Chapter 58

Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest

VERSE 1

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

dharmāatmā: virtue-souled one | saḥ daśaratha ātmajaḥ: he that, Dasharatha's, son [Rama] | śūnyam [śūnye]: void of [in void forest] | vaidehīm vinā āgatam: Vaidehi, without [devoid of,] who has come | dīnam lakṣmaṇam dṛṣṭvā: dreary, Lakshmana, on seeing | pari apṛcchata: verily [impatiently] asked. |

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]

VERSE 2

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

lakṣmaṇa: oh, Lakshmana | daṇḍaka araṇyam prasthitam: to Dandaka, forest, one who started for peregrination | mām: me | : she who | anu jagāma ha: in tow, came along, indeed | yām hitvā: whom, on deserting | tvam iha āgataḥ: you, to here, came [lonely] | sā vaidehī kva: she, Vaidehi, where [is she?] |

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]

VERSE 3

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

rājya bhraṣṭasya = one vhose: kingdom, is forfeited | daṇḍakān pari dhāvataḥ = to ḍandaka forest, about, running: rushing for | dīnasya = a forlorn one: at the time of exile | me duḥkha sahāyā = in mine, in voe, partaker: one who stood as a partaker in my woes | tanu madhyamā = slender vaisted lady: a comely lady | sā vaidehī kva: she, that Vaidehi, where is she? |

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]

VERSE 4

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

vīra: oh, valiant one | yām vinā: [she] whom, without | muhūrtam api: for a moment, even | jīvitum: to live | na utsahe = not, enthused: disinclined | sā = śe: who is | sura suta upamā = gods, daughter, in simile: nymphlike | me prāṇa sahāyā = my, to life, helpmate: one who supports my life - life-force | sītā kva: Seetha, where is she? |

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]

VERSE 5

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

lakṣmaṇa: oh, Lakshmana | tapanīya ābhām = like gold, glistering: by complexion | tām janaka ātmajām vinā: her, Janaka, daughter of, without | amarāṇām patitvam: on immortals [heavens,] rulership | pṛthivyāḥ ca api vā: of earth, also, even, either | na iccheyam = not, ī ambition: unambitious of. |

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]

VERSE 6

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

vīra: oh, valiant one | mama prāṇaiḥ priya tarā: by my, lives, dear, more than | vaidehī: Vaidehi | jīvati kaccit: alive, somehow | me pravrājanam: my, peregrination | mithyā na bhaviṣyati kaccit: illusory [futile,] not, become, someway. |

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

Annex: I neither can live devoid of Seetha, nor can complete the pledge of fourteen-year period of forest trek for ultimate annihilation of Ravana. If Seetha is dead I am also dead. Then I have live to fulfil the pledge. But when I am dead I will become a killer of my own pledge than my own body. If Seetha is no more what happens to her abduction, Ravana's elimination, and my pledge to gods and my incarnation...
VERSE 7

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

saumitre: oh, Soumitri | sītā nimittam mayi mṛte: Seetha, for the sake of, I am, being dead | tvayi gate: you, on getting back [lonesomely to Ayodhya] | sā kaikeyī: she, Kaikeyi | sa kāma: with [accomplished,] wishes | sukhitā: comfortable | bhaviṣyati kaccit: will become, somewhat. |

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]

VERSE 8

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

saumya: oh, gentle one | putrā mṛta = vhile son, is dead: because of son's death | tapasvinī kausalyā: [my] austerely [mother,] Kausalya | sa putra rājyām: one who is having, a son, a kingdom | siddha arthām = one vho has acieved, purposes: Kaikeyi | kaikayīm: at Kaikeyi | [saumyena: humbly] | na upa sthāsyati kaccit = not, nearby, stays [be in attendance: get into servitude] anyhow. |

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]

VERSE 9

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

lakṣmaṇa: oh, Lakshmana | vaidehī jīvati yadi: Vaidehi, is alive, if | punaḥ āśramam gamiṣyāmy: again, to hermitage, I wish to get at | yadi [vā]: else if | : she | su vṛttā = vho is: of good, conduct | vṛttā: conducted out [by death] | prāṇān tyakṣyāmi: lives, I give up. |

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]

VERSE 10

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

lakṣmaṇa: oh, Lakshmana | āśrama gatam: hermitage, on arrival at | mām: me | vaidehī sītā: princess from Videha, Seetha | pra hasitā: well [with gleefully,] smilingly | punaḥ: again, [as before] | yadi na abhi bhāṣate: if, not, towards me, chats [with me] | vi naśiṣyāmi: verily, I breath my last. |

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]

VERSE 11

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

lakṣmaṇa: oh, Lakshmana | vaidehī: Vaidehi | jīvati vā: alive, whether | na vā: not, or | tvayi pramatte: by you, becoming unmindful | tapasvinī: pietistic [Seetha] | yadi rakṣobhiḥ bhakṣitā vā: whether, by demons, consumed, either |

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]

VERSE 12

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

sukumārī ca bālā ca: softish one, also, youngish, also | nityam ca a duḥkha darśinī: always [ever], also, no, despair [of separation from me,] she saw [unnoticed] | vaidehī: Vaidehi | dur manāḥ: broken, heartedly | mat vi yogena = by my, not, connectedness: dissociation, separation | śocati: she will be despairing | vyaktam: so it seems. |

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]

VERSE 13

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

jihmena = impostor: Maareecha | su dur ātmanā = highly, evil, souled [impudent one: Maareecha] | lakṣmaṇa iti: oh, Lakshmana, thus | ucchaiḥ vadatā: loudly, who shouted | tena rakṣasā = by him, demon: Maareecha | sarvathā: in everyway | tava api bhayam janitam: in you, even, fear, is caused. |

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

Annex: 'you yourself have said that the Golden Deer is demon Maareecha, but I went after to eliminate the very same demon... then, how you are dismayed to hear a trickster's mimicking my voice and came rushing fearfully, were you fearful or did I yell like that right from our childhood, anytime...'
VERSE 14

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

vaidehyā: by Vaidehi | mama sadṛśaḥ: mine, similar | sa svaraḥ: that, voice | śrutaḥ ca: is heard, also | manye: I hope so [or, iti sha~Nke = I doubt] | trastayā preṣitaḥ tvam ca: frightened as she is, hastened, you, also | mām draṣṭum śīghram āgataḥ: me, to see, hastily, you have came. |

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

Annex: 'maybe, as a woman she is hopeless of my capabilities, but you are a coequal of mine, are you unhopeful of my capabilities and came rushing at the haste of a hasty woman, or what!
VERSE 15

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

sītām vane utsṛjatā: Seetha, in forest, by you in leaving off [in isolation] | sarvathā kaṣṭam kṛtam: in everyway, hardship, is caused | prati kartum = for counter, attack: to take revenge | nṛśamsānām rakṣasām antaram dattam: for diabolical, demons, leeway, is given. |

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

Aside: 'anyway, a congratulatory hardship is caused by you to the demonic race, in unleashing Seetha in isolation from our fetters, and a leeway is given to those diabolic demons as well as to me... as I cocksurely attack them now in the name of Seetha, and it is cocksure that they have to surface now to counterattack me, instead of these tricks and gimmicks...'
VERSE 16

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

piśita aśanāḥ rākṣasāḥ: raw-flesh, eaters, demons | khara ghātena duḥkhitāḥ = k͟hhara, [on my] liquidating, they are distraught: they are distraught on my liquidating Khara | ghoraiḥ taiḥ: ghastly ones, by them | sītā nihatā bhaviṣyati: Seetha, liquidated, she would have been | samśayaḥ na: doubt, is not there. |

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]

VERSE 17

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

ripu nāśana: oh, enemy, eliminator Lakshmana | sarvathā: in everyway | [asmin: in this] | vyasane magnaḥ asmi: in scourge, sunken, I am | idānīm kim tu kariṣyāmi: as of now, what, but, can I do | īdṛśam prāptavyam śanke: this sort of [scourge,] [I am] liable to get, I deem | aho: alas! |

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]

VERSE 18

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

rāghavaḥ: Raghava | iti: in this way | varārohām sītām cintayan eva = curvaceous one, about ṣītha, vhile thinking: emotively | saha lakṣmaṇaḥ: with Lakshmana | tvarayā jana sthānam ājagāma: hurriedly, to Janasthaana, came back. |

TRANSLATION

In this way while thinking emotively about that curvaceous Seetha, Raghava hurriedly returned to Janasthaana along with Lakshmana. [3-58-18]

VERSE 19

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे अष्ट पंचाशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe aṣṭa paṃcāśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

vīraḥ: valiant Rama | ārta rūpam: who is worried , in aspect | anujam: younger brother | vi garhamāṇaḥ: verily, chastening [en route] | kṣudhā śrameṇa eva pipāsayā ca: by hunger, by strain, like that, by thirst, also | vi niḥ śvasan = heavily, out, breathing: heavily suspiring | śuṣka mukhaḥ: with a wizened, mouth | vi ṣaṇṇaḥ: dispirited | pratiśrayam prāpya: hermitage, having arrived | śūnyam samīkṣya: vacuity, having beheld | svam āśramam: one's own, hermitage | pra vi gāhya: on verily, inside, stepping [entering quickly] | kāmścit: some of the | vihāra deśān: pastime, places | anu sṛtya: in tow, on going around | nivāsa bhūmau: thus, in dwelling, place cottage of hermitage | etat tat eva iti: this [place,] that [place,] only, thus [marking them] | saḥ: he, Rama | prahṛṣṭa romā: happily standing hairs [hair-raising] | vyathitaḥ babhūva: highly despaired, he became. |

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]