उत्तररामचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - संस्कृत मूल एवं हिन्दी व्याख्या)

—VII. 1 ] UTTARARÂMACHARITA. 259
(Behind the Scene.) Ah noble Lord! Ah! prince Laksh-
mana here I am alone, helpless, the time of my delivery
being near, hopeless—and the wild beasts long to devour me,
therefore I now—wretched woman—will throw myself into
the Bhâgîrathî
Lak —(to himself) Alas this is something quite
unexpected.
Sûtradhâra —(Verse 2) The queen, the daughter of the
earth deserted in the great forest by the king throws herself
into the goddess Gangâ, in the throes of child birth [Exit ]
(End of prologue)
Râma —(with tears) Queen queen! care for Lak-
shmana.
Lakshmana —My lord this is a play
Râma —Alas queen my dear companion in my sojourn
in the Dandaka wood. This calamity has befallen you on
account of Râma.
Lak —My noble brother will just look at the performance
Râma —Here I am ready, hard as adamant. (Then Sîtâ
enters supported by Earth and Gangâ, each of them holding a
son in her lap)
Râma —Dear Lakshmana, I seem to enter some unknown
and sudden gloom. Support me
The two Goddesses —(Verse 3) Take heart, oh blessed
one, thou art highly favoured with good fortune oh princess
of Videha, within the water thou hast given birth to two sons,
who shall uphold the race of Raghu
Sîtâ —(regaining herself) Happily have I given birth to
two sons. Alas! my lord (Faints).
Lakshmana —(Falling at Râma's feet) My noble brother!
We are blessed with good fortune The race of Raghu has
budded auspiciously (Observing) Alas! alas my noble
brother has fainted overwhelmed with the flood of tears that
burst forth (Fans him)
Prith. —Child take heart
Sîtâ —(regaining herself) Revered one, who are you?
Leave me
Prith. —This is Bhâgîrathî the tutelary goddess of thy
father-in law's family
Sîtâ —Revered goddess, my homage to you.