Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek
On travelling by the aircraft like chariot Ravana and Maareecha enter Dandaka forest and arrive at the threshold of Rama's hermitage. Then at the insistence of Ravana Maareecha assumes the form of an amazing golden Deer, and Seetha catches a sight of that deer. |
evam uktvaa tu paruSam maariico raavaNam tataH |
gacChaavaH iti abraviit diino bhayaat raatrim cara prabhoH || 3-42-1
1. tataH= then; maariicaH evam paruSam uktvaa tu= Maareecha, in this way, curtly, said, but; raatrim cara prabhoH= of night, walkers, king - Ravana; bhayaat diinaH= for fear, self-pityingly; gacChaavaH iti= we will go, thus; raavaNam= to Ravana; abraviit= said.
Maareecha though curtly said in that way, then afraid of the king of night-walkers he became self-pitying, and said to Ravana, 'let us go.' [3-42-1]
dR^iSTaaH ca aham punaH tena shara caapa asi dhaariNaa |
madvadho udyata shastreNa vinaSTam jiivitam ca me || 3-42-2
2. aham= I; shara caapa asi dhaariNaa= arrow, bow, sword, by the wielder of; mat vadhaH udyata shastreNa= for my, killing, [if he with] upraised, [his] weapon; tena= by him [Rama]; punaH dR^iSTaaH= again, I am seen [if seen]; me jiivitam vi naSTam= my, life, is verily lost.
"If he who wields a bow, arrows and a sword, and who brandishes a weapon to only kill me happens to see me again, deem my life is verily lost, without his shooting any arrow. [3-42-2]
na hi raamam paraakramya jiivan prati nivartate |
var.htate prati ruupo asau yama daNDa hatasya te || 3-42-3
3. raamam paraakramya= at Rama, to affront - make so bold; jiivan= while living; na= will not; prati nivartate= returns [resurrects]; hi= isn't it; yama daNDa hatasya= by Yama [ the Terminator,] with wand, slain; such as I am; asau= this one [of mine]; prati ruupaH= [my] reflected, image; te= [before] you; vartate= carrying on - is appearing.
"None can really make so bold at Rama to reappear with life, isn't it. What is appearing before you is the reflected image of mine, as I am already slain by the wand of Yama, the Terminator, the moment I conceded to your demand.
kim nu kartum mayaa shakyam evam tvayi duraatmani |
eSa gacChaami aham taata svasti te astu nishaacaraH || 3-42-4
4. tvayi evam dur aatmani= you, being a spiteful person; mayaa kim kartum shakyam nu= by me, what is, possible, to do, indeed; taata= oh, dear boy; nishaacaraH= oh, night-walker; eSa aham gacChaami= this, I am, going; te svasti astu= to you, good, may betide.
"When you are spiteful, oh, boy, indeed what can I possibly do otherwise, oh, night-walker, thither I go, may good betide you." So said Maareecha to Ravana. [3-42-4]
prahR^iSTaH tu abhavat tena vacanena sa raakSasaH |
pariSvajya susa.mshliSTam idam vacanam abraviit || 3-42-5
5. saH raakSasaH= he, demon - Ravana; tena vacanena= by that, word; pra hR^iSTaH abhavat= verily, glad, he became; su sam shliSTam= very, well, tightly; pariSvajya= on hugging; idam vacanam abraviit= this, sentence, spoke.
By that word of Maareecha demon Ravana is very much gladdened and he spoke this sentence tightly hugging him. [3-42-5]
etat shauNDiirya - chauttirya -nyuktam te mat cCha.nda vasha vartinaH |
idaaniim asi maariicaH puurvam anyo nishaacaraH || 3-42-6
6. mat cChanda vasha vartinaH= in my, dictate's, control, abiding; te= of yours; etat= this word; cChauTirya yuktam= obduracy, having - shows; idaaniim maariicaH asi= from now, you are, Maareecha; puurvam anyaH nishaacaraH= earlier, different, night-walker.
"This word of yours shows your obduracy for you are abiding under the control of my dictate, and though you were a different night-walker earlier, henceforth you are really the good old Maareecha. [3-42-6]
Some mms use the word shauNDiirya for cChauTirya , where shauNDiirya is the word for courageousness, shauNDiirya tyaagii viirayoH : nighanTu The other way to tell this is: "Though your words show the fear of my dictate, but on listening those obdurate words, it appears that you have spoken them for yourself, regaining the grit of your demon-hood and estimating Rama as your own enemy," by which Ravana is shirking his responsibility to Maareecha himself in the event of the death of Maareecha.
aaruhyataam shiighram khago ratna vibhuuSitaH |
mayaa saha ratho yuktaH pishaaca vadanaiH kharaiH || 3-42-7
7. pishaaca vadanaiH kharaiH yuktaH= with ghost, faced ones, asses - mules, yoked with; ratna vibhuuSitaH= with gems, adorned with; kha gaH= in sky, going; rathaH= chariot; [atha= then]; shiighram mayaa saha aaruhyataam= promptly, me, along with, you emplane.
"Then you promptly emplane this sky-flying chariot which is yoked with ghost-faced mules and adorned with gems along with me. [3-42-7]
It may be noted that this sort of air-chariots, though richly decorated with valuable gold and gems, but drawn by asses or mules, that too ghost-faced ones, are a kind of the then sci-fi version of aircrafts. Ravana's son Indrajit also uses such spaceships in Yuddha Kanda and his weaponry is altogether different, i.e., somewhat like the present day laser oriented hardware. These propellers may not be construed as real donkeys or mules but some powered vehicle-drawing instruments designed to look like ordinary harmless creatures.
pralobhayitvaa vaidehiim yathaa iSTam gantum arhasi |
taam shuunye prasabham siitaam aanayiSyaami maithiliim || 3-42-8
8. vaidehiim pralobhayitvaa= Vaidehi, on deluding; yathaa iSTam gantum arhasi= as, you please, to go, apt of you; shuunye= in empty place - devoid of people; maithiliim taam siitaam= one from Mithila, her, Seetha will be; prasabham= forcibly, defiantly; aanayiSyaami= brought by me.
"On deluding Vaidehi it is apt of you to go as you please, and I will bring that Seetha of Mithila, however defiant it might be." Thus Ravana said to Maareecha. [3-42-8]
Ravana is saying repeatedly that Maareecha can go away after beguiling Seetha and misleading Rama and Lakshmana away from hermitage. Maareecha knows that there is no place to go away from Rama's arrow, which once chased him up to seashore. But Ravana presumes that if Maareecha is capable enough, he will escape Rama, or if this old demon Maareecha is incapable of it, he may perhaps die by the arrow of Rama, for which Ravana is unconcerned.
tathaa iti uvaaca enam raavaNam taaTakaa sutaH |
tato raavaNa maariicau vimaanam iva tam ratham || 3-42-9
aaruhya yayatuH shiighram tasmaat aashrama maNDalaat |
9, 10a. taaTakaa sutaH= Tataka's, son - Maareecha; tathaa iti= thus only [all right]; enam raavaNam uvaaca == to him, to Ravana, said; tataH= then; raavaNa maariicau= Ravana, Maareecha; tam ratham= that, chariot; vimaanam iva= aircraft, as with; aaruhya= on emplaning; tasmaat aashrama maNDalaat= from that, hermitage's, surroundings - from Maareecha's hermitage; shiighram yayatuH= swiftly, they travelled;
Tataka's son Maareecha said "All right" to Ravana, and then both Ravana and Maareecha mounted the chariot as they would emplane an aircraft and swiftly journeyed from the surroundings of Maareecha's hermitage. [3-42-9, 10a]
tathaiva tatra pashyantau pattanaani vanaani ca || 3-42-10
giriim ca saritaaH sarvaa raaSTraaNi nagaraaNi ca |
10b, 11a. tathaa eva= like that; tatra= there - en route; pattanaani vanaani ca= seaports, forests, also; giriim ca sarvaaH saritaaH= mountains, also, rivers, all of them; raaSTraaNi nagaraaNi ca= provinces, cities, even; pashyantau [yayatuH]= while seeing - they travelled.
While looking at the seaports and forests, also at all the mountains and rivers, even at the cities and provinces en route they proceeded. [3-42-10b, 11a]
sametya daNDaka araNyam raaghavasya aashramam tataH || 3-42-11
dadarsha saha mariico raavaNo raakSasaadhipaH |
11b, 12a. saha mariicaH= with, Maareecha; raakSasa adhipaH raavaNaH= king, of demons, Ravana; daNDaka araNyam sametya= Dandaka, forest, on reaching; tataH raaghavasya aashramam dadarsha then, Raghava's, hermitage, he has seen.
On reaching Dandaka forest along with Maareecha the king of demons Ravana has then seen the hermitage of Raghava. [3-42-11b, 12a]
Please refer to the endnote for the Ancient Indian way of classification of villages, towns, and cities as per Indian architecture called vaastu shaastra.
avatiirya rathaat tasmaat tataH kaa.ncana bhuuSaNaat || 3-42-12
haste gR^ihiitvaa maariicam raavaNo vaakyam abraviit |
12b, 13a. raavaNaH= Ravana; kaancana bhuuSaNaat tasmaat rathaat avatiirya= with golden [ornaments,] decorated, from that, chariot, having alighted; tataH= then; maariicam haste gR^ihiitvaa= Maareecha, in hand, on taking; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, spoke.
Alighting the chariot that is decorated with golden ornaments Ravana then spoke this sentence to Maareecha taking his hand into his. [3-42-12b, 13a]
etat raama aashrama padam dR^ishyate kadalii vR^itam || 3-42-13
kriyataam tat sakhe shiighram yat artham vayam aagataaH |
13b, 14a. sakhe= oh, friend; kadalii vR^itam= banana plants, surrounded with; etat raama aashrama padam= this, is Rama's, hermitage's, threshold; dR^ishyate= being seen; to which; vayam yat artham aagataaH= we, for which, reason, came here; tat= that work; shiighram kriyataam= promptly, be done.
"This one which we are seeing and which is surrounded with banana plants is the threshold of Rama's hermitage, and -`----oh, friend, the purpose for which we came here let it be effectuated promptly." Thus Ravana hastened Maareecha. [3-42-13b, 14a]
sa raavaNa vacaH shrutvaa maariico raakSasaH tadaa || 3-42-14
mR^igo bhuutvaa aashrama dvaari raamasya vicacaara ha |
14b, 15a. tadaa= then; saH raakSasaH maariicaH= he that, demon, Maareecha; raavaNa vacaH shrutvaa= Ravana's, words, on hearing; mR^igaH bhuutvaa= deer, on becoming; raamasya aashrama dvaari= in Rama's, hermitage's, door - frontage; vi cacaara ha= verily, ambled, indeed.
"And on hearing Ravana's words demon Maareecha then became a deer and indeed ambled freely in the frontage of Rama's hermitage. [3-42-14b, 15a]
sa tu ruupam samaasthaaya mahat adbhuta darshanam || 3-42-15
maNipravara shR^i.ngaagraH sita asita mukhaakR^itiH |
15b, 16a. saH= he - Maareecha; adbhuta darshanam= superbly amazing, in appearance; mahat ruupam= gorgeous, form; sam aasthaaya= verily, on adopting; maNi pravara shR^inga agraH= sapphire blue [in the hue of,] the best, horn, with tips; sita a +sita mukha aakR^itiH= whitish, not, so whitish, face's, in look; such a; mR^igaH bhuutvaa vicacaara= deer, on becoming, he moved about.
Adopting the form of a gorgeous deer which is superbly amazing just by its appearance, whose tips of antlers are in the hue of best sapphires, and whose face is whitish at some places and not so whitish at other in its look, he became a Golden Deer and moved thereabout. [3-42-15b, 16a]
raktapadmotpala mukha indraniilotpala shravaaH || 3-42-16
kimcit abhyunnata griiva indraniila nibha udaraH |
16b, 17a. rakta padma utpala mukha= red, lotus [on one side,] blue lotus, [on the other,] face [cheeks]; indra niila utpala shravaaH= Indra, Blue [sapphirine in hue,] [bloomed] blue-lotus like, ears; kimcit abhi unnata griiva= a little, up, raised, neck; indra niila nibha udaraH [dasha adhara]= Indra, blue diamond, in shine, stomach, [lower lip]; vicacaara= he moved about.
One of its cheeks in the shade of a reddish-lotus while the other in the hue of a bluish-lotus, one of its ears is in the hue of bloomed blue-lotus while the other is in the shade of a sapphire, while the shine of its stomach is like that of a best blue-diamond, Indra-niila-maNi, and with a little upraised neck that deer has moved about there. [3-42-16b, 17a]
madhuuka nibha paarshvaH ca ka.nja ki.njalka samnibhaH || 3-42-17
vaiduurya sa.nkaasha khuraH tanu ja.nghaH susa.mhataH |
17b, 18a. paarshvaH ca= flanks, also; madhuuka nibha= Mahuka flower [whitish flower from which country liquor is prepared,] in shine; kanja kinjalka sannibhaH= lotuses, fibril, similar to - flanks; vaiduurya sankaasha khuraH= Lapis [gem,] similar, hooves; tanu janghaH= thin, calves; su sam hataH= very, well, cohered - limbs; vicacaara= moved about.
One flank is shining whitish like Madhuka flowers and the other is similar to the roseate fibrils of lotuses, while its hooves are similar to the gemstone lapis, calves thin, and thus with very well cohered limbs that deer moved about there. [3-42-17b, 18a]
indra aayudha savarNena pucChena uurdhvam viraajitaH || 3-42-18
manohara snigdha varNo ratnaiH naanaa vidhaiH vR^itaH |
18b, 19a. uurdhvam vi raajitaH= to up - upraised [tail,] verily shining forth; indra aayudha sa varNena= Indra's, weapon [Rainbow,] equal, in tinge; pucChena= with such a tail; snigdha varNaH= lustrous, in colour [of body]; naanaa vidhaiH ratnaiH vR^itaH [iva]= many, diverse ones, with gems [gemlike dapples,] encompassed [dappled with.]; manaH haraH= heart, stealing - deer's aura; vicacaara= moved about.
With an upraised tail that shone forth in a tinge equal to the weapon of Indra, namely Rainbow, and with a complexion that is lustrous and dappled with many diverse gemlike dapples, that deer moved thereabout with a heart-stealing aura. [3-42-18b, 19a]
kSaNena raakSaso jaato mR^igaH parama shobhanaH || 3-42-19
vanam prajvalayan ramyam raama aashrama padam ca tat |
19b, 20a. raakSasaH= demon [Maareecha]; vanam= woodlands; tat raama aashrama padam= that, Rama's, hermitage's, threshold; ca= even - in particular; pra jvalayan= verily, irradiating; kSaNena= in a moment; parama shobhanaH= highly, splendorous; ramyam= fascinating; mR^igaH jaataH= as deer, emerged as.
Thus that demon Maareecha emerged like a highly splendorous and fascinating deer in a wink highly irradiating those woodlands, and the threshold of Rama's hermitage in particular. [3-42-19b, 20a]
manoharam darshaniiyam ruupam kR^itvaa sa raakSasaH || 3-42-20
pralobhanaartham vaidehyaa naanaa dhaatu vicitritam |
vicaran gacChate samyak shaadvalaani sama.ntataH || 3-42-21
20b, 21. saH raakSasaH= he that, demon; naanaa dhaatu vi citritam= various, ores, [colours of ores,] amazingly, [body] painted with; manoharam darshaniiyam ruupam= heart-stealing, exquisite, form; kR^itvaa= on making - on adopting; vaidehyaaH pralobhana artham= Vaidehi, to delude, reason of; vi caran= freely, moving; samantataH= all over; shaadvalaani= on pastures; samyak= with good bearing [deer-like in conduct]; gacChate= is moving about.
Adopting such an exquisite and heart-stealing form which is amazingly dappled with the colours of diverse ores, that demon ambled all over there freely with the bearing of a real deer in order that Vaidehi might be deluded, and he moved forward onto the pastures. [3-42-2b, 21]
ropyaiH bindu shataiH citro bhuutvaa ca priya darshanaH |
viTapiinaam kisalayaan bhakshayan vicacaara ha || 3-42-22
22. ropyaiH bindu shataiH= with silvery, stipples [of body,] hundreds of; citraH bhuutvaa ca= astonishing, on becoming, also; priya darshanaH= having pleasant, for looks; viTapiinaam kisalayaan bhakshayan= of trees, new grass-blades, to graze; vicacaara ha= moved about, indeed.
And with hundreds of silvery stipples of body he became an astonishing deer with pleasant looks and indeed moved chewing new grass-blades of trees. [3-42-22]
kadalii gR^ihakam gatvaa karNikaaraani tataH tataH |
samaashrayan ma.ndagatiH siitaa sa.ndarshanam tataH || 3-42-23
23. kadalii gR^ihakam gatvaa= banana, boscage, on going; karNikaaraani tataH tataH= of Karnikara, there, there; manda gatiH= slow, paced - on becoming; tataH= then; siitaa= Seetha; sam darshanam= field of view - at such a place; sam aashrayan= well, abided - resorted to such a place.
That Golden Deer has gone into the boscages of banana plants, and moved here and there around Karnikara trees, and then resorted to a place which is within the eyeshot of Seetha. [3-42-23]
raajiiva citra pR^iSThaH sa viraraaja mahaamR^igaH |
raama aashrama pada abhyaashe vicacaara yathaa sukham || 3-42-24
24. saH mahaa mR^igaH= that, astounding, deer; raajiiva citra pR^iSThaH= lotus-like, odd, hind-side - it has; vi raraaja= verily, scintillated; raama aashrama pada abhyaashe= Rama's, hermitage's, threshold, surroundings; yathaa sukham vicacaara= as per, delight, milled around.
With an odd lotus like hind-side that astounding deer is verily scintillating, and it milled around the surroundings in the threshold of Rama's hermitage according to its own delight. [3-42-24]
punar gatvaa nivR^ittaH ca vicacaara mR^igottamaH |
gatvaa muhuurtam tvarayaa punaH prati nivartate || 3-42-25
25. mR^iga uttamaH= deer, the excellent one; gatvaa punaH nivR^ittaH ca= on going away, again, on coming back, also; vicacaara= meandered; muhuurtam gatvaa= for sometime, on going away; punaH tvarayaa prati nivartate [vi kriiDan]= again, towards [hermitage,] returns, [very, playfully.]
That excellent deer beats a retreat and again returns, and meanders thus time and again, and turns its tail for sometime only to return once again very playfully. [3-42-25]
vikriiDan ca punar bhuumau punar eva niSiidati |
aashrama dvaaram aagamya mR^iga yuuthaani gacChati || 3-42-26
26. vi kriiDan= while verily, playing - gambolling [everywhere]; punaH ca= again, also; [kvacit= somewhere]; bhuumau punaH eva niSiidati= on ground, again, thus, sinks down - sits down; aashrama dvaaram aagamya= hermitage, threshold, on coming to; mR^iga yuuthaani gacChati= towards deer, herds, goes.
Again gambolling everywhere it sits somewhere on the ground, then, on coming to the threshold of hermitage it goes towards herds of deer. [3-42-26]
mR^iga yuuthaiH anugataH punar eva nivar.htate |
siitaa darshanam aakaa.nkSan raakSaso mR^igataam gataH || 3-42-27
paribhramati citraaNi maNDalaani viniSpatan |
27, 28a. mR^igataam gataH raakSasaH= deer-hood, on going into, demon - Maareecha; siitaa darshanam aakaankSan= to Seetha, to be perceptible, desirous of; mR^iga yuuthaiH anugataH= by deer, by herds, when followed [fraternizing]; punaH eva= again, thus; nivartatere= returns; vi niS patan= verily, out, falling - leaping and bounding; citraaNi maNDalaani pari bhramati= amusing, in circles, moves - whirligigs.
That demon who has gone into the deer-hood has gone after some herd of deer. But he returned again though that herd followed him wanting to fraternise, in order that he shall remain perceptible to Seetha, and he whirligiged in amusing circles while leaping and bounding to and from that herd of deer. [3-42-27, 28a]
samudviikSya ca sarve tam mR^igaa ye anye vanecaraaH || 3-42-28
upagamya samaaghraaya vidravanti disho dasha |
28b, 29a. vane caraaH= in forest, moving; ye sarve anye mR^igaaH= which, all, other, animals - are there; samudviikhya - sam ut viikSya= well, up [-necked,] on seeing; upa aagamya= to near, on coming; sam aaghraayaon= well, smelling [demon-deer]; dasha dishaH= to ten, directions; vi dravanti= verily, running away.
All the other animals moving in that forest on seeing this demon-deer with their necks up have come close to it, and on smelling it well they are running away to all the ten directions noticing it as a demon turned into a deer. [3-42-28b, 29a]
Here the animals are portrayed as better beings than humans in identifying demons or ghosts. Though they may not know or wish to know about god, the apparent ghost scares them. Humans apperceive neither god nor ghost because they are half of each.
raakSasaH so api taan vanyaan mR^igaan mR^igavadhe rataH || 3-42-29
pracChaadanaartham bhaavasya na bhakSayati sa.mspR^ishan |
29b, 30a. mR^iga vadhe rataH= in animal, killing, indulged; saH raakSasaH api= that, demon Maareecha, even; vanyaan taan mR^igaan= pertaining to forest, those, animals; samspR^ishan= touching them; bhaavasya= of his nature; pracChaadana artham= camouflaging, for the reason of; na bhakSayati= not, eating them.
Even that demon in the deer's semblance Maareecha, though indulged in killing those forest animals, and though the other animals are touching him, he is not killing and eating them indulgently, only for the reason of camouflaging his present nature of demon-hood. [3-42-29b, 30a]
tasmin eva tataH kaale vaidehii shubhalocanaa || 3-42-30
kusuma apacaye vyagraa paadapaan abhyavartata |
30b, 21a. tataH= what is more; tasmin eva kaale= at that, only, at time - in the same instant; shubha locanaa vaidehii= one with felicitous, eyes, Vaidehi; kusuma apacaye vyagraa= flowers, in plucking, yearning for; paadapaan abhyavartata [abhi a vartata]= to trees, towards, she came.
What is more, Vaidehi with her felicitous eyes came towards trees yearning for plucking the flowers in the same instant. [3-42-30b, 31a]
karNikaaraan ashokaan ca cuutaam ca madirekSaNaa || 3-42-31
kusumaani apacinvantii cacaara ruciraananaa |
31b, 32a. madira iikSaNaa= one with inebriating, glances; rucira ananaa= one with delightful, visage; such Seetha; karNikaaraan ashokaan ca cuutaam ca= Karnikaara, Ashoka, also, Chuuta, also; kusumaani apacinvantii cacaara= flowers, while plucking, moved about.
And she with her inebriating glances and delightful visage moved there about while plucking flowers of Karnikaara, Ashoka, and of Mango trees. [3-42-31b, 32a]
anarhaa araNya vaasasya saa tam ratnamayam mR^igam || 3-42-32
muktaa maNi vicitra a.ngam dadarsha parama a.nganaa |
32b, 33a. araNya vaasasya= for forest, dwelling; an arhaa= not, unsuited to; saa parama anganaa= she that, select, lady; ratnamayam= completely gemlike - as if; muktaa maNi vi citra angam= [studded with] pearls, gems, surprising, having limbs; tam mR^igam dadarsha= at that, deer, she beheld.
That select lady who is unmeet for forest life beheld that deer which is completely gemlike and whose limbs are surprising as though studded with pearls and gems. [3-42-32b, 33a]
tam vai rucira da.nta oSTham ruupya dhaatu tanuu ruham || 3-42-33
vismayaat utphulla nayanaa sa sneham samudaikSata |
33b, 34a. [saa= she, Seetha]; rucira danta oSTham= one with pretty, teeth, lips - deer; ruupya dhaatu tanuu ruham= silver, ore [like copper ore coloured,] body, born [hairs]; tam= that [deer]; vismayaat utphulla nayanaa= astonishment, broadening, her eyes; sa sneham= with, affinity; samudaikshata [sam ut iikSata]= well, raising eyes, has seen - rubbernecked, goggled; vai= indeed.
And she that Seetha goggled the Golden Deer with a wide-eyed astonishment, which deer has pretty lips and teeth, hair resembling silver and copper ores, and she indeed gazed at it with an affinity for wildlife. [3-42-33b, 34a]
sa ca taam raama dayitaam pashyan maayaamayo mR^igaH || 3-42-34
vicacaara tataH tatra diipayan iva tat vanam |
34b, 35a. maayaa mayaH= highly, phantasmal; sa R^igaH ca= that, deer also; taam raama dayitaam pashyan= at her, Rama's, wife, on seeing; tat vanam diipayan iva= that, woods, to scintillate, as though; tataH tatra vi cacaara= then, there about, verily, moved.
On seeing Rama's wife Seetha that highly phantasmal deer too then moved there about as though to scintillate that woodland. [3-42-34b, 35a]
adR^iSTa puurvam dR^iSTvaa tam naanaa ratnamayam mR^igam |
vismayam paramam siitaa jagaama janaka aatmajaa || 3-42-35
35b, c. a +dR^iSTa puurvam= un, seen, hitherto; naanaa ratnamayam= numerously, gem-studded [as though]; tam mR^igam= that, deer; dR^iSTvaa= having seen; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, daughter; siitaa= Seetha; paramam vismayam jagaama= intense, astonishment, went into.
To see such a deer which is hitherto unseen, and which is as though studded with numerous gems, the daughter of Janaka, Seetha, went in to an intense wonderment. [3-42-35b, c]
The stress continuously laid on the eyes of Seetha is observable, only to conclude that 'trust not what thy eyes show you...'
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Classification of Villages, Town, and Cities in Ancient India.
gr˜ma× ca nagaram caiva pattanam kharvatam puram |
khe÷akam kusumam caiva þibiram r˜ja v˜sikam |
sen˜ mukam iti eva daþadh˜ kŸrtitam budhai× ||
The vaastu shaastra or the Ancient Indian Architecture lays down certain parameters for town, cities etc. Of them the township is said to be aneka n˜rŸ sambaddham nan˜ þilpi janai× v®tam | kraya vikrayai× kŸrõam sarva devai× samanvitam nagaram tu iti vikhy˜tam adored with many ladies, many sculptors or architects, and with many deities, and where the buying and selling goes on it is nagaram the township.
The Seaports are said as: pattanam þ®õu s˜mpratam | dvŸp˜ntara gata dravya kraya vikrayikai× yutam | pattanam tu abdhi tŸre sy˜t | one which has all the above aspects but which is at seaside, it is pattanam seaport. The township between a nagara and puram is kharvaTam.
And the City is: kraya vikrayai× yutam n˜n˜ j˜ti samanvitam | tantuv˜ya sam˜yuktam tat puram tu vikathyateThe one with all the above aspects plus very many civilisations and weavers and the like craftsmen, is purii, the city. Apart from these, the royal places, army stations etc., do comprise the ten varieties of urban places as said in the above verse, where the village is the first unit.
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe dvi catvaari.mshaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 42nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Sept, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : September 04]