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402
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
O foremost' of men, being wholly swayed
by anger, you have, like any low man,
seen only womanhood in me.
 
न प्रमाणीकृतः पाणिर्बाल्ये बालेन पीडितः ।
मम भक्तिश्च शीलं च सर्व ते पृष्ठतः कृतम् ॥
 
No heed has been paid to the fact that
when I was young, you as a young man
took my hand (in marriage); my devotion
to you and my character-all these are
held as naught by you.
 
चिर्ता मे कुरु सौमित्रे प्रवेक्ष्ये हव्यवाहनम् ॥
 
O Lakshmana, son of Sumitra, prepare
I shall enter the
 
the funeral pyre for me.
fire."
 
स विज्ञाय ततश्छन्दं रामस्याकारसूचितम् ।
चितां चकार सौमित्रिर्मते रामस्य वीर्यवान् ॥
Understanding Rama's mind by signs
and complying with his desire, the heroic
Lakshmana prepared the funeral pyre.
 
अधोमुख तदा रामं शनैः कृत्वा प्रदक्षिणम् ।
प्रणम्य देवाताभ्यश्च ब्राह्मणेभ्यश्च मैथिलो ॥