Chapter 58
Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
स दृष्ट्वा लक्ष्मणम् दीनम् शून्यम् दशरथ आत्मजः
पर्यपृच्छत धर्माअत्मा वैदेहीम् आगतम् विना
sa dṛṣṭvā lakṣmaṇam dīnam śūnyam daśaratha ātmajaḥ
paryapṛcchata dharmāatmā vaidehīm āgatam vinā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On seeing dreary Lakshmana coming into the void of forest devoid of Vaidehi, then the virtue-souled Rama, the son of Dasharatha, has asked him impatiently. [3-58-1]
प्रस्थितम् दण्डक अरण्यम् या माम् अनुजगाम ह
क्व सा लक्ष्मण वैदेही याम् हित्वा त्वम् इह आगतः
prasthitam daṇḍaka araṇyam yā mām anujagāma ha
kva sā lakṣmaṇa vaidehī yām hitvā tvam iha āgataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"She who has come in tow with me to Dandaka forest when I started for peregrination, whom you have now deserted and came here, oh, Lakshmana, she that Vaidehi, where is she? [3-58-2]
राज्य भ्रष्टस्य दीनस्य दण्डकान् परिधावतः
क्व सा दुःख सहाया मे वैदेही तनु मध्यमा
rājya bhraṣṭasya dīnasya daṇḍakān paridhāvataḥ
kva sā duḥkha sahāyā me vaidehī tanu madhyamā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When I have become forlorn with the forfeiture of my kingdom and when I was rushing for Dandaka forest she stood with me as a partaker in my woes. She that comely Vaidehi, where is she? [3-58-3]
याम् विना न उत्सहे वीर मुहूर्तम् अपि जीवितुम्
क्व सा प्राण सहाया मे सीता सुर सुत उपमा
yām vinā na utsahe vīra muhūrtam api jīvitum
kva sā prāṇa sahāyā me sītā sura suta upamā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Without whom I am disinclined to live even for a moment, oh, valiant one, such a Seetha who in simile is like the daughter of deities and who is my life-force, where is she? [3-58-4]
पतित्वम् अमराणाम् वा पृथिव्याः च अपि लक्ष्मण
विना ताम् तपनीय आभाम् न इच्छेयम् जनक आत्मजाम्
patitvam amarāṇām vā pṛthivyāḥ ca api lakṣmaṇa
vinā tām tapanīya ābhām na iccheyam janaka ātmajām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I am unambitious for the rulership either on heavens or on the earth, oh, Lakshmana, without the daughter of Janaka whose aspect glisters like gold. [3-58-5]
कच्चित् जीवति वैदेही प्राणैः प्रियतरा मम
कच्चित् प्रव्राजनम् वीर न मे मिथ्या भविष्यति
kaccit jīvati vaidehī prāṇaiḥ priyatarā mama
kaccit pravrājanam vīra na me mithyā bhaviṣyati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Vaidehi who is dearer to me than my lives, will she be alive somehow! Oh, valiant Lakshmana, this peregrination of mine, will it not become futile, someway! [3-58-6]
PURPORT
सीता निमित्तम् सौमित्रे मृते मयि गते त्वयि
कच्चित् स कामा सुखिता कैकेयी सा भविष्यति
sītā nimittam saumitre mṛte mayi gate tvayi
kaccit sa kāmā sukhitā kaikeyī sā bhaviṣyati
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When I am dead for the sake of Seetha and when you get back to Ayodhya lonesomely, and when Kaikeyi's wishes are accomplished thus, oh, Soumitri, will she be comfortable, somewhat! [3-58-7]
स पुत्र राज्याम् सिद्ध अर्थाम् मृत पुत्रा तपस्विनी
उपस्थास्यति कौसल्या कच्चित् सौम्येन सौम्य न कैकयीम्
sa putra rājyām siddha arthām mṛta putrā tapasvinī
upasthāsyati kausalyā kaccit saumyena - saumya na - kaikayīm
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Kaikeyi is with her son, with a kingdom, and further her 'purposes are achieved,' oh, gentle Lakshmana, and because of the death of her son will my austerely mother Kausalya humbly get into the servitude of Kaikeyi, anyhow! [3-58-8]
यदि जीवति वैदेही गमिष्याम्य् आश्रमम् पुनः
सुवृत्ता यदि वृत्ता सा प्राणान् त्यक्ष्यामि लक्ष्मण
yadi jīvati vaidehī gamiṣyāmy āśramam punaḥ
suvṛttā yadi vṛttā sā prāṇān tyakṣyāmi lakṣmaṇa
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I wish to get at the hermitage again if only that Vaidehi of good-conduct is alive in hermitage, else, oh, Lakshmana, if death has already conducted her out of hermitage I too will give up my lives here itself. [3-58-9]
यदि माम् आश्रम गतम् वैदेही न अभिभाषते
पुनः प्रहसिता सीता विनशिष्यामि लक्ष्मण
yadi mām āśrama gatam vaidehī na abhibhāṣate
punaḥ prahasitā sītā vinaśiṣyāmi lakṣmaṇa
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"If Seetha, the princess from Videha, does not chat with me as before smiling gleefully on my arrival at the hermitage, oh, Lakshmana, I really breath my last. [3-58-10]
ब्रूहि लक्ष्मण वैदेही यदि जीवति वा न वा
त्वयि प्रमत्ते रक्षोभिः भक्षिता वा तपस्विनी
brūhi lakṣmaṇa vaidehī yadi jīvati vā na vā
tvayi pramatte rakṣobhiḥ bhakṣitā vā tapasvinī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Say Lakshmana, whether that pietistic Vaidehi is alive or not? Or, on your becoming unmindful of your guard is she consumed by demons, either? [3-58-11]
सुकुमारी च बाला च नित्यम् च अदुःख दर्शिनी
मत् वियोगेन वैदेही व्यक्तम् शोचति दुर्मनाः
sukumārī ca bālā ca nityam ca aduḥkha darśinī
mat viyogena vaidehī vyaktam śocati durmanāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"She who is softish by her nature and youngish by her age has never noticed the despair of separation from me, and now by my dissociation she will be despairing brokenheartedly, so it seems. [3-58-12]
सर्वथा रक्षसा तेन जिह्मेन सुदुरात्मना
वदता लक्ष्मण इति उच्छैः तव अपि जनितम् भयम्
sarvathā rakṣasā tena jihmena sudurātmanā
vadatā lakṣmaṇa iti ucchaiḥ tava api janitam bhayam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"That impostor and highly impudent demon Maareecha who shouted loudly as, 'oh, Lakshmana,' might have caused fear even in you in everyway. [3-58-13]
PURPORT
श्रुतः च मन्ये वैदेह्या स स्वरः सदृशो मम
त्रस्तया प्रेषितः त्वम् च द्रष्टुम् माम् शीघ्रम् आगतः
śrutaḥ ca manye vaidehyā sa svaraḥ sadṛśo mama
trastayā preṣitaḥ tvam ca draṣṭum mām śīghram āgataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"I hope that Vaidehi has also heard that voice which is similar to that of mine, and I hope frightened as she is she might have also hastened you, and I hope you also have come to see me, that hastily! [3-58-14]
PURPORT
सर्वथा तु कृतम् कष्टम् सीताम् उत्सृजता वने
प्रतिकर्तुम् नृशंसानाम् रक्षसाम् दत्तम् अन्तरम्
sarvathā tu kṛtam kaṣṭam sītām utsṛjatā vane
pratikartum nṛśaṃsānām rakṣasām dattam antaram
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"In everyway you have caused hardship by leaving Seetha in isolation, and a leeway is given to the diabolical demons for a counterattack against us. [3-58-15]
PURPORT
दुःखिताः खर घातेन राक्षसाः पिशित अशनाः
तैः सीता निहता घोरैः भविष्यति न संशयः
duḥkhitāḥ khara ghātena rākṣasāḥ piśita aśanāḥ
taiḥ sītā nihatā ghoraiḥ bhaviṣyati na saṃśayaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Raw-flesh eating demons are distraught as I have liquidated Khara, as a result those ghastly ones would have liquidated Seetha by now. There is no doubt about it. [3-58-16]
अहो अस्मि व्यसने मग्नः सर्वथा रिपु नाशन
किम् तु इदानीम् करिष्यामि शंके प्राप्तव्यम् ईदृशम्
aho asmi vyasane magnaḥ sarvathā ripu nāśana
kim tu idānīm kariṣyāmi śaṃke prāptavyam īdṛśam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"In everyway I am sunken in scourge, but oh, enemy-eliminator Lakshmana, what I can possibly do in present situation? Perchance, this sort of scourge is liable to chance upon me, alas!" Thus Rama gave vent to his feelings on his way to hermitage. [3-58-17]
इति सीताम् वरारोहाम् चिंतयन् एव राघवः
आजगाम जन स्थानम् त्वरया सह लक्ष्मणः
iti sītām varārohām ciṃtayan eva rāghavaḥ
ājagāma jana sthānam tvarayā saha lakṣmaṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
In this way while thinking emotively about that curvaceous Seetha, Raghava hurriedly returned to Janasthaana along with Lakshmana. [3-58-18]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे अष्ट पंचाशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe aṣṭa paṃcāśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
He that Rama who chastened his younger brother en route is worried in aspect and wizened is his mouth by hunger, by strain, and also thus by thirst, and suspiring heavily he arrived near at hermitage, and became dispirited when he beheld the hermitage in vacuity. That valiant Rama on quickly entering his own hermitage found it to be vacuous. Then he rushed out and went round a place of pastime of Seetha, saying 'yes, this is that place where she used to move round for plucking flowers.' And again he dashed in to hermitage only to find it as an empty cottage. Then he rushed out to some other place of playtime of Seetha yelling, 'yes, this is that place where she used play with deer, squirrels and birds.' And again came back to vacant hermitage, and again he dashed to some other prayer-time place exclaiming, 'yes, this is that very place where she offered her daily prayers.' Finally on returning to the vacant hermitage he became one who is plunged into hair-raising throes of despair as that cottage is emptied of Seetha. [3-58-19, 20]