Ayodhya Kanda

Chapter 97: Sita answers: a shadow cannot leave its body

5 verses · 97 of 326

What happens in this chapter

Sita answers: a shadow cannot leave its body

The king's anguish and love in that plea cannot be told. Hearing it, Rama counsels Sita in many ways: if you return, the distress of your elders, guru and family will end. Vaidehi replies: listen, lord of my life. You are compassionate and wise; how can a shadow be held apart from the body? Where can sunlight go without the sun, or moonlight without the moon? Then she speaks gently to the minister. You are kind to me as my father and father-in-law, and answering you is improper; I speak only from distress, so do not take it amiss. Without my lord's lotus feet, every other tie is empty.

97.1

बिनती भूप कीन्ह जेहि भाँती । आरति प्रीति न सो कहि जाती ॥
पितु सँदेस सुनि कृपानिधाना । सियहि दीन्ह सिख कोटि विधाना ॥

binatī bhūpa kīnha jehi bhām̐tī | ārati prīti na so kahi jātī ||
pitu sam̐desa suni kṛpānidhānā | siyahi dīnha sikha koṭi vidhānā ||

97.2

सासु ससुर गुरु प्रिय परिवारू । फिरतु त सब कर मिटइ खभारू ॥
सुनि पति-बचन कहति बैदेही । सुनहु प्रानपति परम-सनेही ॥

sāsu sasura guru priya parivārū | phiratu ta saba kara miṭai khabhārū ||
suni pati-bacana kahati baidehī | sunahu prānapati parama-sanehī ||

97.3

प्रभु करुनामय परम बिबेकी । तनु तजि रहति छाँह किमि छेंकी ॥
प्रभा जाइ कहँ भानु बिहाई । कहँ चन्द्रिका चन्द तजि जाई ॥

prabhu karunāmaya parama bibekī | tanu taji rahati chām̐ha kimi cheṃkī ||
prabhā jāi kaham̐ bhānu bihāī | kaham̐ candrikā canda taji jāī ||

97.4

पतिहि प्रेम-मय बिनय सुनाई । कहति सचिव सन गिरा सुहाई ॥
तुम्ह पितु-ससुर-सरिस हितकारी । उत्तर देउँ फिरि अनुचित भारी ॥

patihi prema-maya binaya sunāī | kahati saciva sana girā suhāī ||
tumha pitu-sasura-sarisa hitakārī | uttara deum̐ phiri anucita bhārī ||

दो॰ 97Doha

आरति-बस सनमुख भइउँ, बिलग न मानब तात ।
आरज-सुत-पद-कमल बिनु, बादि जहाँ लगि नात ॥

ārati-basa sanamukha bhaium̐, bilaga na mānaba tāta |
āraja-suta-pada-kamala binu, bādi jahām̐ lagi nāta ||

Text source: Wikisource · Public domain (Tulsidas, 16th c.; 1925 edition, Wikisource PD-1996 tag); transcription CC BY-SA 4.0