# Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa 28 — Lakṣmaṇa joins the exile *He promises service to Rāma & Sītā and retrieves the paired bows, armour, quivers and swords from their teacher* Portion: Preparing for exile and taking leave · Verses: 20 · Ref format: 2.28. ## Sequence - When Lakṣmaṇa asks to accompany them, Rāma asks who will care for Kausalyā and Sumitrā: their father is overwhelmed, and Kaikeyī may not help them (28.1–4) - Lakṣmaṇa replies that Bharata will honor both women and that Kausalyā has a thousand villages for her support—enough, he says, to maintain a thousand men like himself (28.5–7) - he offers to walk ahead with his bow, spade, and basket, find the route, gather food, and attend to Rāma and Sītā whether they are awake or asleep (28.8–10) - Rāma agrees and sends him to take leave of their friends and fetch the weapons kept at their teacher's house: two divine bows given by Varuṇa at Janaka's sacrifice, two suits of armor, two inexhaustible quivers, and two swords (28.11–14) - Lakṣmaṇa returns with them (28.15–16) - Rāma asks his help in distributing their possessions among brāhmaṇas, tapasvins, and dependents → first, he is to bring Vasiṣṭha's son Suyajña (28.17–20). ## Verses **2.28.1** tato 'bravīn mahātejā rāmo lakṣmaṇam agrataḥ sthitaṃ prāggāminaṃ vīraṃ yācamānaṃ kṛtāñjalim Then the mighty Rāma spoke to Lakṣmaṇa, who stood before him, the hero eager to go ahead, entreating him with palms joined. **2.28.2** mayādya saha saumitre tvayi gacchati tad vanam ko bhariṣyati kausalyāṃ sumitrāṃ vā yaśasvinīm “O Saumitri, if today you too go to that forest along with me, who will support Kausalyā, or the illustrious Sumitrā? **2.28.3** abhivarṣati kāmair yaḥ parjanyaḥ pṛthivīm iva sa kāmapāśaparyasto mahātejā mahīpatiḥ The mighty lord of the earth, who showers his people with all they desire as the rain-cloud showers the earth, is now caught fast in the noose of love. **2.28.4** sā hi rājyam idaṃ prāpya nṛpasyāśvapateḥ sutā duḥkhitānāṃ sapatnīnāṃ na kariṣyati śobhanam For she, the daughter of King Aśvapati, having gained this kingdom, will do nothing kind for her grieving co-wives. **2.28.5** evam uktas tu rāmeṇa lakṣmaṇaḥ ślakṣṇayā girā pratyuvāca tadā rāmaṃ vākyajño vākyakovidam Thus addressed by Rāma with gentle words, Lakṣmaṇa, skilled in speech, then replied to Rāma, who was himself expert in speech: **2.28.6** tavaiva tejasā vīra bharataḥ pūjayiṣyati kausalyāṃ ca sumitrāṃ ca prayato nātra saṃśayaḥ “By your very majesty, O hero, Bharata, being dutiful, will honour Kausalyā and Sumitrā; of this there is no doubt. **2.28.7** kausalyā bibhṛyād āryā sahasram api madvidhān yasyāḥ sahasraṃ grāmāṇāṃ saṃprāptam upajīvanam The noble Kausalyā could support even a thousand men such as me, she to whom a thousand villages have come as her means of livelihood. **2.28.8** dhanur ādāya saśaraṃ khanitrapiṭakādharaḥ agratas te gamiṣyāmi panthānam anudarśayan Taking up my bow with arrows, bearing a spade and a basket, I shall walk ahead of you, showing the path. **2.28.9** āhariṣyāmi te nityaṃ mūlāni ca phalāni ca vanyāni yāni cānyāni svāhārāṇi tapasvinām I shall always fetch for you roots and fruits, and whatever other wild things are the fitting food of ascetics. **2.28.10** bhavāṃs tu saha vaidehyā girisānuṣu raṃsyate ahaṃ sarvaṃ kariṣyāmi jāgrataḥ svapataś ca te You, together with Vaidehī, will take your ease on the mountain slopes; I shall do everything, whether you wake or sleep. **2.28.11** rāmas tv anena vākyena suprītaḥ pratyuvāca tam vrajāpṛcchasva saumitre sarvam eva suhṛjjanam Rāma, well pleased by this speech, replied to him: “Go, Saumitri, and take leave of all the circle of friends. **2.28.12** ye ca rājño dadau divye mahātmā varuṇaḥ svayam janakasya mahāyajñe dhanuṣī raudradarśane And take too the two divine bows, terrible to behold, which the great-souled Varuṇa himself gave to the king at Janaka's great sacrifice, **2.28.13** abhedyakavace divye tūṇī cākṣayasāyakau ādityavimalau cobhau khaḍgau hemapariṣkṛtau and the two divine impenetrable coats of mail, and two quivers with inexhaustible arrows, and both swords bright as the sun and adorned with gold. **2.28.14** satkṛtya nihitaṃ sarvam etad ācāryasadmani sa tvam āyudham ādāya kṣipram āvraja lakṣmaṇa All this, reverently deposited, rests in the house of our preceptor; so you, taking up the weapons, come back quickly, Lakṣmaṇa.” **2.28.15** sa suhṛjjanam āmantrya vanavāsāya niścitaḥ ikṣvākugurum āmantrya jagrāhāyudham uttamam He, resolved on dwelling in the forest, took leave of the circle of friends, and taking leave of the preceptor of the Ikṣvākus, took up the excellent weapons. **2.28.16** tad divyaṃ rājaśārdūlaḥ satkṛtaṃ mālyabhūṣitam rāmāya darśayām āsa saumitriḥ sarvam āyudham That divine array of weapons, honoured and adorned with garlands, Saumitri, a tiger among princes, showed in full to Rāma. **2.28.17** tam uvācātmavān rāmaḥ prītyā lakṣmaṇam āgatam kāle tvam āgataḥ saumya kāṅkṣite mama lakṣmaṇa Self-possessed Rāma said with affection to Lakṣmaṇa, who had come: “You have arrived at the very time I longed for, gentle Lakṣmaṇa. **2.28.18** ahaṃ pradātum icchāmi yad idaṃ māmakaṃ dhanam brāhmaṇebhyas tapasvibhyas tvayā saha paraṃtapa Together with you, O scorcher of foes, I wish to give away all this wealth of mine to the brahmins and the ascetics — **2.28.19** vasantīha dṛḍhaṃ bhaktyā guruṣu dvijasattamāḥ teṣām api ca me bhūyaḥ sarveṣāṃ copajīvinām the finest of brahmins who dwell here with firm devotion to their teachers — to all of them, and further to all my dependents. **2.28.20** vasiṣṭhaputraṃ tu suyajñam āryaṃ tvam ānayāśu pravaraṃ dvijānām abhiprayāsyāmi vanaṃ samastān abhyarcya śiṣṭān aparān dvijātīn But bring quickly the noble Suyajña, son of Vasiṣṭha, foremost of the brahmins; and after honouring all the other worthy twice-born, I shall set out for the forest.