उत्तररामचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी व्याख्या)

—IV. 22] UTTARARÂMACHARITA. 237 Lava—I have, the noble Kusa is his name Kausalya—By the word 'noble thou meanest to say he is the elder— Lava—Even so, he is indeed my elder by order of birth. Janaka—What, are you twins! Lava—Quite so Janaka.—Child, tell me to what point has the compo- sition of the poem been brought down? Lava—After the king distracted by the lying calumny of the people had banished Sita the queen sprung from sacrificial ground, Lakshmana, having left her alone in the wood with the pains of child birth approaching, returned— here the story stops. Kausalya.—Oh! my dear child with beautiful moon like face! I wonder what crowning termination of the cruel sport of fate befell thy flower body when thou wast left alone in the wood. Janaka—Alas, my child! (Verse 23) Having ex- perienced that insult and the dreadful forest, and that pain produced by the hour of child birth, when the hosts of eaters of raw flesh were encompassing thee about, thou must surely have repeatedly thought of me as a protector in this fear. Lava—(To Arund.) Noble lady! who are these? Arund—This is Kausalya, this is Janaka. (Lava surveys with great respect and sorrowful interest) Janaka.—Oh! the wickedness of the citizens! Oh! the precipitate action of king Rama! (Verse 24, first half) While I brood unceasingly over this terrible thunderstroke of calamity, it seems to me the time has come for my wrath to blaze forth either with curse or bow Kausalya.—(With dismay and trembling) Revered lady, help! help! appease the incensed royal sage Lava—(Verse 25) Such is mostly the state of mind of the spirited that have received an insult Arund—King! Rama is your son, and the poor subjects are to be protected Janaka—(Verse 24—the latter half) But in Rama's case, peace to these both, for he is my treasure in the form of a son, the citizens are chiefly composed of Brahmanas, children, old and decrepit persons and women.