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162
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
पुनरेवं ब्रुवाणं तु भरतं लक्ष्मणाग्रजः ॥
प्रत्युवाच ततः श्रीमान् ज्ञातिमध्येऽभिसत्कृतः ॥
 
To Bharata who was talking again in
the same strain, Rama, the graceful and
highly-honoured elder brother of Laksh-
mana, replied in the midst of his
relations :
 
अयाचत नरश्रेष्ठं द्वौ वरौ वरवर्णिनी ।
तव राज्यं नख्याघ्र मम प्रवाजनं तथा ॥
 
"Your illustrious mother asked of the
foremost of men, two boons, O foremost
of men, —the kingdom for
you and
banishment for me.
 
तौ च राजा तदा तस्यै नियुक्तः प्रददौं वरौ ।
 
The king being constrained, gave her
then those two boons.
 
तेन पित्राऽहमप्यत्र नियुक्तः पुरुषर्षभ ।
 
O best of men, therefore, I have been
ordered here by (our) father.
 
भवानपि तथेत्येव पितरं सत्यवादिनम् ।
कर्तुमर्हति राजेन्द्र क्षिप्रमेवा भिषेचनात् ॥