Chapter 13
Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
राम प्रीतो अस्मि भद्रम् ते परितुष्टो अस्मि लक्ष्मण
अभिवादयितुम् यन् माम् प्राप्तौ स्थः सह सीतया
rāma prīto asmi bhadram te parituṣṭo asmi lakṣmaṇa
abhivādayitum yan mām prāptau sthaḥ saha sītayā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
" I am delighted Rama, safe you be, oh Lakshmana, well-contended I am for you have come to pay respects to me along with Seetha. [3-13-1]
अध्व श्रमेण वाम् खेदो बाधते प्रचुर श्रमः
व्यक्तम् उत्कण्ठते वा अपि मैथिली जनक आत्मजा
adhva śrameṇa vām khedo bādhate pracura śramaḥ
vyaktam utkaṇṭhate vā api maithilī janaka ātmajā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The well-worn trail of yours on pathway is strenuousness and painful for you two, and it is evident from the sweat above your necks, even much more for Janaka's daughter, Maithili. [3-13-2]
PURPORT
एषा च सुकुमारी च खेदैः च न विमानिता
प्राअज्य दोषम् वनम् प्रप्ता भर्तृ स्नेह प्रचोदिता
eṣā ca sukumārī ca khedaiḥ ca na vimānitā
prāajya doṣam vanam praptā bhartṛ sneha pracoditā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"She is delicate and not discomforted by such distresses earlier, yet motivated by her friendship she came to these highly detrimental forests. [3-13-3]
यथा एषा रमते राम इह सीता तथा कुरु
दुष्करम् कृतवती एषा वने त्वाम् अभिगच्छ्हती
yathā eṣā ramate rāma iha sītā tathā kuru
duṣkaram kṛtavatī eṣā vane tvām abhigacchhatī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"In which way Seetha takes delight in these forests, Rama, that you may ensure to her, for she has done an impossible deed in following you to forests, an impossible deed for womenfolk, in general. [3-13-4]
एषा हि प्रकृतिः स्त्रीणाम् आसृष्टे रघुनंदन
समस्थम् अनुरंजंते विषमस्थम् त्यजन्ति च
eṣā hi prakṛtiḥ strīṇām āsṛṣṭe raghunaṃdana
samastham anuraṃjaṃte viṣamastham tyajanti ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"From the beginning of creation the nature of women is this way only, oh scion of Raghu, they devote themselves to their men in good fortune, but they leave them off in ill fortune. [3-13-5]
शत ह्रदानाम् लोलत्वम् शस्त्राणाम् तीक्ष्णताम् तथा
गरुड अनिलयोः शैघ्र्यम् अनुगच्छ्हन्ति योषितः
śata hradānām lolatvam śastrāṇām tīkṣṇatām tathā
garuḍa anilayoḥ śaighryam anugacchhanti yoṣitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"With the mercuriality of hundreds of streaks of thunderbolt and with the incisiveness of a weapon, and with the speediness of an eagle or the gusty wind, the women are conformable. [3-13-6]
PURPORT
इयम् तु भवतो भार्या दोषैर् एतैर् विवर्जिताः
श्लाघ्या च व्यपदेश्या च यथा देवी हि अरुन्धती
iyam tu bhavato bhāryā doṣair etair vivarjitāḥ
ślāghyā ca vyapadeśyā ca yathā devī hi arundhatī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"But she this wife of yours is devoid of all those stigmas, an exemplary and an estimable lady, like Lady Arundhati. [3-13-7]
PURPORT
अलंकृतो अयम् देशः च यत्र सौमित्रिणा सह
वैदेह्या च अनया राम वत्स्यसि त्वम् अरिंदम
alaṃkṛto ayam deśaḥ ca yatra saumitriṇā saha
vaidehyā ca anayā rāma vatsyasi tvam ariṃdama
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Where you wish to put up along with Lakshmana and with this Seetha, oh, enemy-destroyer Rama, that province shall be glorified." So said Sage Agastya to Rama." [3-13-8]
एवम् उक्तः तु मुनिना राघवः संयत अंजलिः
उवाच प्रश्रितम् वाक्यम् ऋषिम् दीप्तम् इव अनलम्
evam uktaḥ tu muninā rāghavaḥ saṃyata aṃjaliḥ
uvāca praśritam vākyam ṛṣim dīptam iva analam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thus said by the sage, Raghava spoke amiable this sentence adjoining his palms to the sage who is glowing like a ritual-fire. [3-13-9]
धन्योस्मि अनुगृहीतोस्मि यस्य मे मुनि पुंगवः
गुणैः सभ्रातृ भार्यस्य गुरुः नः परितुष्यति
dhanyosmi anugṛhītosmi yasya me muni puṃgavaḥ
guṇaiḥ sabhrātṛ bhāryasya guruḥ naḥ parituṣyati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I am privileged and blessed as my mentor and the eminent age is well pleased with the virtues of my brother and wife which are non-dissimilar to mine. [3-13-10]
किन्तु व्यादिश मे देशम् स उदकम् बहु काननम्
यत्र आश्रम पदम् कृत्वा वसेयम् निरतः सुखम्
kintu vyādiśa me deśam sa udakam bahu kānanam
yatra āśrama padam kṛtvā vaseyam nirataḥ sukham
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"But a place with water and many forests may please be shown, where I can reside happily and self-composedly on erecting a hermitage." Thus Rama asked the Sage Agastya. [3-13-11]
ततो अब्रवीत् मुनि श्रेष्ठः श्रुत्वा रामस्य भाषितम्
ध्यात्वा मुहूर्तम् धर्मात्मा धीरो धीरतरम् वचः
tato abravīt muni śreṣṭhaḥ śrutvā rāmasya bhāṣitam
dhyātvā muhūrtam dharmātmā dhīro dhīrataram vacaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then that eminent sage Agastya on contemplating a while about what Rama has said, that virtuous and confident sage spoke more ideational word to Rama. [3-13-12]
PURPORT
इतो द्वि योजने तात बहु मूल फल उदकः
देशो बहु मृगः श्रीमान् पंचवटि अभिविश्रुतः
ito dvi yojane tāta bahu mūla phala udakaḥ
deśo bahu mṛgaḥ śrīmān paṃcavaṭi abhiviśrutaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"A most prosperous place called Panchavati is there at a distance of two yojana-s from here, oh, dear Rama, which is abundant with tubers, fruits, water, and many deer." Thus Agastya started to tell. [3-13-13]
तत्र गत्वा आश्रम पदम् कृत्वा सौमित्रिणा सह
रमस्व त्वम् पितुर् वाक्यम् यथा उक्तम् अनुपालयन्
tatra gatvā āśrama padam kṛtvā saumitriṇā saha
ramasva tvam pitur vākyam yathā uktam anupālayan
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"On your going there along with Saumitri, and on erecting a hermitage you may take delight in there complying the decreed order of your father. [3-13-14]
विदितो हि एष वृत्तांतो मम सर्वः तव अनघ
तपसः च प्रभावेण स्नेहाद् दशरथस्य च
vidito hi eṣa vṛttāṃto mama sarvaḥ tava anagha
tapasaḥ ca prabhāveṇa snehād daśarathasya ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Indeed all of this episode of yours is known to me, oh, merited one, by the ability of my asceticism, and also by my friendship with Dasharatha. [3-13-15]
हृदयस्थः च ते छ्हन्दो विज्ञातः तपसा मया
इह वासम् प्रतिज्ञाय मया सह तपो वने
hṛdayasthaḥ ca te chhando vijñātaḥ tapasā mayā
iha vāsam pratijñāya mayā saha tapo vane
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I am in the know of your heartfelt certitude by my ascesis, thereby I wish to advise you to go to Panchavati, though I said that you may dwell in these ascetic-woods along with me. [3-13-16, 17a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"That woodland will be delightful, isn't it Raghava, for it is praiseworthy and not very far off from here, and Seetha can take delight in there. [3-13-17b, 18a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"There Maithili will take delight nearby River Godavari, and it is with abundant tubers, fruits, various are its bird flocks, and it is very reclusive too, oh, great dextrous Rama, further it is meritorious and appealing. [3-13-18b, 19]
भवान् अपि सदाचारः च शक्तः च परिरक्षणे
अपि च अत्र वसन् राम तापसान् पालयिष्यसि
bhavān api sadācāraḥ ca śaktaḥ ca parirakṣaṇe
api ca atra vasan rāma tāpasān pālayiṣyasi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Even you, Rama, with your good deportment are capable to safeguard the hermits while residing there. [3-13-20]
एतत् आलक्ष्यते वीर मधूकानाम् महत् वनम्
उत्तरेण अस्य गंतव्यम् न्यग्रोधम् अपि गच्छ्हता
etat ālakṣyate vīra madhūkānām mahat vanam
uttareṇa asya gaṃtavyam nyagrodham api gacchhatā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, brave one, you see this great forest of flower-liquor trees, you have to proceed north of it and advance towards a banyan tree. [3-13-21]
ततः स्थलम् उपारुह्य पर्वतस्य अविदूरतः
ख्यातः पंचवटी इति एव नित्य पुष्पित काननः
tataḥ sthalam upāruhya parvatasya avidūrataḥ
khyātaḥ paṃcavaṭī iti eva nitya puṣpita kānanaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Then on climbing up an upland a mountain is seen, that which is also not far away, and that renowned Panchavati is there in an ever-blooming forest in the valley of that mountain." Said Sage Agastya to Rama. [3-13-22]
अगस्त्येन एवम् उक्तः तु रामः सौमित्रिणा सह
सत्कृत्य आमंत्रयामास तम् ऋषिम् सत्य वादिनम्
agastyena evam uktaḥ tu rāmaḥ saumitriṇā saha
satkṛtya āmaṃtrayāmāsa tam ṛṣim satya vādinam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When thus said by Sage Agastya, Rama along with Soumitri venerated and bade farewell to that truth advocator sage Agastya. [3-13-23]
तौ तु तेन अभ्यनुज्ञातौ कृत पाद अभिवन्दनौ
तम् आश्रमम् पंचवटीम् जग्मतुः सह सीतया
tau tu tena abhyanujñātau kṛta pāda abhivandanau
tam āśramam paṃcavaṭīm jagmatuḥ saha sītayā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thus well bidden by Sage Agastya those two Rama and Lakshmana have offered their venerations at the feet of that sage and proceeded to their prospective hermitage at Panchavati along with Seetha. [3-12-24]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe trayodaśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those princes that are dauntless in war took up their bows and braced up their quivers, and resolutely proceeded to Panchavati on the route apprised by that great sage Agastya. [3-13-25]