Valmiki Ramayana - Aranya Kanda

Rama bewails for Seetha as an ambivert, ambivalent romantic epical hero and asks Lakshmana to return to Ayodhya, as Rama is certain to perish without Seetha. He thinks his agony aloud, weighing pros and cons of his situation.

sŸt˜m apaþyan dharm˜tm˜ þoka upahata cetana× |
vilal˜pa mah˜b˜h¨ r˜ma× kamala locana× || 3-62-1

1. dharmaatmaa= virtue-souled one; mahaabaahuu= long armed one; kamala locanaH= lotus, eyed one; raamaH= Rama; siitaam a+pashyan= Seetha, not, being able to see; shoka upahata cetanaH= anguish, marred, sagacity; vilalaapa= bewailed.

In not seeing Seetha that virtue-souled Rama's sagacity is marred by his anguish and he bewailed with his lotus-like eyes that are reddening like a pair of lotuses, raising is long arms. [3-62-1]

Some mms use the word kaama in the compound shoka upahata cetanaH thus it becomes kaama upahata cetana and then it means 'his sagacity is marred by desire for Seetha...' and because of the adjacency of word dharmaatmaa 'righteous one...' 'a righteous desire is no sin to desire for... hence his desire for Seetha is righteous...' Then mahaabaahuu denotes that he is wailing raising his long arms, and kamala locana is indicative of redness of lotuses, thus his eyes are reddening by his wailing.

paþyan iva ca t˜m sŸt˜m apaþyan madana ardita× |
uv˜ca r˜ghavo v˜kyam vil˜pa ˜þraya durvacam || 3-62-2

2. madana arditaH raaghavaH= by Love-god, cowed down, Raghava; taam siitaam= at her, at Seetha; a + pashyan= [even if] not, seeing; pashyan iva= seeing, as though; vilaapa aashraya dur vacam= wail, sheltered [pampered,] badly [inarticulately,] speech [articulacy - because his speech took shelter of waling he is articulating inarticulately with a speech that is pampered by that wailing instinct; [ittham= this way]; uvaaca vaakyam= said, words [vented his heart.]

Even if Raghava is not able to see Seetha in his presence he started talking to her in a kind of inarticulate wailing, as wailing pampered his articulacy because his speech took shelter of wailing instinct, and as he is cowed down by Love-god, and thus he started to vent out his heart in this way. [3-62-2]

Here the poet is starting the sixth phase among the ten phases called manmadha avasthaaH 'phases of pangs of love,' and this one is called a + rati 'non-indulgence, the ambivalence, the ambiversion...' of the romantic hero, in romantic epical poetry.

tvam aþokasya þ˜kh˜bhi× puÿpa priya tar˜a priye |
av®õoÿi þarŸram te mama þoka vivardhinŸ || 3-62-3

3. priye= oh, dear; tvam= you are; puSpa priya taraaa= by flowers, fascinated, very much; mama shoka vi vardhinii= [that which] to me, anguish, highly, amplifying one; ashokasya shaakhaabhiH= with Ashoka tree, branches [which are in full bloom]; te shariiram= you, body; aavR^iNoSi= veiling yourself [now.]

"Flowers fascinate you very much, my dear, hence you veil yourself with the full bloomed branches of Ashoka tree, but that alone is amplifying my anguish because you both have presently became tormentors. [3-62-3]

kadalŸ k˜õýa sad®þau kadaly˜ saÕv®t˜ ubhau |
¨r¨ paþy˜mi te devi na asi þakt˜ nig¨hitum || 3-62-4

4. devi= oh, lady; kadalii kaaNDa [sknadha] sadR^ishau= banana plant's, stalk [trunk,] that likens to; kadalyaa samvR^itaa= by banana plants [grove,] lapped in; te ubhau uuruu= your, both, thighs; pashyaami= I caught sight of; ni guuhitum= inside, cover them in; shaktaa na asi= possible, not, you are [inapt].

"Maybe, both your thighs liken to the stalks of banana plants, thinking so, now you have lapped them in grovy banana plants, but I can distinguish which is which, thus now I caught sight of them, oh, lady, you are inapt at least to cover them from me. [3-62-4]

karõik˜ra vanam bhadre hasantŸ devi sevase |
alam te parih˜sena mama b˜dh˜vahena vai || 3-62-5

5. devi= oh, lady; bhadre= oh, glorious lady; hasantii= facetiously; karNikaara vanam sevase= Karnikaara [trees with flowers,] in boscage, you glorying in; mama baadha aavahena [aa vahena]= to me, worry, bringing, carrying [wafting]; te parihaasena alam vai= your, facetiousness, is enough, really.

"Oh, lady, you are facetiously glorying in the boscage of fully bloomed Karnikaara trees which is really wafting worry to me, rather than the fragrance of those flowers oh, glorious lady, enough, enough is this facetiousness of yours. [3-62-5]

viþeÿeõa ˜þramasth˜ne h˜so ayam na praþasyate |
avagacch˜mi te þŸlam parih˜sa priyam priye || 3-62-6
˜gaccha tvam viþ˜l˜kÿŸ þ¨nyo ayam u÷aja× tava |

6, 7a: visheSeNa= especially; aashrama sthaane= [like] hermitage, in a place; ayam= this [sort of]; haasaH= raillery; na prashasyate= not, merited; priye= oh, dear; te= your; parihaasa priyam shiilam= humour, loving, disposition; avagacChaami= I am aware of [state of mind, your humour]; vishaalaakshii= oh, wide-eyed one; tvam= you; aagacCha= come on; tava ayam uTajaH shuunyaH =your, this, cottage, is empty.

"I am aware of your humour, lady, and I know that you are jocose, but in a place like hermitage unmerited is this sort of raillery, even if it is good-natured. Hence, you come back, oh, wide-eyed one, your cottage is empty. [3-62-6, 7a]

Be it a cottage or a palace, minus a housewife, it cannot be called a 'home' na g®ham g®ha iti ˜hu× g®hiõŸ g®ham ucyate | g®ham tu g®hiõŸ hŸnam araõyam sad®þamatam || Maha Bharata, 12-144-6; bh˜ry˜hŸnam g®hasthasya þ¨nyam eva g®ham bhavet | 'a house is a house when housewife is there, otherwise it amounts to a forest...' 'a house to the householder is a void, if the housewife is not there...'

su vyaktam r˜kÿai× sŸt˜ bhakÿit˜ v˜ h®t˜ api v˜ || 3-62-7
na hi s˜ vilapantam m˜m upasampraiti lakÿmaõa |

7b, 8a. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; siitaa= Seetha; su vyaktam= very, evidently; raakshaiH= by demons; bhakshitaa vaa= gorged up, either; hR^itaa api vaa= abducted, perhaps, or; saa= she; vilapantam maam= whiny, at me; na= not; upasampraiti [upa sam pra eti= to nearby, well, easily, coming]= returning; hi= indeed.

"Oh, Lakshmana, very evidently demons have either gorged up Seetha, or perhaps abducted her, because she is not returning to me who am whiny indeed for her. [3-62-7b, 8a]

et˜ni m®ga y¨dh˜ni sa aþru netr˜õi lakÿmaõa || 3-62-8
þaÕþanti iva hi me devŸm bhakÿit˜m rajanŸcarai× |

8b, 9a. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; sa ashru netraaNi= those that are - with, with tears, eyes - with tearful eyes; etaani mR^iga yuudhaani= these, deer, mobs of; me deviim= my, lady is; rajaniicaraiH= by nightwalkers; bhakshitaam= gluttonised; shamshanti iva hi= explaining, as if, indeed.

"Indeed these teary-eyed mobs of deer look as if to explain that nightwalkers have gluttonised my lady. [3-62-8b, 9a]

h˜ mama ˜rye kva y˜t˜ asi h˜ s˜dhvi vara varõini || 3-62-9
h˜ sa k˜m˜ adya kaikeyŸ devi me adya bhaviÿyati |

8b, 9a. haa= ha; mama aarye= my, graceful one; adya= now; kva yaataa asi= to where, strayed, have you; haa saadhvi= ha, chastely lady; vara varNini= oh, best, complexioned one; haa= ha; me= my; devi kaikeyii= lady [queen mother, dowager,] Kaikeyi; sa kaama= with [fulfilled,] ambition; adya bhaviSyati= now, she will be.

"Ha! My graceful lady, to where you have strayed now... Ha! Chastely and best complexioned lady, now the ambition of my queen mother Kaikeyi will be fulfilled, as I breath my last owing to your straying... [3-62-8b, 9a]

sŸt˜y˜ saha niry˜to vin˜ sŸt˜m up˜gata× || 3-62-10
katham n˜ma pravekÿy˜mi þ¨nyam anta× puram mama |

9b, 10a. siitaayaa saha nir yaataH= with Seetha, along, out, I came - to exile; vinaa siitaam upa aagataH= without, Seetha, towards, arriving - go back to Ayodhya; shuunyam= empty; mama antaH puram= my, inside, palace [palace-chambers]; katham= how; naama= [in all but] name; pravekshyaami= enter [step in.]

"I have come to forests with Seetha and have to go back to Ayodhya without Seetha. How, in all but name, can I step into an oblivion called my palace-chambers? [3-62-9b, 10a]

nirvŸrya iti loko m˜m nirdaya× ca iti vakÿyati || 3-62-11
k˜taratvam prak˜þam hi sŸt˜ apanayanena me |

10b, 11a. lokaH maam= populace, of me; nir viirya iti= [a person] without, vigour, thus as; nir dayaH ca= without, pity, also; iti vakshyati= thus, they say [denounce]; siitaa apa nayanena= in Seetha's, away, leading - regarding abduction; me= my; kaataratvam= timidity [ineptitude]; prakaasham hi= will be self-evident, indeed.

"People will denounce me as a vigourless and pitiless person, and my ineptitude will indeed be self-evident, for Seetha is led away from me by some tactical being... [3-62-10b, 11a]

niv®tta vana v˜sa× ca janakam mithila adhipam || 3-62-12
kuþalam parip®cchantam katham þakÿe nirŸkÿitum |

11b, 12a. nivR^itta vana vaasaH ca= on completing, forest, living, also; kushalam paripR^icChantam= wellbeing [of all,] one who asks after [me]; mithila adhipam= Mithila's, king; janakam= to Janaka; niriikshitum= to gaze at [have the face]; katham shakshe= how, I am capable [how can I stand.]

"When the king of Mithila Janaka asks after the wellbeing of all the three of us after the completion of forest living, how do I have the face to stand him? [3-62-11b, 12a]

videha rajo n¨nam m˜m d®ÿ÷v˜ virahitam tay˜ || 3-62-13
sut˜ vin˜þa santapto mohasya vaþam eÿyati |

12b, 13a. videha rajaH= Videha's, king; tayaa virahitam= her [Seetha,] without; maam dR^iSTvaa= me, on seeing; sutaa vinaasha santaptaH= daughter, by perishing, distraught; mohasya vasham eSyati= of perplexity, preponderance, goes under; nuunam= it is definite.

"On seeing me without Seetha the king of Videha will be distraught by the perishing of his daughter, and he defiantly goes under the preponderance of perplexity... [3-62-12b, 13a]

athav˜ na gamiÿy˜mi purŸm bharata p˜litam || 3-62-14
svargo api hi tay˜ hŸna× þ¨nya eva mato mama |

13b, 14a. athavaa= instead; bharata paalitam puriim= by Bharata, ruled, to city [Ayodhya]; na gamiSyaami= not, I prefer to go; tayaa hiinaH= her, without; svargaH api= heaven, even; mama= to me; shuunya eva hi= void, thus, indeed; mataH= [is my] belief.

"Instead, I prefer not to go to the city Ayodhya that is ruled by Bharata, because it must be comforting to one and all under his rulership, but not to me as Seetha will not be with me... else if, that end of my life occurs now and if I were to go to heaven, even that heaven will be a void to me without her... I believe so... [3-62-13b, 14a]

tat m˜m uts®jya hi vane gaccha ayodhy˜ purŸm þubh˜m || 3-62-15
na tu aham t˜m vin˜ sŸt˜m jŸveyam hi kathañcana |

14b, 15a. tat= hence; maam vane utsR^ijya= me, in forest, forsaking; shubhaam ayodhyaa puriim gacCha= to auspicious, city, to Ayoidhya, [you Lakshmana] you go back; aham tu= I, on my part; taam siitaam vinaa= her, that Seetha, without; kathamcana= in anyway; na jiiveyam hi= not, I live on, isn't it.

"Hence, Lakshmana, you go back to that auspicious city Ayodhya forsaking me in forests, because I have no existence without Seetha, isn't it! [3-62-14b, 15a]

g˜ýham ˜þliÿya bharato v˜cyo mat vacan˜t tvay˜ || 3-62-16
anujñ˜to asi r˜meõa p˜laya iti vasundhar˜m |

15b, 16a. bharataH gaaDham aashliSya= Bharata, [on your] tightly, hugging [him]; mat vacanaat tvayaa= my, according to word, by you; vaacyaH= is tellable - Bharata is to be said this; vasundharaam paalaya iti= the earth, you reign, thus; raameNa anuj~naataH asi= by Rama, authorised, you are.

"On tightly hugging Bharata you shall tell him these words as I have said, 'Rama authorises you to reign the earth...' [3-62-16]

amb˜ ca mama kaikeyŸ sumitr˜ ca tvay˜ vibho || 3-62-17
kausaly˜ ca yath˜ ny˜yam abhiv˜dy˜ mama ajñay˜ |
rakÿaõŸy˜ prayatnena bhavat˜ s˜ ukta k˜riõ˜ || 3-62-18

17b, 18. vibho= oh, efficacious Lakshmana; mama ambaa= my, mother; kaikeyii sumitraa ca kausalyaa ca= Kaikeyi, Sumitra, also, Kausalya, also; tvayaa= by you; mama aj~nayaa= by my, order; yathaa nyaayam= as per, justification [justifiably]; abhivaadyaa= you on revering them; you tell them my good bye; ukta kaariNaa= one who does whatever said to him - by Rama, namely Lakshmana; such a you are you say; bhavataa= by you; prayatnena= effortfully; saa= she [Kausalya]; rakshaNiiyaa= is to be protected.

"Oh, efficacious Lakshmana, on revering my mothers Kaika, Sumitra, and Kausalya justifiably you tell them my good bye, and you as the one who effectuates whatever is assigned to you, you have to effortfully protect my mother Kausalya by doing whatever she says. [3-62-17b, 18]

sŸt˜y˜× ca vin˜þo ayam mama ca amitra s¨dana |
vistareõa janany˜ vinivedya tvay˜ bhavet || 3-62-19

19. a + mitra suudana= un, friendly, subjugator of; siitaayaaH ca= Seetha's, also; mama ca= mine, also; ayam= this; vinaashaH= perish; tvayaa= by you; jananyaa= to mothers; vistareNa= in detail; vi nivedya= clearly, be informed; bhavet= it shall be.

"Oh, the subjugator of unfriendly, Lakshmana... you shall clearly inform in detail about this perish of Seetha, also that of mine, to our mothers. [3-62-19]

iti vilapati r˜ghavo tu dŸno
vanam upagamya tay˜ vin˜ su keþy˜ |
bhaya vikala mukha× tu lakÿmaõo api
vyathita man˜ bh®þam ˜turo babh¨va || 3-62-20

20. diinaH= dejected one; raaghavaH= Raghava; vanam upagamya= forest, on nearing [searchingly he neared every corner of forest]; su keshyaa= with good, tresses - lady with best hair-locks; tayaa vinaa= her, without - missing from him; iti vilapati= thus, bewailing; lakshmaNaH api= Lakshmana, even; bhaya vi kala mukhaH= by fear, without, lustre, faced [whey-faced]; vyathita manaa= frantic, hearted; bhR^isham aaturaH babhuuva= highly, overwrought, he became.

Thus Raghava, the dejected, neared every corner of the forest in his search, and bewailed because that lady with best plaits, Seetha, is not found and missing from him. Even Lakshmana became whey-faced, frantic-hearted, highly overwrought, by the fear of uncertainty looming large on them. [3-62-20]

iti v˜lmŸki r˜m˜yaõe ˜di k˜vye araõya k˜õýe dvi ÿaÿ÷itama× sarga×

Thus, this is the 62nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Chapter [Sarga] 62

Introduction

Verse Locator for Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek : Chapter 62