As the evening twilight approaches, Anasuya sends Seetha to Rama's presence. Seetha approaches Rama and shows him the apparel, jewels and garlands gifted by Anasuya and duly adorned by her, Rama spends the night there along with Seetha Lakshmana. At the onset of dawn, they take leave of the ascetics and advance further into the great forest in the route suggested by the ascetics.
anasuuyaa tu dharmajnaa shrutvaa taam mahatiim kathaam |
paryaShvajata baahubhyaam shirasy aaghraaya maithiliim || 2-119-1
1. shrutvaa = hearing; taam = that; mahatiim kathaam = great story; anasuuyaatu = Anasuya; dharmajJNaa = the knower of piety; aaghraaya = kissed; shirasi = on the forehead; maithiliim = of Seetha; pariSvajata = and hugged her; baahubhyaan = in her arms.
Hearing that great story, Anasuya the knower of piety kissed Seetha's forehead and hugged her in her arms.
vyakta akShara padam citram bhaaShitam madhuram tvayaa |
yathaa svayam varam vR^ittam tat sarvam hi shrutam mayaa || 2-119-2
rame aham kathayaa te tu dR^iShDham madhura bhaaShiNi |
2. bhaaSitam = It was narrated; tvayaa = by you; vyaktaakSarapadam = in clear words and syllables; chitram = amazingly; madhuram = and sweetly; shrutam hi = It has been indeed heard; mayaa = by me; yathaa = how; tatsarvam = all that; svayamvaram = Svayamvara; the process of self-choosing marriage; vR^ittam = took place; madhurabhaaSini = O; the sweetly speaking Seetha!; aham = I; dR^iDham rame = am overjoyed; te kathayaa = (by hearing) your story.
"It was narrated sweetly and amazingly by you, in clear words and syllables. It has been indeed heard by me how all that Svayamvara, the process of self-choosing marriage took place. O, the sweet speaking Seetha! I am overjoyed by hearing your story."
ravir astam gataH shriimaan upohya rajaniim shivaam || 2-119-3
divasam prati kiirNaanaam aahaara artham patatriNaam |
sa.ndhyaa kaale niliinaanaam nidraa artham shruuyate dhvaniH ||2-119-4
3; 4. shriimaan = O; Fortunate one!; shivaam = (while) the auspicious; rajaniim = night; upohya = is drawing near; raviH = the sun; astagataH = has sunk below horizon; dhvaniH = the twittering; patattriNaam = of the birds; shruuyate = can be heard; divasam = who; through the day; aahaaraartham = have sought their nourishment; pratikiirNaanaam = far and wide; niliinaanaam = and are seeking their shelter; nidraartham = for sleep; sandhyaakaale = at the time of evening-twilight.
"O, Fortunate One! While the auspicious night drawing near, the sun has sunk below horizon. The twittering of the birds can be heard, who, through the day, have sought their nourishment far and wide and are seeking their shelter for sleep at the time of evening-twilight."
ete ca apy abhiSheka aardraa munayaH phala shodhanaaH |
sahitaa upavartante salila aapluta valkalaaH || 2-119-5
5. ete munayaH cha = these ascetics too; upavartante = are returning; sahitaaH = together; salilaa plavavalkalaaH = their bark = robes drenched from bathing; kalashodyataaH = with uplifted vessels; abhiSekaardraaH = wet with sprinkled water.
"These ascetics too are returning together, their bark-robes drenched from bathing, and with uplifted vessels, wet with sprinkled water on them."
R^iShiiNaam agni hotreShu huteShu vidhi purvakam |
kapota anga aruNo dhuumo dR^ishyate pavana uddhataH || 2-119-6
6. agnihotreSu = from the sacred fire; huteSu = kindled; R^iSiiNaam = by the sages; vidhipuurvakam = according to the scriptural ordinance; dhuumam = a column of smoke; kapotaaNgaaruNaH = with the hue of a pigeon's neck; pavanoddhataH = raised by the wind; dR^ishyate = is seen (there).
"From the sacred fire kindled by the sages, according to the scriptural ordinance, a column of smoke with the hue of a Pigeon's neck, raised by the wind, is seen there."
alpa parNaa hi taravo ghanii bhuutaaH samantataH |
viprakR^iShTe api ye deshe na prakaashanti vai dishaH || 2-119-7
7. alpaparNaaH = though their foliage is sparse; taravaH = the trees; ghaniibhuutaaH = look dense; samantataH = all around; dishaH = the quarters; na prakaashantivai = do not shine brilliantly; asmin deshe = at this place; viprakR^iSTendriye = by whom the senses are drawn apart.
"Thought their foliage is sparse, the trees look dense all around. The quarters of the world, by whom the senses are drawn apart, do not shine brilliantly at this place."
rajanii rasa sattvaani pracaranti samantataH |
tapo vana mR^igaa hy ete vedi tiirtheShu sherate || 2-119-8
8. rajamichara sattvaani = the animals who wander about at night; pracharanti = are ranging; samantataH = every where; ete = these; tapovana mR^igaaH = deer of the hermitage; sherate = are sleeping; vedi tiirtheSu = round the sacred altars.
"The animals who wander about at night are ranging everywhere. The deer of the hermitage are sleeping round the sacred altars."
sampravR^ittaa nishaa siite nakShatra samalamkR^itaa |
jyotsnaa praavaraNaH candro dR^ishyate abhyudito ambare || 2-119-9
9. siite = O; Seetha!; nishaa = the night; nakSatra samalaNkR^itaa = richly adorned with stars; sampravR^ittaa = has set well in motion; chandraH = the moon; jyotsnaa praavaraNaH = encircled with light; dR^ishyati = is seen; abhyuditaH = rising; ambare = in the sky.
"O, Seetha! The night richly adorned with stars has set well in motion. The moon encircled with light is seen rising in the sky."
gamyataam anujaanaami raamasya anucarii bhava |
kathayantyaa hi madhuram tvayaa aham paritoShitaa || 2-119-10
10. gamyataam = go now; anujaanaami = I give you leave; bhava = be; anucharii = a female companion; raamasya = to Rama; aham = I; paritoSitaa = have been charmed; tvayaa = by you; kathayantyaa = speaking; madhuram = sweetly.
"Go now. I give you leave. Be a female companion to Rama. Your sweet conversation has charmed me."
alamkuru ca taavat tvam pratyakSham mama maithili |
priitim janaya me vatsa divya alamkaala shobhinii || 2-119-11
11. maithili = O; Seetha!; vatse = Dear child!; alaNkuru = adorn (with ornaments and apparel gifted by me); mama pratyakSam taavat = before my eyes; janaya = cause; priitm = delight; me = to me; divyaalaNkaara shobhitaa = in embellishing yourself with heavenly ornaments.
"O, Seetha! O, Dear child! Adorn (with ornaments and apparel gifted by me_ before my eyes and cause delight to me in embellishing yourself with heavenly jewels."
saa tadaa samalamkR^itya siitaa sura suta upamaa |
praNamya shirasaa tasyai raamam tu abhimukhii yayau || 2-119-12
12. saa siitaa = that Seetha; sura sutopamaa = similar to the daughter of a god; samalaNkR^itya = adorning herself; tathaa = in that manner; praNamya = making obeisance by bending down; shirasaa = her head; yayau = ad proceeded; abhimukhaa = towards; raamam = Rama.
Then Seetha, adorning herself, resembled the daughter of a god, and making obeisance to the feet of Anasuya, she went forward to meet Rama.
tathaa tu bhuuShitaam siitaam dadarsha vadataam varaH |
raaghavaH priiti daanena tapasvinyaa jaharSha ca || 2-119-13
13. raaghavaH = Rama; varaH = the most; vadataam = eloquent one; dadarsha = saw; siitaam = Seetha; bhuuSitaam = adorned; tathaa = as aforesaid; jaharSa cha = felt delighted; priitidaanena = over the charming gifts; tapsvinyaaH = of the ascetic.
Rama, the most eloquent one, saw Seetha adorned as aforesaid and felt delighted over the charming gifts of the ascetic.
nyavedayat tataH sarvam siitaa raamaaya maithilii |
priiti daanam tapasvinyaa vasana aabharaNa srajaam || 2-119-14
14. siitaa = Seetha; maithilii = the daughter of Mithila kingdom; tataH = then; nyavedayat = showed; raamaaya = to Rama; sarvam = all; vasanaabharaNa svajam = the apparel; jewels and garlands; priiti daanam = the affectionate gifts; tapasvinyaaH = of Anasuya; the hermitess.
Seetha, the daughter of Mithila kingdom then showed to Rama all the apparel, jewels and garlands the affectionate gifts of Anasuya the hermitess.
prahR^iShTaH tu abhavad raamo lakShmaNaH ca mahaa rathaH |
maithilyaaH satkriyaam dR^iShTvaa maanuSheShu sudurlabhaam || 2-119-15
15. dR^iSTvaa = seeing; satkriyaam = the respectful treatment; maithilyaaH = received by Seetha; sudurlabhaam = which was very rare; maanuSeSu = among human beings; raamaH = Rama; lakSmaNashcha = and Lakshmana; mahaarathaH = the great car-warrior; abhavat = felt; prahR^iSTaH = hight rejoiced.
Seeing the respectful treatment, received by Seetha, which was very rare among human beings, Rama and Lakshmana the great car-warrior felt highly rejoiced.
tataH taam sarvariim priitaH puNyaam shashi nibha aananaH |
arcitaH taapasaiH siddhair uvaasa raghu nandanaH || 2-119-16
16. tataH = thereupon; raaghnandanaH = Rama; shashinibhaananaH = with his face resembling the moon; architaH = having been honoured; siddhaiH = by the holy; taapasaiH = ascetics; priitaH = was delighted; uvaasa = and stayed (there); taam = that; puNyam = auspicious; sharvariim = night.
Thereupon, Rama with his face resembling the moon, having been honoured by the holy ascetics, was delighted and spent that auspicious night there.
tasyaam raatryaam vyatiitaayaam abhiShicya huta agnikaan |
aapR^igcchhetaam nara vyaaghrau taapasaan vana gocaraan || 2-119-17
17. tasyaam = (While) that; raatryaam = night; vyatiitaayaam = passed away; naravyaaghrau = Rama and Lakshamna the tigers among men; abhiSichya = finished their ablutions; apR^ichchhetaam = and took leave; vanagocharaan = of the ascetics dwelling in the forest; hutaagnikaan = who had just poured oblations into the sacred fire.
While that night passed away, Rama and Lakshmana the tigers among men finished their ablutions and took leave of the ascetics dwelling the forest, who had just poured oblations into the sacred fire.
taau uucuH te vana caraaH taapasaa dharma caariNaH |
vanasya tasya sa.ncaaram raakShasaiH samabhiplutam || 2-119-18
18. te taapasaaH = those ascetics; vana charaaH = dwelling in the forest; dharmachaariNaH = and practising virtue; uuchuH = told; tau = Rama and Lakshmana; samchaaram = about the region; tasya vanasya = of that forest; sambhi plutam = infested; raakSasaiH = with demons (as follows)
Those ascetics dwelling in the forest and practising virtue told Rama and Lakshmana about the region of that forest, which was infested with demons (as follows):
rakShaa.nsi puruShaadaani naanaaruupaaNi raaghava! |
vasantyasmin mahaaraNye vyaaLaashchashcha rudhiraashanaaH || 2-119-19
19. raaghava = O; Rama!; naanaa ruupaaNi = various forms; puruSaadaani = of man-eating; rakSaamsi = demons; vyaalaashcha = and beasts; rudhiraashanaaH = drinking the blood; vasanti = are living; asmin mahaaraNye = in this great forest.
"O, Rama! Various forms of man-eating demons and beasts drinking the blood are living in this great forest."
ucchiShTam vaa pramattam vaa taapasam dharmachaariNam |
adantyasmin mahaaraNye taannivaaraya raaghavaH || 2-119-20
20. raaghava = O; Rama!; adanti = (They) devour; taapasam = an ascetic; dharmachaariNam = or a celibate; uchchhiSTamvaa = who has not rinsed his mouth after finishing his meal; pramattam vaa = or inattentive; asmin mahaaaNye = in this great forest; taan nivaaraya = (Pray) ward them off.
"O, Rama! They devour an ascetic or a celibate, who has not rinsed his mouth after finishing his meal or who is inattentive in this great forest. (Pray ward them off!"
eSha panthaa maharShiiNaam phalaany aaharataam vane |
anena tu vanam durgam gantum raaghava te kShamam || 2-119-21
21. raaghava = O; Rama!; eSaH = this; panthaaH = is the path; maharSiiNaam = of the great sages; aaharataam = who fetch; phalaani = fruits; vane = in the forest; kSama = It is appropriate; te = for you; gantum = to go; anena = by this path; durgam vanam = in his dangerous forest.
"O, Rama! Here is the path of the great sages, through which they fetch the fruits in this forest. It is appropriate for you to go by this path in this dangerous forest."
iti iva taiH praanjalibhiH tapasvibhir
rdvijaiH kR^ita svastyayanaH param tapaH |
vanam sabhaaryaH pravivesha raaghavaH |
salakShmaNaH suurya iva abhra maNDalam || 2-119-22
22. itiiva = thus addressed; taiH = by those; dvijaiH = brahmanas; tapasvibhiH = having great asceticism; prajJNaliH = who; with joined palms; kR^itasvastyayanaH = paid obedience to him and blessed his journey; raaghavaH = Rama; paramtapaH = the harasser of his foes; pravivesha = entered; vanam = the forest; sabhaaryaH = with his consort; salakSmaNaH = along with Lakshmana; suuryaH iva = as sun (enters); abhra maNDala = a mass of clouds.
Thus addressed by those Brahmanas having great asceticism, who, with joined palms paid obedience to him and blessed his journey, Rama the harasser of his foes entered the forest with his consort along with Lakshmana, as sun enters a mass of clouds.
- - -
ityaarShe shriimadraamaayaNe aadikaavye shriimadvaalmiikiiye chaturvi.nshatsahasrikaayaam saMhitaayaaM shriimadayodhyaakaaNDe ekonavi.nshatyuttarashatatamaH sargaH
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© December 2005, K. M. K. Murthy