Book III : Aranya Kanda
- The Forest Trek
Rama replies Seetha's enquiry as to why he should wage war to eliminate the demons. He says
that it is only to protect the land from the atrocities of demons, and for safeguarding
the decrepit sages under his scheme of protecting the helpless.
vaakyam etat tu vaidehyaa vyaahR^itam bhartR^i bhaktyaa |
1. bhartR^i bhaktyaa = husband, in adoration of; vaidehyaa vyaahR^itam = by Vaidehi,
said; etat vaakyam tu = all, words, but; shrutvaa = on hearing; dharme sthitaH
raamaH = by virtue, abides, Rama; prati uvaaca jaanakiim = in turn, said [replied,] to
Janaki.
On hearing all of the words said by Vaidehi, in adoration of her husband, he who abides by virtue alone
that Rama replied Janaki. [4-10-1]
hitam uktam tvayaa devi snigdhayaa sadR^isham vacaH |
2. devi = oh, lady; dharmaj~ne janaka aatmaje = oh, virtue-knower, Janaka's, daughter;
kulam vyapadishantyaa [vi apa dish] ca = familial [greatness,] that speak of; snigdhayaa
tvayaa hitam sadR^isham vacaH uktam = friendlily, by you, beneficial words, befitting to your [disposition];
is said.
"You have said beneficial, friendlily words that are seemlier to your disposition, oh, lady, which
are apt to speak of your familial brought up, for you are the daughter of virtue-knowing Janaka. [4-10-2]
kim nu vakShyaami aham devi tvayaa eva uk{}tam idam vacaH |
3. devi = o, lady; aham kim nu vakSyaami = I, what [more,] verily, can I say;
aarta shabdaH na bhavet iti = wailer's, yowl, shall not, be there, thus [misery's tears shall
cease to flow -- Griffit]; kSatriyaiH dhaaryate caapaH = Kshatriya-s, handle, bow; idam
vacaH tvayaa eva uktam = this, word, by you, alone [perhaps,] said [iterated.]
"What more shall I say, oh, lady, since it is said that 'a warrior handles a bow so that misery's tears
cease to flow...' and this saying is iterated even by you... [4-10-3]
te ca aartaa daNDakaaraNye munayaH saMshita vrataaH |
4. siite = oh! Seetha; samshita vrataaH = sages, resolute, in practises; sharaNyaaH
daNDakaaraNye te munayaH = those that are shelteable, in Dansaka forest, those sages; aartaa
svayam aagamya = sombrely, on approaching; maam sharaNam gataaH = my, refuge, they have
gone in [came into.]
"Oh! Seetha, those shleterable sages of Dandaka forest have approached me sombrely on their own, and
thus they came into my refuge... [4-10-4]
vasantaH kaala kaaleShu vane muula phala ashanaaH |
5. muula phala ashanaaH = tubers, fruits, eaters of; vasantaH kaala kaaleSu vane =
living, time, after times [in all times,] in forest; kruura karmabhiH raakSasaiH bhiiru = with
invidious, deeds, by demons, scared; sukham na labhante = quietude, not getting.
"Subsisting on fruits and tubers, living at all the time in forests those sages are not getting quietude,
as they are scared by the demons with invidious deeds... [4-10-5]
bhakShyante raakShasaiH bhiimaiH nara maaMsopajiivibhiH |
6, 7a. munayaH daNDakaaraNya vaasinaH = sages, in Dandaka forest, dwellers; bhiimaiH nara
maaMsopajiivibhiH = fiendish, on human, felsh, that subsist; raakSasaiH bhakSyante = by
demons, are being eaten; te bhakSyamaaNaa = they, while being eaten; dvija sattamaaH
= Brahmans, the eminet ones; asmaan abhyavapadya [abhi ava pad] = us, [to take possession of
us] come to rescue; iti = thus as; maam uucur = to me, said.
"The sages dwelling in Dandaka forest are being eaten away by fiendish demons that subsist on human
flesh, and while being eaten away like that those eminent Brahmans have said to me, "please come to
our rescue..." [4-10-6,7a]
mayaa tu vacanam shrutvaa teShaam evam mukhaat cyutam || 4-10-7
7b, 8, 9a. evam teSaam mukhaat cyutam vacanam shrutvaa = this way, from their, mouth, fel,
words, on hearing; mayaa tu = by me, but; kR^itvaa vacana shushruSaam = on making,
vocal, vassalage - comforting them verbally; vaakyam etat udaahR^itam = sentence, this one,
avouched; prasiidantu me bhavantaH = be gracious, to me, you all; aham yat [kaaraNaat]
= I am, by which [reason]; upastheyaiH iidR^ishaiH vipraiH = those that are to be served, this
kind of, [eminent] Brahamnas; upasthitaH = they came to my fore; eSaa mama atulaa hriiH
hi = this, for me, immense, shame/dishonour, indeed.
"This way when I have heard the words voiced by them, I comforted them verbally and avouched this way,
"Be gracious to me... you all... by which reason I am being addressed this way by this kind of eminent
Brahmans, whom I should have actually addressed my self, this indeed is a dishonour for me... [4-10-7b,
8, 9a]
kim karomi iti ca mayaa vyaahR^itam dvija saMnidhau || 4-10-9
9b, 10a. kim karomi iti ca = what, I shall do, thus, also; mayaa vyaahR^itam dvija sannidhau
= by me, said, in Brahmins', in front of; sarvaiH eva samaagamya = all, thus, thronging;
vaak iyam sam udaahR^itaa = word, this, spoke out.
"Then I said before the Brahmans, "what shall I do?" All of them thus thronged and spoke this word.
[4-10-9b, 10a]
raakShasaiH daNDakaaraNye bahubhiH kaama ruupibhiH || 4-20-10
10b, 11a. raama = oh! Rama; daNDakaaraNye bahubhiH kaama ruupibhiH raakSasaiH = in
Dandaka forest, many of the, guise-changing, demons; bhR^isham arditaaH sma = outrightly, tortured,
we are; bhavaan tatra rakshatu naH = you, us, there in that, context protect, us.
"Many of the guise changing demons are outrightly torturing us in Dandaka forest, hence in that context
you shall protect us... [4-10-10b, 11a]
homa kaale tu saMpraapte parva kaaleShu ca anagha || 4-10-11
11b, 12a. anagha = oh, merited one Rama; su dur dharSaa = highly, resistless ones;
pishita ashanaaH = flesh, eating [carnivorous]; raakSasaaH = demons; homa kaale
tu = at oblation, times, but; parva kaaleSu ca = on propitious, times, also; sampraapte
= chancing, descend on; dharSayanti = they will be persecuting.
"Those resistless carnivorous demons, oh, merited Rama, will descend exactly at the time of fire oblations,
or on propitious times like full or new moons to persecute us... [4-10-11b, 12a]
raakShasaiH dharShitaanaam ca taapasaanaam tapasvinaam || 4-10-12
12b, 13a. raakSasaiH dharSitaanaam ca = by demons, being assaulted, too; taapasaanaam tapasvinaam
= aggrieved, ascetics; gatim mR^igaya maaNaanaam = recourse, searching, those that are searching;
bhavaan = you are; naH = for us; paramaa gatiH = ultimate, course [we chanced
on you.]
"We the ascetics being assaulted thus are aggrieved, and when we searched for a recourse you chanced
as our ultimate course... [4-10-12b, 13a]
kaamam tapaH prabhaaveNa shak{}taa hantum nishaacaraan || 4-10-13
13b, 14a. vayam tapaH prabhaaveNa = we are, by our ascesis, efficacy of; hantum nishaacaraan
= kaamam shakaaH = to eradicate, demons, surely, we are capable of; tu = but; cira arjitam
tapaH = for a long time, earned, ascesis [ the effect of]; na ca icChaamaH khaNDayitum
= not, also, we wish, to cut short, waste;
"We by the efficacy of our ascesis are surely capable to eradicate those demons, but we do not wish
to shorten the effect of our long earned merit of ascesis... [4-10-13b, 14a]
bahu vighnam tapo nityam duHshcaram caiva raaghava || 4-10-14
14b, 15a. Raghava; tapaH nityam bahu vighnam = ascesis, always, with many hurdles;
duH caram ca eva = impracticable, also, like that; tena = by the reason of it; raakSasaiH
bhakSyamaaNaaH = though being eaten away, by demons; shaapam na muncaamaH = thus, curse,
not, issued.
"Many hurdles are always there in our practice of ascesis, and even the ascesis have become impracticable,
oh, Raghava, thus though being eaten away by the demons we are not issuing any curse... [4-10-14b, 15a]
tad ardyamaanaan rakShobhiH daNDakaaraNya vaasibhiH || 4-10-15
15b, 16b. tat = thereby; daNDakaaraNya vaasibhiH rakSobhiH = Dandaka forest, dwellers,
by demons; ardyamaanaan = being persecuted; naH = us; saha bhraatraa tvam rakSa
= with, brother you, protect; vayam vane tvam naathaa hi = we, in forest, you, as protector,
we have you isn't it.
"Thereby, you along with your brother protect us that are being persecuted by the demons dwelling in
Dandaka forest as you alone are the protector of ours in these forests...'so said sages to me... [4-10-15b,
16a]
mayaa ca etat vacaH shrutvaa kaartsnyena paripaalanam || 4-10-16
16b, 17a. janaka aatmaje = Janaka's, daughter - oh, Seetha; mayaa ca etat vacaH shrutvaa
= by me, also, all these, words, on hearing; daNDakaaraNye R^iSiiNaam = in Dandaka forests,
to sages; kaartsnyena paripaalanam samshrutam = complete, protection, promised.
"On hearing all those words, oh, Seetha, I promised complete protection to the sages of Dandaka forests...
[4-10-16b, 17a]
saMshrutya na ca shakShyaami jiivamaanaH pratishravam || 4-10-17
17b, 18a. samshrutya = having promised; jiivamaanaH = while alive; muniinaam prati
shravam = to sages, what that is promised; anyathaa kartum na shakSyaami = otherwise,
to implement, not, capable of; me sadaa satyam iSTam hi = always, truth, is dearer, to me,
isn't it.
"Having promised to the sages it is incapable of me to implement it otherwise while I am alive... truth
is dearer to me, isn't it... [4-10-17b, 18a]
api aham jiivitam jahyaam tvaam vaa siite sa lakShmaNaam || 4-10-18
18b, 19a. siite = Seetha; aham jiivitam api = I, life, even; sa lakSmaNaam
= with, Lakshmana; tvaam vaa = you, either; jahyaam = I leave off; tu = but;
pratij~naam = promise; visheSataH braahmaNebhyaH = especially, to Brahmans; samshrutya
= having promised; na tu = never [I will never go back.]
"I may forfeit my life, forgo Lakshmana, or even forsake you but not a promise, that too especially
made to Brahmans, and having promised I can never go back... [4-10-18b, 19a]
tat avashyam mayaa kaaryam R^iShiiNaam paripaalanam || 4-10-19
19b, 20a. vaidehi = oh, Vaidehi; tat = by that reason; an uktena api = not,
asked [by sages,] even if; R^iSiiNaam pari paalanam = of sages', safeguarding; mayaa avashyam
kaaryam = by me, definitely, to be done; pratij~naaya katham punaH = having, how, then
[to not to do.]
"By that reason, oh, Seetha, even if I am unasked, safeguarding sages is definitely to be done by me,
how then it is undone when given a promise... [4-10-19b, 20a]
mama snehaat ca sauhaardaat idam uk{}tam tvayaa vacaH || 4-10-20
20b, 21a. siite = oh, Seetha; mama snehaat sauhaardaat ca = in my, friendship, good-heartedness,
also; idam vacaH uktam tvayaa = this, word, is said, by you; parituSTaH asmi aham
= contented, I am; an iSTaH na anushaasyate hi = uninterested ones, not, forewarns, indeed.
"With your friendship and good-heartedness you say these words, oh, Seetha, I am contended... uninterested
ones do not forewarn, indeed... [4-10-20b, 21a]
sadR^isham ca anuruupam ca kulasya tava shobhane |
21b, c. tava kulasya ca, shobhane = for your, bloodline, oh, graceful one; sadR^isham anuruupam
ca = appropriate, seemly, also; me sa dharma caariNii = with me, virtue, wife the pursuer;
tvam praaNebhyaH api gariiyasii = you are, by [my] lives, even, loftier one.
"Appropriate and seemly is your word of caution to your bloodline, oh, graceful Seetha, you are the
co-pursuer in dharma with me, hence you are loftier to me than my own lives..." So said Rama to Seetha.
[4-10-21b, c]
iti evam uk{}tvaa vacanam mahaatmaa
22. mahaatmaa = exalted-soul; raamaH = Rama; priyaam maithila raaja putriim siitaam
= to dear one, Mithila, king's, daughter, to Seetha; iti evam uktvaa vacanam = thus, that way,
on saying, words; dhanuSmaan = bow-wielder; saha lakSmaNena = with, Lakshmana;
ramyaaNi tapo vanaani jagaama = to picturesque, hermits, woodlands, went to.
That exalted soul Rama on saying those words to Seetha, his dear wife and the daughter of Janaka, wielding
his bow proceeded further with Lakshmana to the picturesque woodlands of hermits. [4-10-22]
----
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe dashamaH sargaH
© 2001, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao, [Revised : March 04]
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Chapter [Sarga] 10
Verses converted to UTF-8, Oct 09Introduction
shrutvaa dharme sthito raamaH pratyuvaaca
jaanakiim || 4-10-1
kulam vyapadishantyaa ca dharmaj~ne janaka
aatmaje || 4-10-2
kShatriyaiH dhaaryate caapo na aarta
shabdo bhaved iti || 4-10-3
maam siite svayam aagamya sharaNyaaH sharaNam
gataaH || 4-10-4
na labhante sukham bhiiru raakShasaiH kruura
karmabhiH || 4-10-5
te bhakShyamaaNaa munayo daNDakaaraNya
vaasinaH || 4-10-6
asmaan abhyavapadya iti maam uucur dvija sattamaaH |
kR^itvaa vacana shushruShaam vaakyam
etat udaahR^itam |
prasiidantu bhavanto me hriiH eShaa tu mama atulaa || 4-10-8
yad iidR^ishaiH
aham vipraiH upastheyaiH upasthitaH |
sarvaiH eva samaagamya vaak iyam samudaahR^itaa
|
arditaaH sma bhR^isham raama bhavaan
naH tatra rakshatu |
dharShayanti sudurdharShaa raakShasaaH
pishita ashanaaH |
gatim mR^igayamaaNaanaam bhavaan
naH paramaa gatiH |
ciraarjitam na ca icchhhaamaH tapaH
khaNDayitum vayam |
tena shaapam na mu.ncaamo bhakShyamaaNaaH
ca raakShasaiH |
rakSha naH tvam saha bhraatraa tvam
naathaa hi vayam vane |
R^iShiiNaam daNDakaaraNye saMshrutam
janakaaatmaje |
muniinaam anyathaa kartum satyam
iShTam hi me sadaa |
na tu pratij~naam saMshrutya
braahmaNebhyo visheShataH |
anuk{}tena api vaidehi pratij~naaya
katham punaH |
parituShTo asmi aham siite na hi
aniShTo anushaasyate |
sadharma caariNii me tvam praaNebhyo api gariiyasii
|| 4-10-21
siitaam priyaam maithila raaja putriim |
raamo dhanuShmaan
saha lakShmaNena
jagaama ramyaaNi tapo vanaani || 4-10-22Thus, this is the 10th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
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