Chapter 12
Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
स प्रविश्य आश्रम पदम् लक्ष्मणो राघव अनुजः
अगस्त्य शिष्यम् आसाद्य वाक्यम् एतद् उवाच ह
sa praviśya āśrama padam lakṣmaṇo rāghava anujaḥ
agastya śiṣyam āsādya vākyam etad uvāca ha
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On entering the hermitage Lakshmana, the younger brother of Raghava, reached Agastya's disciple and spoke this sentence to him. [3-12-1]
राजा दशरथो नाम ज्येष्ठः तस्य सुतो बली
रामः प्राप्तो मुनिम् द्रष्टुम् भार्यया सह सीतया
rājā daśaratho nāma jyeṣṭhaḥ tasya suto balī
rāmaḥ prāpto munim draṣṭum bhāryayā saha sītayā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"A king named Dasharatha was there, his eldest son and the dynamic one, Rama has arrived along with his wife Seetha to see the sage. [3-12-2]
लक्ष्मणो नाम तस्य अहम् भ्राता तु अवरजो हितः
अनुकूलः च भक्तः च यदि ते श्रोत्रम् आगतः
lakṣmaṇo nāma tasya aham bhrātā tu avarajo hitaḥ
anukūlaḥ ca bhaktaḥ ca yadi te śrotram āgataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I am his loyal, dedicated, and adherent younger brother named Lakshmana, if ever you have heard of us. [3-12-3]
ते वयम् वनम् अत्युग्रम् प्रविष्टाः पितृ शासनात्
द्रष्टुम् इच्छ्हामहे सर्वे भगवन्तम् निवेद्यताम्
te vayam vanam atyugram praviṣṭāḥ pitṛ śāsanāt
draṣṭum icchhāmahe sarve bhagavantam nivedyatām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Such as we are, we entered the awful forest at the decree of our father, and we wiush to see the godly sage, let this be informed to him." Said Lakshmana to the disciple of Agastya. [3-12-4]
तस्य तद् वचनम् श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणस्य तपोधनः
तथा इति उक्त्वा अग्नि शरणम् प्रविवेश निवेदितुम्
tasya tad vacanam śrutvā lakṣmaṇasya tapodhanaḥ
tathā iti uktvā agni śaraṇam praviveśa niveditum
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On hearing that sentence of Lakshmana that disciple who is ascetically rich replied 'agreed, ' and he entered the sanctum of Ritual-fire to submit the same to Agastya. [3-12-5]
PURPORT
स प्रविश्य मुनिश्रेष्ठम् तपसा दुष्प्रधर्षणम्
कृत अंजलिः उवाच इदम् राम आगमनम् अञ्जसा
sa praviśya muniśreṣṭham tapasā duṣpradharṣaṇam
kṛta aṃjaliḥ uvāca idam rāma āgamanam añjasā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
He that agreeable disciple of sage quickly approached the irrefutable sage by his asceticism, made palm-fold and said this to the eminent sage about about the arrival of Rama, exactly as said by Lakshmana. [3-12-6, 7a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Sons of King Dasharatha, Rama and also thus Lakshmana have entered the threshold of hermitage along with the wife of Rama, namely Seetha. [3-12-7b, 8a]
द्रष्टुम् भवन्तम् आयातौ शुश्रूषार्थम् अरिन्दमौ
draṣṭum bhavantam āyātau śuśrūṣārtham arindamau
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Those two enemy-destroyers have come cherishing to see and serve you, hence it will be apt of you to order what next is to be done in this regard." Said disciple to the sage. [3-12-8b, 9a]
ततः शिष्यात् उपश्रुत्य प्राप्तम् रामम् स लक्ष्मणम्
tataḥ śiṣyāt upaśrutya prāptam rāmam sa lakṣmaṇam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Having heard from the disciple that Rama has arrived with Lakshmana and with highly fortunate Seetha the sage said this to him. [3-12-9b, 10a]
दिष्ट्या रामः चिरस्य अद्य द्रष्टुम् माम् समुपागतः
diṣṭyā rāmaḥ cirasya adya draṣṭum mām samupāgataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"My heart is indeed yearning for his arrival, and after this long a time Rama providentially came to see me." [3-12-10b, 11a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Go forth and make welcome to Rama, Lakshmana and to Seetha, and they be entered here, why you have not invited them as yet? [3-12-11b, 12a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thus said by the great-souled sage and the knower of virtue, the disciple adored him with palm-fold saying that "as you say." [3-12-12b, 13a]
तदा निष्क्रम्य संभ्रान्तः शिष्यो लक्ष्मणम् अब्रवीत्
tadā niṣkramya saṃbhrāntaḥ śiṣyo lakṣmaṇam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then that disciple went out with a little perplexity and said this to Lakshmana, "Where is this Rama? He may come to see the sage and let him enter hermitage on his own." Said that disciple to Lakshmana. [3-12-13b, 14a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then on going out to the exterior of that hermitage along with that disciple, Lakshmana has shown him Rama and Janaka's daughter Seetha. [3-12-14b, 15a]
तम् शिष्यः प्रश्रितम् वाक्यम् अगस्त्य वचनम् ब्रुवन्
tam śiṣyaḥ praśritam vākyam agastya vacanam bruvan
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
While that disciple repeated the obliging words of Agastya entered that reception-worthy Rama into hermitage on receiving him well. [3-12-15b, 16a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
And then Rama entered the hermitage with Seetha and Lakshmana looking over it which is overspread with docile deer. [ 3-12-16b, 17a]
स तत्र ब्रह्मणः स्थानम् अग्नेः स्थानम् तथैव च
sa tatra brahmaṇaḥ sthānam agneḥ sthānam tathaiva ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Rama entered inside the hermitage and saw therein the sanctus of Brahma, Fire-god, Vishnu, Indra, Vivasvat - the Sun-god, Soma - the Moon-god, Bhaga - one among the twelve Suns, and the sanctusms of Kubera, [Wealth-Management-god, are seen and passed by the three of them, sanctums of Dhaata, Vidhaata - Vedic deities created by Brahma to help Svayambhuu Manu, santucm of Vaayu - the Air-god, and also like that the sanctum of great-soloed VaruNa - the Rain-god who also wields noose, and the sanctum of Gayatri - the presiding deity of gnosis, sanctum of Vasus - eight of them, and the sanctum of cobra's king - aadi sheSa, the divine Thousand-headed serpent that bears this globe on its head, and on which Vishnu reclines, and even the sanctum of GaruDa - the Divine Eagle and the vehicle of Vishnu, and the half brother of aadi sheSa, and the sanctum of Kaartikeya - chief of gods army, second son of Shiva, and the sanctum of Dharma - Dharmaraaja, presiding deity of Virtue-Vice-Time of living beings, in-charge of the hell. [17b, 18, 19, 20, 21a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then encircled by disciples the sage Agastya came out quickly, and Rama saw him who is glowing brilliant before all the other sages. [3-12-21b, 22a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On seeing the brilliantly glowing sage among those sages, he that bold Rama said this sentence to Lakshmana, the fortifier of fortune, "Here comes the godly sage, Lakshmana, by his eminence I comprehend him as a depository of all ascesis." [3-12-22b, 23]
एवम् उक्त्वा महाबाहुः अगस्त्यम् सूर्य वर्चसम्
जग्राह आपतत् तस्य पादौ च रघुनन्दन
evam uktvā mahābāhuḥ agastyam sūrya varcasam
jagrāha āpatat tasya pādau ca raghunandana
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That dexterous Rama on saying about that sun-like radiant sage Agastya, he that descendent of Raghu fell on the feet of Agastya touching them reverentially. [3-12-24]
अभिवाद्य तु धर्मात्मा तस्थौ रामः कृतांजलिः
सीतया सह वैदेह्या तदा रामः स लक्ष्मणः
abhivādya tu dharmātmā tasthau rāmaḥ kṛtāṃjaliḥ
sītayā saha vaidehyā tadā rāmaḥ sa lakṣmaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then he who is a delight to the on lookers that noble-hearted Rama on revering the sage along with Lakshmana and Seetha, the princess from Videha, stood aside with his palms adjoined. [3-12-25]
प्रतिगृह्य च काकुत्स्थम् अर्चयित्वा आसन उदकैः
कुशल प्रश्नम् उक्त्वा च आस्यताम् इति सो।अब्रवीत्
pratigṛhya ca kākutstham arcayitvā āsana udakaiḥ
kuśala praśnam uktvā ca āsyatām iti so|abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Offering seat and water that sage received Rama, and even on exchanging pleasantries that sage said to him, "please be seated." [3-12-26]
अग्निम् हुत्वा प्रदाय अर्घ्यम् अतिथिन् प्रतिपूज्य च
वानप्रस्थेन धर्मेण स तेषाम् भोजनम् ददौ
agnim hutvā pradāya arghyam atithin pratipūjya ca
vānaprasthena dharmeṇa sa teṣām bhojanam dadau
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Having completed his personal worship to Fire-god, and having offered water and other formalities to guest, that sage gave viands to guests according to his hermitic observances. [3-12-27]
PURPORT
प्रथमम् च उपविश्य अथ धर्मज्ञो मुनिपुंगवः
उवाच रामम् आसीनम् प्रांजलिम् धर्मकोविदम्
prathamam ca upaviśya atha dharmajño munipuṃgavaḥ
uvāca rāmam āsīnam prāṃjalim dharmakovidam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then that eminent and shrewd sage Agastya in righteousness took his seat at the outset, and spoke to prudent Rama of righteousness itself, and who by now is sitting with his palms adjoined. [3-12-28]
अग्निम् हुत्वा प्रदाय अर्घ्यम् अतिथिम् प्रतिपूजयेत्
अन्यथा खलु काकुत्स्थ तपस्वी समुदाचरन्
दुःसाक्षी इव परे लोके स्वानि मांसानि भक्षयेत्
agnim hutvā pradāya arghyam atithim pratipūjayet
anyathā khalu kākutstha tapasvī samudācaran
duḥsākṣī iva pare loke svāni māṃsāni bhakṣayet
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Worshipping the fire, giving water and worshipping the guest a hermit should receive a guest and feed him, and if a hermit practices contrarily, oh, Rama, he is destined to eat his own flesh like a false deponent in other world say, hell. [3-12-29]
PURPORT
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य धर्मचारी महारथः
पूजनीयः च मान्यः च भवान् प्राप्तः प्रिय अतिथिः
rājā sarvasya lokasya dharmacārī mahārathaḥ
pūjanīyaḥ ca mānyaḥ ca bhavān prāptaḥ priya atithiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"You are the king of all the world, the treader in the path of righteousness, great charioteer of probity, and you are the venerable and estimable one, and you have arrived as my dear guest. [3-12-30]
PURPORT
एवम् उक्त्वा फलैः मूलैः पुष्पैः च अन्यैः च राघवम्
पूजयित्वा यथा कामम् ततो अगस्त्यः तम् अब्रवीत्
evam uktvā phalaiḥ mūlaiḥ puṣpaiḥ ca anyaiḥ ca rāghavam
pūjayitvā yathā kāmam tato agastyaḥ tam abravīt
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Saying thus, Agastya adored Raghava well with fruits, tubers, flowers and others according to his ardency, and then he said this to Rama. [3-12-31]
इदम् दिव्यम् महत् चापम् हेम वज्र विभूषितम्
वैष्णवम् पुरुषव्याघ्र निर्मितम् विश्वकर्मणा
idam divyam mahat cāpam hema vajra vibhūṣitam
vaiṣṇavam puruṣavyāghra nirmitam viśvakarmaṇā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This sacred bow that is decorated with gold and diamonds is crafted by the divine architect Vishvakarma pertains to Vishnu, and these unwasteful arrows equalling sun in their blaze are the gift of Brahma. [3-12-32, 33a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Also these two inexhaustible quivers packed with arrows that have the blaze of Ritual-fire, and this sword decorated in gold together with its sheath made up of excellent golden are once given to me by Indra. [3-12-33b, 34]
अनेन धनुषा राम हत्वा संख्ये महासुरान्
आजहार श्रियम् दीप्ताम् पुरा विष्णुर् दिव ओकसाम्
anena dhanuṣā rāma hatvā saṃkhye mahāsurān
ājahāra śriyam dīptām purā viṣṇur diva okasām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"By this bow, oh, Rama, once Vishnu eliminated horrible demons in war and brought back radiant prosperity to the celestials. [3-12-35]
तत् धनुः तौ च तूणि च शरम् खड्गम् च मानद
जयाय प्रतिगृह्णीष्व वज्रम् वज्रधरो यथा
tat dhanuḥ tau ca tūṇi ca śaram khaḍgam ca mānada
jayāya pratigṛhṇīṣva vajram vajradharo yathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The bow, these two quivers, arrows, and the sword, oh, Rama, the endower of grace, receive and wield them to triumph over the demons as Indra would wield Thunderbolt. [3-12-36]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे द्वादशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe dvādaśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On saying thus that great resplendent and godly sage Agastya, gave all of those best weapons to Rama, and again spoke to Rama [3-12-37]