Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek
Rama reprimands Lakshmana for coming without Seetha. Lakshmana explains that he had to leave her owing to her anguished and angrily words and even by her rash remarks of Lakshmana. Even then, Rama is unhappy of Lakshmana's action in leaving her alone. The content of this chapter is to amplify what that has been said in the previous chapter. This dialogue between Rama and Lakshmana may be deemed to have happened before their approaching hermitage, as in the last few verses of last chapter, and on their pathway to their hermitage. |
atha aashramaat upaavR^ittam a.ntaraa raghuna.ndanaH |
paripapracCha saumitrim raamo duHkha arditaH punaH || 3-59-1
1. atha= then/now; raghunandanaH= Raghu's, descendent; raamaH= Rama; duHkha arditaH= by anguish, distressed one [Lakshmana]; aashramaat upaavR^ittam= from hermitage, strayed from; saumitrim= at Soumitri; antaraa= in middle [of path]; punaH= again; pari papracCha= analytically, asked.
Rama the descendent of Raghu, again asked Soumitri who strayed from the hermitage and whom his own anguish is distressing now, in the middle of path towards their hermitage. [3-59-1]
tam uvaaca kim artham tvam aagato apaasya maithiliim |
yadaa saa tava vishvaasaat vane viharitaa mayaa || 3-59-2
2. tam uvaaca= to him, spoke - Rama to Lakshmana; tava vishvaasaat= in you, confiding; maya= by me; saa= she is; vane yadaa viharitaa= in forest, when, she is left - in your custody; maithiliim= Maithili is; kim artham apaasya= for what, reason, abandoning; tvam aagataH= you, came [to me.]
Rama spoke to such Lakshmana, "when I left her in the forest, I left only on confiding in you. For what reason you came to me on abandoning Maithili? [3-59-2]
dR^iSTvaa eva abhyaagatam tvaam me maithiliim tyajya lakSmaNa |
sha.nkamaanam mahat paapam yat satyam vyathitam manaH || 3-59-3
3. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; maithiliim= Maithili; tyajya= leaving off; abhi aagatam= towards [me,] who has came; tvaam dR^iSTvaa eva= such as you, on seeing, just; me manaH= my, heart; shankamaanam= on doubting; mahat paapam= perilous, evil; vyathitam iti yat= distressed, thus, what [what that was being doubted]; satyam= [it has become] a fact.
"What my heart had been doubting, rather a perilous evil, oh, Lakshmana, that has become a fact on seeing only you, coming to me leaving off Maithili. [3-59-3]
sphurate nayanam savyam baahuH ca hR^idayam ca me |
dR^iSTvaa lakSmaNa duure tvaam siitaa virahitam pathi || 3-59-4
4. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; siitaa virahitam= Seetha, without; tvaam= at you; duure= at distance; pathi= on pathway; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; me= my; savyam nayanam= left, eye; baahuH ca= [left] shoulder, also; sphurate= are pulsating; hR^idayam ca= heart, also - fluttered.
"Seeing your coming without Seetha on pathway at a distance my left eye and left shoulder have pulsated, and oh, Lakshmana, my heart too has fluttered." Thus Rama said to Lakshmana. [3-59-4]
evam uktaH tu saumitriH lakSmaNaH shubha lakSaNaH |
bhuuyo duHkha sa.maaviSTo duHkhitam raamam abravii|| 3-59-5
5. evam uktaH saumitriH tu= thus, who is said so, that Sumitra's son, on his part; shubha lakSaNaH lakSmaNaH= one with auspicious, [blameless] traits, such a Lakshmana; bhuuyaH= again - doubly anguished - one for Seetha's words, the other for Rama's words; duHkha samaaviSTaH= anguish, cast a spell on him; duHkhitam raamam abravii= to anguished, to Rama, spoke.
When Sumitra's son Lakshmana, whose traits are blamelessly auspicious is addressed thus, anguish cast a double spell on him, one for the tongue-lashing of Seetha while the other for the reproach from Rama, and he replied Rama who is anguished in his own way. [3-59-5]
na svayam kaama kaareNa taam tyaktvaa aham iha aagataH |
pracoditastayaivograitvatsakaashamihaaagataH - yadvaa -
pracoditaH tayaa eva ugraiH tvat sakaasham iha aagataH || 3-59-6
6. aham= I; taam= her; svayam= on my own accord - independently; tyaktvaa= left off; kaama kaareNa= desired, deed [intentionally]; iha na aagataH= to here, not, I have come; tayaa eva= by her, alone; ugraiH [vacanaiH]= by hurtful [words]; pra coditaH= virtually driven; iha tvat sakaasham= here, to your near; aagataH= came.
"I have not come here leaving her off either independently or intentionally, I came here, to your proximity, virtually driven by her hurtful words." Thus Lakshmana is relying Rama. [3-59-6]
aaryeNa eva parikruSTam - paraakruSTam - haa siite lakSmaNa iti ca |
paritraahi iti yat vaakyam maithilyaaH tat shrutim gatam || 3-59-7
7. haa siite= ha, Seetha; lakSmaNa iti ca= ha, Lakshmana, thus, also; pari traahi= immediately, save me; iti yat vaakyam= thus, what, words - message; aaryeNa eva= by honourable [you,] as if; parikruSTam= loudly shouted for; tat maithilyaaH shrutim gatam= that, of Maithili, into ear, went into - she gave an ear to.
"Maithili gave an ear to that message which is loudly shouted as if by your honour saying, 'ha, Seetha... ha, Lakshmana... save me immediately...' [3-59-7]
saa tam aarta svaram shrutvaa tava snehena maithilii |
gacCha gacCha iti maam aaha rudantii bhaya - viklavaa - vihvalaa || 3-59-8
8. saa maithilii= she, that Maithili; tam= that; aarta svaram shrutvaa= grievous, voice [of yours,] on hearing; rudantii= while weeping; tava snehena= for you, in love; bhaya viklavaa= with fear, shuddering; gacCha gacCha= begone, begone; iti maam aaha= thus, to me, said.
"On hearing that grievous voice of yours and owing to her love for you she shuddered with fear and wept out to me 'hurry up...get going...' [3-59-8]
pracodyamaanena mayaa gacCha iti bahushaH tayaa |
pratyuktaa maithilii vaakyam idam tat pratyaya anvitam || 3-59-9
9. gacCha iti= begone, thus; tayaa= by her; bahushaH= frequently; pra codyamaanena= insistently, compelled; mayaa= by me; maithilii= Maithili is; prati uktaa= in turn, she is said [replied by me]; tvat pratyaya anvitam= in you, [with my] confidence, having [expressive of]; idam vaakyam= this, sentence.
"When she frequently and insistingly compelled me to go, I have replied Maithili in this sentence which is expressive of my confidence in you. [3-59-9]
na tat pashyaami aham rakSo yat asya bhayam aavahet |
nirvR^itaa bhava na asti etat kena api evam udaahR^itam || 3-59-10
10. asya= to him [to Rama]; yat= who [he who can]; bhayam aavahet= panic, bring about; tat rakSaH= that [such a,] demon [is there]; aham na pashyaami= I, do not, see - I do not think; nirvR^itaa bhaava= control, you be - control yourself; etat na asti= all this, not, is there [feigning]; kena api evam udaahR^itam= by someone, even, this way, said [mimicked, typified.]
" 'I do no think that there is a demon who can cause panic to Rama. All this is feigning. Someone might have typified his voice in this way, please control yourself. [3-59-10]
vigarhitam ca niicam ca katham aaryo abhidhaasyati |
traahi iti vacanam siite yaH traayet tridashaan api || 3-59-11
11. siite= oh, Seetha; yaH= he who; tridashaan api traayet= gods, even, safeguards; aaryaH= esteemed one; katham abhidhaasyati= how, he exclaims; vi garhitam ca= highly, disparaging, also; niicam ca= in basely [manner,] also; traahi iti vacanam= save me, thus [in saying.]
" 'How can my esteemed brother who can safeguard even gods, oh, Seetha, will exclaim in saying, 'save me,' which is a highly disparaging and basely manner to call for the help of a lady to safeguard him in such circumstances. [3-59-11]
A hero will not expose a lady to risk when he himself is involved in such a risky position. aapat kaale strii samaahvaanasya kshudra kR^ityatvaat kutsitam - Govindaraja.
kim nimittam tu kena api bhraatuH aala.mbya me svaram |
visvaram vyaahR^itam vaakyam lakSmaNa traahi maam iti || 3-59-12
12. kim nimittam tu= somehow, reason, but; kena api= by someone, even; me bhraatuH= my, brother's; svaram aalambya= voice, depending [mimicking]; lakSmaNa traahi maam iti= Lakshmana, save, me, thus; vi svaram= without, harmony - discordantly; vaakyam vyaahR^itam= words, shouted.
" 'But, somehow, for some reason, someone mimicking my brother's voice discordantly shouted words saying, 'Lakshmana save me.' [3-59-12]
raakshasena iiritam vaakyam trasaat traahi iti shobhane |
na bhavatyaa vyathaa kaaryaa kunaarii jana sevitaa || 3-59-13
13. shobhane= oh, auspicious lady; [kena api= by some]; raakshasena= by a demon - say Maareecha; iiritam vaakyam= voiced, words; traahi iti= save me, thus; bhavatyaa= by you; trasaat vyathaa= by fear, panicked; ku naarii jana sevitaa= by lowly, women, folk, as resorted to; [vyathaa= who are trivially panicked]; na kaaryaa= not, doable [unbefitting.]
" 'Oh, auspicious lady, it is unbefitting for you to panic, like lowly womenfolk who will be frivolously panicking for flimsy reasons, for the words like 'save me,' shouted by some demon, who may conceivably be Maareecha. [3-59-13]
alam vaiklavataam ga.ntum svasthaa bhava nir utsukaa |
na ca asti triSu lokeSu pumaan yo raaghavam raNe || 3-59-14
jaato vaa jaayamaano vaa sa.myuge yaH paraajayet |
ajeyo raaghavo yuddhe devaiH shakra purogamaiH || 3-59-15
14. vaiklavataam gantum alam= consternation, to go in [slipping into,] enough is this; nir utsukaa= without, dismay; svasthaa bhava= reposed, you be; yaH= he who; samyuge raNe= in [any given] terrible, combat; raaghavam paraajayet= Raghava, who can defeat; yaH= he; [saH= such a]; pumaan= person; triSu lokeSu= in three, worlds; jaataH vaa= already took birth, or; jaaya maanaH vaa= going to take birth, or; na asti= not, is there; raaghavaH= Raghava; shakra purogamaiH devaiH= Indra, in van, with gods - to all gods with Indra in their vanguard; yuddhe= in battle; a + jeyaH= not, defeated [undefeatable.]
" 'Enough is your slipping into consternation and you be undismayed. There is none in all the three worlds who took birth, or going to take birth, to defeat Raghava in any given battle of any terrible nature. Raghava is undefeatable even if all gods come battling along with Indra in their van.' This is what I said to Vaidehi" Thus Lakshmana is informing Rama. [3-59-14, 15]
evam uktaa tu vaidehii parimohita cetanaa |
uvaaca ashruuNi mu.ncantii daaruNam maam idam vacaH || 3-59-16
16. evam uktaa tu= thus, said [by me], though; vaidehii= Vaidehi is; pari mohita cetanaa= overly, besotted, with volition; ashruuNi muncantii= tears, outpouring; maam= to me; idam daaruNam vacaH= this, tart, word; uvaaca= said.
"Though I said thus, while her volition is overly besotted for you, Vaidehi said this tartly word to me outpouring tears. [3-59-16]
bhaavo mayi tava atyartham paapa eva niveshitaH |
vinaSTe bhraatari praaptum na ca tvam maam avaapsyasi || 3-59-17
17. bhraatari= your brother; vi naSTe= on utter, ruination; maam= me; praaptum= to achieve; mayi= in my respect; ati artham= too, much [nastily]; paapa eva= impure, only; tava bhaavaH niveshitaH= your, perspective, is harboured; tvam= you; maam= me; na ca avaapsyasi= not, but, you can achieve.
" 'In my respect you have harboured only an impure and nastily perspective to achieve me on the utter ruination of your brother, but I am unachievable to you. [3-59-17]
sa.mketaat bharatena tvam raamam samanugacChasi |
kroshantam hi yathaa atyartham na enam abhyavapadyase || 3-59-18
18. ati artham= very, much - inordinately; kroshantam= who is yelling - Rama; yathaa= as to why; enam= to him [Rama]; na= not; abhyavapadyase [abhi ava pad]= towards, his near, going - refraining to go to him, for help; tvam= you are; bharatena= by Bharata; samketaat= owing to a hint - by some arrangement; raamam= to Rama; sam anu gacChasi hi= well, in tow, you followed - in exile, indeed.
" 'As to why you are refraining to rush towards Rama even though he is inordinately yelling, it hints that Bharata made some arrangements with you, and that is the reason why you have closely followed Rama in exile. [3-59-18]
ripuH pracChanna caarii tvam mat artham anugacChasi |
raaghavasya antara prepsuH tathaa enam na abhipadyase || 3-59-19
19. pracChanna caarii= in disguise, one who is moving - comporting yourself; [raamasya] ripuH= [Rama's,] adversary; such as you are; tvam= you are; raaghavasya= Raghava's; antara prepsuH= randhra anveSi= leeway, one who is searching for; mat artham anugacChasi= me, because of, you are following - Rama; tathaa= thereby; enam na abhipadyase= him [Rama,] not, reaching at [now.]
" 'You are an adversary of Rama comporting yourself in disguise, following him because of me, and searching for a leeway from Rama. Thereby now you are not rushing to Rama. [3-59-19]
evam ukto hi vaidehyaa sa.mrabdho rakta locanaH |
krodhaat prasphuramaaNa oSTha aashramaat abhinirgataH || 3-59-20
20. vaidehyaa evam uktaH= by Vaidehi, thus, I was spoken; hi= indeed; samrabdhaH= hurriedly; krodhaat rakta locanaH= by anger, with reddened, eyes; pra sphuramaaNa oSTha= with highly, trembling, lips; aashramaat= from hermitage; abhi nir gataH= towards [you,] out, I came.
"When Vaidehi spoke to me thus I hurriedly came out of hermitage to you with anger reddening my eyes and trembling my lips. [3-59-20]
evam bruvaaNam saumitrim raamaH sa.ntaapa mohitaH |
abraviit duSkR^itam saumya taam vinaa yat tvam aagataH || 3-59-21
21. evam= thus; bruvaaNam= speaking; saumitrim= to Soumitri; santaapa mohitaH= by angst, deluded; raamaH= Rama; abraviit= said; saumya= oh, gentle one; yat= by which [deed of your coming]; tvam= you; taam vinaa= her, without; aagataH= arrived; by that; duS kR^itam= wrong, doing[improper deed]; [kR^itam= is done - you have done wrong.]
Rama who is deluded by angst said to Soumitri who is speaking thus, that "your arrival without her is an improper deed, oh, gentle one. [3-59-21]
jaanan api samartham maam rakSasaam apavaaraNe |
anena krodha vaakyena maithilyaa nirgato bhavaan || 3-59-22
22. maam= me; rakSasaam apa vaaraNe= demons, in foiling; samartham= as capable [enough]; jaanan api= knowing, though; bhavaan= you; maithilyaa krodha vaakyena= of Maithili, by angry, words; nirgataH= exited - hermitage.
"You know that I am capable enough to foil the demons, even then you have come out by the angry words of Maithili? [3-59-22]
na hi te parituSyaami tyaktvaa yat yaasi maithiliim |
kruddhaayaaH paruSam shrutvaa striyaa yat tvam iha aagataH || 3-59-23
23. maithiliim tyaktvaa= Maithili, on leaving off; yat yaasi= he who has, come out; te na parituSyaami hi= at you, not, happy I am, at all; kruddhaayaaH striyaaH= angering, lady's; paruSam shrutvaa= bitter [words,] on hearing; yat= who; tvam iha aagataH= you, to here, came away.
"On hearing bitter words of an angry lady you have came away on leaving her off, such as you are, I am not at all happy with you. [3-59-23]
sarvathaa tu apaniitam te siitayaa yat pracoditaH |
krodhasya vasham aagamya na akaroH shaasanam mama || 3-59-24
24. siitayaa= by Seetha; pracoditaH= compelled by; krodhasya vasham aagamya= ire's, control, coming under; mama shaasanam= my, directive; na akaroH not, done; iti yat= thus, which [that which issue is there]; sarvathaa te= in everyway, of yours; apa niitam= astray, led yourself [a + viniitam]= [dereliction.]
"That which action of yours is there in non-compliance of my directive to stand guard to Seetha, either compelled by Seetha, or coming under your own ire, it shows your dereliction in everyway. [3-59-24]
asau hi raakSasaH shete shareNa abhihato mayaa |
mR^iga ruupeNa yena aham aashramaat apavaahitaH || 3-59-25
25. mR^iga ruupeNa= by deer's, form; yena= by whom; aham= I am; aashramaat= from hermitage; apa vaahitaH= away, taken [detoured]; asau raakSasaH hi= he is, a demon indeed; maya= by me; shareNa abhihataH shete= by arrow, hit down, sleeping - fell flat.
"By whom I am detoured from hermitage in the form of a deer he is indeed a demon, and he fell flat when my arrow hit him down. [3-59-25]
vikR^iSya caapam paridhaaya saayakam
sa liila baaNena ca taaDito mayaa |
maar.hgiim tanum tyajya ca viklava svaro
babhuuva keyuura dharaH sa raakSasaH || 3-59-26
26. maya= by me; caapam= bow; vikR^iSya= on drawing [bowstring, full length]; saayakam= arrow; paridhaaya= on setting [target, or, on bowstring]; sa liila= with, play [effortless shooting]; baaNena taaDitaH ca= by arrow, hit, also; saH= he; maargiim tanum= pertaining to deer, body; tyajya ca= leaving, also; viklava svaraH= piteously, voicing [bewailing]; keyuura dharaH= bracelets [and the like,] wearing; raakSasaH babhuuva= demon, he became.
"When I effortlessly shot an arrow setting on bowstring and stretching the bow to full length, he hit by that arrow left deer's body to become a piteously bewailing demon wearing bracelets and the like ornaments. [3-59-26]
shara aahatena eva tadaa aartayaa giraa
svaram mama aala.mbya su duura su shravam |
udaahR^itam tat vacanam su daaruNam
tvam aagato yena vihaaya maithiliim || 3-59-27
27. tadaa= then; shara= by arrow; aahatena= hit down; eva= thus; aartayaa= with anguished; giraa= voice; su duura= very, remotely [place]; su shravam= clearly, audible; svaram= voice; mama= mine; aalambya= depend on [mimicking]; su daaruNam= highly, gruesome; tat= those; vacanam= words; udaa hR^itam= spoken; yena tvam aagataH= by which, you, came; maithiliim vihaaya= Maithili, on forsaking.
"Then hit down by arrow thus, he with an anguished voice that is clearly audible at a very remotely place and that which is mimicking my voice, uttered those highly gruesome words, whereby you have come here forsaking Maithili." Thus Rama said to Lakshmana on their way to their hermitage. [3-59-27]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe eko na SaSTitamaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 59th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Feb, 2003, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : December 04]