महावीरचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - वीररस-प्रधान रामकथा नाटक सम्पूर्ण ७ अङ्क सटीक)

i. 15ᵇ—] Bhavabhūti — Uttara-Rāma-Charita [20 broken [in twain] with a careless ease—the [waving] tufts of hair grace- fully adorning [his face]—thus is my noble Lord painted here! Lakshmaṇa—Look, noble Lady, look at this: To these relatives headed by Vasishṭha here is thy father [Janaka] offering worship—as also Śatānanda, the son of Gotama and priest of the Janaka-family. 16 Rāma—This is a sight to see! Of the family of Janaka with that of Raghu¹ to whom is the union not pleasing?—wherein both the giver and the receiver is the son-of-Kuśika [Viśvāmitra] in person. 17 Sītā—Here in sooth are all ye four brothers—your godāna² ceremony just performed—ready (dīkshita) for the wedding. Ah! I feel as if in that very same place, on that very same occasion I were [again] present. Rāma—To me [also] it seems to be again that self-same hour when, like unto a great festival incarnate, it thrilled me with joy, O fair- faced one,—this thy hand offered [me] by the son of Gotama and begirt with lovely [nuptial] bangles. 18 Lakshmaṇa—This [here] is my noble Lady; this again, the noble Māṇḍavī³: This here, likewise, [our] daughter-in-law, dear (vadhū) Śrutakīrti.⁴ Sītā—And who, dear brother (vatsa), is this other one here? Lakshmaṇa, with a bashful smile⁵, aside—I see, it is [my] Ūrmilā that the noble Lady is asking for. Well, I'll change the subject. Aloud. Here, my noble Lady, here is something worth seeing; for here is the exalted son of Bhṛigu.⁶ Sītā—Oh, how I tremble! Rāma—My homage to thee, O sage! Lakshmaṇa—Behold, behold, noble Lady! Here is this [sage], by my noble brother— Rāma, impatiently interrupting him—Don't you see there is much more to be seen: show us what follows. Sītā, gazing [at Rāma] with affection and deep respect—How well dost thou, my noble Lord, shine in this thy excess of modesty! Lakshmaṇa—Here is our arrival at Ayodhyā. Rāma, with tears—I remember, alas! I remember:

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¹ A famous ancestor of Rāma. ² Literally, ‘hair-clipping’ ceremony. For its nature see Notes. ³ Wife of Lakshmaṇa’s elder brother, Bharata. ⁴ Wife of Lakshmaṇa’s younger brother, Śatrughna. Notice the difference in the mode of address. Since a younger brother is in the status of a son, his wife is the elder brother’s daughter-in-law. ⁵ For one may not utter his wife’s name, especially before elders. ⁶ Paraśu-Rāma or Rāma with the axe, a Brahman warrior and sage whom Rāma, the hero of this play, vanquished.