Rāmāyaṇa-southern-2 (southern recension) · Chapter 2.41

Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyākāṇḍa, 41
tatas tu tamasā tīraṃ ramyam āśritya rāghavaḥ /
sītām udvīkṣya saumitrim idaṃ vacanam abravīt

iyam adya niśā pūrvā saumitre prasthitā vanam /
vanavāsasya bhadraṃ te sa notkaṇṭhitum arhasi

paśya śūnyāny araṇyāni rudantīva samantataḥ /
yathānilayam āyadbhir nilīnāni mṛgadvijaiḥ

adyāyodhyā tu nagarī rājadhānī pitur mama /
sastrīpuṃsā gatān asmāñ śociṣyati na saṃśayaḥ

bharataḥ khalu dharmātmā pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca me /
dharmārthakāmasahitair vākyair āśvāsayiṣyati

bharatasyānṛśaṃsatvaṃ saṃcintyāhaṃ punaḥ punaḥ /
nānuśocāmi pitaraṃ mātaraṃ cāpi lakṣmaṇa

tvayā kāryaṃ naravyāghra mām anuvrajatā kṛtam /
anveṣṭavyā hi vaidehyā rakṣaṇārthe sahāyatā

adbhir eva tu saumitre vatsyāmy adya niśām imām /
etaddhi rocate mahyaṃ vanye 'pi vividhe sati

evam uktvā tu saumitraṃ sumantram api rāghavaḥ /
apramattas tvam aśveṣu bhava saumyety uvāca ha

so 'śvān sumantraḥ saṃyamya sūrye 'staṃ samupāgate /
prabhūtayavasān kṛtvā babhūva pratyanantaraḥ

upāsyatu śivāṃ saṃdhyāṃ dṛṣṭvā rātrim upasthitām /
rāmasya śayanaṃ cakre sūtaḥ saumitriṇā saha

tāṃ śayyāṃ tamasātīre vīkṣya vṛkṣadalaiḥ kṛtām /
rāmaḥ saumitriṇā sārdhaṃ sabhāryaḥ saṃviveśa ha

sabhāryaṃ saṃprasuptaṃ taṃ bhrātaraṃ vīkṣya lakṣmaṇaḥ /
kathayāmāsa sūtāya rāmasya vividhān guṇān

jāgrato hy eva tāṃ rātriṃ saumitrer udito raviḥ /
sūtasya tamasātīre rāmasya bruvato guṇān

gokulākulatīrāyās tamasāyā vidūrataḥ /
avasat tatra tāṃ rātriṃ rāmaḥ prakṛtibhiḥ saha

utthāya tu mahātejāḥ prakṛtīs tā niśāmya ca /
abravīd bhrātaraṃ rāmo lakṣmaṇaṃ puṇyalakṣaṇam

asmadvyapekṣān saumitre nirapekṣān gṛheṣv api /
vṛkṣamūleṣu saṃsuptān paśya lakṣmaṇa sāmpratam

yathaite niyamaṃ paurāḥ kurvanty asmannivartane /
api prāṇān asiṣyanti na tu tyakṣyanti niścayam

yāvad eva tu saṃsuptās tāvad eva vayaṃ laghu /
ratham āruhya gacchāmaḥ panthānam akutobhayam

ato bhūyo 'pi nedānīm ikṣvākupuravāsinaḥ /
svapeyur anuraktā māṃ vṛkṣamūlāni saṃśritāḥ

paurā hy ātmakṛtād duḥkhād vipramocyā nṛpātmajaiḥ /
na tu khalv ātmanā yojyā duḥkhena puravāsinaḥ

abravīl lakṣmaṇo rāmaṃ sākṣād dharmam iva sthitam /
rocate me mahāprājña kṣipram āruhyatām iti

sūtas tataḥ saṃtvaritaḥ syandanaṃ tair hayottamaiḥ /
yojayitvātha rāmāya prāñjaliḥ pratyavedayat

mohanārthaṃ tu paurāṇāṃ sūtaṃ rāmo 'bravīd vacaḥ /
udaṅmukhaḥ prayāhi tvaṃ ratham āsthāya sārathe

muhūrtaṃ tvaritaṃ gatvā nirvartaya rathaṃ punaḥ /
yathā na vidyuḥ paurā māṃ tathā kuru samāhitaḥ

rāmasya vacanaṃ śrutvā tathā cakre sa sārathiḥ /
pratyāgamya ca rāmasya syandanaṃ pratyavedayat

taṃ syandanam adhiṣṭhāya rāghavaḥ saparicchadaḥ /
śīghragām ākulāvartāṃ tamasām ataran nadīm

sa saṃtīrya mahābāhuḥ śrīmāñ śivam akaṇṭakam /
prāpadyata mahāmārgam abhayaṃ bhayadarśinām

prabhātāyāṃ tu śarvaryāṃ paurās te rāghavaṃ vinā /
śokopahataniśceṣṭā babhūvur hatacetasaḥ

śokajāśruparidyūnā vīkṣamāṇās tatas tataḥ /
ālokam api rāmasya na paśyanti sma duḥkhitāḥ

tato mārgānusāreṇa gatvā kiṃcit kṣaṇaṃ punaḥ /
mārganāśād viṣādena mahatā samabhiplutaḥ

rathasya mārganāśena nyavartanta manasvinaḥ /
kim idaṃ kiṃ kariṣyāmo daivenopahatā iti

tato yathāgatenaiva mārgeṇa klāntacetasaḥ /
ayodhyām agaman sarve purīṃ vyathitasajjanām