Rāmāyaṇa-southern-2 (southern recension) · Chapter 2.8

Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyākāṇḍa, 8
mantharā tv abhyasūyyainām utsṛjyābharaṇaṃ ca tat /
uvācedaṃ tato vākyaṃ kopaduḥkhasamanvitā

harṣaṃ kim idam asthāne kṛtavaty asi bāliśe /
śokasāgaramadhyastham ātmānaṃ nāvabudhyase

subhagā khalu kausalyā yasyāḥ putro 'bhiṣekṣyate /
yauvarājyena mahatā śvaḥ puṣyeṇa dvijottamaiḥ

prāptāṃ sumahatīṃ prītiṃ pratītāṃ tāṃ hatadviṣam /
upasthāsyasi kausalyāṃ dāsīva tvaṃ kṛtāñjaliḥ

hṛṣṭāḥ khalu bhaviṣyanti rāmasya paramāḥ striyaḥ /
aprahṛṣṭā bhaviṣyanti snuṣās te bharatakṣaye

tāṃ dṛṣṭvā paramaprītāṃ bruvantīṃ mantharāṃ tataḥ /
rāmasyaiva guṇān devī kaikeyī praśaśaṃsa ha

dharmajño gurubhir dāntaḥ kṛtajñaḥ satyavāk śuciḥ /
rāmo rājñaḥ suto jyeṣṭho yauvarājyam ato 'rhati

bhrātḥn bhṛtyāṃś ca dīrghāyuḥ pitṛvat pālayiṣyati /
saṃtapyase kathaṃ kubje śrutvā rāmābhiṣecanam

bharataś cāpi rāmasya dhruvaṃ varṣaśatāt param /
pitṛpaitāmahaṃ rājyam avāpsyati nararṣabhaḥ

sā tvam abhyudaye prāpte vartamāne ca manthare /
bhaviṣyati ca kalyāṇe kimarthaṃ paritapyase /
kausalyāto 'tiriktaṃ ca sa tu śuśrūṣate hi mām

kaikeyyā vacanaṃ śrutvā mantharā bhṛśaduḥkhitā /
dīrgham uṣṇaṃ viniḥśvasya kaikeyīm idam abravīt

anarthadarśinī maurkhyān nātmānam avabudhyase /
śokavyasanavistīrṇe majjantī duḥkhasāgare

bhavitā rāghavo rājā rāghavasya ca yaḥ sutaḥ /
rājavaṃśāt tu bharataḥ kaikeyi parihāsyate

na hi rājñaḥ sutāḥ sarve rājye tiṣṭhanti bhāmini /
sthāpyamāneṣu sarveṣu sumahān anayo bhavet

tasmāj jyeṣṭhe hi kaikeyi rājyatantrāṇi pārthivāḥ /
sthāpayanty anavadyāṅgi guṇavatsv itareṣv api

asāv atyantanirbhagnas tava putro bhaviṣyati /
anāthavat sukhebhyaś ca rājavaṃśāc ca vatsale

sāhaṃ tvadarthe samprāptā tvaṃ tu māṃ nāvabudhyase /
sapatnivṛddhau yā me tvaṃ pradeyaṃ dātum icchasi

dhruvaṃ tu bharataṃ rāmaḥ prāpya rājyam akaṇṭakam /
deśāntaraṃ nāyayitvā lokāntaram athāpi vā

bāla eva hi mātulyaṃ bharato nāyitas tvayā /
saṃnikarṣāc ca sauhārdaṃ jāyate sthāvareṣv api

goptā hi rāmaṃ saumitrir lakṣmaṇaṃ cāpi rāghavaḥ /
aśvinor iva saubhrātraṃ tayor lokeṣu viśrutam

tasmān na lakṣmaṇe rāmaḥ pāpaṃ kiṃcit kariṣyati /
rāmas tu bharate pāpaṃ kuryād iti na saṃśayaḥ

tasmād rājagṛhād eva vanaṃ gacchatu te sutaḥ /
etaddhi rocate mahyaṃ bhṛśaṃ cāpi hitaṃ tava

evaṃ te jñātipakṣasya śreyaś caiva bhaviṣyati /
yadi ced bharato dharmāt pitryaṃ rājyam avāpsyati

sa te sukhocito bālo rāmasya sahajo ripuḥ /
samṛddhārthasya naṣṭārtho jīviṣyati kathaṃ vaśe

abhidrutam ivāraṇye siṃhena gajayūthapam /
pracchādyamānaṃ rāmeṇa bharataṃ trātum arhasi

darpān nirākṛtā pūrvaṃ tvayā saubhāgyavattayā /
rāmamātā sapatnī te kathaṃ vairaṃ na yātayet

yadā hi rāmaḥ pṛthivīm avāpsyati dhruvaṃ pranaṣṭo bharato bhaviṣyati /
ato hi saṃcintaya rājyam ātmaje parasya cādyaiva vivāsakāraṇam