Chapter 117
Ayodhya Kanda - Book Of Ayodhya
राघवः तु अपयातेषु तपस्विषु विचिन्तयन्
न तत्र अरोचयद् वासम् कारणैर् बहुभिः तदा
rāghavaḥ tu apayāteṣu tapasviṣu vicintayan
na tatra arocayad vāsam kāraṇair bahubhiḥ tadā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, when the sages departed, Rama, reflecting again and again, found no pleasure to remain in that place for many reasons.
इह मे भरतो दृष्टो मातरः च सनागराः
सा च मे स्मृतिर् अन्वेति तान् नित्यम् अनुशोचतः
iha me bharato dṛṣṭo mātaraḥ ca sanāgarāḥ
sā ca me smṛtir anveti tān nityam anuśocataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"It is here that Bharata, my mother along with the inhabitants of the city visited me. That memory haunts me, who lament for them daily."
स्कन्ध आवार निवेशेन तेन तस्य महात्मनः
हय हस्ति करीषैः च उपमर्दः कृतो भृशम्
skandha āvāra niveśena tena tasya mahātmanaḥ
haya hasti karīṣaiḥ ca upamardaḥ kṛto bhṛśam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"The dry dung of horses and elephants of that high souled Bharata's encamped army caused much spoliation (around here)."
तस्माद् अन्यत्र गग्च्छाम इति संचिन्त्य राघवः
प्रातिष्ठत स वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणेन च सम्गतः
tasmād anyatra gagcchāma iti saṃcintya rāghavaḥ
prātiṣṭhata sa vaidehyā lakṣmaṇena ca samgataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"We shall, therefore, move elsewhere", pondering thus, Rama along with Seetha and Lakshmana left that place.
सो अत्रेर् आश्रमम् आसाद्य तम् ववन्दे महा यशाः
तम् च अपि भगवान् अत्रिः पुत्रवत् प्रत्यपद्यत
so atrer āśramam āsādya tam vavande mahā yaśāḥ
tam ca api bhagavān atriḥ putravat pratyapadyata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
On the way, after reaching the hermitage of a sage called Atri, the highly celebrated Rama offered salutation to that sage. The venerable sage, Atri too received him as his own son.
स्वयम् आतिथ्यम् आदिश्य सर्वम् अस्य सुसत्कृतम्
सौमित्रिम् च महा भागाम् सीताम् च समसान्त्वयत्
svayam ātithyam ādiśya sarvam asya susatkṛtam
saumitrim ca mahā bhāgām sītām ca samasāntvayat
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Offering personally, abundant hospitality with full honours to Rama, the sage Atri rendered equal honour to Lakshmana and the highly blessed Seetha too.
पत्नीम् च तम् अनुप्राप्ताम् वृद्धाम् आमन्त्र्य सत्कृताम्
सान्त्वयाम् आस धर्मज्नः सर्व भूत हिते रतः
patnīm ca tam anuprāptām vṛddhām āmantrya satkṛtām
sāntvayām āsa dharmajnaḥ sarva bhūta hite rataḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Atri, who knew righteousness and who was interested in the welfare of all beings, called his aged wife Anasuya who had just come there, she who was revered by all and addressed gently to her.
अनसूयाम् महा भागाम् तापसीम् धर्म चारिणीम्
प्रतिगृह्णीष्व वैदेहीम् अब्रवीद् ऋषि सत्तमः
anasūyām mahā bhāgām tāpasīm dharma cāriṇīm
pratigṛhṇīṣva vaidehīm abravīd ṛṣi sattamaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Atri excellent sage spoke to the illustrious Anasuya, rich in asceticism and who lived a pious life, saying "You welcome Videha's daughter!" and thereafter introduced that virtuous female ascetic to Rama (as follows):
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O, Irreproachable Rama! When the earth was burnt up by drought without break for ten years, this virtuous woman produced fruit and roots, caused the River Jahnavi to flow here, undergoing a rigid mortification enriched by pious observances, by whom the most severe asceticism was practised for ten thousand years and obstacles were done away with and by whom for the reason of a divine command, in a great hurry ten nights were reduced to one night.* This Anasuya, who has bathed after completion of the voes, is like a mother to you."
PURPORT
ताम् इमाम् सर्व भूतानाम् नमः कार्याम् यशस्विनीम्
अभिगग्च्छतु वैदेही वृद्धाम् अक्रोधनाम् सदा
tām imām sarva bhūtānām namaḥ kāryām yaśasvinīm
abhigagcchatu vaidehī vṛddhām akrodhanām sadā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Let Seetha find refuge with that ascetic, who is revered by all the beings, famous as she is and though old is ever free from anger."
एवम् ब्रुवाणम् तम् ऋषिम् तथा इत्य् उक्त्वा स राघवः
सीताम् उवाच धर्मज्नाम् इदम् वचनम् उत्तमम्
evam bruvāṇam tam ṛṣim tathā ity uktvā sa rāghavaḥ
sītām uvāca dharmajnām idam vacanam uttamam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Saying "Be it so" to the aforesaid sage, who was speaking thus, Rama spoke to the virtuous Seetha, the following excellent words:
राज पुत्रि श्रुतम् तु एतन् मुनेर् अस्य समीरितम्
श्रेयो अर्थम् आत्मनः शीघ्रम् अभिगग्च्छ तपस्विनीम्
rāja putri śrutam tu etan muner asya samīritam
śreyo artham ātmanaḥ śīghram abhigagccha tapasvinīm
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O, princess! You have heard what the sage has said. For your own good, approach the saintly Anasuya without delay."
सीता तु एतद् वचः श्रुत्वा राघवस्य हित एषिणी
ताम् अत्रि पत्नीम् धर्मज्नाम् अभिचक्राम मैथिली
sītā tu etad vacaḥ śrutvā rāghavasya hita eṣiṇī
tām atri patnīm dharmajnām abhicakrāma maithilī
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hearing these words of Rama, who is desirous of her welfare, Seetha the daughter of Mithila circumambulated around Anasuya, Atri's wife, who knows piety.
शिथिलाम् वलिताम् वृद्धाम् जरा पाण्डुर मूर्धजाम्
सततम् वेपमान अन्गीम् प्रवाते कदली यथा
śithilām valitām vṛddhām jarā pāṇḍura mūrdhajām
satatam vepamāna angīm pravāte kadalī yathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Seetha coolly and reverently paid homage to that fortunate Anasuya, a devoted and virtuous wife, who was feeble, wrinkled, aged, with her hair turned grey due to old age, and whose frame constantly shook like a banana tree in a storm. Seetha introduced herself, by announcing her name to Anasuya.
अभिवाद्य च वैदेही तापसीम् ताम् अनिन्दिताम्
बद्ध अन्जलि पुटा हृष्टा पर्यपृग्च्छद् अनामयम्
abhivādya ca vaidehī tāpasīm tām aninditām
baddha anjali puṭā hṛṣṭā paryapṛgcchad anāmayam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Saluting the irreproachable ascetic the rejoiced Seetha with joined palms enquired about he well-being.
ततः सीताम् महा भागाम् दृष्ट्वा ताम् धर्म चारिणीम्
सान्त्वयन्त्य् अब्रवीद्द् हृष्टा दिष्ट्या धर्मम् अवेक्षसे
tataḥ sītām mahā bhāgām dṛṣṭvā tām dharma cāriṇīm
sāntvayanty abravīdd hṛṣṭā diṣṭyā dharmam avekṣase
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then, comforting that celebrated Seetha, engaged in righteous acts, Anasuya rejoicingly spoke as follows: "Luckily enough, you are attending to righteousness."
त्यक्त्वा ज्नाति जनम् सीते मानम् ऋद्धिम् च मानिनि
अवरुद्धम् वने रामम् दिष्ट्या त्वम् अनुगग्च्छसि
tyaktvā jnāti janam sīte mānam ṛddhim ca mānini
avaruddham vane rāmam diṣṭyā tvam anugagcchasi
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O, Seetha the beautiful lady! Thank heaven! Leaving your relatives, honour and prosperity, you are accompanying Rama, who is expelled into a forest."
नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा पापो वा यदि वा अशुभः
यासाम् स्त्रीणाम् प्रियो भर्ता तासाम् लोका महा उदयाः
nagarastho vanastho vā pāpo vā yadi vā aśubhaḥ
yāsām strīṇām priyo bhartā tāsām lokā mahā udayāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Highly fortunate worlds await those women, await those women, to whom their husband is dear no matter whether he lives in a city or in a forest; whether he is sinful or virtuous."
दुह्शीलः काम वृत्तो वा धनैर् वा परिवर्जितः
स्त्रीणाम् आर्य स्वभावानाम् परमम् दैवतम् पतिः
duhśīlaḥ kāma vṛtto vā dhanair vā parivarjitaḥ
strīṇām ārya svabhāvānām paramam daivatam patiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"To women of noble nature, the husband is the highest deity no mater whether he is ill-behaved or licentious or devoid of riches."
न अतो विशिष्टम् पश्यामि बान्धवम् विमृशन्त्य् अहम्
सर्वत्र योग्यम् वैदेहि तपः कृतम् इव अव्ययम्
na ato viśiṣṭam paśyāmi bāndhavam vimṛśanty aham
sarvatra yogyam vaidehi tapaḥ kṛtam iva avyayam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O, Seetha! On a reflection, I perceive none who is a better friend than a husband, who protects his wife in all circumstances, like the imperishable fruit of one's austerities."
न तु एवम् अवगग्च्छन्ति गुण दोषम् असत् स्त्रियः
काम वक्तव्य हृदया भर्तृ नाथाः चरन्ति याः
na tu evam avagagcchanti guṇa doṣam asat striyaḥ
kāma vaktavya hṛdayā bhartṛ nāthāḥ caranti yāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Those evil women, whose hearts follow their passions and conduct themselves dominating their husband, having no understanding of virtue and vice, do not follow him in the aforesaid manner."
प्राप्नुवन्त्य् अयशः चैव धर्म भ्रंशम् च मैथिलि
अकार्य वशम् आपन्नाः स्त्रियो याः खलु तद् विधाः
prāpnuvanty ayaśaḥ caiva dharma bhraṃśam ca maithili
akārya vaśam āpannāḥ striyo yāḥ khalu tad vidhāḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"O, Seetha! Surely, those evil women, who get into an improper act of authority over their husbands reap infamy and decline in righteousness."
त्वद् विधाः तु गुणैर् युक्ता दृष्ट लोक पर अवराः
स्त्रियः स्वर्गे चरिष्यन्ति यथा पुण्य कृतः तथा
tvad vidhāḥ tu guṇair yuktā dṛṣṭa loka para avarāḥ
striyaḥ svarge cariṣyanti yathā puṇya kṛtaḥ tathā
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Women, like you, on the other hand who are endowed with virtues, who look with detachment on prosperity and adversity in this world, therefore dwell in heaven as those who performed meritorious deeds."
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये अयोध्याकाण्डे सप्तदशोत्तरशततमः सर्गः
ityārṣe śrīmadrāmāyaṇe ādikāvye ayodhyākāṇḍe saptadaśottaraśatatamaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Thus devoted to your lord, loyal to your husband, following established rules, you become an honest wife to your husband and obtain merit and renown."
