Chapter 13

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

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

rāma prītaḥ asmi: oh, Rama, delighted, I am | bhadram te: safe, you be | pari tuṣṭāḥ asmi lakṣmaṇa: well, contented, I am, Lakshmana | yat: by which reason | sītayā saha mām abhivādayitum prāptau sthaḥ: with, Seetha, me, to pay respects, arrived, you have. |

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]

VERSE 2

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

adhva śrameṇa pracura śramaḥ: pathway, strain of, much, strain | vām bādhate: you two, it is painful | janaka ātmajā maithilī vā api: Janaka's, daughter, Maithili, or, even | vyaktam ut kaṇṭhate: evident, above, necks. |

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

The word utkaNTha is interpreted in two ways. One is ut kaNTha above neck, sides of face; the other being the anxiousness to get some rest. Thus, they are either wet with sweat or also anxious to get rest after a long trek in woods.
VERSE 3

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

sukumārī ca: delicate one, also | khedaiḥ ca na vimānitā: by distresses, also, not, discomforted | eṣā: she is | bhartṛ sneha pra coditā: husband's, friendship, well, motivated by | prāajya doṣam vanam praptā: highly, detrimental, forests, she came to. |

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]

VERSE 4

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

rāma: Rama | eṣā sītā iha yathā ramate: this, Seetha, here, as to how, she takes delight | tathā kuru: that way, make happen | eṣā vane tvām abhigacchatī: she, in forest, you, following |

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]

VERSE 5

एषा हि प्रकृतिः स्त्रीणाम् आसृष्टे रघुनंदन
समस्थम् अनुरंजंते विषमस्थम् त्यजन्ति च

eṣā hi prakṛtiḥ strīṇām āsṛṣṭe raghunaṃdana
samastham anuraṃjaṃte viṣamastham tyajanti ca

SYNONYMS

raghunandana: oh, Raghu's, scion | ā sṛṣṭe: [from the] beginning of, creation | strīṇām prakṛtiḥ hi eṣā: woman's, nature, indeed, is this way | sama stham anuranjante: [husbands] in good fortune, they devote | viṣama stham tyajanti ca: in ill fortune, leave off. |

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]

VERSE 6

शत ह्रदानाम् लोलत्वम् शस्त्राणाम् तीक्ष्णताम् तथा
गरुड अनिलयोः शैघ्र्यम् अनुगच्छ्हन्ति योषितः

śata hradānām lolatvam śastrāṇām tīkṣṇatām tathā
garuḍa anilayoḥ śaighryam anugacchhanti yoṣitaḥ

SYNONYMS

yoṣitaḥ: women | śata hradānām lolatvam: with hundred, flow's, dangling [with the mercuriality of hundreds of dangling streaks of lightning] | tathā garuḍa anilayoḥ śaighryam: likewise, eagle, gust of wind, speediness of |

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

The flashes of thunderbolts are famous for their mercuriality and so capricious are the women's hearts with the speed of lightning, and razor sharp will be their attitude to cut-off the age-old friendship, if they are ill at ease, and they sever relations with the speediness of an eagle or a gust.
VERSE 7

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

bhavataḥ bhāryā: your, wife | iyam tu: she is, but | etaiḥ doṣaiḥ vi varjitāḥ: with these, stigmas, devoid of | devī arundhatī yathā: lady, Arundhati, like | ślāghyā ca vyapadeśyā [vi apa diś] ca: exemplary, also, estimable, also. |

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

Lady Arundhati is the wife of Sage Vashishta, an exemplary lady in devotion to her husband and she has become a star in the sky by virtue of that devotion. Even today in marriages, at the close of all observances, this star in skies is shown to the bride imbuing a sense of devotion to her bridegroom, may it be in noontime.
VERSE 8

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

saumitriṇā saha: Soumitri, along with | anayā vaidehyā ca: with this, Vaidehi, also | yatra tvam vatsyasi: where, you will, live | ayam deśaḥ ca alankṛtaḥ: that, province, is also, glorified. |

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]

VERSE 9

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

evam uktaḥ tu muninā: thus, said, by sage | rāghavaḥ: Raghava | samyata anjaliḥ: adjoining, palms | dīptam iva analam: he who is glowing, like, ritual-fire | ṛṣim: to sage | uvāca praśritam vākyam: spoke, amiable, sentence. |

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]

VERSE 10

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

sa bhrātṛ bhāryasya guṇaiḥ: with, brother's, wife's, by virtues | yasya me: to him, such as me | pari tuṣyati: is well-pleased | dhanyaḥ asmi: privileged, I am | anu gṛhītaḥ asmi: blessed, I am. |

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]

VERSE 11

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

kintu: but | yatra āśrama padam kṛtvā: where, hermitage's, threshold, on erecting | deśam: place | sa udakam: with, water | bahu kānanam: many, forests |

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]

VERSE 12

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

tataḥ: then | dharmātmā: virtuous one | dhīraḥ: confident one | muni śreṣṭhaḥ: sage, the eminent | rāmasya bhāṣitam vacaḥ śrutvā: Rama's, said, saying, on hearing | dhyātvā muhūrtam: contemplated, a while | dhīra taram vacaḥ abravīt: intellectual [ideational,] more, word, said. |

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

Rama wanted a place with 'many forests,' which is non-conditional to his exile. Some versions contain after dharma aatmaa , and said tato vaacha vacaH subham . This will not appear in critical or eastern recessions. For this diiraH dhiira taram vacaH , is there. It is said, that sage Agastya contemplated for a while, and envisioning the future of Seetha's abduction and Rama's elimination of Ravana etc by his yogic power, he said to Rama to stay at Panchavati. This is because, he himself is courageous sage in eliminating the demons, trusting that Rama also will do the same, he has shown a place which has many forests' around it, that too as Rama desired.
VERSE 13

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

tāta: oh, dear | bahu mūla phala udakaḥ: with many, tubers, fruits, waters | bahu mṛgaḥ: with many, deer | śrīmān: a prosperous one | itaḥ dvi yojana: from here, two yojana-s. |

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]

VERSE 14

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

tvam saumitriṇā saha tatra gatvā: you, there, Soumitri, along with, on going, there | āśrama padam kṛtvā: hermitage, on erecting | yathā uktam pituḥ vākyam anupālayan: as, decreed, father's, sentence [order], complying with |

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]

VERSE 15

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

anagha: oh, merited one | tapasaḥ prabhāveṇa: by [my ascesis,] ability of | snehāt daśarathasya ca: iby my friendship, with Dasharatha, also | tava eṣa sarvaḥ vṛttāntaḥ: your, this, all of, episode |

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]

VERSE 16

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

, 17a| te hṛdayaḥ sthaḥ ca chandaḥ: your, in heart, abided, certitude | ataḥ: thereby | maya saha iha tapaḥ vane: me, along with, in ascetic, woods | vāsam pratijñāya: dwelling, I said | pancavaṭīm gaccha iti tvām aham brūmi: to Panchavati, you go, thus as, to you, I am, telling [advising.] |

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]

VERSE 17

स हि रम्यो वनोद्देशो मैथिली तत्र रंस्यते

sa hi ramyo vanoddeśo maithilī tatra raṃsyate

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| rāghava: oh, Raghava | saḥ vanoddeśaḥ ramyaḥ hi: that, woodland, are delightful, isn't it | saḥ deśaḥ ślāghanīyaḥ ca: that, place, is praiseworthy, also | na ati dūre ca: not, very, far off, also | maithilī tatra ramsyate: Maithili, therein, can take delight. |

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]

VERSE 18

गोदावर्याः समीपे च मैथिली तत्र रंस्यते

godāvaryāḥ samīpe ca maithilī tatra raṃsyate

SYNONYMS

b, 19| maithilī tatra godāvaryāḥ samīpe ramsyate: Maithili, there, at Godavari, nearby, takes delights | prājya mūla phalaiḥ caiva: bounteous, tubers, fruits, also | nānā dvija gaṇaiḥ yutaḥ: various, bird, flocks | mahā bāhuḥ: great, dexterous Rama | vi viktaḥ ca: verily, reclusive, too | puṇyaḥ tathā eva ca: meritorious, like that, even, also ramyaH = appealing one. |

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]

VERSE 20

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

bhavān api sat ācāraḥ: you are, even, with good, bearing | pari rakṣaṇe śaktaḥ: to safeguard, you are capable | api ca: even also | atra vasan: there, while residing | rāma: Rama | tāpasān pālayiṣyasi: hermits, you can protect. |

TRANSLATION

"Even you, Rama, with your good deportment are capable to safeguard the hermits while residing there. [3-13-20]

VERSE 21

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

vīra: oh, brave one | etat madhūkānām mahat vanam ālakṣyate: this, Madhuuka [bassia latifolia, flowers of which are used to distil liquor] trees, great, forest, that seen | asya uttareṇa: by its, north | nyagrodham api gacchatā gantavyam: banyan tree, also, on advancing towards, you have to proceed. |

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]

VERSE 22

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

tataḥ sthalam upa āruhya: then, upland, on climbing up | parvatasya avi dūrataḥ: from mountain, not, far away | nitya puṣpita kānanaḥ: ever, blooming, forest [is there.] |

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]

VERSE 23

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

agastyena evam uktaḥ tu: by Agastya, thus, said, but | rāmaḥ saumitriṇā saha: Rama, Soumitri, along with | satya vādinam: truth, advocator | sat kṛtya āmantrayāmāsa: well venerated, bade farewell. |

TRANSLATION

When thus said by Sage Agastya, Rama along with Soumitri venerated and bade farewell to that truth advocator sage Agastya. [3-13-23]

VERSE 24

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

tena abhi anujñātau: by him [Agastya,] well, bidden | tau: those two Rama and Lakshmana | kṛta pāda abhi vandanau: who have made, offered, venerations | saha sītayā: with, Seetha | tam āśramam: to that, hermitage | [tat āśrama padāt: from that hermitage of Agastya] | pancavaṭīm: to Panchavati | jagmatuḥ: proceeded. |

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]

VERSE 25

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे त्रयोदशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe trayodaśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

samareṣu a kātarau: in war, not, fearful ones | nara adhipa ātmajau: people's, king, sons [princes] | gṛhīta cāpau tu: taken, bows, also | viṣakta tūṇī: braced up, quivers | samāhitau: resolutely | pancavaṭīm pra jagmatuḥ: to Panchavati, proceeded. |

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]