Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

प्रविश्य तु महारण्यम् दण्डकारण्यम् आत्मवान्
रामो ददर्श दुर्धर्ष तापस आश्रम मण्डलम्

praviśya tu mahāraṇyam daṇḍakāraṇyam ātmavān
rāmo dadarśa durdharṣa tāpasa āśrama maṇḍalam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On entering the impenetrable Dandaka forest that courageous and unassailable Rama saw a clusters of hermitages of sages. [3-1-1]

PURPORT

The word aatmavaan is the question Valmiki put to Narada at the start of the epic in Bala Kanda, as the first word of verse 1-1-4. The courage and invincibility are reflected in the opening verse of this canto, since Rama has to perform diina jana or sajjana rakshaNa i.e., saving the helpless or goodly men, viz. in the present context, the sages. The sages are to be saved from the onslaught of demons, which requires, both courage and un-invincibility. Apart from the above aatmavaan normally means sagacious one.

VERSE 2

कुश चीर परिक्षिप्तम् ब्राह्ंया लक्ष्ंया समावृतम्
यथा प्रदीप्तम् दुर्दर्शम् गगने सूर्य मण्डलम्

kuśa cīra parikṣiptam brāhṃyā lakṣṃyā samāvṛtam
yathā pradīptam durdarśam gagane sūrya maṇḍalam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Overspread with Darbha, the sacred grass, and jute clothing, well pervaded with Vedic splendour and well glowing like the un-seeable solar arena in the sky, with naked eye. [3-1-2] On looking at the rising red sun, the devotee is asking "Oh! Pooshan! God Sun, nourisher of the universe, the trueness of the Supreme is covered by your golden disk like vessel, [i.e., your Solar disk,] slide it aside, for as a truthful and righteous devotee, I visualize [that which is beyond your golden Solar disc.]

PURPORT

This connotes Vedic import in saying that Supreme is far beyond from Solar orbit. In iishaavaasyopanishad , at hymn 15, we hear the following mantra , hymn: This is said to be the coming of Supreme into lower abode of Solar orbit from His Supreme abode, say vaikuNTHa . Now Rama and Seetha are passing through this dazzling Solar-orbit like hermitage, to present themselves before the true devotees, and even to eradicate vice on earth. This appearance is without any prayers from the devotee, as contained in the above Vedic hymn. God reveals Himself

VERSE 3

शरण्यम् सर्व भूतानाम् सु संमृष्ट अजिरम् सदा
मृगैः बहुभिः आकीर्णम् पक्षि सन्घैः समावृतम्

śaraṇyam sarva bhūtānām su saṃmṛṣṭa ajiram sadā
mṛgaiḥ bahubhiḥ ākīrṇam pakṣi sanghaiḥ samāvṛtam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Those hermitages have well-tidied thresholds on all sides, dense with many deer and teemed with many groups of birds, and they are the recourse for all living beings. [3-1-3]

VERSE 4

पूजितम् च उपनृत्तम् च नित्यम् अप्सरसाम् गणैः
विशालैः अग्नि शरणैः स्रुक् भाण्डैः अजिनैः कुशैः

pūjitam ca upanṛttam ca nityam apsarasām gaṇaiḥ
viśālaiḥ agni śaraṇaiḥ sruk bhāṇḍaiḥ ajinaiḥ kuśaiḥ

SYNONYMS

a psarasam gaṇaiḥ: with apsarasa [celestial dancers,] groups of | pūjitam ca: it is adored also | upanṛttam ca: they are dancing near by, also | viśālaiḥ agni śaraṇaiḥ: with broad, Holy Fire, places | sruk bhāṇḍaiḥ: with oblation items, vessels | ajinaiḥ: with deerskins | kuśaiḥ samidbhiḥ toya kalaśaiḥ: with sacred grass, ritual fuels, water, vessels | phala mūlaiḥ ca: with fruits, tubers, also | śobhitam: beaming forth | araṇyaiḥ puṇyaiḥ svādu phalaiḥ: of forests, sacred, palatable, with fruits | mahā vṛkśaiḥ vṛtam: with giant, trees, surrounding | upaśobhitam: enriched with. |

TRANSLATION

Those hermitages are always adored by groups of apsarasa-s with their continued dancing, their Holy Fireplaces are very broad, and are with oblation items, vessels, deerskins and sacred grass, and they are beaming forth with gigantic trees that yield sacred and palatable fruits, and with ritual fuels, and water vessels, tubers and fruits. [3-1-4, 5]

PURPORT

The Vedic ritual demands three Fireplaces called tretaagni , three fires. They are dakshiNa agni Southern Fire; gaarhapatya agni Household Fire; aahavaniiya agni Invocation Fire. These three are lit day in and day out, symbolising that the fire in living beings has continuity. Wherever a Vedic ritual takes place the celestials will come to take their share of oblations and the celestial dancers dance thereabout in praise of the ritual. The oblation vessels are of particular nature and a long spoon is made of particular wood, to oblate clarified butter or milk etc., into the Alter of Fire. The deerskin is the prescribed seat for meditation. The sacrificial grass is the essential item of even in domestic rituals, symbolising that the human kind shall prosper like the interlaced and intermingled grass, where the starting or the end point is intractable.

VERSE 6

बलि होम अर्चितम् पुण्यम् ब्रह्म घोष निनादितम्
पुष्पैः च अन्यैः परिक्षिप्तम् पद्मिन्या च स पद्मया

bali homa arcitam puṇyam brahma ghoṣa nināditam
puṣpaiḥ ca anyaiḥ parikṣiptam padminyā ca sa padmayā

SYNONYMS

bali homa arcitam: sacrifice, fire-oblation, being worshipped | puṇyam: sacrosanct | brahma ghoṣa nināditam: Brahma's, sounds [Vedic sounds,] reverberating with | sa padmayā padminyā: with, lotuses, lotus-ponds | vanyaiḥ ca puṣpaiḥ parikśiptam: of forests, also, with flowers, enwrapped with. |

TRANSLATION

Those hermitages are sacrosanct for Ritual fire is being worshiped with fire-oblations and sacrifices to the reverberating Vedic sounds, and they are enwrapped with lotus ponds with lotuses, and even with flowers of forest. [3-1-6]

VERSE 7

फलमूल अशनैः दान्तैः चीर कृष्णाजिन अम्बरैः
सूर्य वैश्वानर आभैः च पुराणैः मुनिभिर् युतम्

phalamūla aśanaiḥ dāntaiḥ cīra kṛṣṇājina ambaraiḥ
sūrya vaiśvānara ābhaiḥ ca purāṇaiḥ munibhir yutam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

They have age-old saints with controlled senses who are clad in jute cloths and deerskin, and who subsist on fruits and tubers alone, ye their resplendence is like that that of the Sun-god or the Fire-god. [3-1-7]

PURPORT

This chiira is the Sanskrit word for the present day sari and it is still called as chiira in some parts of India.

VERSE 8

पुण्यैः च नियत आहारैः शोभितम् परम ऋषिभिः
तत् ब्रह्म भवन प्रख्यम् ब्रह्म घोष निनादितम्

puṇyaiḥ ca niyata āhāraiḥ śobhitam parama ṛṣibhiḥ
tat brahma bhavana prakhyam brahma ghoṣa nināditam

SYNONYMS

punyaiḥ ca niyata āhāraiḥ: holy, also, constrained, sustenance | śobhitam parama ṛṣibhiḥ: glistened forth, by greatly, saints | brahma bhavana prakhyam: Brahma's, Abode, distinctive | brahma ghoṣa ni nāditam: Brahma's sounds, [Vedic chants,] well, reverberating | tat: such a [hermitage | rāmaḥ dadarśa: Rama, has seen.] |

TRANSLATION

Rama has seen such a cluster of hermitages that is glistening forth just by the presence of holy saints whose sustenance is constrained, and that hermitage is distinctive like Brahma's abode, reverberating with the sounds of that Brahma's Vedic chants alone. [3-1-8]

VERSE 9

ब्रह्म विद्भिः महा भागैः ब्राह्मणैः उपशोभितम्
तत् दृष्ट्वा राघवः श्रीमान् तापस आश्रम मण्डलम्

brahma vidbhiḥ mahā bhāgaiḥ brāhmaṇaiḥ upaśobhitam
tat dṛṣṭvā rāghavaḥ śrīmān tāpasa āśrama maṇḍalam

SYNONYMS

-10a| brahma vidbhiḥ: with Brahma, knowers of | mahā bhāgaiḥ brāhmaṇaiḥ upaśobhitam: highly, blest ones, by Brahmans, graced with | tat tāpasa āśrama mandalam: that, hermits, hermitage, precincts of | dṛṣṭtvā: on seeing | srīmān mahātejā rāghavaḥ: glorious, great resplendent, Rama | maha dhannuḥ: great, bow | vi jyam kṛtvā: without, bowstring, on making it | abhyagacchat: neared it [hermitage.] |

TRANSLATION

That glorious and great resplendent Rama on seeing those precincts of hermitage that is graced with highly blest Brahmans, the knowers of Brahma, neared it, unstringing the bowstring of his great bow. [3-1-9-10a]

VERSE 10

दिव्य ज्ञान उपपन्नाः ते रामम् दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः

divya jñāna upapannāḥ te rāmam dṛṣṭvā maharṣayaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Those great sages, the possessors of divine knowledge, are gladdened on seeing Rama and illustrious Seetha, and they moved towards them welcomingly. [3-1-10-11a]

PURPORT

Indian archers fasten the bowstring only when that bow is to be put to use. Further there is a method described in dhanurveda as to how a bowstring is to be fastened to the other end of the bow. The Indian mythological bows are of six feet or two yards, in height. It is also a measure like horse length. The string, which so far is spiralled to the bow beam, is to be removed. Then the bottom end of the bow is to be kept pressed onto the ground with left foot's big toe. Then with the right hand the edge of the string is handled and with left hand the other end of the bow is to be held and crouched, so that the string can be hooked or fastened there. After fastening, the stretch of the string is to be tested [like the occasional testing of the badminton or tennis racquet for the tension of its gut,] by pulling and leaving it, so that it makes a warring sound. By this sound of the bowstring, which is a signal to the opponent, the opponent comes to know as to who is handling which bow. Then if the archer is going to beam out an arrow, he shall pull the arrow on the bowstring up to his right ear and leave it, aakarNaanta prayoga . Here, removing the bowstring from its fastening implies that this archer, namely Rama who is so far handling the stringed bow, for he is roaming in forests, and since he is entering the place of elderly saints now, unfastened the bowstring in all his humbleness to sages and saints.

VERSE 11

ते तु सोमम् इव उद्यन्तम् दृष्ट्वा वै धर्मचारिणम्

te tu somam iva udyantam dṛṣṭvā vai dharmacāriṇam

SYNONYMS

te: those sages | udyantam + somam + iva = arising, mūn: like - arising like the presiding deity of Brahmins. It is said in Veda-s tasmaat soma raajaano braahmaNaaH Moon shall be the deity of Brahmins - Vedic Scholars, for Veda is dharma, the virtue and the Vedic Brahmins are the preachers and practisers of that virtuosity. yashashviniim = glorious Seetha, for she is the principal cause in eradicating demons |

TRANSLATION

But those sages who are austerely committed to vows, on their seeing Rama, the treader on the path of rectitude, and who is now arising like moon, and at Lakshmana and at glorious Seetha as well, rendered Vedic blessings and welcomed the trio. [3-1-11a-12]

PURPORT

This context is also explained in the following ways:

VERSE 13

रूप संहननम् लक्ष्मीम् सौकुमार्यम् सुवेषताम्
ददृशुर् विस्मित आकारा रामस्य वन वासिनः

rūpa saṃhananam lakṣmīm saukumāryam suveṣatām
dadṛśur vismita ākārā rāmasya vana vāsinaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Those forest-dwelling sages saw the physical built, its augustness and gracefulness, and his fine attire remaining in astonished postures. [3-1-13]

PURPORT

Here ruupa is the bodily shape that which, though undecorated, looks richly decorated. samhanana is beauty of the well arranged body parts with no dissimilarities, where the good old saying 'equality is the basis of beauty, and inequality is the basis of society...' may be remembered. lakshmiiH is laavaNya i.e., self-luminous augustness. While saukumaarya is the delicacy, like that of a blooming flower. suveSa is a neat and tidy outfit or suitable outfit. Rama, Seetha and Lakshmana wear a particular dress, given by Queen Kaikeyi in Ayodhya. Those dresses are peculiar to themselves and not on par with the regular dress of hermits. This dress of these three itself is a confusing attire for onlookers, like demon Viradha, or monkey-chief Sugreeva, for these three do look like neither perfect sages nor perfect warriors. Even the demon Viradha scorns them in the next chapter, for the inconstancy in their attire and their wielding weapons.

VERSE 14

वैदेहीम् लक्ष्मणम् रामम् नेत्रैर् अनिमिषैर् इव
आश्चर्य भूतान् ददृशुः सर्वे ते वन वासिनः

vaidehīm lakṣmaṇam rāmam netrair animiṣair iva
āścarya bhūtān dadṛśuḥ sarve te vana vāsinaḥ

SYNONYMS

sarve te vana vāsinaḥ: all, those, forest-dwellers | āścarya bhūtān: surprise, causers of [they cause surprise with their unannounced arrival] | vaidehīm ḻakśmanam rāmam: at Vaidehi, Lakshmana, Rama | a nimiṣaiḥ = vithout, a vink [or, those that do not vink: the gods | iva: like, as though they are | dadarśuḥ: saw. |

TRANSLATION

The forest-dwellers saw Seetha, Lakshmana and Rama, without a wink on their own eyes, as that trio is causing surprise with their arrival. The forest-dwellers saw Rama, Seetha, and Lakshmana without a wink on their own eyes [like celestial beings, who do not have the winking property on their eyes like living beings,] as their arrival is causing surprise. The forest-dwellers saw Rama, Seetha, and Lakshmana without a wink on their own eyes [as though the Vishnu along with Goddess Lakshmi and Thousand headed-serpent, aadi sheSha are coming from their abode vaikunTha to this hermitage, for this hermitage is like Brahma's abode, as already said, thus the sages lost their wink. And loosing any single wink will loose the sight of these divinities from vaikunTha ; hence their unannounced arrival caused surprise in them, which further caused a wink-less state [3-1-14]

VERSE 15

अत्र एनम् हि महाभागाः सर्व भूत हिते रताः
अतिथिम् पर्णशालायाम् राघवम् संन्यवेशयन्

atra enam hi mahābhāgāḥ sarva bhūta hite ratāḥ
atithim parṇaśālāyām rāghavam saṃnyaveśayan

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Those august sages that are interested in the well being of all beings have indeed accommodated Rama in that hermitage, as Rama is their guest a priori. [3-1-15]

VERSE 16

ततो रामस्य सत्कृत्य विधिना पावक उपमाः
आजह्रुः ते महाभागाः सलिलम् धर्मचारिणः

tato rāmasya satkṛtya vidhinā pāvaka upamāḥ
ājahruḥ te mahābhāgāḥ salilam dharmacāriṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Then those august sages who are similar to sacred fire in glow have procedurally accorded guestship to Rama, and fetched water for him. [3-1-17]

VERSE 17

मंगलानि प्रयुञ्जाना मुदा परमया युता
मूलम् पुष्पम् फलम् सर्वम् आश्रमम् च महात्मनः

maṃgalāni prayuñjānā mudā paramayā yutā
mūlam puṣpam phalam sarvam āśramam ca mahātmanaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On sounding out Vedic blessings those virtuous sages have offered flowers, fruits and tubers, and even the entire hermitage to that great soul Rama, and then with their palms adjoined. [3-1-17-18a]

VERSE 18

धर्मपालो जनस्य अस्य शरण्यः च महायशाः

dharmapālo janasya asya śaraṇyaḥ ca mahāyaśāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"The king will have great renown for he is the ruler of the righteousness of these people, a protector, a respectable and adorable one, and as he wields the sceptre of justice, he is a revered one too... [3-1-18-19a]

VERSE 19

इन्द्रस्य एव चतुर्भागः प्रजा रक्षति राघव

indrasya eva caturbhāgaḥ prajā rakṣati rāghava

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"The fourth part of Indra is the protector of people, called the king, and hence Oh! Raghava, the king is hailed, and hence he enjoys best and delightful fortune... [3-1-19b-20a]

PURPORT

Here, Rama may be astonished as to why these forest dwelling sages eulogise him so much. The sages are not using unnecessary conversation and they are informing Rama what a king shall be, whether he is in the capital or in forests. The term Indra is an allusion to the 'Ruler'. It refers to seven more rulers or ruler like associates of Indra, ashta dikpaalaka -s. It is said that: A king is made with eight aspects of eight rulers of eight corners of the universe. Viz., indra, vaayu [Air,] yama Death-god suurya Sun, agni Fire, varuNa Rain chandra Moon, and kubera Wealth. When the earth is heading towards anarchy, Brahma is said to have created the king with one fourth of resplendence of each of the eight rulers. Manu Srmriti states as below: Manu smriti also prescribes certain rules for the king called Vrata. Indra accords rains for four months to sprout the seeds, so the king shall sprout the people's hopes. Sun evaporates earthly water slowly and insignificantly so as to give the next rain, so the king shall collect taxes and spend them again for the welfare of people suurya vrata . Air pervades everywhere to enliven people, so the king shall pervade everywhere through his agents to watch out good and evil for his subjects maaruta vrata . Yama, the God of Time, has no friends or foes and ends the lives of any one at the end of their time, and so shall the king in according punishments yama vrata . Rain binds one and all and it is the livelihood of any living being, so is king to bind his subjects for a good livelihood varuNa vrata . Moon is both a pleasant one and presiding deity for medicinal herbs, so shall the king be pleasant to his people and keep their health chandra vrata . Fire is fiery and burns down evil and the king shall be fiery to his enemies, either internal or external aagneya vrata . The earthly earth sustains scholars and stupid, wealthy and poor, prosperous and pathetic alike, so shall the king bear with all of his subjects pR^ithvii vrata

VERSE 20

ते वयम् भवता रक्ष्या भवद् विषय वासिनः
नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा त्वम् नः राजा जनेश्वरः

te vayam bhavatā rakṣyā bhavad viṣaya vāsinaḥ
nagarastho vanastho vā tvam naḥ rājā janeśvaraḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"You alone have to protect us as we are the subjects living in your kingdom..May you be in the capital... or in the forest...you are our king... [3-1-20b,c]

VERSE 21

न्यस्त दण्डा वयम् राजन् जित क्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः
रक्षणीयाः त्वया शश्वद् गर्भ भूताः तपोधनाः

nyasta daṇḍā vayam rājan jita krodhā jitendriyāḥ
rakṣaṇīyāḥ tvayā śaśvad garbha bhūtāḥ tapodhanāḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"We gave-up punishments, either physically or by the power of curses, conquered are our anger and senses, and our ascesis is the only wealth of ours, thus oh! King, we are to be protected by you, like the foetus inside a womb... [3-1-21]

VERSE 22

एवम् उक्त्वा फलैर् मूलैः पुष्पैर् अन्यैः च राघवम्
वन्यैः च विविध आहारैः स लक्ष्मणम् अपूजयन्

evam uktvā phalair mūlaiḥ puṣpair anyaiḥ ca rāghavam
vanyaiḥ ca vividha āhāraiḥ sa lakṣmaṇam apūjayan

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Thus saying they worshipped Raghava along with Lakshmana, on giving fruits, tubers, flowers and other varieties of forest foods. [3-1-22]

VERSE 23

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे प्रथमः
सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe prathamaḥ
sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

Thus other saints and sages who are the followers of the virtue, and similar to the Sacred Fire adored Rama, the king, according to the wont of custom. [3-1-23]