उत्तररामचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी व्याख्या)

-II 6] UTTARARĀMACHARITA. 61 ficial session lasting for 12 years had come to an end. From this passage we see that between the events narrated in the first Act and those in the second, a period of twelve years had elapsed. विसर्जिता sent back, bidden farewell to. वधूरहितान् deprived of (our) daughter in law (सीता). अनुमोदितम् seconded, approved. परेयुङ्गा वाच — supply आसन् or निवृत्ता. G seems to have read 'वसिष्ठस्यापि श्रद्धा which means 'वसिष्ठ had an inclination' P 39 स राजा सम्प्रति in what work is that king now engaged? किनारम्भ is another reading. क आरम्भ (undertak- ing) यस्य. Mark that वासन्ती does not use the word राम or रामभद्र. She resents the treatment meted out to her friend and does not wish to take his name even. She suggests that he is a mere king and that he forgot his duties as a husband in abandoning सीता. क आचार यस्य स किमाचार. Compare क्षुद्रयो- जन (text p 33). ऋतु क्लृप्तः he has begun the अश्वमेध sacrifice. अश्वमेध (अश्व मेध्यते हिंस्यतेऽत्र) a horse sacrifice. In ancient times this sacrifice was performed by kings for progeny, but subse- quently for sovereignty. A horse was let loose to wander over the earth for one year protected by an army. When the horse entered any foreign territory, the king had either to yield or to fight the army. After the horse returned at the end of the year the rites were performed amidst great rejoicings. In the बालकाण्ड सर्ग I° 14, a detailed description of the अश्वमेध performed by दशरथ is given. हा धिक् alas fie (upon him), has he married also? Such rites as अश्वमेध were to be performed along with one's wife. As सीता had been abandoned वासन्ती inferred from the fact that राम had begun the अश्वमेध that he must have married some other woman. This gives her a shock and she asks the question 'परिणीतमपि' Com- pare बालकाण्ड 13 'यज्ञवाटं गता सर्वे यथाशास्त्रं यथाविधि । तैनाश्च सह पत्नीभी राजा दाक्षामुपार्विशत् ॥ 41 का चारिणी then (if he has not married again) who is the wife co-operating with him in the religious rites in the sacrifice? हिरण्मयी मूर्ति the golden image of सीता (is the सहधर्मचारिणी of राम in the sacrifice). हिरण्मयी is derived from हिरण्य with the affix मयट् used in the sense of विकार. Rama had aban- doned सीता not because he himself did not love her or because he had any doubts about her, but as a painful duty towards his subjects. His love had abated not a whit by the lapse of twelve years and still cherishing in his heart his love for one whom he supposed to be dead, he had placed a golden image 6