(thathaha pravishathi upavishtO rAmaha sIthA cha)
rAmaha: dhEvi vaidhEhi samAshvasihi samAshvasihi I thE hi guravO na shanuvanthyasmAn vimOkthum I
kinthvanuSHTAnanithyathvam svAthanthryam apakarSHathi I sankata hyAhithAgnInAm prathyavAyairgrhasthaTHA II 8 II
(ततः प्रविशत्युपविष्टो रामः सीता च /)
रामः –
देवि वैदेहि समाश्वसिहि समाश्वसिहि / ते हि गुरवो न शक्नुवन्त्यस्मान् विमोक्तुम् /
किन्त्वनुष्ठाननित्यत्वं स्वातन्त्र्यमपकर्षति / संकटा ह्याहिताग्नीनां प्रत्यवायैर्गृहस्थता //८//
(Rama and Sita are on stage, sitting)
RAMA: Dear Vaidehi, do not feel sad. Our elders cannot bear to leave us, but routine work robs householders of their freedom and compels them to go back. That’s why our palace seems so empty now.
sIthA: jAnAmyAryaputhra jAnAmi / kinthy santhApakAriNO banDHyanaviprayOgA bhavanthu /
सीता – जानाम्यार्यपुत्र जानामि / किन्तु सन्तापकारिणो बन्धुजनविप्रयोगा भवन्ति /
SITA : I know my Lord, I know. But separation from one’s relatives does cause sadness.
rAma: EvamEthath I EthE hi hrdhayamarmachChidhaha samsArabhAvA yEbhyO bIbhathsamAnAha santhyajya sarvAn kAmAn araNyE vishrAmyanthi manISHiNaha I
रामः – एवमेतत् / एते हि हृदयमर्मच्छिदः संसारभावा येभ्यो बीभत्समानाः संत्यज्य सर्वान् कामानरण्ये विश्राम्यन्ति मनीषिणः /
RAMA: It does happen! Such occurrences, common in life, do break one’s heart. Disgusted with the misery that is part of worldly life, the wise give up all attachment and live peacefully in the forest.
(pravishya)
kanchukI: rAmabhadra (ithyarDHOkthE sAshankam) mahArAja I
(प्रविश्य)
कञ्चुकी – रामभद्र / (इत्यर्धोक्ते साक्षेपम्) महाराज /
(Enter)
KANCHUKI: Dear Rama …. (biting his tongue mid-sentence, then apprehensively) Your Majesty!
rAma:(sasmitham) Arya! nanu rAmabhadhra ithyEva mAm prathyupachAraha shObhathE thAthaparijanasya I thadhyaTHAbhyAsam uchyathAm I
रामः – (सस्मितम्) आर्य / ननु रामभद्र इत्येव मां प्रत्युपचारः शोभते तातपरिजनस्य / तद्यथाभ्यासमुच्यताम् /
RAMA: (Smiling) Good sir! It is only proper that those who were in service even during the time of my father and are used to addressing me as ‘dear Rama’ should continue calling me by name as is their habit.
kanchukI: rSHyashrngAshramAdh aSHtAvakraha samprApthaha I
कञ्चुकी – ऋष्यशृङ्गाश्रमादष्टावक्रः संप्राप्तः /
KANCHUKI: Ashtavakra has arrived, from Rishyashringa’s hermitage.
sIthA: Arya thathaha kim vilambyathE I
सीता – आर्य ततः किं विलम्ब्यते /
SITA: (Addressing Kanchuki) Good sir, why tarry further?
rAmaha: thvaritham pravEshaya I
(kanchukI niSHkrAnthaha)
रामः – त्वरितं प्रवेशय /
(कञ्चुकी निष्क्रान्तः)
RAMA: Make haste. Go and invite him in.
(Exit Kanchuki)
(pravishya aSHtAvakra)
ashtAvakraha: svasthi thvAm I
(प्रविश्य)
अष्टावक्रः – स्वस्ति वाम् /
(Enter Ashtavakra)
ASHTAVAKRA: May all be well with you.
rAmaha: bhagavan abhivAdhayE I itha AsyathAm I
रामः – भगवन्नभिवादये / इत आस्यताम् /
RAMA: Sir, my respects to you. Pray, be seated.
sIthA: namasthE I api kushalam mE samagrasya gurujanasya I AryAyAscha shAnthAyaha I
सीता – नमस्ते / अपि कुशलं मे समग्रस्य गुरुजनस्य / आर्यायाश्च शान्तायाः /
SITA: Greetings! Are all my elders keeping well? And, my respected sister Shantha too?
ramaha: nirvighnaha sOmapIthI AvuththO mE bhagavAn rSHyashrnga AryA cha shAnthA I
रामः – निर्विघ्नः सोमपीती आवुत्तो मे भगवान् ऋष्यशृङ्ग आर्या च शान्ता /
RAMA: How are my brother-in-law, the honourable Rishyashinga and my sister, Shantha? Are they able to perfrom their religious duties without hindrance from any quarter?
sIthA: asmAn vA smarathiI I
सीता – अस्मान् वा स्मरति /
SITA: Do they remember us?
aSHtAvakraha: aTHa kim I dhEvi bhagavAn vasiSHTasthvAmAha
vishvambharA bhagavathI bhavathImasUtha rAjA prjApathi samO janakaha pithA thE I thESHAm vaDHUsthvamasi nandhini pArTHivAnAm yESHAm grhESHu savithA cha gururvayam cha II 9 II
thath kimanyadh AshAsmahE I kEvalam vIraprasavA bhUyaha I
अष्टावक्रः – (उपविश्य) अथ किम् / देवि भगवान् वसिष्टस्त्वामाह
विश्वम्भरा भगवती भवतीमसूत राजा प्रजापतिसमो जनकः पिता ते / तेषां वधूस्त्वमसि नन्दिनि पार्थिवानां येषां गृहेषु सविता च गुरुर्वयं च //९//
तद्किमन्यदाशास्महे / केवलं वीरप्रसवा भूयाः /
ASHTAVAKRA: Of course! My lady, revered Vasishta has asked me to convey this message to you:
You are born of Goddess Earth. King Janaka, the equal of Brahma in knowledge, is your father. O one who gives joy to all, you are a bride of the family whose preceptors we are and whose kings are descendants of the Sun himself. What else can we wish for you, except that you may have valiant offspring?
rAmaha: anugrhIthAha smaha I
laukikAnAm hi sADHUnAm arTHam vAganuvarthathe I rSHINAm punarAdhyAnAm vAcham arTHOnuDHAvathi II 10 II
रामः – अनुगृहीतः स्मः /
लौकिकानां हि साधूनामर्थं वागनुवर्तते / ऋषीणां पुनराद्यानां वाचमर्थोनुधावति //१०//
RAMA: Indeed, we are blessed. It is said that wise men speak about real happenings, but the words spoken by sages become reality after they are uttered.
aSHtAvakraha: idham bhagavathyarunDHathyA dhEvIbhihi shAnthayA chabhUyObhUyaha sandhiSHtam I yaha kashchidh garbhadhOhadhO asyA bhavathi sOvashyam achirAn mAnayithavyaha I
अष्टावक्रः – इदं भगवत्यरुन्धत्या देवीभिः शान्तया च भूयोभूयः संदिष्टम् / यः कश्चिद्गर्भदोहदोस्या भवति सोवश्यमचिरान्मानयितव्यः /
ASHTAVAKRA: Venerable Arundhati, the three queen mothers and Shantha repeatedly asked me to convey this message to you – ‘Whatever wish Sita may have during her pregnancy must be immediately attended to.’
rAmaha: kriyathE yadhESHA kaTHayathi I
रामः – क्रियते यदेषा कथयति /
RAMA: Whatever she desires will be done.
aSHtAvakraha: nanAndhuhu pathyA cha dhEvyAha sandhiSHtam rSHyashrngENa I vathsE I kaTOragarbhEhi nAnIthAsi I vathsOpi rAmabhadhrasthvadh vinOdhArTHamEva sTHApithaha I thath puthrapUrNOthsangAm AyuSHmathIm dhrakshyAmaaha I
अष्टावक्रः – ननान्दुः पत्या च देव्याः संदिष्टमृष्यशृङ्गेण / वत्से / कठोरगर्भेति नानीतासि / वत्सोपि रामभद्रस्त्वद्विनोदार्थमेव स्थापितः / तत्पुत्रपूर्णोत्सङ्गामायुष्मतीं द्रक्ष्यामः /
ASHTAVAKRA: My lady, your sister-in-law’s husband, Rishyashringa, has asked me to convey this message to you: ‘Because of th advanced state of your pregnancy, you have been left behind. Rama has also been asked to stay back in Ayodhya to take care of you. We hope to see you soon, in the best of health and with a child on your lap.
ramaha (saharSHakajjAsmitham): thaTHAsthu I bhagavathA punarvasiSHYEna na kinchidh AdhiSHtosmi I
रामः – (सहर्षलज्जस्मितम्) तथास्तु / भगवता पुनर्वसिष्ठेन न किञ्चिदादिष्ठोस्मि /
RAMA (with a happy, shy smile): As you say so may it be. Has not revered Vasishta asked that I be given any words of advice?
ASHTAvakraha: shrUyathAm
JAmAthryagnyEna vayam nirudhdDHAsthvam bAla EvAsi navam cha rAjyam I yukthaha prajAnAm anuranjanE syAsthasmAdh yashO yath paramam DHanam vaha II 11 II
अष्टावक्रः – श्रूयताम् /
जामातृयज्ञेन वयं निरुद्धास्त्वं बाल एवासि नवं च राज्यम् / युक्तः प्रजानाम् अनुरञ्जने स्यास्तस्माद्यशो यत् परमं धनं वः // ११ //
ASHTAVAKRA: Please listen (to the message): “We are staying back to participate in the sacred yagna conducted by the son-in-law of our house. You are young and kingship is new to you. Reign so as to ensure the happiness of your subjects. The distinction such a reign will give you is our greatest wealth.”
rAmaha: yaTHAha bhagavAn maithrAcaruNihi I
snEham dhyAm cha saukhyam cha yadhi vA jAnakImapi I ArADHanAya lOkasya munchathO nAsthi mE vyaTHA II 12 II
रामः – यथाह भगवान् मैत्रावरुणिः /
स्नेहं दयां च सौख्यं च यदि वा जानकीमपि / आराधनाय लोकस्य मुञ्चतो नास्ति मे व्यथा // १२ //
RAMA: I shall do as the honourable Maitravaruni commands. Without feeling perturbed, I shall sacrifice anything – be it friendship, sympathy, comfort or even Sita – in the service of my subjects.
sIthA: atha Eva rAghavaDHuranDHara Aryaputhrana I
सीता – अत एव राघवधुरन्धरो आर्यपुत्रः /
SITA: It is this attitude of his that makes my Lord the greatest in the Raghava dynasty.
ramaha: kaha kOthra bhOho I vishramyathAm aSHtAvakraha I
रामः – कः कोऽत्र भोः / विश्रम्यताम् अष्टावक्रः /
RAMA: Who’s there? Arrange for Ashtavakra to rest.
aSHtAvakraha: (uthTHAya parikramya) ayE kumAra lakshmaNaha prApthana I (niSHkrAnthaha)
अष्टावक्रः – (उत्थाय परिक्रम्य) अये कुमार लक्ष्मणः प्राप्तः /
(निष्क्रान्तः)
ASHTAVAKRA: (Stands up and turns) Oh! Young Lakshmana has come!
(Exit Ashtavakra)
