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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 प्रददौंदौ 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 ॥