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88
 
T
HE RAMAYANA
 
H
owever, I have held on believing that I

should witness it (joy) in (the case of)

my son.
 

 
दश सप्त च वर्षाणि तव जातस्य राघव ।

आसितानि प्रकाङ्क्षन्त्या मया दुःखपरिक्षयम् ॥
 

Ten and seven years, O Raghava, since

your re-birth ( initiation as a Kshatriya )

have been spent by me expecting the

termination of my misery.
 

 
अपश्यन्ती तव मुखं परिपूर्णशशिप्रभम् ।

कृपणा वर्तयिष्यामि कथं कृपणजीविकाम् ॥
 

Without seeing your face, beautiful like

a full moon, how can I, wretched, live the

life of wretchedness ?"
 

 
तथा तु विलपन्तीं तां कौसल्यां राममातरम् ।

उवाच लक्ष्मणो दीनस्तत्कालसदृशं वचः ॥
 

To Rama's mother Kausalya who was

lamenting thus, the dejected Lakshmana

addressed words suited to the occasion :
 

 
न रोचते ममाप्येतदायेंर्ये यद्राघवो वनम् ।

त्यक्त्वा राज्यश्रियं गच्छेत् स्त्रिया वाक्यवशं गतः ॥