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

27] Act I, Picture-gallery — Translation [—i. 42ᵈ the pictures, and which is [now] causing her these perturbed dreams. Affectionately stroking her. Uniform (advaita) in happiness and in sorrow—conformable (anuguṇa) to all the conditions [of life]—in which the heart finds solace—the flavour of which age cannot stint—which with time, as the veil-of-reserve (āvaraṇa) drops away, abides as a perfect and ripened affection—that one supreme-blessing (bhadra) [only] the fortunate among mankind, and after a sore trial (katham api), attain. 39 Durmukha, approaching—Victory unto Your Majesty! Rāma—Speak what you have found out. Durmukha—They praise Your Majesty—the people both in the city and in the country—saying, ‘King Rāma has made us forget King Daśaratha’. Rāma—A mere compliment this: tell me of some fault or other so that it may be set right. Durmukha, with tears—Let the King listen [then]. In his ear [whispers] so and so. Rāma—Alas! How sudden in its blow is this thunderbolt of a speech! Faints. Durmukha—Take heart, my King! Rāma, coming to himself— Alas, oh alas! That scandal, due to the residence in a stranger’s house of this daughter of the Videha-King, [that scandal] which [formerly] through means miraculous we had put down—that, like a mad hound’s venom, is once again, by an adverse turn of fortune, spreading fast (pra) everywhere! 40 What then—ill-starred that I am—may I do in this case? After reflecting, mournfully. Or, what else is there [to it]? For good men, by some means or other, propitiation of the people [must be] a sacred duty (vrata)—[a duty] which, moreover (hi), my father fulfilled,¹ though [thereby] losing me and his [own] life. 41 Just a short while ago did the exalted Vasiṣhṭa send [me] his mandate.² Furthermore, [That long career] which hath been made glorious by the Children of the Sun—the rulers of the Earth, the foremost of men—if that pure and unblemished career [of this Solar race] should, on my account, by some foul calumny be disgraced—then, alas! fie on me, the unblessed! 42 ¹ For the palace-intrigue which caused Rāma’s death, see Introduction, § 18, E. banishment and his father Daśaratha’s Compare stanza 11, above.