it was incumbent on a matron whose husband was alive to remain with the latter and serve him, she consents to Śrī Rāma’s departure to the forest.

Enraged to hear the exhortation of Śrī Rāma, Laksmana urges in reply that the word of their father was worth ignoring inasmuch as it was divorced from righteousness and, further emphasizing the predominance of personal effort over destiny, persuades Śrī Rāma to take up arms against those who interfere with his installation and occupy the throne of Ayodhyā by force. Śrī Rāma, however, pacifies Laks...

Śrī Rāma pacifies Laksmana, denying the instrumentality and laying the entire who was angry with Kaikeyī, by of Kaikeyī in his banishment blame on his own fate.

Consoling Kausalyā in her grief over the impending exile of Śrī Rāma, Prince Laksmana opposes the idea of Śrī Rāma’s leaving for the forest and, censuring Daśaratha, makes up his mind to accompany his eldest brother. Kausalyā too deters Śrī Rāma from going into exile, branding Kaikeyī’s command as unjust. Śrī Rāma, however, justifies the command on the ground of its being countenanced by the Emper...

Even as Śrī Rāma issued forth from the palace of Queen Kaikeyī, the inmates of the gynaeceum burst into a piteous wail, extolling the princeís virtues. Mother Kausalyā embraces and pronounces her benedictions on Śrī Rāma as the latter approaches her and falls at her feet. On being apprised of the circumstances that had brought him there, she falls to the ground overwhelmed with grief, and weeps bi...

Having agreed to leave for the forest, Śrī Rāma proceeds to take leave of his mother Kausalyā.

Questioned by Śrī Rāma as to what preyed on his father's mind, Kaikeyī tells him all that had happened in the meantime and sternly urges him to depart for the woods.

Śrī Rāma drives in state to his father’s gynaeceum, beholding en route the charms of Ayodhyā, hearing the blessings and encomia of his friends and relations and ravishing the eyes of all on-lookers, and on reaching his destination sends back his retinue and seeks the presence of his royal father alone.

Seeking the presence of Śrī Rāma, Sumantra communicates to him the Emperor’s command asking Sumantra to bring Rāma with him, and departs. Mounting his gold chariot and accompanied by Laksmana, who holds an umbrella over the formerís head and waves a pair of chowries in order to fan him, and followed by a number of elephants and horses, Śrī Rāma drives in state to see Daśaratha, listening en route...

While going out of the gynaeceum to bring Śrī Rāma, Sumantra sees Vasistha and others as well as a number of kings waiting at the gate and hastens back to announce their presence to the king. He is, however, sent back to fetch Śrī Rāma and forthwith enters the latter's apartments.

Citing other instances of the Emperor’s fidelity to truth and threatening to lay down her life in the event of his not carrying out her wishes, Kaikeyī insists on his sending Śrī Rāma into exile at once and does not desist from her purpose even when railed at by her husband. In the meantime Sumantra makes his appearance in the gynaeceum and, extolling the Emperor, reminds him of his intention to i...

Further tormented by Kaikeyī through her importunity to have the boons granted by the Emperor implemented, the latter piteously wails his lot and reproaches her. The sun having set in the meanwhile, the Emperor continues till the following morning his solicitations to Kaikeyī to allow Rāma to be installed as Prince Regent. But, Kaikeyī remaining adamant, the king in his extreme anguish of mind sin...

Extolling the virtues of Śrī Rāma and showing him undeserving of exile, the Emperor endeavours to dissuade Kaikeyī from her pertinacity in sending Śrī Rāma into exile. Quoting the examples of Hariścandra and others, Kaikeyī, however, redoubles her insistence. The Emperor for his part rebukes her in harsh words and goes the length of falling at her feet in order to bring her round but in vain.

Egged on by Kaikeyī to grant her desire, Daśaratha gives his word of honour to her to that effect. Invoking the presence of gods as witnesses and reminding the Emperor of what took place during the conflict of gods and demons, Kaikeyī asks of him the two boons promised by him in the shape of exiling Śrī Rāma for a period of fourteen years and installing Bharata as Prince Regent.

Having told off Sumantra and others to get together necessaries for the installation of Śrī Rāma, Daśarathaa calls on Kaikeyī to break the happy news to her. Not finding her in her apartments, however, he makes inquiries from the portress, who tells him of her presence in the sulking-chamber. The Emperor calls on her there and, lifting her up, cajoles her.