Chapter 61
Aranya Kanda - Book Of Forest
दृष्ट्वा आश्रम पदम् शून्यम् रामो दशरथ आत्मजः
रहिताम् पर्णशालाम् च प्रविद्धानि आसनानि च
dṛṣṭvā āśrama padam śūnyam rāmo daśaratha ātmajaḥ
rahitām parṇaśālām ca praviddhāni āsanāni ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On seeing the vacant threshold of the hermitage and empty cottage of straw, also at the leaf-mat-seats that are utterly shattered, and not finding Vaidehi even on watchfully eyeing everywhere Rama shrieked loudly, and then on clasping the winning shoulders of Lakshmana he said this to him. [3-61-1, 2]
क्व नु लक्ष्मण वैदेही कम् वा देशम् इतो गता
केन आहृता वा सौमित्रे भक्षिता केन वा प्रिया
kva nu lakṣmaṇa vaidehī kam vā deśam ito gatā
kena āhṛtā vā saumitre bhakṣitā kena vā priyā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Lakshmana, possibly where can be Vaidehi? Or, to which place she has gone from here? Or, Soumitri, who stole her away? Or, who has gorged up my ladylove? [3-61-3]
वृक्षेण आवार्य यदि माम् सीते हसितुम् इच्छसि
अलम् ते हसितेन अद्य माम् भजस्व सुदुःखितम्
vṛkṣeṇa āvārya yadi mām sīte hasitum icchasi
alam te hasitena adya mām bhajasva suduḥkhitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Seetha, if you have concealed yourself under trees wishing to poke fun at me, enough is your fun and games, get in touch with me now, as I am highly anguished... [3-61-4]
यैः सह क्रीडसे सीते विश्वस्तैः मृग पोतकैः
एते हीनाः त्वया सौम्ये ध्यायन्ति अस्र आविल ईक्षणाः
yaiḥ saha krīḍase sīte viśvastaiḥ mṛga potakaiḥ
ete hīnāḥ tvayā saumye dhyāyanti asra āvila īkṣaṇāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, meek Seetha, with which meekly young deer you were playing, all these are now broody with tearfully fluttery looks, without you... [3-61-5]
सीताया रहितो अहम् वै न हि जीवामि लक्ष्मण
वृतम् शोकेन महता सीता हरणजेन माम्
sītāyā rahito aham vai na hi jīvāmi lakṣmaṇa
vṛtam śokena mahatā sītā haraṇajena mām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Really Lakshmana, I will not live long without Seetha, indeed I am enveloped in high anguish caused by the abduction of Seetha, and this alone will become a murderer, and on my going to other world when murdered by my own agony my father and that great king Dasharatha will definitely observe me in the other world... [3-61-6, 7a]
PURPORT
कथम् प्रतिज्ञाम् संश्रुत्य मया त्वम् अभियोजितः
katham pratijñām saṃśrutya mayā tvam abhiyojitaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"When I go to other world after my death our father Dasharatha who is already staying there will deride me saying, 'when I have directed you for a fourteen year exile, and when you too have assuredly agreed and promised me for that term, how you have to my presence in this ultramundane world without completing that term of fourteen year exile, besides breaking your own word of honour... thus you have become a wilful disobedient, despicable and dishonest person, such as you are, fie on you...' [3-61-7b, 8, 9a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Anguish seared and bewildered me and I am woebegone with broken down buoyancy, and oh, beautiful lady, jilting such an woeful one as I am, where you are going now, as with prestige jilting a prevaricator? And if you shun me I will have to shun my life..." Thus Rama bewailed imaging her right in his front and running away. [3-61-9b, 10, 11a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Though that legatee of Raghu is desperate for seeing Seetha, though he is highly anguished and agonised, though he bewailed this way, that Rama has not found Janaka's daughter, Seetha. [3-61-10b, 11a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
To him who is unable to find Seetha, and who is sinking in sadness as with an elephant sinking in a chasmal mud, Lakshmana spoke to such a Rama in a positive manner desiring his wellbeing. [3-61-11b, 13]
मा विषादम् महाबुद्धे कुरु यत्नम् मया सह
इदम् गिरि वरम् वीर बहु कन्दर शोभितम्
mā viṣādam mahābuddhe kuru yatnam mayā saha
idam giri varam vīra bahu kandara śobhitam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, well-informed one, do not get into desperation, you make efforts along with me, and oh, brave one, this best mountain is beaming forth with many caves, she may be there somewhere. [3-61-14]
प्रिय कानन संचारा वन उन्मत्ता च मैथिली
सा वनम् वा प्रविष्टा स्यात् नलिनीम् वा सुपुष्पिताम्
priya kānana saṃcārā vana unmattā ca maithilī
sā vanam vā praviṣṭā syāt nalinīm vā supuṣpitām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Maithili is a fascinated saunterer in woodlands so she might have entered the forest, she is even infatuated with waters, so she might have gone to the fully bloomed lotus-lake, or to the river that is adorned by fishes and cane-breaks. [3-61-15]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Or, wishing to know our reaction when she scares us with her prank, Maithili might have squirreled away into forest. Oh, honourable brother, let us endeavour quickly to search her. [3-61-16]
वनम् सर्वम् विचिनुवो यत्र सा जनक आत्मजा
मन्यसे यदि काकुत्स्थ मा स्म शोके मनः कृथाः
vanam sarvam vicinuvo yatra sā janaka ātmajā
manyase yadi kākutstha mā sma śoke manaḥ kṛthāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, Rama of Kakutstha, if you consider that we shall search the forest in its entirety to locate where she that Janaka's daughter might be, let us quickly do so. But do not engulf your heart in sadness." Thus Lakshmana advised Rama. [3-61-18]
एवम् उक्तः तु सौहार्दात् लक्ष्मणेन समाहितः
सह सौमित्रिणा रामो विचेतुम् उपचक्रमे
evam uktaḥ tu sauhārdāt lakṣmaṇena samāhitaḥ
saha saumitriṇā rāmo vicetum upacakrame
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Lakshmana good-heartedly spoke this way, Rama self-collectedly made a headway for the search of Seetha along with Soumitri. [3-61-19]
तौ वनानि गिरीन् चैव सरितः च सरांसि च
निखिलेन विचिन्वन्तौ सीताम् दशरथ आत्मजौ
tau vanāni girīn caiva saritaḥ ca sarāṃsi ca
nikhilena vicinvantau sītām daśaratha ātmajau
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those two sons of Dasharatha have started a thorough search for Seetha in forests, on mountains, also thus at rivers and lakes. [3-61-20]
तस्य शैलस्य सानूनि शिलाः च शिखराणि च
निखिलेन विचिन्वन्तौ न एव ताम् अभिजग्मतुः
tasya śailasya sānūni śilāḥ ca śikharāṇi ca
nikhilena vicinvantau na eva tām abhijagmatuḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On searching whole of mountainsides of that Mt. Chitrakuta, where their hermitage is there, even in its caves, crags, and mountain peaks they have not found Seetha. [3-61-21]
विचित्य सर्वतः शैलम् रामो लक्ष्मणम् अब्रवीत्
न इह पश्यामि सौमित्रे वैदेहीम् पर्वते शुभाम्
vicitya sarvataḥ śailam rāmo lakṣmaṇam abravīt
na iha paśyāmi saumitre vaidehīm parvate śubhām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On exploring everywhere on that mountain Rama said to Lakshmana, "oh, Soumitri, here on this mountain I do not descry auspicious Vaidehi." [3-61-22]
ततो दुःख अभिसंतप्तो लक्ष्मणो वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
विचरन् दण्डक अरण्यम् भ्रातरम् दीप्त तेजसम्
tato duḥkha abhisaṃtapto lakṣmaṇo vākyam abravīt
vicaran daṇḍaka araṇyam bhrātaram dīpta tejasam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
While roving searchingly in Dandaka forest Lakshmana who is tormented by anguish said a sentence to his greatly resplendent brother Rama. [3-61-23]
प्राप्स्यसि त्वम् महाप्राज्ञ मैथिलीम् जनक आत्मजाम्
यथा विष्णुः महाबाहुः बलिम् बद्ध्वा महीम् इमाम्
prāpsyasi tvam mahāprājña maithilīm janaka ātmajām
yathā viṣṇuḥ mahābāhuḥ balim baddhvā mahīm imām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Oh, insightful brother, you will reacquire Janaka's daughter Maithili, as Vishnu once subjugated Emperor Bali and reacquired this earth." [3-61-24]
एवम् उक्तः तु वीरेण लक्ष्मणेन स राघवः
उवाच दीनया वाचा दुःख अभिहत चेतनः
evam uktaḥ tu vīreṇa lakṣmaṇena sa rāghavaḥ
uvāca dīnayā vācā duḥkha abhihata cetanaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
But when the valiant Lakshmana addressed him in that way, Raghava whose thinking is marred by poignance spoke these pathetic words. [3-61-25]
वनम् सुविचितम् सर्वम् पद्मिन्यः फुल्ल पंकजाः
गिरिः च अयम् महाप्राज्ञ बहु कन्दर निर्झरः
न हि पश्यामि वैदेहीम् प्राणेभ्यो अपि गरीयसीम्
vanam suvicitam sarvam padminyaḥ phulla paṃkajāḥ
giriḥ ca ayam mahāprājña bahu kandara nirjharaḥ
na hi paśyāmi vaidehīm prāṇebhyo api garīyasīm
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"This forest in its entirety, these lotus-lakes with their blossomed lotuses, and this mountain with its many caves and mountain-rapids, all are evidently searched. But, oh, sensible brother, I do not descry Vaidehi who is loftier than my lives." [3-61-27]
एवम् स विलपन् रामः सीता हरण कर्शितः
दीनः शोक समाविष्टो मुहूर्तम् विह्वलो अभवत्
evam sa vilapan rāmaḥ sītā haraṇa karśitaḥ
dīnaḥ śoka samāviṣṭo muhūrtam vihvalo abhavat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Lamenting in this way Rama languished owing to the abduction of Seetha and became a pitiable one, and while sadness besieging him he is perturbed for a moment. [3-61-28]
स विह्वलित सर्व अंगो गत बुद्धिः विचेतनः
निषसाद आतुरो दीनो निःश्वस्य अशीतम् आयतम्
sa vihvalita sarva aṃgo gata buddhiḥ vicetanaḥ
niṣasāda āturo dīno niḥśvasya aśītam āyatam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
All the limbs of Rama are fluttered, his faculty has become functionless, his fervour is frozen, he is forlorn and flustered, and such as he is he sank down suspiring swelteringly and lengthily. [3-61-29]
बहुशः स तु निःश्वस्य रामो राजीव लोचनः
हा प्रिये ति विचुक्रोश बहुशो बाष्प गद्गदः
bahuśaḥ sa tu niḥśvasya rāmo rājīva locanaḥ
hā priye ti vicukrośa bahuśo bāṣpa gadgadaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Suspiring repeatedly he that lotus-eyed Rama shrieked repeatedly and loudly thus as, 'ha, Seetha...' with tears stifling his throat. [3-61-30]
तम् सान्त्वयामास ततो लक्ष्मणः प्रिय बान्धवम्
बहु प्रकारम् शोक आर्तः प्रश्रितः प्रश्रित अंजलिः
tam sāntvayāmāsa tato lakṣmaṇaḥ priya bāndhavam
bahu prakāram śoka ārtaḥ praśritaḥ praśrita aṃjaliḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Though Rama has many kinsfolk who hold him dear he is now left with a single one, namely Lakshmana, and that obedient brother Lakshmana who is already anguished for Rama's sadness, then adjoining his palms obediently started to pacify Rama with divers methods. [3-61-31]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये अरण्य काण्डे एक षष्टितमः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye araṇya kāṇḍe eka ṣaṣṭitamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
But disavowing the word of advice that fell out from the cupped lips of Lakshmana, Rama stridently yelled again and again when his dear Seetha has become unseeable. [3-61-32]
