Valmiki Ramayana - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

तत् श्रुत्वा राक्षसेन्द्रस्य वाक्यम् वाक्य विशारदः
प्रत्युवाच महाप्राज्ञो मारीचो राक्षसेश्वरम्

tat śrutvā rākṣasendrasya vākyam vākya viśāradaḥ
pratyuvāca mahāprājño mārīco rākṣaseśvaram

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

On hearing that idea of the chief of demons Ravana in abducting Seetha, Maareecha, a well-informed one and an articulator spoke to the lord of demons in reply. [3-37-1]

VERSE 2

सुलभाः पुरुषा राजन् सततम् प्रिय वादिनः
अप्रियस्य च पथ्यस्य वक्ता श्रोता च दुर्लभः

sulabhāḥ puruṣā rājan satatam priya vādinaḥ
apriyasya ca pathyasya vaktā śrotā ca durlabhaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"It will always be easy to get people who talk pleasantly, oh, king, but it is impossible to get them who talk judgementally and give suggestions that may be apparently insipid, but that are recuperative, more so, it is impossible to get listeners of such advises. [3-37-2]

PURPORT

There are many who render advises without weighing pros and cons, but just to get along and please their master. There will be none to suggest expeditiously, though that suggestion presently will be unpleasant and unsavoury like a recuperative insipid diet, but in reality, it is result-oriented. Even if such an advisor suggests in earnest, he will have no listener who listens earnestly and effectuates it. So, listen to my words that may now be unsavoury, but will prove beneficial to you in long run, if you can foresee your future properly. Dharmaakuutam says: anena sva prayojana virodha sankayaa raaja buddhi anusaareNa vaktaaro mantriNaH sulabhaaH - kintu anartha paryavasaayino raajabuddhim tiraskritya shubhodarka vaktaaro mantriNo durlabhaa iti suucitam - then the commentator goes on to quote vidura niiti from Maha Bharata, wherein it is said: yo hi dharma samaashritya hatvaa bhatruH priyaarthe | apriyaaNi aaha pathyaani tena raajaa sahaayavaan || sulabhaaH puruSaa raajan satatam priya vaadinaH | apriyasya ca pathyasya vaktaa shrotaa ca durlabhaH || The last two foots may be observed because they are similar to the above verse of Ramayana, by such similarities some hold the opinion that Maha Bharata is an explanation to Ramayana.

VERSE 3

न नूनम् बुध्यसे रामम् महावीर्यम् गुण उन्नतम्
अयुक्त चारः चपलो महेन्द्र वरुण उपमम्

na nūnam budhyase rāmam mahāvīryam guṇa unnatam
ayukta cāraḥ capalo mahendra varuṇa upamam

SYNONYMS

a yukta cāraḥ = not, having, by spies: exclusionary, desultory of spies | capalaḥ: impetuous | mahā vīryam: decidedly, dynamic one | guṇa unnatam: by adeptness, exalted | mahendra varuṇa upamam = [thunderous] ṃahendra, [tempestuous] Varuna, ġod of ṟain, alike: is Rama | nūnam na budhyase: definitely, you are not, apperceiving. |

TRANSLATION

"Definitely you do not apperceive Rama who is decidedly dynamic and exaltedly adept, for you are impetuous and desultory in dealing with your spies, but that Rama is identical to the thunderous Mahendra and tempestuous Varuna, the Rain-god. [3-37-3]

VERSE 4

अपि स्वस्ति भवेत् तात सर्वेषाम् भुवि रक्षसाम्
अपि रामो न संक्रुद्धः कुर्यात् लोकम् अराक्षसम्

api svasti bhavet tāta sarveṣām bhuvi rakṣasām
api rāmo na saṃkruddhaḥ kuryāt lokam arākṣasam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Oh, boy, will there be safety to all demons on earth? Or, that highly enraged Rama will render this world de-demonised! [3-37-4]

PURPORT

'...but for you...' 'Will you let the demons on earth live, or, would like to eradicate them through Rama, through your obsessions.' The second thought has come true when Rama eliminated all demons.

VERSE 5

अपि ते जीवित अंताय न उत्पन्ना जनकात्मजा
अपि सीता निमित्तम् च न भवेत् व्यसनम् महत्

api te jīvita aṃtāya na utpannā janakātmajā
api sītā nimittam ca na bhavet vyasanam mahat

SYNONYMS

janaka ātmajā: Janaka's daughter Seetha | te jīvita antāya: your, life, for ending | api na utpannā = even, not, tūk birth: has she taken birth | sītā nimittam: Seetha, because of | mahat vyasanam: great, disaster | [mama vyasanam: for my, disaster] | api ca na bhavet: even, also, not, be there [will there be a disaster, so to speak.] |

TRANSLATION

"Has this Seetha, the daughter of Janaka, taken birth to end your life, or what! And because of this Seetha will there be a great disaster, so to speak! [3-37-5]

VERSE 6

अपि त्वाम् ईश्वरम् प्राप्य काम वृत्तम् निरंकुशम्
न विनश्येत् पुरी लंका त्वया सह स राक्षसा

api tvām īśvaram prāpya kāma vṛttam niraṃkuśam
na vinaśyet purī laṃkā tvayā saha sa rākṣasā

SYNONYMS

kāma vṛttam = in independent thinking, vrapped up: egocentric | nir ankuśam = vithout, goad: rampant | tvām īśvaram prāpya: you, as lord, on getting | sa rākṣasā purī lankā: along with, demons, city, Lanka | tvayā saha: you, put together | na vinaśyet api: not, doomed, even [will it be doomed or what.] |

TRANSLATION

"Egocentric and rampant, such as you are, on acquiring you as her lord, will the City of Lanka be doomed along with her demons, and you put together, or what! [3-37-6]

VERSE 7

त्वत् विधः काम वृत्तो हि दुःशीलः पाप मंत्रितः
आत्मानम् स्व जनम् राष्ट्रम् स राजा हन्ति दुर्मतिः

tvat vidhaḥ kāma vṛtto hi duḥśīlaḥ pāpa maṃtritaḥ
ātmānam sva janam rāṣṭram sa rājā hanti durmatiḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Any king of your like who is with a self-will, ill-will, ensorcelled by evil, and malicious in intent, that king alone ruins his own city-state, his own people, even himself, as a matter of actual fact. [3-37-7]

PURPORT

For this the commentator says: anena dur mantritaH kaamavritto naya dveSii raajaa sakala mantri vargeNa aishvaryenA saha nashyati iti uktam - tathaa ca kaamandake - anaatmavaan naya dveSii vardhaya ari sampadaH | praapyaa api mahad aishvaryam saha tena vinashyati || Dharmaakuutam being an encyclopedic commentary on Ramayana quotes Kamandaka etc., in such matters of dharma. The availability of the books quoted by the commentator of Dharmaakuutam in reprint is doubtful, where Dharmaakuutam itself is unavailable in full, in these days.

VERSE 8

न च पित्रा परित्यक्तो न अमर्यादः कथंचन
न लुब्धो न च दुःशीलो न च क्षत्रिय पांसनः

na ca pitrā parityakto na amaryādaḥ kathaṃcana
na lubdho na ca duḥśīlo na ca kṣatriya pāṃsanaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Rama the enhancer of his mother Kausalya's happiness is completely forsaken by his father - no, he is not; there is unseemliness in him - no, not in the least; he is out of character - no; he is selfish - no; he is an ignoble Kshatriya - no, not at all; and he is neither a debased one insofar as the merits of righteousness are concerned, nor he is atrocious towards living beings, for he takes delight in the welfare of all beings. [3-37-8, 9]

VERSE 10

वंचितम् पितरम् दृष्ट्वा कैकेय्या सत्य वादिनम्
करिष्यामि इति धर्मात्मा ततः प्रव्रजितो वनम्

vaṃcitam pitaram dṛṣṭvā kaikeyyā satya vādinam
kariṣyāmi iti dharmātmā tataḥ pravrajito vanam

SYNONYMS

satya vādinam pitaram = truth, vho is a proponent, suc a father: Dasharatha | kaikeyyā vancitam dṛṣṭvā: by Kaikeyi, outwitted, on seeing | dharmātmā = virtue: souled - Rama | ellipses: pitaram satya vādinam: father, as truth, proponent | kariṣyāmi = ī vill make: I will prove that my father is the real proponent of truth | tataḥ = from there: from Ayodhya | vanam: to forest | pra vrajitaḥ: he neatly, journeyed. |

TRANSLATION

"On seeing his father who is a proponent of truth, and whom Kaikeyi has outwitted, that virtue-souled Rama neatly decamped from Ayodhya saying that 'I will prove my father to be a real proponent of truth.' [3-37-10]

VERSE 11

कैकेय्याः प्रिय कामार्थम् पितुर् दशरथस्य च
हित्वा राज्यम् च भोगान् च प्रविष्टो दण्डका वनम्

kaikeyyāḥ priya kāmārtham pitur daśarathasya ca
hitvā rājyam ca bhogān ca praviṣṭo daṇḍakā vanam

SYNONYMS

kaikeyyāḥ: of, Kaikeyi | pituḥ daśarathasya ca: of father, Dasharatha's, also | priya kāmārtham: cherished wish, for fulfilment of | rājyam ca bhogān ca: kingdom, also, royal-comforts, even | hitvā: on discarding | daṇḍakā vanam praviṣṭaḥ: Dandaka, forest, he entered. |

TRANSLATION

"Discarding the kingdom and even royal-comforts Rama entered Dandaka forest only to fulfil the cherish of Kaikeyi, viz., kingdom for her son Bharata, and even that of Dasharatha, viz., to remain loyal to his promise to Kaikeyi. [3-37-11]

VERSE 12

न रामः कर्कशः तात न अविद्वान् न अजित इन्द्रियः
अनृतम् न श्रुतम् चैव नैव त्वम् वक्तुम् अर्हसि

na rāmaḥ karkaśaḥ tāta na avidvān na ajita indriyaḥ
anṛtam na śrutam caiva naiva tvam vaktum arhasi

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Rama is ruthless - no; an unscholarly one - no; unconquered are his senses - no; and oh, boy, it is unapt of you to speak of impalpable and unheard-of topics in this way. [3-37-12]

VERSE 13

रामो विग्रहवान् धर्मः साधुः सत्य पराक्रमः
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य देवानाम् इव वासवः

rāmo vigrahavān dharmaḥ sādhuḥ satya parākramaḥ
rājā sarvasya lokasya devānām iva vāsavaḥ

SYNONYMS

rāmaḥ vigrahavān dharmaḥ: Rama, embodiment, of righteousness | sādhuḥ: equable person | satya parākramaḥ: truthfulness, is his valour | devānām vāsavaḥ iva: for gods, Indra, as with | sarvasya lokasya rājā: for entire, world, he is king. |

TRANSLATION

"Rama is the embodiment of righteousness, he is an equable person with truthfulness as his valour, and as with Indra to all gods he is the king of entire world. [3-37-13]

PURPORT

Rama's principles alone make him victorious, as he does not deviate from the path of righteousness. And by not deviating from the path of righteousness, he is truly valorous and the question of his defeat does not arise, because he will abide by his conscience.

VERSE 14

कथम् नु तस्य वैदेहीम् रक्षिताम् स्वेन तेजसा
इच्छसे प्रसभम् हर्तुम् प्रभाम् इव विवस्वतः

katham nu tasya vaidehīm rakṣitām svena tejasā
icchase prasabham hartum prabhām iva vivasvataḥ

SYNONYMS

tasya svena tejasā = by his: Rama's, individual - proper, by resplendence | rakṣitām vaidehīm: protected, Vaidehi is | vivasvataḥ prabhām iva: from Sun, resplendence, as with | prasabham: forcibly | hartum katham icchase nu: to rob, how, you wish, really. |

TRANSLATION

"Rama's proper resplendence is protecting Vaidehi. How then you really wish to forcibly rob her off from Rama, as though wishing to rob the Sun of his resplendence. [3-37-14]

PURPORT

Incidentally, Prabha is the name of sun's brilliance and she is the wife of Sun, and if she is to be separated from sun, only an eternal gloom overcasts the world. Ravana has no doubt controlled natural forces like sun, moon, rivers etc., but not altogether eradicated or upturned their functions. Then, is it possible to Ravana and hosts of his demonic-adherents to thrive in an unnatural gloom? This is the doubt of Maareecha.

VERSE 15

शर अर्चिषम् अनाधृष्यम् चाप खड्ग इन्धनम् रणे
राम अग्निम् सहसा दीप्तम् न प्रवेष्टुम् त्वम् अर्हसि

śara arciṣam anādhṛṣyam cāpa khaḍga indhanam raṇe
rāma agnim sahasā dīptam na praveṣṭum tvam arhasi

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Arrows as it jets of fire, bow and sword as it firewood that fire called Rama will be blazing in war, and it will be inapt of you to enter into such an uninfringeable fire, recklessly. [3-37-15]

VERSE 16

धनुर् व्यादित दीप्त आस्यम् शर अर्चिषम् अमर्षणम्
चाप बाण धरम् तीक्ष्णम् शत्रु सेना अपहारिणम्

dhanur vyādita dīpta āsyam śara arciṣam amarṣaṇam
cāpa bāṇa dharam tīkṣṇam śatru senā apahāriṇam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"With the bow stretched to his ear becoming a gaping mouth spouting flames, arrows becoming tongues of fire spewed forth from that flaming mouth, he that Rama the reified Terminator will become fierce and insufferable when he wields bow and arrows, and oh, dear boy Ravana, it will be inapt of you to at once draw pretty nigh of such an annihilator of the armies of enemies, on discarding your kingdom, comforts and even the dear life of yours. [3-37-16, 17]

VERSE 18

अप्रमेयम् हि तत् तेजो यस्य सा जनकात्मजा
न त्वम् समर्थः ताम् हर्तुम् राम चाप आश्रयाम् वने

aprameyam hi tat tejo yasya sā janakātmajā
na tvam samarthaḥ tām hartum rāma cāpa āśrayām vane

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Which Rama's wife is Janaka's daughter that Rama is indeed with an inestimable resplendence, and it will be incapable of you to steal Seetha while such a Rama's bow safeguards her in the forest, besides the firewall called his resplendence. [3-37-18]

PURPORT

This can be said 'Rama's resplendence is inestimable and Seetha is his wife.' But keeping the import of Seetha's words as at 3-9-15 'if fuel is available in adjacency of burning fire, the luminosity of the fire also enhances immensely,' and when the factor of resplendence is taken, it is not Rama's resplendence alone that is described, but Seetha's also. Again, it is not that some part of Rama's resplendence is taken out and put in Seetha. It is an indivisible radiance of that couple like that of Sun and his wife Prabha, as said earlier by Maareecha. Seetha is not directly said by her name but her father Janaka's name is brought in, because Janaka is both a raajarSi and brahmarSi Kingly-saint and Brahman-sage, as well. And Janaka is capable of saying idam brahmam idam kshaatram shaapat api sharaat api 'here is Brahma-hood and here is Kshatriya-hood, either by malediction or by arrow, whichever meetly of you, you can confront me.' This apart, it is said that 'a pertinent devotion to a god makes the devotee like that god alone.' shraddhayaa devo devatvam ashnute and Seetha is the devotee of Rama and she became one with Rama. Thereby, there is twofold resplendence, namely, that of Rama and that of Seetha, so it is inapt of you to make any useless effort when everything is firewalled.

VERSE 19

तस्य वै नर सिंहस्य सिंह उरस्कस्य भामिनी
प्राणेभ्यो अपि प्रियतरा भार्या नित्यम् अनुव्रता

tasya vai nara siṃhasya siṃha uraskasya bhāminī
prāṇebhyo api priyatarā bhāryā nityam anuvratā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"That lady Seetha is his wife, dearest than the lives of that lion-chested lion-man Rama, and in truth, she is avowed to follow him alone, in perpetuity. [3-37-19]

VERSE 20

न सा धर्षयितुम् शक्या मैथिली ओजस्विनः प्रिया
दीप्तस्य इव हुत आशस्य शिखा सीता सुमध्यमा

na sā dharṣayitum śakyā maithilī ojasvinaḥ priyā
dīptasya iva huta āśasya śikhā sītā sumadhyamā

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"As the spire of blazing ritual fire cannot be abused, so also, she that curvaceous Maithili, the cherished wife of that dynamic Rama, is an impossibility for any abuse. [3-37-20]

VERSE 21

किम् उद्यमम् व्यर्थम् इमम् कृत्वा ते राक्षसाधिप
दृष्टः चेत् त्वम् रणे तेन तत् अंतम् तव जीवितम्

kim udyamam vyartham imam kṛtvā te rākṣasādhipa
dṛṣṭaḥ cet tvam raṇe tena tat aṃtam tava jīvitam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Oh, king of demons, What is the result in making such a futile effort? If that Rama glances at you in a given war that alone ends your life. [3-37-21]

PURPORT

The very start for any negative activity itself is self-ruinous to the starter. anena sarva anarthaka kaaraNa bhuuto balavat virodho na kaarya iti suucitam - tathaa ca praaciinaaH - - anucita karma aarambhaH sva jana virodho baliiyasaa spardhaa | pramadaa jane vishvaaso mrityu dvaaraaNi catvaari || dk 'undesirable activity, starting that activity, too much of enmity with one's own people, too much belief in one's own womenfolk... are the four doors to death...' Hence, Maareecha is advising Ravana not to embark on a wrong foot, and even if Seetha is forcibly abducted, she cannot be possessed because she surrounded by a firewall, namely the resplendence of that couple.

VERSE 22

जीवितम् च सुखम् चैव राज्यम् चैव सुदुर्लभम्
यत् इच्छसि चिरम् भोक्तुम् मा कृथा राम विप्रियम्

jīvitam ca sukham caiva rājyam caiva sudurlabham
yat icchasi ciram bhoktum mā kṛthā rāma vipriyam

SYNONYMS

jīvitam ca sukham caiva: your life, also, comforts, also thus | su dur labham: highly, impossible, to achieve | rājyam caiva: kingdom, also thus | ciram bhoktum icchasi yat [yadi = if] = for a long, to enjoy, viś, vhic: if you wish | rāma vi priyam: to Rama, un, pleasant | mā kṛthā: do not, do. |

TRANSLATION

"If you cherish to take pleasure for a long time in your life, in your comforts and also thus in your kingdom, which kingdom is highly impossible to achieve, do not do anything unpleasant to Rama. [3-37-22]

VERSE 23

स सर्वैः सचिवैः सार्धम् विभीषण पुरस्कृतैः
मंत्रयित्वा तु धर्मिष्ठैः कृत्वा निश्चयम् आत्मनः
दोषाणाम् च गुणानाम् च संप्रधार्य बल अबलम्

sa sarvaiḥ sacivaiḥ sārdham vibhīṣaṇa puraskṛtaiḥ
maṃtrayitvā tu dharmiṣṭhaiḥ kṛtvā niścayam ātmanaḥ
doṣāṇām ca guṇānām ca saṃpradhārya bala abalam

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Such as you are, you should firstly deliberate with all of your ministers that have a righteous bearing, duly keeping your brother Vibheeshana at the helm of affairs, and then you take a decision on your own considering rights and wrongs of the case, and bearing in mind about your own strengths and weakness, and even on making sure of Raghava's capability in its reality, and then it will be apt of you to take up befitting action that will be conducive to your interests. [3-37-24,25]

VERSE 25

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे सप्त त्रिंशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe sapta triṃśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

TRANSLATION

"Oh, king of nightwalkers Ravana, I for myself deem that your confrontation with Rama, the prince of Kosala, in a war is improper, and a better, befitting, and a reasonable one is this advise of mine, to which you may listen further. [3-37-25]