Sri Valmiki Ramayanam -Aranya Kanda (Book 3) Sarga 57 to 66

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

( Translation and Commentary by Scholar, 

 Sreeman Brahmasree Desiraju Hanumantharao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasree K M K Murthy ji )

Sree MadValmiki Ramayanam

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 57

Introduction

Rama meets Lakshmana while returning to hermitage after killing the deer demon Maareecha. He also confronts some ill omens and worries why Lakshmana left Seetha alone and came to him, sad facedly.

raakSasam mR^iga ruupeNa carantam kaama ruupiNam |
nihatya raamo maariicam tuurNam pathi nyavartata || 3-57-1

1. raamaH= Rama; mR^iga ruupeNa carantam= in deer's, guise, one who is moving about; kaama ruupiNam= by wish, guise-changer; raakSasam maariicam= demon, Maareecha; nihatya= on killing; tuurNam pathi nyavartata= quickly, on trail, started to return.

Rama on killing that demon Maareecha, who is a guise changer at his wish and who moved about in the guise of a deer, instantly started to return on the trail by which he trailed after that deer-demon. [3-57-1]

tasya sa.mtvaramaaNasya draSTu kaamasya maithiliim |
kruura svaro atha gomaayuH vinanaada asya pR^iSThataH || 3-57-2

2. maithiliim= at Maithili; draSTu kaamasya tasya= to see, anxious, that Rama; sam tvaramaaNasya= to verily, hurrying one; atha= then; kruura svaraH gomaayuH= brutish, voiced, jackal; asya pR^iSThataH= at his, behind; vi nanaada= deafeningly, howled.

While Rama is anxiously hurrying to see Maithili, then a brutish voiced jackal deafeningly howled at his behind. [3-57-2]

sa tasya svaram aaj~naaya daaruNam roma harSaNam |
ci.ntayaamaasa gomaayoH svareNa parishankitaH || 3-57-3

3. saH= he; tasya gomaayoH= of that, jackal's; daaruNam roma harSaNam svaram= threatening, hair, raising one, howl; aaj~naaya= on listening; svareNa pari shankitaH= of fox's, by tone, overly, doubtful [threatened]; cintayaamaasa= started to think.

On hearing that threatening and hair-raising howl of jackal Rama is overly threatened just by the tone of fox in which it is foreboding, inasmuch as the forbidding intoning of Maareecha. [3-57-3]

ashubham bata manye aham gomaayuH vaashyate yathaa |
svasti syaat api vaidehyaa raakSasaiH bhakSaNam vinaa || 3-57-4

4. bata= huh!; gomaayuH yathaa vaashyate= jackal, as to how, voicing - howling; thereby; aham a+shubham manye= I, not, auspicious, I deem; raakSasaiH bhakSaNam vinaa= by demons, devoured, without - undevoured; vaidehyaa= of Vaidehi; svasti syaat api= safe, will be, albeit - is she safe?

"Huh! As to how this jackal has howled I deem that as inauspicious. As yet undevoured by demons would Vaidehi be safe? [3-57-4]

maariicena tu vij~naaya svaram aalakSya maamakam |
vikruSTam mR^iga ruupeNa lakSmaNaH shR^iNuyaat yadi || 3-57-5
sa saumitriH svaram shrutvaa taam ca hitvaa atha maithiliim |
tayaa eva prahitaH kSipram mat sakaasham iha eSyati || 3-57-6

5, 6. mR^iga ruupeNa maariicena= in deer's, semblance, by Maareecha; vij~naaya= on knowing - the nature of my voice; maamakam svaram= pertaining to me, voice; aalakSya [aalambya]= taking hold of - imitating; vikruSTam= yelling - crying; lakSmaNaH shR^iNuyaat yadi= Lakshmana, listens, if; saH saumitriH svaram shrutvaa= he, that Soumitri, [my] voice, on hearing [on recognising]; atha= or else - if Seetha hears; tayaa eva iha prahitaH= by her [by Seetha,] only, to here, hastened up; taam maithiliim hitvaa= her, Maithili, on leaving; kSipram mat sakaasham eSyati= instantly, to my, near, he rushes.

"On knowing the nature of my voice Maareecha in the semblance of a deer yelled out mimicking my voice. If Lakshmana listens that voice, recognising it as my voice he will instantly rush to my near. Else if Maithili listens, she will hasten him to go over here and Soumitri instantly rushes here leaving her off. [3-57-5, 6]

raakSasaiH sahitair nuunam siitaayaa iipsito vadhaH |
kaa.ncanaH ca mR^igo bhuutvaa vyapaniiya aashramaat tu maam || 3-57-7
duuram niitvaa atha maariico raakSaso abhuut shara aahataH |
haa lakSmaNa hato asmi iti yat vaakyam vyajahaara ha || 3-57-8

7, 8. yat maariicaH= which, Maareecha; kaancanaH mR^igaH bhuutvaa= golden, deer, on becoming; maam aashramaat vyapaniiya= me, from hermitage, on sidetracking; duuram niitva= distantly, took away; atha= then; shara aahataH= by arrow, hit; raakSasaH abhuut= demon, as to how he became; haa lakSmaNa hataH asmi= ha, Lakshmana, killed, I am; iti= thus; vaakyam vyajahaara ha= sentence, as to how he uttered - shouted, indeed; gauging by these happenings; sahitaiH raakSasaiH= collectively, by demons; siitaayaa vadhaH iipsitaH= Seetha's, killing, intended; nuunam= defiantly.

"As could be seen from Maareecha's becoming a Golden Deer only to sidetrack and take me away from hermitage, his becoming a demon when hit with an arrow, and his shouting words indeed like, 'ha, Lakshmana, ha, Seetha, I am killed,' the demons are collectively intending to do away with Seetha. It is certain. [3-57-7, 8]

api svasti bhavet dvaabhyaam rahitaabhyaam mayaa vane |
janasthaana nimittam hi kR^ita vairo asmi raakSasaiH || 3-57-9
nimittaani ca ghoraaNi dR^ishyante adya bahuuni ca |

9, 10a: mayaa vane= with me, in forest; rahitaabhyaam dvaabhyaam= without [me,] for those two; svasti api bhavet= safety, whether, will be; janasthaana nimittam= Janasthaana, for the sake of; raakSasaiH kR^ita vairaH asmi hi= by demons, made [harbours,] grudge [against me,] I am, am not I; adya ghoraaNi bahuuni ca= now, severe, several, even; nimittaani ca dR^ishyante= foretokens, also, are appearing.

"Whether there will be safety in forest for those two in my absence, or not, is my doubt. Owing to my devastating Janasthaana I have become a harboured grudge for demons, am not I! As such, foretokens are appearing now, severely and severally." Thus Rama's thoughts have sprinted. [3-57-9, 10a]

iti evam ci.ntayan raamaH shrutvaa gomaayu niHsvanam || 3-57-10
nivartamaanaH tvarito jagaama aashramam aatmavaan |
aatmanaH ca apanayanam mR^iga ruupeNa rakSasaa || 3-57-11

10b, 11. aatmavaan= soulful one; raamaH= Rama; gomaayu niHsvanam shrutvaa= jackal's, howling, on hearing; mR^iga ruupeNa rakSasaa= in deer's, disguise, by demon; aatmanaH apanayanam= [about] his own, detour; nivartamaanaH= while returning; iti evam cintayan= thus, in that way, persistently thought; aashramam tvaritaH jagaama= to hermitage, speedily, advanced.

When that soulful Rama has heard the whistle of jackal while returning, he persistently thought in this way about his detour caused by demon in the disguise of a deer, thus he speedily advanced towards his hermitage. [3-57-10b, 11]

aajagaama janasthaanam raaghavaH parishankitaH |
tam diina maanasam diinam aaseduH mR^iga pakSiNaH || 3-57-12

12. raaghavaH pari shankitaH= Raghava, overly, doubting; aajagaama janasthaanam= came to, Janasthaana; mR^iga pakSiNaH= animals, birds; tam diina maanasam= to him, doleful, hearted one; diinam aaseduH= dolefully, neared; [or, diina manasaH= dole, hearted; mR^iga pakSiNaH= animals, birds; diinam aaseduH= at doleful Raghava, neared - the dole-hearted animals and birds neared that doleful Raghava.]

Raghava came to Janasthaana doubting overly, and the animals and birds of Janasthaana which look doleful have neared him whose heart has become doleful. [3-57-12]

savyam kR^itvaa mahaatmaanam ghoraam ca sasR^ijuH svaraan |
taani dR^iSTvaa nimittaani mahaaghoraaNi raaghavaH |
nyavartata atha tvarito javena aashramam aatmanaH || 3-57-13

13. [mR^iga pakSiNaH= animals, birds]; mahaatmaanam= of noble-souled one Rama; savyam kR^itvaa= on to left, making - moving on to left; [tam aaseduH= him, they on nearing]; ghoraam svaraan sasR^ijuH ca= frightening, shrieks, they let off, also; raaghavaH= Raghava; mahaa ghoraaNi= highly, forbidding ones; taani nimittaani dR^iSTvaa= those, foretokens, on observing; atha= then; tvaritaH= hastily; javena= hurriedly; aatmanaH aashramam nyavartata= to his own, to hermitage, returned.

Those doleful animals and birds moving in circumambulations from the left side to right of that noble-souled Rama they let off frightening shrieks, and then observing those highly forbidding foretokens Rama returned to his own hermitage hastily and hurriedly. [3-57-13]

It is ill-omened if the animals or birds move round from one's left to right side. anena m®ga pakÿiõ˜m apradakÿiõa gamanam aþubhakaram iti ukty˜ pradakÿiõa gamanam þubhakaram iti s¨citam - m®g˜ vihang˜× ca gat˜× pradakÿiõam mahŸbh®t˜m k˜nkÿita k˜rya siddhaye | ratnam˜la - dk

tato lakSaNam aayaantam dadarsha vigata prabham |
tato aviduure raameNa samiiyaaya sa lakSmaNaH || 3-57-14
viSaNNaH sa viSaNNena duHkhito duHkha bhaaginaa |

14, 15a. tataH aayaantam= then, coming towards [Rama]; vi gata prabham= verily, gone [lacking,] lustre - with a lacklustre face; lakSaNam= at Lakshmana; dadarsha= saw; tataH= then; viSaNNaH duHkhitaH= melancholic, anguishing; saH lakSmaNaH= he, Lakshmana; viSaNNena duHkha bhaaginaa= melancholic, in anguish, partaker; saH raameNa= with him, that Rama; a +vi+ duure= not, very, far-off; samiiyaaya= met with.

Then Rama saw Lakshmana coming towards him with a lacklustre face, and then Lakshmana, who is melancholic and anguishing in his divergence from Seetha, met Rama not a long-way-off, where Rama is a similar partaker in melancholy and anguishing by way of his convergence upon ill-omens. [3-57-14, 15a]

sa.mjagarhe atha tam bhraataa dR^iSTaa lakSmaNam aagatam || 3-57-15
vihaaya siitaam vijane vane raakSasa sevite |

15b, 16a. atha= then; [jyeSTha] bhraataa= [elder] brother [Rama]; raakSasa sevite= by demons, adored; vi jane vane= without, people [desolate,] in forest; siitaam vihaaya aagatam= Seetha, leaving off, who has come; tam lakSmaNam= him, at Lakshmana; dR^iSTaa= on seeing; sam ja garhe= reproached.

On seeing Lakshmana who has arrived at this place leaving off Seetha in a forest that is desolate, more so an adorable forest for demons, Rama reproached him as his elder brother. [3-57-15b, 16a]

gR^ihiitvaa ca karam savyam lakSmaNam raghuna.ndanaH || 3-57-16
uvaaca madhura udarkam idam paruSam aartavat |

16b, 17a. raghu nandanaH= Raghu's, descendent [Rama]; aarta vat= an anguished one, alike; savyam karam gR^ihiitvaa= left, hand [of Lakshmana,] on taking [into his]; madhura udarkam= mellowly, futurity - words that have a maturity in future; paruSam idam= brusque [speech,] this one; lakSmaNam uvaaca= to Lakshmana, said.

Taking Lakshmana's left hand into his, Rama, the descendent of Raghu, alike a bewailer spoke this brusque speech that has a mellowly fruition in future. [3-57-16b, 17a]

This statement obtains two shades of meaning. One, the speech of Rama in reproaching Lakshmana though appear to be brusque, latently it is congratulatory to Lakshmana, to make happen the abduction of Seetha firstly, and thereby the ultimate elimination of Ravana. Two, he scolded Lakshmana prima facie for leaving Seetha, but on realising that he is not at fault, his speech is softened.

aho lakSmaNa garhyam te kR^itam yaH tvam vihaaya taam || 3-57-17
siitaam iha aagataH saumya kaccit svasti bhavet iti |

17b, 18a. yaH tvam= which, you; taam siitaam vihaaya= her, Seetha, forsaking; iha aagataH= to here, you came; such as you are; te= by you; garhyam [karma] kR^itam= deplorable, [deed,] is done by you; saumya lakSmaNa= gentle, Lakshmana; iti [iha]= thus [now]; svasti bhavet kaccit= safeness, will there be, somewhat; aho= alas.

"You have done a deplorable deed in coming here forsaking Seetha. Now, oh, gentle Lakshmana, are we somewhat safe, or everything has already gone astray now itself, or what. [3-57-17b, 18a]

na me asti sa.mshayo viira sarvathaa janakaatmajaa || 3-57-18
vinaSTaa bhakSitaa vaa apa raakSasaiH vana caaribhiH |
ashubhaani eva bhuuyiSTham yathaa praadur bhavanti me || 3-57-19

18b, 19. viira= oh, brave one; me bhuuyiSTham= to me, many; a + shubhaani eva= not, auspicious [forebodings,] only - confronting me; yathaa praadubhavanti= according to, their manifestion; janaka aatmajaa= Janaka's, daughter; sarvathaa= anywise; vi + naSTaa= completely lost / dead; or else; vana caaribhiH raakSasaiH= forest, ranging, by demons; bhakSitaa= devoured; vaa api [apahR^itaa]= or, else, [kidnapped]; me samshayaH na asti= to me, doubt, not, is there.

"Oh, brave one, according to these many inauspicious forebodings that have manifested themselves to me, we might have lost Janaka's daughter Seetha, or the forest ranging demons might have devoured her, or else they might have kidnapped her, I am doubtless about it. [3-57-18b, 19]

api lakSmaNa siitaayaaH saamagryam praapnuyaavahe |
jiivantyaaH puruSavyaaghra sutaayaa janaksya vai || 3-57-20

20. puruSa vyaaghra lakSmaNa= manly, tiger, Lakshmana; jiivantyaaH= in aliveness; janaksya sutaayaa siitaayaaH= Janaka's, daughter, of Seetha; saamagryam= in intactness; api praapnuyaavahe vai= at least, can we make out, really - I wonder.

"Oh, tigerly-man Lakshmana, I wonder whether we can at least make out the daughter of Janaka Seetha in her intactness and aliveness. [3-57-20]

yathaa vai mR^iga sa.nghaaHa gomaayuH ca bhairavam |
vaashyante shakunaaH ca api pradiiptaam abhito disham |
api svasti bhavet tasyaa raaja putryaa mahaabala || 3-57-21

21. mahaabala= oh, great-mighty Lakshmana; mR^iga sanghaaH ca= deer, mobs of, also; gomaayuH ca= jackal, also; shakunaaH ca api= birds, also, even; pradiiptaam disham abhitaH= radiant [sunshiny,] direction, facing; yathaa bhairavam vaashyante= as to how, noisily, voicing; gauging by it; raaja putryaa tasyaa= king's, daughter, hers; svasti api bhavet vai= safety, even, will be there [or not,] really.

"On observing these mobs of deer, this jackal, also even these birds which are voicing noisily facing the direction lit by the sun, oh, great-mighty Lakshmana, can we presume that there will be safety to that princes Seetha? [3-57-21]

idam hi rakSo mR^iga sa.mnikaasham
pralobhya maam duuram anuprayaatam |
hatam katha.mcit mahataa shrameNa
sa raakSaso abhuut mriyamaaNa eva || 3-57-22

22. mR^iga samnikaasham= deer, in likeness; idam rakSaH= this, demon; anu prayaatam hi= after, following, indeed; maam= me; duuram pralobhya= distantly, on beguiling; [niitvaa= led on and led off]; mahataa shrameNa= intense, by effort; kathamcit hatam= somehow, killed; saH mriyamaaNa eva= he, when dying, only; raakSasaH abhuut= demon, became [transfigured.]

"This very demon in his likeness to a deer led me on and led me off distantly as I was indeed following him, and by an intense effort somehow he was killed, and when dying he transfigured into a demon. [3-57-22]

manaH ca me diinam iha aprahR^iSTam
cakSuH ca savyam kurute vikaaram |
asa.mshayam lakSmaNa na asti siitaa
hR^itaa mR^itaa vaa pathi var.htate vaa || 3-57-23

23. iha= now; diinam me manaH ca= woeful, my, heart, even; a+ pra hR^iSTam= not, really, gladdened [woebegone]; savyam cakSuH ca= left, eye, also; vikaaram kurute= erratically, doing [fluttering]; lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; a+ samshayam= without, doubt; siitaa na asti= Seetha, not, is there [in hermitage]; hR^itaa= whisked away; mR^itaa vaa= wiped out, or; pathi vartate vaa= on [a wrong] way, wandering around, or.

"Now even my heart is woeful and I am woebegone, my left eye is also fluttering erratically, oh, Lakshmana, no doubt Seetha is not there in hermitage, maybe she is whisked away, or, wiped out, or, wandering around on a wrong way. [3-57-23]

The flutter of the left eye to males is ill-omened. anena puruÿasya manaso asantoÿo v˜ma netra sphuraõam aþubha s¨cakam iti ukty˜ dakÿiõa netra sphuraõam mana× santoÿa× ca þubha kara iti s¨citam | tath˜ ca raghu vamþe k˜lid˜sa× - tasy˜m ragho× s¨nu rup˜ sthit˜y˜m v®õŸta v˜ neti sam˜kulo ˜bh¨t | v˜metara× samþayam asya b˜hu× key¨ra bandhhoc×ravasito nunoda || - dk

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe sapta pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 57th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 58

Introduction

Rama is anguished for Seetha's aloneness and it is expressed in his chastening Lakshmana. Rama asks him as to why he left Seetha unguarded in the lonely forest. Rama rushes rapidly to hermitage thinking and talking that rapidly to Lakshmana about Seetha, and on arriving he finds vacuity in hermitage and then he is thrown in throes of despair.

sa dR^iSTvaa lakSmaNam diinam shuunyam dasharatha aatmajaH |
paryapR^icChata dharmaaatmaa vaidehiim aagatam vinaa || 3-58-1

1. dharmaaatmaa= virtue-souled one; saH dasharatha aatmajaH= he that, Dasharatha's, son [Rama]; shuunyam [shuunye]= void of [in void forest]; vaidehiim vinaa aagatam = Vaidehi, without [devoid of,] who has come; diinam lakSmaNam dR^iSTvaa = dreary, Lakshmana, on seeing; pari apR^icChata= verily [impatiently] asked.

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]

prasthitam daNDaka araNyam yaa maam anujagaama ha |
kva saa lakSmaNa vaidehii yaam hitvaa tvam iha aagataH || 3-58-2

2. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; daNDaka araNyam prasthitam= to Dandaka, forest, one who started for peregrination; maam= me; yaa= she who; anu jagaama ha= in tow, came along, indeed; yaam hitvaa = whom, on deserting; tvam iha aagataH= you, to here, came [lonely]; saa vaidehii kva= she, Vaidehi, where [is she?]

"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]

raajya bhraSTasya diinasya daNDakaan paridhaavataH |
kva saa duHkha sahaayaa me vaidehii tanu madhyamaa || 3-58-3

3. raajya bhraSTasya= one whose - kingdom, is forfeited; daNDakaan pari dhaavataH= to Dandaka forest, about, running - rushing for; diinasya= a forlorn one - at the time of exile; me duHkha sahaayaa= in mine, in woe, partaker - one who stood as a partaker in my woes; tanu madhyamaa= slender waisted lady - a comely lady; saa vaidehii kva = she, that Vaidehi, where is she?

"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]

yaam vinaa na utsahe viira muhuurtam api jiivitum |
kva saa praaNa sahaayaa me siitaa sura suta upamaa || 3-58-4

4. viira= oh, valiant one; yaam vinaa= [she] whom, without; muhuurtam api= for a moment, even; jiivitum= to live; na utsahe= not, enthused - disinclined; saa= she - who is; sura suta upamaa= gods, daughter, in simile - nymphlike; me praaNa sahaayaa= my, to life, helpmate - one who supports my life - life-force; siitaa kva= Seetha, where is she?

"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]

patitvam amaraaNaam vaa pR^ithivyaaH ca api lakSmaNa |
vinaa taam tapaniiya aabhaam na icCheyam janaka aatmajaam || 3-58-5

5. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; tapaniiya aabhaam= like gold, glistering - by complexion; taam janaka aatmajaam vinaa= her, Janaka, daughter of, without; amaraaNaam patitvam= on immortals [heavens,] rulership; pR^ithivyaaH ca api vaa = of earth, also, even, either; na icCheyam= not, I ambition - unambitious of.

"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]

kaccit jiivati vaidehii praaNaiH priyataraa mama |
kaccit pravraajanam viira na me mithyaa bhaviSyati || 3-58-6

6. viira= oh, valiant one; mama praaNaiH priya taraa= by my, lives, dear, more than; vaidehii= Vaidehi; jiivati kaccit= alive, somehow; me pravraajanam= my, peregrination; mithyaa na bhaviSyati kaccit= illusory [futile,] not, become, someway.

"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]

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...

siitaa nimittam saumitre mR^ite mayi gate tvayi |
kaccit sa kaamaa sukhitaa kaikeyii saa bhaviSyati || 3-58-7

7. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; siitaa nimittam mayi mR^ite= Seetha, for the sake of, I am, being dead; tvayi gate= you, on getting back [lonesomely to Ayodhya]; saa kaikeyii= she, Kaikeyi; sa kaama= with [accomplished,] wishes; sukhitaa= comfortable; bhaviSyati kaccit= will become, somewhat.

"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]

sa putra raajyaam siddha arthaam mR^ita putraa tapasvinii |
upasthaasyati kausalyaa kaccit saumyena - saumya na - kaikayiim || 3-58-8

8. saumya= oh, gentle one; putraa mR^ita= while son, is dead - because of son's death; tapasvinii kausalyaa= [my] austerely [mother,] Kausalya; sa putra raajyaam= one who is having, a son, a kingdom; siddha arthaam= one who has achieved, purposes - Kaikeyi; kaikayiim= at Kaikeyi; [saumyena= humbly]; na upa sthaasyati kaccit= not, nearby, stays [be in attendance - get into servitude] anyhow.

"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]

yadi jiivati vaidehii gamiSyaamy aashramam punaH |
suvR^ittaa yadi vR^ittaa saa praaNaan tyakSyaami lakSmaNa || 3-58-9

9. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; vaidehii jiivati yadi = Vaidehi, is alive, if; punaH aashramam gamiSyaamy = again, to hermitage, I wish to get at; yadi [vaa]= else if; saa= she; su vR^ittaa= who is - of good, conduct; vR^ittaa = conducted out [by death]; praaNaan tyakSyaami= lives, I give up.

"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]

yadi maam aashrama gatam vaidehii na abhibhaaSate |
punaH prahasitaa siitaa vinashiSyaami lakSmaNa || 3-58-10

10. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; aashrama gatam= hermitage, on arrival at; maam= me; vaidehii siitaa= princess from Videha, Seetha; pra hasitaa= well [with gleefully,] smilingly; punaH= again, [as before]; yadi na abhi bhaaSate= if, not, towards me, chats [with me]; vi nashiSyaami= verily, I breath my last.

"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]

bruuhi lakSmaNa vaidehii yadi jiivati vaa na vaa |
tvayi pramatte rakSobhiH bhakSitaa vaa tapasvinii || 3-58-11

11. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; vaidehii= Vaidehi; jiivati vaa= alive, whether; na vaa= not, or; tvayi pramatte= by you, becoming unmindful; tapasvinii= pietistic [Seetha]; yadi rakSobhiH bhakSitaa vaa= whether, by demons, consumed, either; bruuhi say.

"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]

sukumaarii ca baalaa ca nityam ca aduHkha darshinii |
mat viyogena vaidehii vyaktam shocati durmanaaH || 3-58-12

12. sukumaarii ca baalaa ca= softish one, also, youngish, also; nityam ca a+ duHkha darshinii= always [ever], also, no, despair [of separation from me,] she saw [unnoticed]; such as she is; vaidehii= Vaidehi; dur manaaH= broken, heartedly; mat vi yogena= by my, not, connectedness - dissociation, separation; shocati= she will be despairing; vyaktam= so it seems.

"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]

sarvathaa rakSasaa tena jihmena suduraatmanaa |
vadataa lakSmaNa iti ucCaiH tava api janitam bhayam || 3-58-13

13. jihmena= impostor - Maareecha; su dur aatmanaa= highly, evil, souled [impudent one - Maareecha]; lakSmaNa iti= oh, Lakshmana, thus; ucCaiH vadataa= loudly, who shouted; tena rakSasaa= by him, demon - Maareecha; sarvathaa= in everyway; tava api bhayam janitam = in you, even, fear, is caused.

"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]

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...'

shrutaH ca manye vaidehyaa sa svaraH sadR^isho mama |
trastayaa preSitaH tvam ca draSTum maam shiighram aagataH || 3-58-14

14. vaidehyaa= by Vaidehi; mama sadR^ishaH= mine, similar; sa svaraH= that, voice; shrutaH ca= is heard, also; manye= I hope so [or, iti sha~Nke= I doubt]; trastayaa preSitaH tvam ca= frightened as she is, hastened, you, also; maam draSTum shiighram aagataH= me, to see, hastily, you have came.

"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]

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!

sarvathaa tu kR^itam kaSTam siitaam utsR^ijataa vane |
pratikartum nR^isha.msaanaam rakSasaam dattam antaram || 3-58-15

15. siitaam vane utsR^ijataa = Seetha, in forest, by you in leaving off [in isolation]; sarvathaa kaSTam kR^itam = in everyway, hardship, is caused; prati kartum= for counter, attack - to take revenge; nR^ishamsaanaam rakSasaam antaram dattam = for diabolical, demons, leeway, is given.

"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]

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...'

duHkhitaaH khara ghaatena raakSasaaH pishita ashanaaH |
taiH siitaa nihataa ghoraiH bhaviSyati na sa.mshayaH || 3-58-16

16. pishita ashanaaH raakSasaaH = raw-flesh, eaters, demons; khara ghaatena duHkhitaaH = Khara, [on my] liquidating, they are distraught - they are distraught on my liquidating Khara; ghoraiH taiH= ghastly ones, by them; siitaa nihataa bhaviSyati= Seetha, liquidated, she would have been; samshayaH na = doubt, is not there.

"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]

aho asmi vyasane magnaH sarvathaa ripu naashana |
kim tu idaaniim kariSyaami sha.nke praaptavyam iidR^isham || 3-58-17

17. ripu naashana = oh, enemy, eliminator Lakshmana; sarvathaa= in everyway; [asmin= in this]; vyasane magnaH asmi = in scourge, sunken, I am; idaaniim kim tu kariSyaami= as of now, what, but, can I do; iidR^isham praaptavyam shanke = this sort of [scourge,] [I am] liable to get, I deem; aho= alas!

"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]

iti siitaam varaarohaam ci.ntayan eva raaghavaH |
aajagaama jana sthaanam tvarayaa saha lakSmaNaH || 3-58-18

18. raaghavaH= Raghava; iti= in this way; varaarohaam siitaam cintayan eva= curvaceous one, about Seetha, while thinking - emotively; saha lakSmaNaH= with Lakshmana; tvarayaa jana sthaanam aajagaama= hurriedly, to Janasthaana, came back.

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

vigarhamaaNo anujam aarta ruupam
kSudhaa shrameNa eva pipaasayaa ca |
viniHshvasan shuSka mukho viSaNNaH
pratishrayam praapya samiikSya shuunyam || 3-58-19
svam aashramam sa pravigaahya viiro
vihaara deshaan anusR^itya kaa.mshcit |
etat tat iti eva nivaasa bhuumau
prahR^iSTa romaa vyathito babhuuva || 3-58-20

19. viiraH= valiant Rama; aarta ruupam= who is worried , in aspect; anujam= younger brother; vi garhamaaNaH = verily, chastening [en route]; kSudhaa shrameNa eva pipaasayaa ca= by hunger, by strain, like that, by thirst, also; vi niH shvasan= heavily, out, breathing - heavily suspiring; shuSka mukhaH= with a wizened, mouth; vi SaNNaH= dispirited; pratishrayam praapya= hermitage, having arrived; shuunyam samiikSya = vacuity, having beheld; svam aashramam= one's own, hermitage; pra vi gaahya= on verily, inside, stepping [entering quickly]; kaamshcit= some of the; vihaara deshaan= pastime, places; anu sR^itya= in tow, on going around; then on seeing; nivaasa bhuumau= thus, in dwelling, place cottage of hermitage; etat tat eva iti= this [place,] that [place,] only, thus [marking them]; saH= he, Rama; prahR^iSTa romaa= happily standing hairs [hair-raising]; vyathitaH babhuuva= highly despaired, he became.

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]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe aSTa pa.ncaashaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 58th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 59

Introduction

Rama reprimands Lakshmana for coming without Seetha. Lakshmana explains that he had to leave her owing to her anguished and angrily words and even by her rash remarks of Lakshmana. Even then, Rama is unhappy of Lakshmana's action in leaving her alone.

The content of this chapter is to amplify what that has been said in the previous chapter. This dialogue between Rama and Lakshmana may be deemed to have happened before their approaching hermitage, as in the last few verses of last chapter, and on their pathway to their hermitage

atha aashramaat upaavR^ittam a.ntaraa raghuna.ndanaH |
paripapracCha saumitrim raamo duHkha arditaH punaH || 3-59-1

1. atha= then/now; raghunandanaH= Raghu's, descendent; raamaH= Rama; duHkha arditaH= by anguish, distressed one [Lakshmana]; aashramaat upaavR^ittam= from hermitage, strayed from; saumitrim= at Soumitri; antaraa= in middle [of path]; punaH= again; pari papracCha= analytically, asked.

Rama the descendent of Raghu, again asked Soumitri who strayed from the hermitage and whom his own anguish is distressing now, in the middle of path towards their hermitage. [3-59-1]

tam uvaaca kim artham tvam aagato apaasya maithiliim |
yadaa saa tava vishvaasaat vane viharitaa mayaa || 3-59-2

2. tam uvaaca= to him, spoke - Rama to Lakshmana; tava vishvaasaat= in you, confiding; maya= by me; saa= she is; vane yadaa viharitaa= in forest, when, she is left - in your custody; maithiliim= Maithili is; kim artham apaasya= for what, reason, abandoning; tvam aagataH= you, came [to me.]

Rama spoke to such Lakshmana, "when I left her in the forest, I left only on confiding in you. For what reason you came to me on abandoning Maithili? [3-59-2]

dR^iSTvaa eva abhyaagatam tvaam me maithiliim tyajya lakSmaNa |
sha.nkamaanam mahat paapam yat satyam vyathitam manaH || 3-59-3

3. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; maithiliim= Maithili; tyajya= leaving off; abhi aagatam= towards [me,] who has came; tvaam dR^iSTvaa eva= such as you, on seeing, just; me manaH= my, heart; shankamaanam= on doubting; mahat paapam= perilous, evil; vyathitam iti yat= distressed, thus, what [what that was being doubted]; satyam= [it has become] a fact.

"What my heart had been doubting, rather a perilous evil, oh, Lakshmana, that has become a fact on seeing only you, coming to me leaving off Maithili. [3-59-3]

sphurate nayanam savyam baahuH ca hR^idayam ca me |
dR^iSTvaa lakSmaNa duure tvaam siitaa virahitam pathi || 3-59-4

4. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; siitaa virahitam= Seetha, without; tvaam= at you; duure= at distance; pathi= on pathway; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; me= my; savyam nayanam= left, eye; baahuH ca= [left] shoulder, also; sphurate= are pulsating; hR^idayam ca= heart, also - fluttered.

"Seeing your coming without Seetha on pathway at a distance my left eye and left shoulder have pulsated, and oh, Lakshmana, my heart too has fluttered." Thus Rama said to Lakshmana. [3-59-4]

evam uktaH tu saumitriH lakSmaNaH shubha lakSaNaH |
bhuuyo duHkha sa.maaviSTo duHkhitam raamam abravii|| 3-59-5

5. evam uktaH saumitriH tu= thus, who is said so, that Sumitra's son, on his part; shubha lakSaNaH lakSmaNaH= one with auspicious, [blameless] traits, such a Lakshmana; bhuuyaH= again - doubly anguished - one for Seetha's words, the other for Rama's words; duHkha samaaviSTaH= anguish, cast a spell on him; duHkhitam raamam abravii= to anguished, to Rama, spoke.

When Sumitra's son Lakshmana, whose traits are blamelessly auspicious is addressed thus, anguish cast a double spell on him, one for the tongue-lashing of Seetha while the other for the reproach from Rama, and he replied Rama who is anguished in his own way. [3-59-5]

na svayam kaama kaareNa taam tyaktvaa aham iha aagataH |
pracoditastayaivograitvatsakaashamihaaagataH - yadvaa -
pracoditaH tayaa eva ugraiH tvat sakaasham iha aagataH || 3-59-6

6. aham= I; taam= her; svayam= on my own accord - independently; tyaktvaa= left off; kaama kaareNa= desired, deed [intentionally]; iha na aagataH= to here, not, I have come; tayaa eva= by her, alone; ugraiH [vacanaiH]= by hurtful [words]; pra coditaH= virtually driven; iha tvat sakaasham= here, to your near; aagataH= came.

"I have not come here leaving her off either independently or intentionally, I came here, to your proximity, virtually driven by her hurtful words." Thus Lakshmana is relying Rama. [3-59-6]

aaryeNa eva parikruSTam - paraakruSTam - haa siite lakSmaNa iti ca |
paritraahi iti yat vaakyam maithilyaaH tat shrutim gatam || 3-59-7

7. haa siite= ha, Seetha; lakSmaNa iti ca= ha, Lakshmana, thus, also; pari traahi= immediately, save me; iti yat vaakyam= thus, what, words - message; aaryeNa eva= by honourable [you,] as if; parikruSTam= loudly shouted for; tat maithilyaaH shrutim gatam= that, of Maithili, into ear, went into - she gave an ear to.

"Maithili gave an ear to that message which is loudly shouted as if by your honour saying, 'ha, Seetha... ha, Lakshmana... save me immediately...' [3-59-7]

saa tam aarta svaram shrutvaa tava snehena maithilii |
gacCha gacCha iti maam aaha rudantii bhaya - viklavaa - vihvalaa || 3-59-8

8. saa maithilii= she, that Maithili; tam= that; aarta svaram shrutvaa= grievous, voice [of yours,] on hearing; rudantii= while weeping; tava snehena= for you, in love; bhaya viklavaa= with fear, shuddering; gacCha gacCha= begone, begone; iti maam aaha= thus, to me, said.

"On hearing that grievous voice of yours and owing to her love for you she shuddered with fear and wept out to me 'hurry up...get going...' [3-59-8]

pracodyamaanena mayaa gacCha iti bahushaH tayaa |
pratyuktaa maithilii vaakyam idam tat pratyaya anvitam || 3-59-9

9. gacCha iti= begone, thus; tayaa= by her; bahushaH= frequently; pra codyamaanena= insistently, compelled; mayaa= by me; maithilii= Maithili is; prati uktaa= in turn, she is said [replied by me]; tvat pratyaya anvitam= in you, [with my] confidence, having [expressive of]; idam vaakyam= this, sentence.

"When she frequently and insistingly compelled me to go, I have replied Maithili in this sentence which is expressive of my confidence in you. [3-59-9]

na tat pashyaami aham rakSo yat asya bhayam aavahet |
nirvR^itaa bhava na asti etat kena api evam udaahR^itam || 3-59-10

10. asya= to him [to Rama]; yat= who [he who can]; bhayam aavahet= panic, bring about; tat rakSaH= that [such a,] demon [is there]; aham na pashyaami= I, do not, see - I do not think; nirvR^itaa bhaava= control, you be - control yourself; etat na asti= all this, not, is there [feigning]; kena api evam udaahR^itam= by someone, even, this way, said [mimicked, typified.]

" 'I do no think that there is a demon who can cause panic to Rama. All this is feigning. Someone might have typified his voice in this way, please control yourself. [3-59-10]

vigarhitam ca niicam ca katham aaryo abhidhaasyati |
traahi iti vacanam siite yaH traayet tridashaan api || 3-59-11

11. siite= oh, Seetha; yaH= he who; tridashaan api traayet= gods, even, safeguards; aaryaH= esteemed one; katham abhidhaasyati= how, he exclaims; vi garhitam ca= highly, disparaging, also; niicam ca= in basely [manner,] also; traahi iti vacanam= save me, thus [in saying.]

" 'How can my esteemed brother who can safeguard even gods, oh, Seetha, will exclaim in saying, 'save me,' which is a highly disparaging and basely manner to call for the help of a lady to safeguard him in such circumstances. [3-59-11]

A hero will not expose a lady to risk when he himself is involved in such a risky position. aapat kaale strii samaahvaanasya kshudra kR^ityatvaat kutsitam - Govindaraja.

kim nimittam tu kena api bhraatuH aala.mbya me svaram |
visvaram vyaahR^itam vaakyam lakSmaNa traahi maam iti || 3-59-12

12. kim nimittam tu= somehow, reason, but; kena api= by someone, even; me bhraatuH= my, brother's; svaram aalambya= voice, depending [mimicking]; lakSmaNa traahi maam iti= Lakshmana, save, me, thus; vi svaram= without, harmony - discordantly; vaakyam vyaahR^itam= words, shouted.

" 'But, somehow, for some reason, someone mimicking my brother's voice discordantly shouted words saying, 'Lakshmana save me.' [3-59-12]

raakshasena iiritam vaakyam trasaat traahi iti shobhane |
na bhavatyaa vyathaa kaaryaa kunaarii jana sevitaa || 3-59-13

13. shobhane= oh, auspicious lady; [kena api= by some]; raakshasena= by a demon - say Maareecha; iiritam vaakyam= voiced, words; traahi iti= save me, thus; bhavatyaa= by you; trasaat vyathaa= by fear, panicked; ku naarii jana sevitaa= by lowly, women, folk, as resorted to; [vyathaa= who are trivially panicked]; na kaaryaa= not, doable [unbefitting.]

" 'Oh, auspicious lady, it is unbefitting for you to panic, like lowly womenfolk who will be frivolously panicking for flimsy reasons, for the words like 'save me,' shouted by some demon, who may conceivably be Maareecha. [3-59-13]

alam vaiklavataam ga.ntum svasthaa bhava nir utsukaa |
na ca asti triSu lokeSu pumaan yo raaghavam raNe || 3-59-14
jaato vaa jaayamaano vaa sa.myuge yaH paraajayet |
ajeyo raaghavo yuddhe devaiH shakra purogamaiH || 3-59-15

14. vaiklavataam gantum alam= consternation, to go in [slipping into,] enough is this; nir utsukaa= without, dismay; svasthaa bhava= reposed, you be; yaH= he who; samyuge raNe= in [any given] terrible, combat; raaghavam paraajayet= Raghava, who can defeat; yaH= he; [saH= such a]; pumaan= person; triSu lokeSu= in three, worlds; jaataH vaa= already took birth, or; jaaya maanaH vaa= going to take birth, or; na asti= not, is there; raaghavaH= Raghava; shakra purogamaiH devaiH= Indra, in van, with gods - to all gods with Indra in their vanguard; yuddhe= in battle; a + jeyaH= not, defeated [undefeatable.]

" 'Enough is your slipping into consternation and you be undismayed. There is none in all the three worlds who took birth, or going to take birth, to defeat Raghava in any given battle of any terrible nature. Raghava is undefeatable even if all gods come battling along with Indra in their van.' This is what I said to Vaidehi" Thus Lakshmana is informing Rama. [3-59-14, 15]

evam uktaa tu vaidehii parimohita cetanaa |
uvaaca ashruuNi mu.ncantii daaruNam maam idam vacaH || 3-59-16

16. evam uktaa tu= thus, said [by me], though; vaidehii= Vaidehi is; pari mohita cetanaa= overly, besotted, with volition; ashruuNi muncantii= tears, outpouring; maam= to me; idam daaruNam vacaH= this, tart, word; uvaaca= said.

"Though I said thus, while her volition is overly besotted for you, Vaidehi said this tartly word to me outpouring tears. [3-59-16]

bhaavo mayi tava atyartham paapa eva niveshitaH |
vinaSTe bhraatari praaptum na ca tvam maam avaapsyasi || 3-59-17

17. bhraatari= your brother; vi naSTe= on utter, ruination; maam= me; praaptum= to achieve; mayi= in my respect; ati artham= too, much [nastily]; paapa eva= impure, only; tava bhaavaH niveshitaH= your, perspective, is harboured; tvam= you; maam= me; na ca avaapsyasi= not, but, you can achieve.

" 'In my respect you have harboured only an impure and nastily perspective to achieve me on the utter ruination of your brother, but I am unachievable to you. [3-59-17]

sa.mketaat bharatena tvam raamam samanugacChasi |
kroshantam hi yathaa atyartham na enam abhyavapadyase || 3-59-18

18. ati artham= very, much - inordinately; kroshantam= who is yelling - Rama; yathaa= as to why; enam= to him [Rama]; na= not; abhyavapadyase [abhi ava pad]= towards, his near, going - refraining to go to him, for help; tvam= you are; bharatena= by Bharata; samketaat= owing to a hint - by some arrangement; raamam= to Rama; sam anu gacChasi hi= well, in tow, you followed - in exile, indeed.

" 'As to why you are refraining to rush towards Rama even though he is inordinately yelling, it hints that Bharata made some arrangements with you, and that is the reason why you have closely followed Rama in exile. [3-59-18]

ripuH pracChanna caarii tvam mat artham anugacChasi |
raaghavasya antara prepsuH tathaa enam na abhipadyase || 3-59-19

19. pracChanna caarii= in disguise, one who is moving - comporting yourself; [raamasya] ripuH= [Rama's,] adversary; such as you are; tvam= you are; raaghavasya= Raghava's; antara prepsuH= randhra anveSi= leeway, one who is searching for; mat artham anugacChasi= me, because of, you are following - Rama; tathaa= thereby; enam na abhipadyase= him [Rama,] not, reaching at [now.]

" 'You are an adversary of Rama comporting yourself in disguise, following him because of me, and searching for a leeway from Rama. Thereby now you are not rushing to Rama. [3-59-19]

evam ukto hi vaidehyaa sa.mrabdho rakta locanaH |
krodhaat prasphuramaaNa oSTha aashramaat abhinirgataH || 3-59-20

20. vaidehyaa evam uktaH= by Vaidehi, thus, I was spoken; hi= indeed; samrabdhaH= hurriedly; krodhaat rakta locanaH= by anger, with reddened, eyes; pra sphuramaaNa oSTha= with highly, trembling, lips; aashramaat= from hermitage; abhi nir gataH= towards [you,] out, I came.

"When Vaidehi spoke to me thus I hurriedly came out of hermitage to you with anger reddening my eyes and trembling my lips. [3-59-20]

evam bruvaaNam saumitrim raamaH sa.ntaapa mohitaH |
abraviit duSkR^itam saumya taam vinaa yat tvam aagataH || 3-59-21

21. evam= thus; bruvaaNam= speaking; saumitrim= to Soumitri; santaapa mohitaH= by angst, deluded; raamaH= Rama; abraviit= said; saumya= oh, gentle one; yat= by which [deed of your coming]; tvam= you; taam vinaa= her, without; aagataH= arrived; by that; duS kR^itam= wrong, doing[improper deed]; [kR^itam= is done - you have done wrong.]

Rama who is deluded by angst said to Soumitri who is speaking thus, that "your arrival without her is an improper deed, oh, gentle one. [3-59-21]

jaanan api samartham maam rakSasaam apavaaraNe |
anena krodha vaakyena maithilyaa nirgato bhavaan || 3-59-22

22. maam= me; rakSasaam apa vaaraNe= demons, in foiling; samartham= as capable [enough]; jaanan api= knowing, though; bhavaan= you; maithilyaa krodha vaakyena= of Maithili, by angry, words; nirgataH= exited - hermitage.

"You know that I am capable enough to foil the demons, even then you have come out by the angry words of Maithili? [3-59-22]

na hi te parituSyaami tyaktvaa yat yaasi maithiliim |
kruddhaayaaH paruSam shrutvaa striyaa yat tvam iha aagataH || 3-59-23

23. maithiliim tyaktvaa= Maithili, on leaving off; yat yaasi= he who has, come out; te na parituSyaami hi= at you, not, happy I am, at all; kruddhaayaaH striyaaH= angering, lady's; paruSam shrutvaa= bitter [words,] on hearing; yat= who; tvam iha aagataH= you, to here, came away.

"On hearing bitter words of an angry lady you have came away on leaving her off, such as you are, I am not at all happy with you. [3-59-23]

sarvathaa tu apaniitam te siitayaa yat pracoditaH |
krodhasya vasham aagamya na akaroH shaasanam mama || 3-59-24

24. siitayaa= by Seetha; pracoditaH= compelled by; krodhasya vasham aagamya= ire's, control, coming under; mama shaasanam= my, directive; na akaroH not, done; iti yat= thus, which [that which issue is there]; sarvathaa te= in everyway, of yours; apa niitam= astray, led yourself [a + viniitam]= [dereliction.]

"That which action of yours is there in non-compliance of my directive to stand guard to Seetha, either compelled by Seetha, or coming under your own ire, it shows your dereliction in everyway. [3-59-24]

asau hi raakSasaH shete shareNa abhihato mayaa |
mR^iga ruupeNa yena aham aashramaat apavaahitaH || 3-59-25

25. mR^iga ruupeNa= by deer's, form; yena= by whom; aham= I am; aashramaat= from hermitage; apa vaahitaH= away, taken [detoured]; asau raakSasaH hi= he is, a demon indeed; maya= by me; shareNa abhihataH shete= by arrow, hit down, sleeping - fell flat.

"By whom I am detoured from hermitage in the form of a deer he is indeed a demon, and he fell flat when my arrow hit him down. [3-59-25]

vikR^iSya caapam paridhaaya saayakam
sa liila baaNena ca taaDito mayaa |
maar.hgiim tanum tyajya ca viklava svaro
babhuuva keyuura dharaH sa raakSasaH || 3-59-26

26. maya= by me; caapam= bow; vikR^iSya= on drawing [bowstring, full length]; saayakam= arrow; paridhaaya= on setting [target, or, on bowstring]; sa liila= with, play [effortless shooting]; baaNena taaDitaH ca= by arrow, hit, also; saH= he; maargiim tanum= pertaining to deer, body; tyajya ca= leaving, also; viklava svaraH= piteously, voicing [bewailing]; keyuura dharaH= bracelets [and the like,] wearing; raakSasaH babhuuva= demon, he became.

"When I effortlessly shot an arrow setting on bowstring and stretching the bow to full length, he hit by that arrow left deer's body to become a piteously bewailing demon wearing bracelets and the like ornaments. [3-59-26]

shara aahatena eva tadaa aartayaa giraa
svaram mama aala.mbya su duura su shravam |
udaahR^itam tat vacanam su daaruNam
tvam aagato yena vihaaya maithiliim || 3-59-27

27. tadaa= then; shara= by arrow; aahatena= hit down; eva= thus; aartayaa= with anguished; giraa= voice; su duura= very, remotely [place]; su shravam= clearly, audible; svaram= voice; mama= mine; aalambya= depend on [mimicking]; su daaruNam= highly, gruesome; tat= those; vacanam= words; udaa hR^itam= spoken; yena tvam aagataH= by which, you, came; maithiliim vihaaya= Maithili, on forsaking.

"Then hit down by arrow thus, he with an anguished voice that is clearly audible at a very remotely place and that which is mimicking my voice, uttered those highly gruesome words, whereby you have come here forsaking Maithili." Thus Rama said to Lakshmana on their way to their hermitage. [3-59-27]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe eko na SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 59th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 60

Introduction

Rama laments for Seetha's separation. He starts searching for her and goes on asking every plant, tree and animal, in a kind of frenzied attitude. This chapter is too poetic to summarise, hence this much is said here.

bhR^isham aavrajamaanasya tasya adho vaama locanam |
praasphurat ca askhalat raamo vepathuH ca asya jaayate || 3-60-1

1. aa vraja maanasya= one who started coming towards [hermitage]; tasya= his; vaama= left; locanam= eye; adhaH= lower [lower eyelid and below]; bhR^isham= frequently; praasphurat ca= fluttered, also; raamaH askhalat ca= Rama, stumbled [missed his footing,] also; asya vepathuH jaayate= his, falter, bechanced [his gait faltered.]

While Rama is coming towards hermitage his lower eyelid frequently fluttered, his gait faltered, and he missed his footing. [3-60-1]

upaalakSya nimittaani so ashubhaani muhur muhuH |
api kSemam tu siitaayaa iti vai vyaajahaara ha || 3-60-2

2. saH= he, that Rama; a + shubhaani= not, auspicious; nimittaani= incidentals [forebodings]; upa aalakSya= closely, on watching; siitaayaa kSemam api tu [nu]= for Seetha, safety, even [in fact,] but, [will Seetha be safe!]; iti vyaajahaara ha= thus, [reflexly] uttered, indeed; muhur muhuH vai= again, again, really.

On closely watching those inauspicious forebodings Rama indeed uttered oftentimes reflexly thus as, 'would she be safe, in fact!' [3-60-2]

tvaramaaNo jagaama atha siitaa darshana laalasaH |
shuunyam aavasatham dR^iSTvaa babhuuva udvigna maanasaH || 3-60-3

3. atha= then; tvaramaaNaH= quickening himself; siitaa darshana laalasaH= Seetha, to see, with ardency; jagaama= went; shuunyam aavasatham dR^iSTvaa= empty, home, on seeing; udvigna maanasaH babhuuva= distraught, at heart, he became.

He quickened himself and went with an ardency to see Seetha, and then on seeing an empty home his heart is distraught. [3-60-3]

ud bhraman iva vegena vikSipan raghu nandanaH |
tatra tatra uTaja sthaanam abhiviikSya sama.ntataH || 3-60-4
dadarsha parNa shaalaam ca siitayaa rahitaam tadaa |
shriyaa virahitaam dhvastaam hemante padminiim iva || 3-60-5

4, 5. raghu nandanaH= Raghu's, descendent, Raghava; vegena= by speed; ud bhraman= up, to fly, [flying-flutterer]; iva= like [looked like]; vikSipan= jolting [his arms and gait]; tatra tatra= there, there; uTaja sthaanam= cottage's, in places; sam antataH= all-over; abhi viikSya= towards [on keenly,] probing; tadaa= then; siitayaa rahitaam ca= of Seetha, lacking, also; such hermitage which is like; hemante dhvastaam padminiim iva= in wintry [season,] ruined [befogged,] lotus-lake, as with; shriyaa vi rahitaam= lustre, without, having [lustreless]; parNa shaalaam= straw, house of; dadarsha= he has seen.

Raghava looked like a flying-flutterer as his speed jostled his arms and gait flutteringly, and on closely probing there and there, and all-over the places of that cottage, then he saw the lustreless house of straw devoid of Seetha, alike a befogged wintry lotus-lake without lustre. [3-60-4, 5]

rudantam iva vR^ikSaiH ca glaana puSpa mR^iga dvijam |
shriyaa vihiinam vidhvastam sa.ntyakta vana daivataiH || 3-60-6
viprakiirNa ajina kusham vipraviddha bR^isii kaTam |
dR^iSTvaa shuunya uTaja sthaanam vilalaapa punaH punaH || 3-60-7

6, 7. vR^ikSaiH rudantam iva= by trees [of that woodland,] weeping / warbling / whining, as though; glaana [mlaana]= withered / weakened; puSpa= with flowers; mR^iga dvijam= with animals, with birds; shriyaa vihiinam= charm, less; vi dhvastam= utterly, shattered; sam tyakta vana daivataiH= completely, abandoned, by forest [georgic,] deities. viprakiirNa [vi pra kiirNaa]= rather, utterly, bestrewn; ajina kusham= deerskin, Kusha - sacred grass; vipraviddha [vi pra viddha]= rather, utterly, battered; bR^isii= tender-grass-seats; kaTam= [other] mats; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; shuunya uTaja sthaanam= emptied, cottage, locale; [saH siitaa darshana laalasaH= he who wanted to see Seetha ardently, such Rama]; punaH punaH vilalaapa= over, over again, he wept.

The trees of that woodland are seemingly weeping, as their flowers are witheringly weakening and their birds are weepingly warbling, and the animals are whingeingly weeping, and that woodland is charmless and utterly shattered, since its georgic deities have completely abandoned it. Rather utterly bestrewn are the deerskins and sacred grass blades, rather utterly battered are the tender-grass-seats and other mats in the compound of cottage, and he who ardently wanted to see Seetha, such a Rama, on seeing such an emptied locale and cottage, wept over, over and again. [3-60-6, 7]

By this bestrewn, battered, or shattered state of articles, it is evident that Seetha struggled a lot to get release from the clutches of Ravana, and in their tussle articles are in shambles. Hence, Ravana did not carry Seetha on a clod of earth as said in Adhyaatma Ramayana and other texts. Valmiki's Seetha is an out and out human, as of now.

hR^itaa mR^itaa vaa naSTaa vaa bhakSitaa vaa bhaviSyati |
niliinaa api athavaa bhiiruH athavaa vanam aashritaa || 3-60-8

8. bhiiruH= bashful lady Seetha; hR^itaa= stolen [by grudging demons]; mR^itaa =slain [by grisly demons]; vaa= or; naSTaa vaa= strayed [in gauntly forest,] or; bhakSitaa vaa= savoured [by gruesome beasts,] or; bhaviSyati= she might be; athavaa= or else; ni liinaa api= under, cover [shrouded herself, playfully,] even; athavaa= or else; vanam aashritaa= in forest, took shelter.

"That bashful Seetha might be stolen by the grudging demons, or slain by the very same grisly demons, or savoured by some gruesome beasts, or else she strayed in this gauntly forest, and even she might have playfully shrouded herself in the grimly forest, or else she must be sheltering herself in this forest which will be gruelling to locate. [3-60-8]

gataa vicetum puSpaaNi phalaani api ca vaa punaH |
athavaa padminiim yaataa jala artham vaa nadiim gataa || 3-60-9

9. api vaa= or, else; puSpaaNi phalaani ca= flowers, fruits, also; vicetum= to pick up; gataa= gone; punaH= again; athavaa= or else; padminiim yaataa= to lotus-lake, gone; jala artham= water, for the sake of; nadiim gataa vaa= to river gone, or.

"Or else, she might have again gone to pick the flowers or fruits, or again gone to lotus-lake, or gone to the river for water." Thinking thus, Rama started his search for Seetha. [3-60-9]

yatnaat mR^igayamaaNaH tu na aasasaada vane priyaam |
shoka rakta iikSaNaH shriimaan unmatta iva lakSyate || 3-60-10

10. yatnaat= effortfully; mR^igayamaaNaH tu= being searched [by Rama,] though; vane priyaam= in forest, [his] dear [Seetha]; na aasasaada= not, I have attained; shoka rakta iikSaNaH= by anguish, reddened, looks [eyes]; shriimaan= glorious one - Rama; unmatta= madman; iva= alike / as though / seems to be; lakSyate= is appearing.

Though he searched effortfully for his dear Seetha he did not get her, and as his anguish is reddening his eyes the appearance of that glorious one seems to be that of a madman. [3-60-10]

The word iva 'as though, seems to be, alike...' has some importance from the viewpoint of commentators, and some discussion is given in endnote on its usage. Because he is 'like' a madman, the translation shall also be 'like' a mad-translation, as long as he talks 'like' a madman.

vR^ikSaat vR^ikSam pradhaavan sa giriim ca api nadii nadam |
babhraama vilapan raamaH shoka pa.nka arNava plutaH || 3-60-11

11. raamaH= Rama; vR^ikSaat vR^ikSam= from tree, to tree [shrub]; giriim ca api= from hill, also, even [to hillock]; nadii nadam= river, to rivulet; pra dhaavan= speedily, running; vilapan= on wailing over; shoka panka arNava plutaH= woe, sludge, ocean, inundated in - sludgy ocean of woes; saH= he that Rama; ba bhraama= revolved around.

Rama ran speedily from tree to shrub, from hill to hillock, from river to rivulet, and revolving around them he wailed for Seetha, as he is inundated in a sludgy ocean of woes. [3-60-11]

Whether Rama 'really wept' over Seetha's absence or it the 'playacting' of god - is a much-debated topic. As a hero of the epic, it is 'real' weeping and it is necessary to arouse pathos, but should he be god or god incarnate, is 'weeping' manifest in the qualities of Omniscient - is the dilemma. Some points are presented in the endnote.

asti kaccit tvayaa dR^iSTaa saa kadamba priyaa priyaa |
kadamba yadi jaaniiSe sha.msa siitaam shubha aananaam || 3-60-12

12. kadamba= oh, Kadamba tree; kadamba priyaa= Kadamba [flowers,] a lover of; priyaa= [my] ladylove; saa= she that Seetha; kaccit= someone [who is a lady]; tvayaa= by you; [api] dR^iSTaa= is seen; asti= is she [seen]; jaaniiSe yadi= you know [her,] if; shubha aananaam siitaam= about lovable, faced, Seetha; shamsa= you tell.

"Oh, Kadamba tree, seest thou someone a lady who is lover of Kadamba flowers, one with a lovable face and a love of mine, thou tellest me if thou knowest. [3-60-12]

snigdha pallava sa.mkaashaam piita kausheya vaasiniim |
sha.msasva yadi saa dR^iSTaa bilva bilva upama stanii || 3-60-13

13. bilva= oh, Bilva tree; snigdha pallava samkaashaam= smooth [silky,] leaflet, similar to [in skin]; piita kausheya vaasiniim= yellowy-ochry, silk, dressed in; bilva upama stanii= Bilva-fruits [rotund and silky,] in simile, breasted; [kaccit= someone ]; yadi saa dR^iSTaa= if, she is, seen by you; shamsasva= you tell.

"Oh, Bilva tree, if thou seest someone who is drest in yellowy-ochry silks, whose skin likens to the silkiness of thine leaflets, breasts to thine rotund and silky Bilva fruits, thou tellest me... [3-60-13]

athavaa arjuna sha.msa tvam priyaam taam arjuna priyaam |
janakasya sutaa tanvii yadi jiivati vaa na vaa || 3-60-14

14. athavaa= otherwise; arjuna= oh, Arjuna tree; tvam= you; [yadi jaaniiSe= if, you know her]; arjuna priyaam= Arjuna [flowers,] a lover of; taam= of her; priyaam= [my] ladylove; tanvii =slender [waisted one]; janakasya sutaa= Janaka's, daughter; yadi jiivati vaa= whether, living, or; na vaa= not, or; shamsa= tell.

"Otherwise, thou Arjuna tree, if thou knowest her who is a lover of thine Arjuna flowers and the ladylove of mine, thou telleth whether that slender-waisted daughter of Janaka liveth or otherwise... [3-60-14]

kakubhaH kakubha uurum taam vyaktam jaanaati maithiliim |
lataa pallava puSpa aaDhyo bhaati hi eSa vanaspatiH || 3-60-15

15. eSa= this; vanaspatiH= tree; lataa pallava puSpa= with creeping plants [creepy-creepers,] tender leaves [foliole-foliage,] flowers [flowery-flowers]; aaDhyaH= is laden with; [yathaa= as to how]; bhaati hi= it is shining forth, indeed; thereby; [eSa= this]; kakubhaH= Kakubha tree; kakubha uurum= about Kakubha-tree [its trunk like,] one who has such thighs - about Seetha with thighs like Kakubha tree trunk; taam maithiliim= of her, of Maithili; vyaktam jaanaati= obviously, will be knowing.

"As to how this Kakubha tree shineth laden with creepy-creepers, foliole-foliage and flowery-flowers, this tree knowest Maithili whose thighs can be likened to the smoothish trunk of this very Kakubha tree... [3-60-15]

bhramarair upagiitaH ca yathaa druma varo hi asi |
eSa vyaktam vijaanaati tilakaH tilaka priyaam || 3-60-16

16. druma varaH= tree, best [among trees]; [ayam= this]; tilakaH= Tilaka tree; yathaa= as to how; bhramaraiH= by honeybees; upa giitaH ca asi hi= nearly, singing, also, it is, indeed - because honeybees are singing in chorus at its nearby, that chorus of bees is audible to the tree; thereby; eSa= this - Tilaka tree; tilaka priyaam= Tilaka tree, about the lover of - of Seetha; vyaktam vijaanaati= clearly, be knowing.

"As to how this best tree among all trees heareth the chorus of honeybees that singest around it, thereby this Tilaka tree clearly knowest Maithili, a lover of Tilaka trees, as this shouldst have heard her. [3-60-16]

ashoka shoka apanuda shoka upahata cetanam |
tvan naamaanam kuru kSipram priyaa sa.ndar.hshanena maam || 3-60-17

17. shoka apa nuda= oh, agony, away, taker - oh, remover of agony [a + shoka= alleviator of agony, name of tree etymologically]; ashoka= oh, Ashoka tree; priyaa sandarshanena= my ladylove, by showing; shoka upahata cetanam= by agony, marred, empathy [whose empathetic thinking is marred by agony]; maam= me; kSipram= readily; tvat naamaanam= yours, name after [name me after your name, make me your namesake with removed agonies]; kuru= you make [you name me.]

"Oh, Ashoka tree, an alleviator of agony, that is thine name lingually... but practically and readily name me after thine, by showing my ladylove, as my agony has marred my empathy... [3-60-17]

yadi taala tvayaa dR^iSTaa pakva taala phala stanii |
kathayasva varaarohaam kaaruNyam yadi te mayi || 3-60-18

18. taala= oh, Palm tree; pakva taala phala stanii= ripened, palm, fruit [like,] breasted; tvayaa dR^iSTaa yadi= by you, seen, if; te mayi kaaruNyam yadi= to you, on me, mercy [you have,] if there; varaarohaam kathayasva= of shapely lady, you tell.

"Oh, Palm tree, if thou seest that lady breasted alike ripened-palm fruits of thine, and if thine mercy is mine, thou telleth of that shapely lady Seetha... [3-60-18]

yadi dR^iSTaa tvayaa siitaa jambo jaa.mbuunada sama prabhaa |
priyaam yadi vijaanaasi niHsha.nka kathayasva me || 3-60-19

19. jambo= oh, Rose-apple tree; tvayaa siitaa yadi dR^iSTaa= by you, Seetha, if, is seen; jaambuu nada= like gold - golden complexioned; or [jaambuu phala= Rose apple like; sama prabhaa= equal, in glitter; smoothly complexioned one like Rose-apple; priyaam= of ladylove; vi jaanaa asi yadi= clearly, in the know, you are, if, [if you are clearly in the know of]; me niH shanka kathayasva= to me, less of, doubt - hesitation, tell.

"Oh, Rose-apple tree, if thou seest Seetha and thee knowest my ladylove with golden glitter, thou telleth me without hesitation...

Or

"Oh, Rose-apple tree, if thou seest Seetha and thou knowest my ladylove whose complexion is smoothish like thine Rose-apples, thou telleth me unhesitatingly... [3-60-19]

aho tvam karNikaara adya puSpitaH shobhase bhR^isham |
karNikaara priyaam saadhviim sha.msa dR^iSTaa yadi priyaa || 3-60-20

20. karNikaara= oh, Karnikaara tree; tvam adya= you, now; puSpitaH= in full bloom; shobhase bhR^isham= blooming, magnificently; aho= Aha! karNikaara priyaam= Karnikaara-flowers, a lover of; saadhviim= immaculate one; priyaa= my ladylove; dR^iSTaa yadi= you have seen, if; shamsa= you tell.

"Aha! Karnikaara tree, now thou art in full bloom and blooming magnificently, if thou seest that lover of Karnikaara-flowers and an immaculate ladylove of mine, thou telleth me... [3-60-20]

Annex: 'you all might have seen when your friend was imperilled and you might have complained, or cried out with the rustle of your leaves or gestured with the swings of your branches, as humans would do with their voice and hands... and the birds and bees nestled on you also might have chorused, sadly... but those birds and bees are unable to communicate what has happened... you trees, though you may not have rushed to rescue her, as you are pegged on ground, you indicate to me, at least with your branchy gestures, what exactly has happened...

cuuta niipa mahaa saalaan panasaan kuravaan dhavaan |
daaDimaan api taan gatvaa dR^iSTvaa raamo mahaayashaaH || 3-60-21
bakulaan atha punnaagaan ca ca.ndanaanketakaan tathaa |
pR^icChan raamo vane bhraanta unmatta iva lakshyate || 3-60-22

21. mahaayashaaH= of high glory; raamaH= heart-stealer; raamaH= Rama; vane= in forest; cuuta= mango trees; niipa= niipa trees; mahaa saalaan= massive, saala trees; panasaan= jack-fruit trees; kuravaan= kuruva trees; dhavaan= dhava trees; atha= then; daaDimaan api= daaDima trees, even; bakulaan= bakula trees; tathaa= like that; pun naagaan ca= pannaga trees, also; candanaan= sandalwood trees; ketakaan= ketaka trees; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing - those trees; taan gatvaa= to them, having gone to trees; pR^icChan= on asking them; bhraanta= while wandering; unmatta iva lakshyate= madman, like, appearing to be.

Rama has gone on asking trees like mango, niipa, massive saala, jack-fruit, kuruva, dhava, and even around daaDima, bakula, punnaaga, sandalwood, ketaka trees, and when he is running around them that highly glorious Rama appeared like a madman. [3-60-21, 22]

athavaa mR^iga shaaba akSiim mR^iga jaanaasi maithiliim |
mR^iga viprekSaNii kaa.ntaa mR^igiibhiH sahitaa bhavet || 3-60-23

23. athavaa= or else; mR^iga= oh, deer; mR^iga shaaba akSiim= deer, fawn, eyed one; maithiliim jaanaasi= of Maithili, do you know [what bechanced to her]; mR^iga vi prekSaNii= deer-like, quick, with looks; [athavaa= or else] kaantaa= that lady; mR^igiibhiH sahitaa bhavet= herd of she-deer, along with, she will be [herded into her of deer.]

"Or else, oh, deer, dost thou know what bechanced to that fawn-eyed Maithili, one with quick-looks like thee deer? Or else, hast she herded herself into the herd of she-deer of yours... [3-60-23]

Annex: 'poor trees... they cannot air their expression, hence Maithili is unsaid by them... but you deer, you can voice and gesticulate, then voice it out or gesticulate, since that Maithili is an all time playmate of you deer... and you are an expert in escaping, and you might have escaped when Maithili was in danger, does not matter, it is your nature, now tell me what exactly has happened...' [but, then that deer ran in a particular way, but Rama is now unable to decipher it... and concludes,] 'now also you are escaping expertly... leave it at that...'

gaja saa gaja naasoruH yadi dR^iSTaa tvayaa bhavet |
taam manye viditaam tubhyam aakhyaahi vara vaaraNa || 3-60-24

24. gaja= oh, elephant; gaja naasa= elephant's, nose - trunk-like; uuruH= thighs - she who is having; saa= she that Maithili; tvayaa dR^iSTaa yadi bhavet= by you. seen, if, she is [if she is seen by you]; taam= of her; tubhyam= to you; viditaam= [she who is already -] familiar to you; manye= I deem; vara vaaraNa= oh, best, elephant; aakhyaahi= you tell.

"Oh, elephant, thou mightst beheld her whose thighs likens to your trunk at that problematic hour, thus methinks, and that Maithili is familiar to thee, and oh, best elephant, if thou beholdest her, thou tallest me... [3-60-24]

Annex: 'though you are a pachyderm you are keen-eyed and you can find out even a thorn in the weed, also you are around this place for a long time, thus well acquainted with all of us... hence I deem that something must have happened and somehow you might have seen... though you could not prevent it with your massive head, trunk or legs, but tell me what exactly has happened...

shaarduula yadi saa dR^iSTaa priyaa ca.ndra nibha aananaa |
maithilii mama visrabdham kathayasva na te bhayam || 3-60-25

25. shaarduula= oh tiger; candra nibha aananaa= Moon, similar in shine, faced one - Seetha; priyaa= my ladylove; saa maithilii= she, that Maithili; dR^iSTaa yadi= seen [by you,] if; vi srabdham= without, fear - in good faith; mama= to me; kathayasva= you speak up; te bhayam na= to you, fear, is not there.

"Fear not, oh, tiger, hast thou seen Maithili, the moonfaced ladylove of mine, if thou hast seen speak in good faith... [3-60-25]

Annex: 'I know that you are a master prowler and a brave one, these deer and elephants are somehow fearing to tell me, but you tell me because you're a brave one... did you not prowl the prowler of Maithili... I also know that equal is the fear when one sees a tiger or when a tiger sees one... now you need not lift up your fore-paw and step back on seeing me... as I cause no harm now... but tell me, whether you ran after that one who caused some harm to Seetha or not, as Seetha never harmed you, when you were on the prowl hereabouts...' But that tiger retraced its steps, because Rama is an archer with a bow and arrows, without telling him that without exception all the animals vainly ran after Ravana trying to rescue Seetha. Such as he is, an uninformed one, he starts a delirious soliloquy in imagery.

kim dhaavasi priye nuunam dR^iSTaa asi kamala iikSaNe |
vR^ikSeNa aacchaadya ca aatmaanam kim maam na pratibhaaSase || 3-60-26

26. kamala iikSaNe= oh, lotus like, eyed one; priye= oh, my dear; [duure= distantly]; kim dhaavasi= why, you are running away; dR^iSTaa asi= seen, you are; nuunam= in fact; aatmaanam vR^ikSeNa aacchaadya= yourself, by trees [by leaves,] veiling [camouflaging]; maam= to me; kim na prati bhaaSase= why, not, in turn, talking [replying me.]

"Oh lotus-eyed lady, in fact I have seen you my dear, then why this running away and concealing yourself under trees, why do not you reply me... [3-60-26]

tiSTha tiSTha varaarohe na te asti karuNaa mayi |
na atyartham haasya shiilaa asi kim artham maam upekSase || 3-60-27

27. varaarohe= oh, best lady; tiSTha tiSTha= stay, stay; te mayi karuNaa na asti= to you, on me, mercy, not, is there; ati artham= too, much - unacceptably; haasya shiilaa= tease, humoured; na asi= not, you are; maam= me; kim artham upekSase= what, for, you ignore.

"Stay...stay... oh, best lady, don't you have mercy on me? You are not unacceptably tease-humoured! What for you ignore me? [3-60-27]

piita kausheyakena asi suucitaa vara var.hNini |
dhaavanti api mayaa dR^iSTaa tiSTha yadi asti sauhR^idam || 3-60-28

28. vara varNini= oh, beautifully, complexioned one; piita kausheyakena= by yellowy, silk-sari; suucitaa asi= betokened, you are; dhaavanti api= running away, even if; mayaa dR^iSTaa= by me, seen; sau hR^idam= good, will [for me]; asti yadi= is there is [you have,] if; tiSTha= you stay.

"Oh, beautifully complexioned lady, even if you are running away your yellowy silk-sari betokens you, stay, if you have goodwill for me... [3-60-28]

na eva saa nuunam athavaa hi.msitaa caaru haasinii |
kR^icChram praaptam na maam nuunam yathaa upekSitum ar.hhati || 3-60-29

29. athavaa= otherwise; saa= she [whom I just saw]; na eva= not, thus [may not be Seetha]; caaru haasinii= cheerful, smiles [one who have them, Seetha]; nuunam= certainly; himsitaa= she is murdered; yathaa= as to how [why because]; kR^icChram praaptam= wretched-state, one who attained; maam= me; upekSitum na arhati= to avoid me, not, aptly of her - she would not avoid me; nuunam= definitely.

"Otherwise, she whom I have just seen me may not be Seetha, why because, it is unapt of her to avoid me who attained this wretched state, hence Seetha with cheery smiles is certainly murdered... [3-60-29]

vyaktam saa bhakSitaa baalaa raakSasaiH pishita ashanaiH |
vibhajya a.ngaani sar.hvaaNi mayaa virahitaa priyaa || 3-60-30

30. mayaa virahitaa priyaa= by me, without being present [in my absence,] my dear one; saa baalaa= she, who is youngish; vyaktam= obviously; sarvaaNi angaani vi bhajya= [her] all, limbs, on verily, dividing; pishita ashanaiH raakSasaiH bhakSitaa= by raw-flesh, gorgers, by demons, she is gorged.

"Obviously the raw-flesh gorgers must have gorged that youngish lady on diving all her limbs in my absence from my dear one... [3-60-30]

nuunam tat shubha da.nta oSTham sunaasam shubha kuNDalam |
puurNa ca.ndra nibham grastam mukham niS.hprabhataam gatam || 3-60-31

31. nuunam= evidently; tat shubha danta oSTham= that [lady with] pretty, teethed, lipped one; su naasam= with prettily, nose; shubha kuNDalam= with prettyish, earrings; puurNa candra nibham= full, moon, similar; [tat= that]; mukham= face; grastam= when devoured; niS prabhataam gatam= without, lustre [blanched looked,] entered [obtained.]

"Her face which is similar to a full-moon with pretty teeth, prettier lips, prettily nose and with prettyish earrings, might have obtained a blanched look when being devoured... [3-60-31]

saa hi ca.mpaka varNa aabhaa griivaa graiveyaka ucitaa |
komalaa vilapantyaaH tu kaantaayaa bhakSitaa shubhaa || 3-60-32

32. vilapantyaaH= while bewailing; kaantaayaa= lady's; campaka varNa aabhaa= campaka flower's, colour, in shine; graiveyaka ucitaa= for neck ornaments, befitting - neck; komalaa= exquisite; shubhaa= beautiful; saa griivaa tu= hers/that, neck, but; bhakSitaa hi= glutted down, indeed.

"But that exquisite and beautiful neck of that lady which shines forth in the colour of Campaka flower, befitting for any neck ornament, indeed it might be glutted down while she is bewailing... [3-60-32]

nuunam vikSipyamaaNau tau baahuu pallava komalau |
bhakSitau vepamaana agrau sa hasta aabharaNa a.ngadau || 3-60-33

33. vikSipyamaaNau= when wriggling; pallava komalau= tender-leaf like, delicate; vepamaana agrau= having quivering, having ends - of arms, fingers; sa hasta aabharaNa angadau= with, hand, ornaments [bangles,] bicep-lets; tau baahuu= those two, arms; nuunam= definitely; bhakSitau= eaten - are nibbled.

"Her two arms which are delicate like tender leaves, ornamented with bangles and bicep-lets might have been definitely nibbled while they are wriggling with quivering fingers... [3-60-33]

mayaa virahitaa baalaa rakSasaam bhakSaNaaya vai |
saarthena iva parityaktaa bhakSitaa bahu baa.ndhavaa || 3-60-34

34. baalaa= youngish - Seetha; rakSasaam bhakSaNaaya vai= for demons, as though for feast, really; mayaa vi rahitaa= by me, without presence [in my absence]; [maya pari tyaktaa iva= by me, forsaken, as though]; bahu baandhavaa= many, relatives, [though Seetha has many relatives]; saarthena parityaktaa iva == by caravan, completely forsaken [woman,] like [as worse as]; bhakSitaa= she is feasted.

"This is as though I have forsaken this youngish Seetha really as a feast for the demons in my absence, and though Seetha has many relatives she has become as worse as a lonesome woman who is completely forsaken by her caravan who is lonesomely ready for the feast of highwaymen, and demons have feasted on her. [3-60-34]

haa lakSmaNa mahaabaaho pashyase tvam priyaam kvacit |
haa priye kva gataa bhadre haa siite iti punaH punaH || 3-60-35

35. mahaabaahaH= oh, dextrous one; haa lakSmaNa= ha, Lakshmana; tvam= you; kvacit= anywhere; priyaam= my ladylove; pashyase= are you seeing; bhadre= oh, auspicious lady; haa priye= ha, dear; kva gataa= where, you have gone; haa siite= ha, Seetha; iti punaH punaH= thus, again, again; [rudan= while bewailing] - he serched.

"Ha, Lakshmana... oh, dextrous one... have you seen my ladylove anywhere... ha, dear, where have you gone... oh, auspicious lady... ha, Seetha..." thus Rama lamented again and again in his search. [3-60-35]

iti evam vilapan raamaH paridhaavan vanaat vanam |
kvacit ud bhramate vegaat kvacit vibhramate balaat || 3-60-36
kvacit matta iva aabhaati kaa.ntaa anveSaNa tatparaH |

36, 37a. raamaH= Rama; iti evam= thus, this way; vilapan= on bewailing; vanaat vanam= from wood, to wood; pari dhaavan= on overly, rushing; kvacit= somewhere; vegaat= by forcefulness [of delusion]; ud bhramate= highly, delusional [he becomes]; kvacit= somewhere else; balat= by powerfulness [of allusion]; vi bhramate= verily, [he is] alluded; kvacit= else where; kaantaa anveSaNa tatparaH= ladylove, in search of, impassioned one; matta iva [unmatta iva]= mad [madman,] like; aabhaati= shining forth [he is nitid.]

On bewailing in this way and on overly rushing from wood to wood, somewhere Rama has become highly delusional by the forcefulness of delusion and spots forest stuff as Seetha, though none of them have any resemblance to Seetha, and somewhere else, marking creepers, plants or slender shrubs and suchlike delicacies as Seetha he has become really alluded by the powerfulness of allusion, and elsewhere, he is not discriminating paths or pathless routes for his trekking as an impassioned one in the search of his ladylove, and thus he is nitid like a madman. [3-60-36, 37a]

sa vanaani nadiiH shailaan giri prasravaNaani ca |
kaananaani ca vegena bhramati aparisa.msthitaH || 3-60-37

37. saH= he, Rama; vanaani nadiiH shailaan= woods, rivers, hills; giri prasravaNaani ca= mountain, rapids, also; kaananaani ca= thick forests, also; aparisamsthitaH [a pari sam sthitaH= not, completely, well, stable one]= restlessly; vegena bhramati= speedily, he roves.

Rama is on the rove around woods, rivers, hills, mountain-rapids and thicketed forests, speedily and restlessly. [3-60-37]

tadaa sa gatvaa vipulam mahat vanam
pariitya sarvam tu atha maithiliim prati |
aniSThita aashaH sa cakaara maargaNe
punaH priyaayaaH paramam parishramam || 3-60-38

38. saH= he that Rama; vipulam mahat vanam= to vast, great, forest; tadaa= that way; gatvaa= on going round; sarvam pariitya= everywhere, on searching; maithiliim prati= Maithili, towards; an + iSThita aashaH= not, tangible, hope [hope became intangible]; saH= he; atha= then; punaH= again; priyaayaaH= of ladylove; maargaNe= in searching; =; paramam parishramam= extreme, effort - over-strenuous effort; cakaara= he made.

On going round the vast of great forest in that way and on searching for Maithili, his hope became intangible, but again he undertook the search for his ladylove, over-strenuously. [3-60-38]

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Did Rama actually weep?

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Maheshvara Tiirtha says that, 'the word iva 'alike, seemingly, as though' is to be ellipted to all the expressions given by Rama, as god incarnate Rama did not 'really' weep over...' As such the expressions will become: shokaat paripluta iva, shokaat pradhaavan iva, vilapan iva etc., and they mean 'as though he is inundated in sea called lamentation... as though he wept... as though he ran after...' and the like. For this the viSNu puraaNa, umaa samhita is cited as reference, where Vishnu himself says: aham d˜þarathi× b¨tv˜ hanmi r˜vaõam ˜have | þrŸ mad r˜ma avat˜re asmin ajñavat kriyate mama | tatra þank˜ na kartavy˜ sarvajñena api m˜yay˜ | mat m˜y˜ mohitam rakÿo manuÿyam m˜m avekÿyati | anyath˜ tasya s˜ n¨nam na bhavet atra kutracit 'I on becoming Dasharatha's son will eliminate Ravana in combat... though Omniscient I conduct myself in the incarnation of Rama as a commoner by my Maya... thereby no doubt be nurtured by any... believing me a human Ravana will be mislead, as there is no other way for his elimination...' thus Tiirtha says that Rama did not actually 'weep or wail...'

But this is contradicted and said by later commentators, 'though Rama is Supreme Being he took up human incarnation and he conducted himself as a human. Hence there is no need to ellipt ellipses for many a time and portray him as a 'direct' god on earth. Valmiki has said this more than once through Rama's words that he is just a 'human...' aatmaanam aham maanuSam manye 'I for myself am a human...' etc., and here also Valmiki used this word iva only at a few places like unmatta iva, udbhraanta iva Even if Rama were to be 'god' on earth, for his fate of taking a human incarnation he is fated to behave as a human, and gets involved in human emotions, according to situations and his mental conditions. In such conditions, for he is 'god' he can 'evoke' an emotion as he evoked rancour many times when eliminating demons as in the episodes of Aranya when he was eliminating Khara, Dushana, and others. There is roSam aahaarayat tiivram... 'rancour, evoking, unusual...' 'and then evoking an unusual rancour to eliminate Khara in war, he eliminated Khara...' as at 3-30-19. Here when the word roSam is replaced with shokam and if it be said as shokam aaharayet tiivram... it suffices all contradictions. And in many other places, we see him aaharayet 'getting' wrath or sadness, or other humanly emotion. When he can 'evoke' one human emotion 'wrath', why not evoke other emotions like 'love, sadness, pity, kindness' and the like. Again, there are some subhuman emotions like greed, avarice, hate, jealousy etc., which are unbefitting to humans themselves, hence the question of Rama's evoking them for his activities, does not arise.

Then 'is this playacting of god, of hoodwinking of man called Rama in the name of Ravana...' is the connective question. The answer is 'neither...' for it is maya of Vishnu. In other way, it is not hoodwinking of Rama but it is the bewailing of god/Rama caused by the suffering of his adherents/devotee/subjects - particularly for Seetha, who is not just a devotee or adherer, but his own altar ego. Particularly when that god alone, through the so-called destiny, karma, fate etc, causes that suffering. Rama admits at verse 34 of this chapter 'this is as though I have forsaken this Seetha...' because of his passion for hunting, either the deer or the demon, thus bechanced is an ill fate on Seetha.

If Rama were to be god, he is not an 'featureless' god of advaita tenet, a nirguNa but he is saguNa 'featured' god and some of his many features are: svabhaavika anavadhika atishaya, j~naana, bala, aishvarya, viirya, shakti, tejaH, saushiilya, maardava, aarjava, sauhaardra, saumya, kaaruNya, maadhuryam, gaambhiirya, audaaryaadi aneka kalyaaNa guNa sampanna... of which we are concerned with kaaruNya, maardava features, 'pity and sheltering...' as Shudarshanaacaarya defined maardavam as aashrita viraha a-sahatvam maardavam 'impatience for the separation from his adherers...' and Rama wept with this pity and impatience for Seetha's separation from him.

However delinquent the children be, they do not know or care to know what their parents feel about their delinquency, because they themselves are thinking that they are not at all delinquent. But their parents, though they are aware of their children's delinquency, but unable to mend them, they suffer silently or blatantly. Here too it is the same predicament for Rama, though it is not parent-child relation, but it is man-wife relation, worthier enough for more suffering. His anguish is for the 'soul' called Seetha, going to be captivated in the 'body' called Lanka, and her deliverance is possible only on the annihilation of that body or holder of that body, namely Ravana, in the karmic cycle of birth-death. And none has a real glimpse or knowledge of that god or soul, but all go on assuming on their own as Bhagavad Gita says at7-24: avyaktam vyaktim ˜pannam manyate m˜m a-buddhaya | param bh˜vam aj˜nanto mama avyayam anuttamam | gita Which deem th' Unmanifested manifest, / Not comprehending Me in my true Self! / Imperishable, viewless, undeclared, - Sir Edwin Arnold. Hence, Rama really wept for Seetha and in fact, gods really weep even for us, madly and sadly, but we do not care, or wish to care.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 60th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 61

Introduction

thorough search in the entire forest and its mountains and at lakesides, but Seetha is unseen.

From here, until Rama meets Hanuma in next book Kishkindha, Rama's lamentation is continually portrayed. This may not be taken as a mere 'weeping' or 'bemoaning' of the principal character of the epic, but this has many poetics and romantics of epical poetry imbibed in it. An epic, basically, requires a hero to have his romantic attributes, naayaka lakshaNaaH and these 'wailings' will portray all of them. There are various, numerous and voluminous derivatives, meanings and commentaries, which cannot possibly be included in here, at this stage, except for passing references on them. Hence, this lengthy lamentation has lengthier romanticism.

Rama laments for Seetha and becomes despondent. But at the advice of Lakshmana both of them start a search for Seetha, presuming that she might be available in the proximity. Later they embark on a

dR^iSTvaa aashrama padam shuunyam raamo dasharatha aatmajaH |
rahitaam parNashaalaam ca praviddhaani aasanaani ca || 3-61-1
adR^iSTvaa tatra vaidehiim sa.mniriikSya ca sarvashaH |
uvaaca raamaH praakrushya pragR^ihya rucirau bhujau || 3-61-2

1, 2. dasharatha aatmajaH raamaH= Dasharatha's, son, Rama; shuunyam= vacant; aashrama padam= hermitage's, threshold; [siitaayaaH =with Seetha]; rahitaam parNa shaalaam ca= devoid of [empty,] straw, cottage, also; pra viddhaani aasanaani ca= utterly, shattered, seats [leaf-mats,] also; dR^iSTa= having seeing; tatra= there; vaidehiim= Vaidehi; a+dR^iSTvaa= not, seen; sarvashaH= everywhere; sam niriikSya ca= well, on eyeing watchfully, even; pra aakrushya= loudly, shrieked; [lakshmaNasya ] rucirau bhujau= [Lakshmana's,] winning, shoulders; pragR^ihya= on taking [clasping]; raamaH uvaaca= Rama, said.

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]

kva nu lakSmaNa vaidehii kam vaa desham ito gataa |
kena aahR^itaa vaa saumitre bhakSitaa kena vaa priyaa || 3-61-3

3. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; vaidehii= Vaidehi; kva nu= where is, possibly; itaH kam desham vaa gataa = from here, to which, place, or, she has gone; saumitre= oh, Soumitri; kena vaa aahR^itaa= by whom, or, she is stolen; priyaa= my ladylove; kena vaa bhakSitaa= by whom, or, she is gorged.

"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]

vR^iksheNa aavaarya yadi maam siite hasitum icChasi |
alam te hasitena adya maam bhajasva suduHkhitam || 3-61-4

4. siite= oh, Seetha; vR^iksheNa aavaarya= by trees, by concealing; maam= me; hasitum= [poke] fun at; icChasi yadi= you wish, if; te hasitena alam = your, fun [and games,] enough; adya= now; su duHkhitam= with highly, anguished one; maam bhajasva= me, you regard [get in touch.]

"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]

yaiH saha kriiDase siite vishvastaiH mR^iga potakaiH |
ete hiinaaH tvayaa saumye dhyaayanti asra aavila iikSaNaaH || 3-61-5

5. saumye siite= oh, meek, Seetha; vishvastaiH= confidence [keeping in you, hence meekly]; yaiH= which of those; mR^iga potakaiH= deer, children [young deer]; saha kriiDase= with [which,] you were playing; ete= all these; tvayaa hiinaaH = with you, without; asra aavila iikSaNaaH = with tears, fluttery, looks; dhyaayanti [adya]= are broody [now.]

"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]

siitaayaa rahito aham vai na hi jiivaami lakshmaNa |
vR^itam shokena mahataa siitaa haraNajena maam || 3-61-6
para loke mahaaraajo nuunam drakSyati me pitaa |

6, 7a: lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; siitaayaa rahitaH= Seetha, without; aham vai = I, really; na hi jiivaami= not, indeed, be living [outlasting]; siitaa= of Seetha; haraNa jena= by abduction, caused by; mahataa shokena= in high, anguish; vR^itam = enveloped - along with; maam= me; mahaa raajaH= great king [Dasharatha]; me pita = my, father; nuunam= definitely; para loke= in other, world [on my going there]; drakSyati= he observes.

"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]

Some other mms contain the word mR^itam 'dead ...' instead of the word vR^itam 'enveloped...' 'when I am dead and gone to other world, there my father will ask me...' would then be its meaning.

katham pratij~naam sa.mshrutya mayaa tvam abhiyojitaH || 3-61-7
apuurayitvaa tam kaalam mat sakaasham iha aagataH |
kaama vR^ittam anaaryam maam mR^iSaa vaadinam eva ca || 3-61-8
dhik tvaam iti pare loke vyaktam vakSyati me pitaa |

7b, 8, 9a. Dasharatha may deride me like this: maam= to me [to Dasharatha, he says 'to me you have promised']; maya abhiyojitaH= by me [by Dasharatha,] when directed; tvam= you - Rama; prati j~naam samshrutya= promise, on telling [assuredly]; tam kaalam a+puurayitvaa = that, time [term of exile] without, completing; mat= to my; sakaasham= presence; katham iha aagataH= how, to here [to other world, heaven] have come; by that you Rama, you have become a; kaama vR^ittam= at will, conducting [wilful disobedient - you Rama]; an+ aaryam= not, noble [despicable - you Rama]; mR^iSaa vaadinam= untruth, teller of [liar, dishonest - you Rama]; tvaam dhik = on you, fie; iti= thus - in that way father Dasharatha accuses me; pare loke= in other, world; me= to me; pitaa vyaktam vakSyati= father, obviously, speaks [derides me.]

"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]

vivasham shoka sa.mtaptam diinam bhagna manoratham || 3-61-9
maam iha utsR^ijya karuNam kiirtiH naram iva an.hR^ijum |
kva gacchasi varaarohe maa motsR^ijya - maa maa utsR^ijya - sumadhyame || 3-61-10
tvayaa virahitaH ca aham tyakSye jiivitam aatmanaH |

9b, 10, 11a. varaaarohe= oh, beautiful lady; vi vasham= without, self-control [one who is bewildered]; shoka sam taptam= by anguish, [who is] verily seared; diinam= [who is] woebegone; bhagna manoratham= broken, enthusiasm [whose buoyancy is broken]; maam= such as I am, me; kiirtiH= prestige; an + R^ijum naram = not, truthful one, from a man, [from a prevaricator]; iva= as with; iha= now; karuNam= as a woeful one; utsR^ijya= on abandoning; kva gacchasi= where, you are going; su madhyame= good [slender,] waisted one; maa motSR^ijya= maa= me; maa utsR^ijya= don't, leave [me] off; tvayaa virahitaH = by you, without [shunned away]; [if you shun me]; aham= I; aatmanaH jiivitam tyakSye = of mine, live, I will leave off - shun away.

"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]

iti iva vilapan raamaH siitaa darshana laalasaH || 3-61-11
na dadarsha suduHkha aarto raaghavo janaka aatmajaam |

10b, 11a. siitaa darshana laalasaH= Seetha, seeing, desperate for; su duHkha aartaH= highly, anguished, agonised; raaghavaH= legatee of Raghu; raamaH= Rama; iti iva vilapan= thus, this way, on bewailing; janaka aatmajaam na dadarsha= Janaka's, daughter, not, he has seen - found.

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]

anaasaadayamaanam tam siitaam shokaparaayaNam || 3-61-12
pa.nkam aasaadya vipulam siidantam iva ku.njaram |
lakSmaNo raamam atyartham uvaaca hita kaamyayaa || 3-61-13

11b, 13. siitaam= at Seetha; an + aasaadayamaanam= one who is not, getting at; shoka paraayaNam= one to sadness, who surrendered himself to - sinking; vipulam pankam aasaadya siidantam= chasmal, mud, on getting at, sinking; kunjaram iva = an elephant, as with; tam raamam= to such a, Rama; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; atyartham hita kaamyayaa= positively, well being, desiring; uvaaca= spoke.

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]

maa viSaadam mahaabuddhe kuru yatnam mayaa saha |
idam giri varam viira bahu kandara shobhitam || 3-61-14

14. mahaa buddhe= oh, well-informed one; viSaadam maa= = desperation, do not [get into]; mayaa saha yatnam kuru = me, along with, efforts, you make; viira= oh, brave one; idam giri varam= this, mountain, the best; bahu kandara shobhitam= many, caves, beaming forth with; she may be somewhere there.

"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]

priya kaanana sa.ncaaraa vana unmattaa ca maithilii |
saa vanam vaa praviSTaa syaat naliniim vaa supuSpitaam || 3-61-15
saritam vaa api sa.mpraaptaa miina va.njula sevitaam |

15, 16a. priya= fascinated; kaanana= in woodlands; sancaaraa= saunterer - Seetha; vana unmattaa ca= for water [here, not forest but waters,] infatuated, even; saa maithilii= she that, Maithili; vanam vaa= in forest, either; su puSpitaam naliniim vaa = well, bloomed, in lotus-lake, or; praviSTaa syaat = entered, she will be - she might have; miina vanjula sevitaam= by fishes, cane-breaks, one which is adorned by; saritam vaa api= to river, or, even; sampraaptaa= reached.

"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]

vitraasayitu kaamaa vaa liinaa syaat kaanane kvacit || 3-61-16
jij~naasamaanaa vaidehii tvaam maam ca puruSarSabha |
tasyaa hi anveSaNe shriiman kSipram eva yataavahe || 3-61-17

16b, 17. puruSarSabha= oh, best one among men; vaidehii= Vaidehi; tvaam ca maam ca= you, also, me, also; vi traasayitu kaamaa vaa= to scare [us,] wishing to, or else; jij~naasamaanaa vaa= interested in knowing [our reaction for her pranks,] or; kaanane kvacit liinaa = in forest, somewhere, wrapped up in [squirreled away herself]; syaat= she will be; shriiman= oh, honourable one; tasyaa anveSaNe= her, in searching; kSipram eva yataavahai= quickly, thus, we have to endeavour; hi= indeed.

"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]

vanam sarvam vicinuvo yatra saa janaka aatmajaa |
manyase yadi kaakutstha maa sma shoke manaH kR^ithaaH || 3-61-18

18. kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha Rama; manyase yadi= you consider, if; saa janaka aatmajaa= she, Janaka's, daughter; yatra = [to locate] where [she might be]; sarvam vanam vicinuvaH= in entirety, forest, let us search; shoke= in sadness; manaH= heart; maa sma= do not, be in; kR^ithaaH= do it [engulf.]

"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]

evam uktaH tu sauhaardaat lakSmaNena samaahitaH |
saha saumitriNaa raamo vicetum upacakrame || 3-61-19

19. lakSmaNena= by Lakshmana; sau haardaat= owing to good-heart; evam uktaH= this way, who is spoken to; raamaH= Rama; samaahitaH= self-collectedly [Rama]; saumitriNaa saha= Soumitri, with; vicetum upacakrame= to search, made headway.

When Lakshmana good-heartedly spoke this way, Rama self-collectedly made a headway for the search of Seetha along with Soumitri. [3-61-19]

tau vanaani giriin caiva saritaH ca saraa.msi ca |
nikhilena vicinvantau siitaam dasharatha aatmajau || 3-61-20

20. tau= those two; dasharatha aatmajau= Dasharatha's, sons; vanaani giriin caiva= forests, mountains, also thus; saritaH ca saraamsi ca= rivers, also, lakes, also; nikhilena= thoroughly; siitaam= for Seetha; vicinvantau= started searching.

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]

tasya shailasya saanuuni shilaaH ca shikharaaNi ca |
nikhilena vicinvantau na eva taam abhijagmatuH || 3-61-21

21. tasya shailasya saanuuni= that, [that mountain where their cottage is there - Chitrakuta,] mountain's, on sides; shilaaH [guhaaH] ca shikharaaNi ca= crags, even, peaks, also; nikhilena= whole of; vicinvantau= on searching; na eva taam abhi jagmatuH= not, thus, her, towards, go [found.]

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]

vicitya sarvataH shailam raamo lakSmaNam abraviit |
na iha pashyaami saumitre vaidehiim par.hvate shubhaam || 3-61-22

22. raamaH sarvataH shailam vicitya = Rama, everywhere, on that mountain, on exploring; lakSmaNam abraviit = to Lakshmana, said; saumitre= oh, Soumitri; iha parvate= this, on mountain; shubhaam vaidehiim= auspicious, Vaidehi; na pashyaami= not, I descry.

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]

tato duHkha abhisa.ntapto lakSmaNo vaakyam abraviit |
vicaran daNDaka araNyam bhraataram diipta tejasam || 3-61-23

23. tataH= then; duHkha abhisantaptaH lakSmaNaH = by anguish, tormented, Lakshmana; daNDaka araNyam vicaran = Dandaka, forest, while roving [searchingly]; diipta tejasam bhraataram= to greatly, resplendent, to brother - Rama; vaakyam abraviit=, sentence, said.

While roving searchingly in Dandaka forest Lakshmana who is tormented by anguish said a sentence to his greatly resplendent brother Rama. [3-61-23]

praapsyasi tvam mahaapraaj~na maithiliim janaka aatmajaam |
yathaa viSNuH mahaabaahuH balim baddhvaa mahiim imaam || 3-61-24

24. mahaapraaj~na= oh, insightful [brother]; tvam= you; janaka aatmajaam maithiliim= Janaka's, daughter, Maithili; mahaabaahuH= ambidextrous; viSNuH= Vishnu; balim= emperor Bali; baddhvaa= on fastening [on subjugating]; imaam mahiim= this, earth; yathaa= as with; praapsyasi= you will reacquire.

"Oh, insightful brother, you will reacquire Janaka's daughter Maithili, as Vishnu once subjugated Emperor Bali and reacquired this earth." [3-61-24]

evam uktaH tu viireNa lakSmaNena sa raaghavaH |
uvaaca diinayaa vaacaa duHkha abhihata cetanaH || 3-61-25

25. viireNa lakSmaNena= by valiant, Lakshmana; evam uktaH tu= thus, addressed, but; saH raaghavaH= he, Raghava; duHkha abhihata cetanaH = by poignance, marred, with thinking; diinayaa vaacaa= with pathetic, words; uvaaca = spoke.

But when the valiant Lakshmana addressed him in that way, Raghava whose thinking is marred by poignance spoke these pathetic words. [3-61-25]

vanam suvicitam sarvam padminyaH phulla pa.nkajaaH |
giriH ca ayam mahaapraaj~na bahu kandara nir.hjharaH |
na hi pashyaami vaidehiim praaNebhyo api gariiyasiim || 3-61-26

27. mahaapraaj~na= oh, sensible [brother]; sarvam vanam su vicitam= entire, forest, clearly, is searched; phulla pankajaaH padminyaH [vicitam]= with blossomed, lotuses, lotus-lakes [are searched]; bahu kandara nirjharaH= with many, caves, rapids; ayam giriH ca = this, mountain, also [searched]; praaNebhyaH api gariiyasiim= by lives, even, loftier than; vaidehiim= at Vaidehi; na pashyaami hi= not, I see, indeed.

"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]

evam sa vilapan raamaH siitaa haraNa karshitaH |
diinaH shoka samaaviSTo muhuurtam vihvalo abhavat || 3-61-27

28. siitaa haraNa karshitaH = by Seetha's, abduction, languishing [appears to be]; saH raamaH= he, that Rama; evam vilapan= in this way, lamenting; diinaH= pitiable; shoka sam aaviSTaH = by sadness, besieged; muhuurtam= for a moment; vihvalaH abhavat= perturbed, he became.

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]

sa vihvalita sarva a.ngo gata buddhiH vicetanaH |
niSasaada aaturo diino niHshvasya ashiitam aayatam || 3-61-28

29. vihvalita sarva angaH= fluttered, all, limbs; gata buddhiH= gone [functionless, ] faculty; vi cetanaH= without, animation [frozen fervour]; aaturaH= flustered; diinaH= forlorn; a+shiitam= not, cold [hot, swelteringly]; aayatam= lengthy; niHshvasya= on suspiring; saH= he [such as he is, he]; niSasaada= sank down / dejected.

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]

bahushaH sa tu niHshvasya raamo raajiiva locanaH |
haa priye ti vicukrosha bahusho baaSpa gadgadaH || 3-61-29

30. raajiiva locanaH saH raamaH = lotus, eyed one, he, that Rama; bahushaH= repeatedly [or, bahulam= muchly]; niHshvasya= suspired; baaSpa gadgadaH= by tears, becoming stifle-throated; haa priye iti= ha, dear, thus; bahushaH vi cukrosha= repeatedly, highly, shrieked.

Suspiring repeatedly he that lotus-eyed Rama shrieked repeatedly and loudly thus as, 'ha, Seetha...' with tears stifling his throat. [3-61-30]

tam saantvayaamaasa tato lakSmaNaH priya baandhavam |
bahu prakaaram shoka aartaH prashritaH prashrita a.njaliH || 3-61-30

31. tataH= then; priya baandhavam= loving, kinsfolk [one who has kinsfolk who hold him dear, namely Rama]; shoka aartaH lakSmaNaH = by sadness [of Rama,] [who is already] anguished, [such a] Lakshmana; prashrita= obediently; anjaliH= adjoining palms; prashritaH= obedient one - Lakshmana; bahu prakaaram= in divers, methods; tam saantvayaamaasa= him [at Rama,] started to pacify.

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]

anaadR^itya tu tat vaakyam lakSmaNa oSTha puTa cyutam |
apashyan taam priyaam siitaam praakroshat sa punaH punaH || 3-61-31

32. saH= he that Rama; tu= on his part; lakSmaNa oSTha puTa cyutam= Lakshmana's, lips, cup-like, fallen from; tat vaakyam= that, sentence [word of advise]; an+aadR^itya= not, agreeing - disavowing; priyaam taam siitaam= dear, her, that Seetha; a+pashyan = not, seeing; punaH punaH= again, again; praa kroshat= stridently, yelled.

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]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe eka SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 61st chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 62

Introduction

Rama bewails for Seetha as an ambivert, ambivalent romantic epical hero and asks Lakshmana to return to Ayodhya, as Rama is certain to perish without Seetha. He thinks his agony aloud, weighing pros and cons of his situation

siitaam apashyan dharmaatmaa shoka upahata cetanaH |
vilalaapa mahaabaahuu raamaH kamala locanaH || 3-62-1

1. dharmaatmaa= virtue-souled one; mahaabaahuu= long armed one; kamala locanaH= lotus, eyed one; raamaH= Rama; siitaam a+pashyan= Seetha, not, being able to see; shoka upahata cetanaH= anguish, marred, sagacity; vilalaapa= bewailed.

In not seeing Seetha that virtue-souled Rama's sagacity is marred by his anguish and he bewailed with his lotus-like eyes that are reddening like a pair of lotuses, raising is long arms. [3-62-1]

Some mms use the word kaama in the compound shoka upahata cetanaH thus it becomes kaama upahata cetana and then it means 'his sagacity is marred by desire for Seetha...' and because of the adjacency of word dharmaatmaa 'righteous one...' 'a righteous desire is no sin to desire for... hence his desire for Seetha is righteous...' Then mahaabaahuu denotes that he is wailing raising his long arms, and kamala locana is indicative of redness of lotuses, thus his eyes are reddening by his wailing.

pashyan iva ca taam siitaam apashyan madana arditaH |
uvaaca raaghavo vaakyam vilaapa aashraya dur.hvacam || 3-62-2

2. madana arditaH raaghavaH= by Love-god, cowed down, Raghava; taam siitaam= at her, at Seetha; a + pashyan= [even if] not, seeing; pashyan iva= seeing, as though; vilaapa aashraya dur vacam= wail, sheltered [pampered,] badly [inarticulately,] speech [articulacy - because his speech took shelter of waling he is articulating inarticulately with a speech that is pampered by that wailing instinct; [ittham= this way]; uvaaca vaakyam= said, words [vented his heart.]

Even if Raghava is not able to see Seetha in his presence he started talking to her in a kind of inarticulate wailing, as wailing pampered his articulacy because his speech took shelter of wailing instinct, and as he is cowed down by Love-god, and thus he started to vent out his heart in this way. [3-62-2]

Here the poet is starting the sixth phase among the ten phases called manmadha avasthaaH 'phases of pangs of love,' and this one is called a + rati 'non-indulgence, the ambivalence, the ambiversion...' of the romantic hero, in romantic epical poetry.

tvam ashokasya shaakhaabhiH puSpa priya taraaa priye |
avR^iNoSi shariiram te mama shoka vivardhinii || 3-62-3

3. priye= oh, dear; tvam= you are; puSpa priya taraaa= by flowers, fascinated, very much; mama shoka vi vardhinii= [that which] to me, anguish, highly, amplifying one; ashokasya shaakhaabhiH= with Ashoka tree, branches [which are in full bloom]; te shariiram= you, body; aavR^iNoSi= veiling yourself [now.]

"Flowers fascinate you very much, my dear, hence you veil yourself with the full bloomed branches of Ashoka tree, but that alone is amplifying my anguish because you both have presently became tormentors. [3-62-3]

We may recount the idea reg. Ashoka flowers expressed at 3-60-17.

kadalii kaaNDa sadR^ishau kadalyaa sa.mvR^itaa ubhau |
uuruu pashyaami te devi na asi shaktaa niguuhitum || 3-62-4

4. devi= oh, lady; kadalii kaaNDa [sknadha] sadR^ishau= banana plant's, stalk [trunk,] that likens to; kadalyaa samvR^itaa= by banana plants [grove,] lapped in; te ubhau uuruu= your, both, thighs; pashyaami= I caught sight of; ni guuhitum= inside, cover them in; shaktaa na asi= possible, not, you are [inapt].

"Maybe, both your thighs liken to the stalks of banana plants, thinking so, now you have lapped them in grovy banana plants, but I can distinguish which is which, thus now I caught sight of them, oh, lady, you are inapt at least to cover them from me. [3-62-4]

karNikaara vanam bhadre hasa.ntii devi sevase |
alam te parihaasena mama baadhaavahena vai || 3-62-5

5. devi= oh, lady; bhadre= oh, glorious lady; hasantii= facetiously; karNikaara vanam sevase= Karnikaara [trees with flowers,] in boscage, you glorying in; mama baadha aavahena [aa vahena]= to me, worry, bringing, carrying [wafting]; te parihaasena alam vai= your, facetiousness, is enough, really.

"Oh, lady, you are facetiously glorying in the boscage of fully bloomed Karnikaara trees which is really wafting worry to me, rather than the fragrance of those flowers oh, glorious lady, enough, enough is this facetiousness of yours. [3-62-5]

visheSeNa aashramasthaane haaso ayam na prashasyate |
avagacChaami te shiilam parihaasa priyam priye || 3-62-6
aagacCha tvam vishaalaakshii shuunyo ayam uTajaH tava |

6, 7a: visheSeNa= especially; aashrama sthaane= [like] hermitage, in a place; ayam= this [sort of]; haasaH= raillery; na prashasyate= not, merited; priye= oh, dear; te= your; parihaasa priyam shiilam= humour, loving, disposition; avagacChaami= I am aware of [state of mind, your humour]; vishaalaakshii= oh, wide-eyed one; tvam= you; aagacCha= come on; tava ayam uTajaH shuunyaH =your, this, cottage, is empty.

"I am aware of your humour, lady, and I know that you are jocose, but in a place like hermitage unmerited is this sort of raillery, even if it is good-natured. Hence, you come back, oh, wide-eyed one, your cottage is empty. [3-62-6, 7a]

Be it a cottage or a palace, minus a housewife, it cannot be called a 'home' na g®ham g®ha iti ˜hu× g®hiõŸ g®ham ucyate | g®ham tu g®hiõŸ hŸnam araõyam sad®þamatam || Maha Bharata, 12-144-6; bh˜ry˜hŸnam g®hasthasya þ¨nyam eva g®ham bhavet | 'a house is a house when housewife is there, otherwise it amounts to a forest...' 'a house to the householder is a void, if the housewife is not there...'

su vyaktam raakshaiH siitaa bhakshitaa vaa hR^itaa api vaa || 3-62-7
na hi saa vilapa.ntam maam upasampraiti lakshmaNa |

7b, 8a. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; siitaa= Seetha; su vyaktam= very, evidently; raakshaiH= by demons; bhakshitaa vaa= gorged up, either; hR^itaa api vaa= abducted, perhaps, or; saa= she; vilapantam maam= whiny, at me; na= not; upasampraiti [upa sam pra eti= to nearby, well, easily, coming]= returning; hi= indeed.

"Oh, Lakshmana, very evidently demons have either gorged up Seetha, or perhaps abducted her, because she is not returning to me who am whiny indeed for her. [3-62-7b, 8a]

etaani mR^iga yuudhaani sa ashru netraaNi lakshmaNa || 3-62-8
sha.mshanti iva hi me deviim bhakshitaam rajaniicaraiH |

8b, 9a. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; sa ashru netraaNi= those that are - with, with tears, eyes - with tearful eyes; etaani mR^iga yuudhaani= these, deer, mobs of; me deviim= my, lady is; rajaniicaraiH= by nightwalkers; bhakshitaam= gluttonised; shamshanti iva hi= explaining, as if, indeed.

"Indeed these teary-eyed mobs of deer look as if to explain that nightwalkers have gluttonised my lady. [3-62-8b, 9a]

haa mama aarye kva yaataa asi haa saadhvi vara var.hNini || 3-62-9
haa sa kaamaa adya kaikeyii devi me adya bhaviSyati |

8b, 9a. haa= ha; mama aarye= my, graceful one; adya= now; kva yaataa asi= to where, strayed, have you; haa saadhvi= ha, chastely lady; vara varNini= oh, best, complexioned one; haa= ha; me= my; devi kaikeyii= lady [queen mother, dowager,] Kaikeyi; sa kaama= with [fulfilled,] ambition; adya bhaviSyati= now, she will be.

"Ha! My graceful lady, to where you have strayed now... Ha! Chastely and best complexioned lady, now the ambition of my queen mother Kaikeyi will be fulfilled, as I breath my last owing to your straying... [3-62-8b, 9a]

siitaayaa saha niryaato vinaa siitaam upaagataH || 3-62-10
katham naama pravekshyaami shuunyam antaH puram mama |

9b, 10a. siitaayaa saha nir yaataH= with Seetha, along, out, I came - to exile; vinaa siitaam upa aagataH= without, Seetha, towards, arriving - go back to Ayodhya; shuunyam= empty; mama antaH puram= my, inside, palace [palace-chambers]; katham= how; naama= [in all but] name; pravekshyaami= enter [step in.]

"I have come to forests with Seetha and have to go back to Ayodhya without Seetha. How, in all but name, can I step into an oblivion called my palace-chambers? [3-62-9b, 10a]

nir.hviirya iti loko maam nir.hdayaH ca iti vakshyati || 3-62-11
kaataratvam prakaasham hi siitaa apanayanena me |

10b, 11a. lokaH maam= populace, of me; nir viirya iti= [a person] without, vigour, thus as; nir dayaH ca= without, pity, also; iti vakshyati= thus, they say [denounce]; siitaa apa nayanena= in Seetha's, away, leading - regarding abduction; me= my; kaataratvam= timidity [ineptitude]; prakaasham hi= will be self-evident, indeed.

"People will denounce me as a vigourless and pitiless person, and my ineptitude will indeed be self-evident, for Seetha is led away from me by some tactical being... [3-62-10b, 11a]

nivR^itta vana vaasaH ca janakam mithila adhipam || 3-62-12
kushalam paripR^icChantam katham shakshe niriikshitum |

11b, 12a. nivR^itta vana vaasaH ca= on completing, forest, living, also; kushalam paripR^icChantam= wellbeing [of all,] one who asks after [me]; mithila adhipam= Mithila's, king; janakam= to Janaka; niriikshitum= to gaze at [have the face]; katham shakshe= how, I am capable [how can I stand.]

"When the king of Mithila Janaka asks after the wellbeing of all the three of us after the completion of forest living, how do I have the face to stand him? [3-62-11b, 12a]

videha rajo nuunam maam dR^iSTvaa virahitam tayaa || 3-62-13
sutaa vinaasha sa.mtapto mohasya vasham eSyati |

12b, 13a. videha rajaH= Videha's, king; tayaa virahitam= her [Seetha,] without; maam dR^iSTvaa= me, on seeing; sutaa vinaasha santaptaH= daughter, by perishing, distraught; mohasya vasham eSyati= of perplexity, preponderance, goes under; nuunam= it is definite.

"On seeing me without Seetha the king of Videha will be distraught by the perishing of his daughter, and he defiantly goes under the preponderance of perplexity... [3-62-12b, 13a]

athavaa na gamiSyaami puriim bharata paalitam || 3-62-14
svargo api hi tayaa hiinaH shuunya eva mato mama |

13b, 14a. athavaa= instead; bharata paalitam puriim= by Bharata, ruled, to city [Ayodhya]; na gamiSyaami= not, I prefer to go; tayaa hiinaH= her, without; svargaH api= heaven, even; mama= to me; shuunya eva hi= void, thus, indeed; mataH= [is my] belief.

"Instead, I prefer not to go to the city Ayodhya that is ruled by Bharata, because it must be comforting to one and all under his rulership, but not to me as Seetha will not be with me... else if, that end of my life occurs now and if I were to go to heaven, even that heaven will be a void to me without her... I believe so... [3-62-13b, 14a]

tat maam utsR^ijya hi vane gacCha ayodhyaa puriim shubhaam || 3-62-15
na tu aham taam vinaa siitaam jiiveyam hi katha.mcana |

14b, 15a. tat= hence; maam vane utsR^ijya= me, in forest, forsaking; shubhaam ayodhyaa puriim gacCha= to auspicious, city, to Ayoidhya, [you Lakshmana] you go back; aham tu= I, on my part; taam siitaam vinaa= her, that Seetha, without; kathamcana= in anyway; na jiiveyam hi= not, I live on, isn't it.

"Hence, Lakshmana, you go back to that auspicious city Ayodhya forsaking me in forests, because I have no existence without Seetha, isn't it! [3-62-14b, 15a]

gaaDham aashliSya bharato vaacyo mat vacanaat tvayaa || 3-62-16
anuj~naato asi raameNa paalaya iti vasu.ndharaam |

15b, 16a. bharataH gaaDham aashliSya= Bharata, [on your] tightly, hugging [him]; mat vacanaat tvayaa= my, according to word, by you; vaacyaH= is tellable - Bharata is to be said this; vasundharaam paalaya iti= the earth, you reign, thus; raameNa anuj~naataH asi= by Rama, authorised, you are.

"On tightly hugging Bharata you shall tell him these words as I have said, 'Rama authorises you to reign the earth...' [3-62-16]

a.mbaa ca mama kaikeyii sumitraa ca tvayaa vibho || 3-62-17
kausalyaa ca yathaa nyaayam abhivaadyaa mama aj~nayaa |
rakshaNiiyaa prayatnena bhavataa saa ukta kaariNaa || 3-62-18

17b, 18. vibho= oh, efficacious Lakshmana; mama ambaa= my, mother; kaikeyii sumitraa ca kausalyaa ca= Kaikeyi, Sumitra, also, Kausalya, also; tvayaa= by you; mama aj~nayaa= by my, order; yathaa nyaayam= as per, justification [justifiably]; abhivaadyaa= you on revering them; you tell them my good bye; ukta kaariNaa= one who does whatever said to him - by Rama, namely Lakshmana; such a you are you say; bhavataa= by you; prayatnena= effortfully; saa= she [Kausalya]; rakshaNiiyaa= is to be protected.

"Oh, efficacious Lakshmana, on revering my mothers Kaika, Sumitra, and Kausalya justifiably you tell them my good bye, and you as the one who effectuates whatever is assigned to you, you have to effortfully protect my mother Kausalya by doing whatever she says. [3-62-17b, 18]

siitaayaaH ca vinaasho ayam mama ca amitra suudana |
vistareNa jananyaa vinivedya tvayaa bhavet || 3-62-19

19. a + mitra suudana= un, friendly, subjugator of; siitaayaaH ca= Seetha's, also; mama ca= mine, also; ayam= this; vinaashaH= perish; tvayaa= by you; jananyaa= to mothers; vistareNa= in detail; vi nivedya= clearly, be informed; bhavet= it shall be.

"Oh, the subjugator of unfriendly, Lakshmana... you shall clearly inform in detail about this perish of Seetha, also that of mine, to our mothers. [3-62-19]

iti vilapati raaghavo tu diino
vanam upagamya tayaa vinaa su keshyaa |
bhaya vikala mukhaH tu lakshmaNo api
vyathita manaa bhR^isham aaturo babhuuva || 3-62-20

20. diinaH= dejected one; raaghavaH= Raghava; vanam upagamya= forest, on nearing [searchingly he neared every corner of forest]; su keshyaa= with good, tresses - lady with best hair-locks; tayaa vinaa= her, without - missing from him; iti vilapati= thus, bewailing; lakshmaNaH api= Lakshmana, even; bhaya vi kala mukhaH= by fear, without, lustre, faced [whey-faced]; vyathita manaa= frantic, hearted; bhR^isham aaturaH babhuuva= highly, overwrought, he became.

Thus Raghava, the dejected, neared every corner of the forest in his search, and bewailed because that lady with best plaits, Seetha, is not found and missing from him. Even Lakshmana became whey-faced, frantic-hearted, highly overwrought, by the fear of uncertainty looming large on them. [3-62-20]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe dvi SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 62nd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 63

Introduction

Rama laments while searching for Seetha and reminiscing over his past, which was spent happily with Seetha. Rama and Lakshmana search for her at riversides of Godavari but she is unseen there. Though Lakshmana continuously encourages Rama for a thorough search without submitting to mere anguish, Rama sinks into his own anguish.

sa raaja putra priyaa vihiinaH
shokena mohena ca piiDyamaanaH |
viSaadayan bhraataram aarta ruupo
bhuuyo viSaadampravivesha tiivram || 3-63-1

1. priyaa vihiinaH= ladylove, without; saH raaja putra= he, king's, son, Rama; shokena= by agony; mohena ca= by anguish, even; piiDyamaanaH= being distressed; aarta ruupaH= anxious, in mien; bhraataram= brother Lakshmana; viSaadayan= despairing him; bhuuyaH= again; tiivram viSaadam pravivesha= dire, desperation, drifted into.

That prince Rama whom agony and anguish are distressing has become anxious in his mien, and he again drifted into a dire desperation while despairing his brother Lakshmana. [3-63-1]

sa lakshmaNam shoka vasha abhipannam
shoke nimagno vipule tu raamaH |
uvaaca vaakyam vyasanaanuruupam
uSNam viniHshvasya rudan sa shokam || 3-63-2

2. vipule shoke nimagnaH tu= in chasmal, sorrow, sunken, but; saH raamaH= he, Rama; sa shokam rudan= with, sorrow, wailing; shoka vasha abhipannam= sorrow, control, obtained - one who has gone under the control of sorrow; lakshmaNam= to Lakshmana; uSNam vi niHshvasya= scorchingly, severely, suspiring; vyasana anuruupam= to [Rama's] sensitivity, seemly; vaakyam uvaaca= sentence, spoke.

Rama who is sunken in a chasmal sorrow spoke this sentence while wailing sorrowfully, suspiring severely and scorchingly, and which sentence is seemly to his sensitivity, to Lakshmana who is already under the sway of sorrow. [3-63-2]

na mat vidho duSkR^ita karma kaarii
manye dvitiiyo asti vasu.ndharaayaam |
shoka anushoko hi para.mparaayaa
maam eti bhindan hR^idayam manaH ca || 3-63-3

3. vasundharaayaam= on earth; mat vidhaH= my, kind of; duSkR^ita= wrong deed [blameworthy]; karma kaarii= deed, [wrong] doer; dvitiiyaH= second one [another one]; na asti manye= not, is there, I deem; shoka anu shokaH= woe, followed, by woe; paramparaayaa= in seriation; hR^idayam= heart; manaH ca= mind, even; bhindan maam eti= to burst, me, getting at; hi= indeed.

"I am second to none among the blameworthy wrongdoers on this earth, thus I deem, and indeed woe followed by woe are getting at me in seriation to burst my heart and mind... [3-63-3]

puurvam mayaa nuunam abhiipsitaani
paapaani kar.hmaaNi asatkR^it kR^itaani |
tatra ayam adya patito vipaako
duHkhena duHkham yad aham vishaami || 3-63-4

4. maya= by me; puurvam= earlier [in previous births]; nuunam= definitely; abhiipsitaani= desirably; paapaani karmaaNi= damnable, deeds; asatkR^it= habitually; kR^itaani= [might be] done [committed]; tatra= in that [matter]; adya ayam= now, that [result of impious deeds]; vi paakaH= very much, ripened; patitaH= fallen; yat= by which; aham= I am; duHkhena duHkham= after misery, misery; vishaami= entering into.

"I might have definitely, habitually, and desirably committed damnable deeds in my previous births, and now the result of those impious deeds is very much ripened and has fallen on me, whereby I am entering misery after misery... [3-63-4]

As with the accrual of merit by good deeds, sin also accrues with impious or sinful acts anena janm˜ntara k®ta p˜pa anur¨pam phalam bhavati iti artha× - strŸ parv˜õi - n¨nam vyapak®tam p¨rveÿu janm˜su | yena m˜m du×khabh˜geÿu dh˜t˜ karmasu yuktkav˜n - mah˜ bh˜rata - dk and this ripens and bechances at a later time in the shape of misfortune.

raajya praNaashaH sva janaiH viyogaH
pitur vinaasho jananii viyogaH |
sar.hvaani me lakshmaNa shoka vegam
aapuurayanti pravicintitaani || 3-63-5

5. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; raajya praNaashaH= kingdom, deprived; sva janaiH viyogaH= own, from people, departed; pituH vinaashaH= father, demised; jananii viyogaH= mother, detached from; sarvaani= all these; pra vi cintitaani= very, deeply, those that are thought over; me shoka vegam aapuurayanti= my; agony, haste of, [they are] replenishing.

"I am deprived of the kingdom, departed from my own people, mainly Seetha, my father departed and I am detached from my mother, and Lakshmana, when all these setbacks are very deeply thought over they are replenishing the haste of my agony... [3-63-5]

sarvam tu duHkham mama lakshmaNa idam
shaantam shariire vanam etya klesham |
siitaa viyogaat punar api udiirNam
kaaSTaiH iva agniH sahasaa pradiiptaH || 3-63-6

6. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; idam sarvam duHkham= this, all, sadness; [shuunyam] vanam etya= [uninhibited,] to forest, on coming; shariire shaantam= physically, [there is some] peace; siitaa viyogaat= by Seetha's, dissociation; kaaSTaiH sahasaa pradiiptaH agniH iva= by firewood [fuel,] in a flash, flaring up, fire, as with; puna api klesham udiirNam= again, even, misery, is upshot.

"All this sadness of mine has silenced physically and there is some peace on coming to these desolate forests, in association of Seetha, but with the dissociation of Seetha misery is again upshot, as with fire which flares up in a flash when fuel is added... [3-63-6]

saa nuunam aaryaa mama raakshasena hi
abhyaahR^itaa kham samupetya bhiiruH |
apasvaram su svara vipralaapaa
bhayena vikranditavati abhiikshNam || 3-63-7

7. mama= my; bhiiruH= meek lady; saa aaryaa= she that, noblewoman; raakshasena abhi aahR^itaa= by demon, [might be] abducted; hi= indeed; kham samupetya= sky, on reaching; su svara vi pralaapaa= with a good, voice, she who chit-chats - converses; bhayena= by fear; abhiikshNam= with a higly; apa svaram= with bad, with tune [untunefully]; vikranditavati= she [must have] shouted; nuunam= it is definite.

"My noblewoman might be abducted by a demon, and on reaching the sky that lady who converses with a sweet voice might have wept a lot fearfully, and it is definite that she must have shouted a lot, untunefully... [3-63-7]

tau lohitasya priya darshanasya
sadaa ucitau uttama ca.ndanasya |
vR^ittau stanau shoNita pa.nka dig.hdhau
nuunam priyaayaa mama na abhibhaata || 3-63-8

8. lohitasya= reddish [sandal-paste]; priya darshanasya= pleasant, for a look [sandal-paste]; uttama candanasya= for best, [red] sandalwood paste; sadaa ucitau= always, deserve [to bedaub]; vR^ittau= roundish; mama priyaayaaH= my, ladylove's; tau= those two; stanau= breasts; nuunam= definitely; shoNita panka digdhau= blood, mud of, bedaubed; na abhibhaata= not, shining forth.

"Those two roundish bosoms of my ladylove which always deserved the application of pleasantly looking red-sandalwood's paste might definitely be unshiny, as they might be bedaubed with muddy blood when they are extricated from her body for devouring. [3-63-8]

tat shlakshNa su vyakta mR^idu pralaapam
tasyaa mukham ku.ncita kesha bhaaram |
raksho vasham nuunam upagataayaa
na bhraajate raahu mukhe yathaa i.nduH || 3-63-9

9. rakshaH vasham upagataayaa= demon's, repression, went into; tasyaa [mukham]= her, [face]; shlakshNa= sweet; su vyakta= very, clear; mR^idu= softish; pralaapam= talkative; kuncita kesha bhaaram= plaited, hair, lumped together; tat mukham= the same, visage; raahu mukhe induH yathaa= in Raahu [eclipsing planet,] in the mouth of [Rahu,] moon, as with; na bhraajate nuunam= not, shiny, definitely.

"She has a sweet, softish, and very clear talkativeness on her lips. That visage with such lips is crowned with a hairdo with hair lumped together and plaited, such as her visage is, it must have become unshiny on her going into the repression of demon, as with an unshiny moon when repressed in the mouth of eclipsing planet Raahu, it is definite... [3-63-9]

taam haara paashasya sadaa ucita a.ntam
griivaam priyaayaa mama su vrataayaa |
rakshaa.msi nuunam paripiitavanti
shuunye hi bhitvaa rudhira ashanaani || 3-63-10

10. sadaa= always; haara paashasya= necklaces, chains [wears]; ucita= worthy; antam= at contours; su vrataayaa= of strait, laced one; mama priyaayaa= my, ladylove's; taam griivaam= that, neck; rudhira ashanaani rakshaamsi= blood, eaters [thirsty,] demons; shuunye= in a secluded [place]; bhitvaa= on mangling; nuunam= definitely; pari piitavanti= completely, drank up [her blood.]

"The contours of the neck of that strait-laced ladylove of mine are always worthy for necklaces and chain-wears. The bloodthirsty demons would have indeed mangled that neck in a secluded place and they might have drunk her blood, it is definite... [3-63-10]

mayaa vihiinaa vijane vane yaa
rakshobhiH aahR^itya vikR^iSyamaaNaa |
nuunam vinaadam kurari iva diinaa
saa muktavatii aayata kaanta netraa || 3-63-11

11. yaa= who [Seetha]; vi jane vane= without, people [uninhabited,] in forest; mayaa vihiinaa= me, without [when I was away]; saa= she [such as she is]; aayata kaanta netraa= broad, bright, eyed one; rakshobhiH aahR^itya= by demons, abducted; vi kR^iSyamaaNaa= while forcibly, hauled; diinaa kurari iva= piteous, she-dove, like; vi naadam= rough, sound [discordantly]; muktavatii= released [shrieked out]; nuunam= definitely.

"While I was away from her in this uninhibited forest demons would have forcibly hauled her up when they are abducting that lady with broad-bright eyes, and she would have discordantly shrieked out like a piteous she-dove, it is definite... [3-63-11]

asmin mayaa saartham udaara shiilaa
shilaa tale puurvam upopaviSTaa |
kaanta smitaa lakshmaNa jaata haasaa
tvaam aaha siitaa bahu vaakya jaatam || 3-63-12

12. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; udaara shiilaa= well, mannered one - Seetha; kaanta smitaa= with a bright, smile; siitaa= Seetha; asmin= in here; shilaa tale= stone, on surface; mayaa saartham= with me, along with; puurvam= once; upopaviSTaa [upa upa viSTaa]= sat very closely; jaata haasaa= birthed, smiles [with all smiles]; tvaam= you; bahu vaakya jaatam= many, words, set of [verbosely]; aaha= spoke.

"Sitting very close to me on this stone's surface, oh, Lakshmana, she that well-mannered Seetha with bright smiles was speaking to you verbosely with all smiles... [3-63-12]

He is recollecting his romantic dalliances with Seetha at the riverside of Godavari. asmin 'in here, hereabouts which now is devoid of Seetha, she used to playfully tease me in our swimming sports in this River Godavari...' maya saartham where maya sa artham 'I thought I was winning... but, she who is used to have an upper hand... hence, then I became secondary...' udaara shiilaa 'well-mannered' Seetha... for she did not bother me for such a frolicking when we were in Ayodhya, and she with all her mannerliness maintained a distance from me, as there were her father-in-law, mother-in-laws in Ayodhya, but here only two of us who are with ourselves, and we rejoiced freely...' shilaa tale upa upa viSTaa 'on the surface of any stone wherever I wanted to gain a foothold after straining myself in swim-games, she used to reach and sit on each and every acclivitous stone, prior to my reaching it, and she used to spatter water on my face, to continue more swimming... but, I was really fatigued...' then she is one jaata haasaa 'in whom laughter took birth...she used to burst out peals of laughter... that declare me as a defeated one...' And then tvaam bahu vaakya jaata aaha 'she used talk to you a lot, with lots of words, as you are in the habit of always extolling me, and she was saying to you... 'you two are mightier than the mighty, but I am a woman, you two are males and can hunt the cruellest animals, but I am woman, a rabbit in the kitchen... but, see how I defeated your almighty brother...' and the like...'

'A very interesting and linguistically important case of a prepositional verb is provided by the verses [that contain] upopaviSTa... upa vish... originally must have meant 'to sit near'. In course of time, the idea of closeness or proximity was lost and it came to be used in the sense of sitting only. Now when the idea of nearness or proximity had to be expressed one more upa was prefixed to it. Thus, we see how tautological tendencies were influencing Sanskrit in the very hoary past. The Ramayana upopaviSTa has its parallel n Hindi paas baiThnaa [where] baiThnaa is upa veshana which itself means to sit near upa= paas. But still paas is used with baiThnaa...' The Ramayana, A Linguistic Study, Pt. Satya Vrat. And to supplement Panditji's above saying, even in English this is evident and Oxford in saying meaning for proximity, says 'sat in close proximity to them' where 'proximity' itself is one upa and 'close' is another upa... Thus tautology is same everywhere.

godaavarii iyaam saritaam variSTaa
priyaa priyaayaa mama nitya kaalam |
api atra gacChet iti ci.ntayaami
na ekaakinii yaati hi saa kadaacit || 3-63-13

13. saritaam variSTaa= among rivers, best; iyaam godaavari= this, Godavari is; mama priyaayaaH= to my, ladylove; nitya kaalam= all, time; priyaa= cherished [river]; atra gacChet api= thereunto, gone, she would have; iti cintayaami= thus, I think; saa ekaakinii= she, lonely; kadaacit na yaati hi= anytime, not, goes, indeed.

"Among rivers this Godavari is the best and it is an all the time cherished river to my ladylove, and I think she would have gone thereunto. But, at anytime she did not go there, singly... [3-63-13]

padma aananaa padma palaasha netraa
padmaani vaa aanetum abhiprayaataa |
tat api ayuktam na hi saa kaddacit
mayaa vinaa gacChati pa.nkajaani || 3-63-14

14. padma aananaa= lotus, faced; padma palaasha netraa= lotus, petal, eyed Seetha; padmaani aanetum= lotuses, to bring; abhi pra yaataa= towards, well [straightly,] gone; vaa= or; tat api= that, even [thought, idea itself]; a + yuktam= not, congruous; saa kaddacit= she, ever; mayaa vinaa= me, without; pankajaani na gacChati hi= for lotuses, not, she goes, indeed.

"Or, that lotus-faced, lotus-petal eyed Seetha has gone straight to bring lotuses! Nay, that idea itself is incongruous, for she never goes to get lotuses, indeed without me... [3-63-14]

kaamam tu idam puSpita vR^iksha saNDam
naanaa vidhaiH pakshi gaNaiH upetam |
vanam prayaataa nu tat api ayuktam
ekaakinii saa ati bibheti bhiiruH || 3-63-15

15. kaamam tu= voluntarily, but; puSpita vR^iksha saNDam= flowered, trees, stand of; naanaa vidhaiH pakshi gaNaiH upetam= divers, kinds of, birds, flights, having; idam vanam prayaataa nu= this, thicket, went to, really; tat api a+ yuktam= that, even, not, congruent; bhiiruH= [as a] timid one; saa ekaakinii ati bibheti= she, in solitude, much, scared - to go alone.

"But has she really gone to this stand of thicket which is with flowered trees and with birds of divers kind! Nay, that thought also is incongruent, because she as a timid one is much scared of solitude... [3-63-15]

aaditya bho loka krR^ita akR^ita j~naH
lokasya satya anR^ita karma saakshin |
mama priyaa saa kva gataa hR^itaa vaa
sha.msava me shoka hatasya sarvam || 3-63-16

16. loka= world's; krR^ita a+ kR^ita= performed, not, performed [deeds]; j~naH= knower of; lokasya= of world; satya an + R^ita karma saakshin= truth, un, truth [good and bad,] deeds, wittnesser; bho aaditya= oh, Sun; mama priyaa= my, ladylove; saa= she; kva gataa= where, gone [strolled]; hR^itaa vaa= stolen, or; shoka hatasya= by woe, writhing [such as I am]; sarvam me shamsava= all, to me, you tell.

"Oh, Sun, you are the knower of performed and unperformed deeds in the world, a wittnesser of good and bad deeds in the world, tell me, who am woefully writhing, to where my ladylove strolled, or is she stolen... [3-63-16]

lokeSu sarveSu na naasti ki.mcit
yat te na nityam viditam bhavet tat |
sha.msasva vayoH kula shaaliniim taam
mR^itaa hR^itaa vaa pathi var.htate vaa || 3-63-17

17. vayoH= oh, Air; sarveSu lokeSu= in all, worlds [wheresoever]; yat= which [whichsoever]; nityam= at all times [whensoever]; te= to you; na viditam= not, known; na bhavet= not, will be [cannot possibly become]; tat= that [whatsoever]; kimcit na asti= in the least, not, is there [how can that exist, whencesoever]; kula shaaliniim= of noble heritage, a lady; taam= of her; shamsasva= you tell; hR^itaa= stolen; mR^itaa vaa= slain, or; pathi vartate vaa= from path, strayed, or.

"Oh, Air, whatsoever is there in the world, wheresoever it might be, or whensoever it might have happened, and whichsoever it might be, and whencesoever it might exist, that cannot possibly be unknown to you. Hence, tell me of the lady from noble heritage... is she stolen, or slain, or strayed her steps..." Thus Rama begged of the Eternals for locating Seetha. [3-63-17]

iti iva tam shoka vidheya deham
raamam visa.nj~nam vilapa.ntam eva |
uvaaca saumitriHadiina sattvaH
nyaaye sthitaH kaala yutam ca vaakyam || 3-63-18

18. iti iva= thus, this way; shoka vidheya deham= by anguish, subordinated [routed by,] with physique; vi sanj~nam= without, sensation; evam= that way; vilapantam= bewailing; tam= to him; raamam= to Rama; saumitriH= Soumitri; a+ diina sattvaH= not, dispirited, in courage; nyaaye sthitaH= in justice, standing [justifiably]; kaala yutam ca= time, oriented [timely,] also; vaakyam uvaaca= sentence, spoke [suggested.]

To such a Rama whose physique is routed by his anguish in this way and who is insensately bewailing in that way, Soumitri whose courage is un-dispirited gave a justifiable and timely suggestion. [3-63-18]

shokam vimu.nca aarya dhR^itim bhajasva
saha utsaahataa ca astu vimaargaNe asyaaH |
utsaahavanto hi naraa na loke
siidanti karmasu ati duSkareSu || 3-63-19

19. aarya= oh, noble [brother]; shokam vimunca= anguish, release [banish]; dhR^itim bhajasva= fortitude, brace yourself; asyaaH vimaargaNe= in her, searching; saha utsaahataa ca astu= with, spiritedness, also, be there; loke= in world; utsaahavantaH naraaH= spirited, men; ati duSkareSu= [even though they are] highly, impracticable; karmasu= in enterprises; na siidanti= not, the sink [backslide]; hi= indeed.

"Oh, noble brother, banish that anguish and brace yourself with fortitude, and let you be with spiritedness in her searching... indeed, there is no backsliding for spirited men in their enterprises in this world, even though the enterprises are highly impracticable..." [3-63-19]

Lack of fortitude and spiritedness will sink anyone in a chasmal self-centred subjective grief. anena dhairya uts˜hau þokam apanudya k˜rya s˜dhakau iti s¨citam - tath˜ ca bh˜tate - droõa parv˜õi - abhimanyu vadhe dharma putram prati vy˜sa× - þocato hi mah˜ r˜ja hi adhame abhivartate | tasm˜t þokam parityajya þreyase prayated budha× | praharÿam abhim˜nam ca cintayet | evam jñ˜tv˜ sthiro bh¨tv˜ jahi arŸn dhairyam ˜pnuhi | dk Thus Vyaasa advises Dharmaraja to have fortitude and courage when he was sinking under the grief for the merciless killing of lonesome Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, in Maha Bharata war.

iti iva saumitrim udagra pauruSam
bruvantam aarto raghu va.msha vardhanaH |
na ci.ntayaamaasa dhR^itim vimuktavaan
punaH ca duHkham mahat abhyupaagamat || 3-63-20

20. aartaH= who is anguished; raghu vamsha vardhanaH= Raghu's, lineage, enhancer of [Rama]; iti iva bruvantam= thus, in this way, about him who is speaking so; udagra pauruSam= one with towering, bravery;, saumitrim= of Soumitri; na cintayaamaasa= not, gave heed to; dhR^itim vimuktavaan= fortitude, he who castaway; punaH ca= again, also; mahat duHkham abhyupaagamat= great [inexplicable,] anguish, he encountered with.

When Soumitri of towering bravery is speaking this way, Rama, the enhancer of Raghu's lineage, gave no heed to it, and since he castaway his fortitude he again encountered an inexplicable anguish. [3-63-20]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe tri SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 63rd chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 64

Introduction

Rama finds Seetha's flowers and footprints, followed by heavy footprints of some male massive demon. On detailed probing there appear some more ruins of a combat between two warriors. Concluding that Seetha is definitely abducted by a massive demon, Rama wants to countermove the universe, even by waging a war with gods.

sa diino diinayaa vaacaa lakSmaNam vaakyam abraviit |
shiighram lakSmaNa jaaniihi gatvaa godaavariim nadiim || 3-64-1
api godaavariim siitaa padmaani aanayitum gataa |

1, 2a. saH= he [such as he is]; diinaH= a pitiable one; diinayaa vaacaa= with pitiable, voice; lakSmaNam= to Lakshmana; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, said; lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; shiighram godaavariim nadiim gatvaa= quickly, to Godavari, river, on going to; siitaa= Seetha; padmaani aanayitum= lotuses, to fetch; godaavariim= to Godavari; api gataa= whether, gone there; jaaniihi= you know - find out.

A pitiable one, such as he is, he spoke to Lakshmana in a pitiable voice, "Lakshmana, go quickly to River Godavari and find out whether Seetha has gone to Godavari to fetch lotuses..." [3-64-1, 2a]

evam uktaH tu raameNa lakSmaNaH punaH eva hi || 3-64-2
nadiim godaavariim ramyaam jagaama laghu vikramaH |

2b, 3a. raameNa evam uktaH= by Rama, thus, one who is said; laghu vikramaH= in briskness, becoming valiant one - quickening his pace; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; ramyaam godaavariim nadiim= to charming, Godavari, to river; punaH eva hi= again, thus, indeed; jagaama= went to.

When Rama said thus to him Lakshmana again went to the charming River Godavari quickening his pace. [3-64-2b, 3a]

taam lakSmaNaH tiirthavatiim vicitvaa raamam abraviit || 3-64-3
nainaam pashyaami tiir.htheSu kroshato na shR^iNoti me |

3b, 4a. lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; tiirtha vatiim= she which has many declivities, ghats; taam= her [Godavari]; vicitvaa= having searched; raamam abraviit= to Rama, said; enaam= her - Seetha; tiirtheSu= at declivities, ghats; na pashyaami= not, I am seeing; me kroshataH= by me, [even if] I shouted; [saa= she, Seetha]; na shR^iNoti= not, hearing [she is not replying

Searching at many declivities which River Godavari has on its banks Lakshmana said to Rama, "I do not espy her at ghats, declivities of riverbanks, and she is not replying though I shouted for her. [3-64-3b, 4a]

kam nu saa desham aapannaa vaidehii klesha naashinii || 3-64-4
na hi tam vedmi vai raama yatra saa tanu madhyamaa |

4b, 5a. raama= oh, Rama; klesha naashinii= nervousness, neutraliser of; saa vaidehii= she, that Vaidehi; kam [vaa] desham= to which, [or,] place; aapannaa nu= she reached, in fact; saa= she; tanu madhyamaa= body, slender [frailty]; yatra= where [she is]; tam [desham] na vedmi= that [place,] not, I am [not able to] know of - beyond my knowledge]; hi= really.

"In fact, oh, Rama, to which place she that neutraliser of nervousness, namely Vaidehi, has got round to, or where that frailty is, that place is really incomprehensible to me... [3-64-4b, 5a]

lakSmaNasya vacaH shrutvaa diinaH sa.ntaapa mohitaH || 3-64-5
raamaH samabhicakraama svayam godaavariim nadiim |
sa taam upasthito raamaH kva siite iti evam abraviit || 3-64-6

5b, 6. raamaH= Rama; lakSmaNasya vacaH shrutvaa= Lakshmana's, words, on listening; diinaH= despaired; santaapa mohitaH= by anguish, stupefied; svayam= personally; godaavariim nadiim= to Godavari, river; sam abhi cakraama= straight, towards, went to; saH raamaH= he, Rama; taam= her [river]; upa sthitaH= nearby, staying; siite kva= Seetha, where [are you]; iti evam abraviit= thus, that way, said [shouted.]

Rama who is already stupefied by anguish is now despaired on listening Lakshmana's words and he personally went straight to River Godavari, and staying nearby that river Rama shouted in this way, "Seetha... where are you?" [3-64-5b, 6]

bhuutaani raakSasendreNa vadha arheNa hR^itaam api |
na taam shasha.msuu raamaaya tathaa godaavarii nadii || 3-64-7

7. vadha arheNa= to be eliminated, who deserves to be; raakSasa indreNa= by demons, chief; taam= of her; hR^itaam iti= abducted, thus as; bhuutaani= creatures [that were already asked]; tathaa= likewise; api godaavarii nadii= even [now,] Godavari, river [which is being asked]; raamaaya na shashamsuu= to Rama, not, informed.

The forest creatures which were asked earlier have not said to Rama that a deservedly destructible demagogue of demons has divested him of Seetha, likewise now River Godavari which is now being asked has not informed Rama about Seetha. [3-64-7]

tataH pracoditaa bhuutaiH sha.msa ca asmai priyaam iti |
na ca saa hi avadat siitaam pR^iSTaa raameNa shocataa || 3-64-8

8. tataH= then; shocataa raameNa pR^iSTaa= by woeful, Rama, she who is asked; saa= she [Godavari]; priyaam asmai shamsa ca iti= about ladylove, to him, inform, also, thus [tell Rama the fact of Seetha's abduction]; [iti= thus]; bhuutaiH pracoditaa= by [all georgic] beings, [though] impelled; saa= she [Godavari]; siitaam= about Seetha; na avadat= not, said.

Though the woeful Rama has asked her, and even though all the georgic beings impelled her to inform Rama the fact about his ladylove, River Godavari then remained mouthless about Seetha. [3-64-8]

raavaNasya ca tat ruupam kar.hmaaNi ca duraatmanaH |
dhyaatvaa bhayaat tu vaidehiim saa nadii na shasha.msa ha || 3-64-9

9. saa nadii= she, that river; duraatmanaH raavaNasya= of malefic-minded one, of Ravana; tat ruupam= that, form; karmaaNi ca= his manoeuvres, also; dhyaatvaa= recalling; bhayaat tu= owing to fear; vaidehiim= about Vaidehi; na shashamsa ha= not, informed, indeed.

She that River Godavari has not informed Rama about Vaidehi just out of fear on recalling the mien and manoeuvres of malefic-minded Ravana, lest Ravana may drain her away. [3-64-9]

niraashaH tu tayaa nadyaa siitaayaa dar.hshane kR^itaH |
uvaaca raamaH saumitrim siitaa darshana karshitaH || 3-64-10

10. siitaa a + darshana karshitaH= Seetha, in not, appearance, who is run-down; raamaH= such Rama; tayaa nadyaa tu= by her, by that river, on her part; siitaayaa= of Seetha; darshane= regarding getting a glimpse of her; nir aashaH kR^itaH= without, hope, rendered as; saumitrim uvaaca= to Soumitri, spoke.

Rama who is already in a rundown condition owing to the non-appearance of Seetha, is further rendered as a hopeless being by River Godavari in the matter of his catching a glimpse of Seetha, and such a Rama spoke to Saumitri. [3-64-10]

eSaa godaavarii saumya ki.mcan na pratibhaaSate |
kim nu lakSmaNa vakSyaami sametya janakam vacaH || 3-64-11
maataram caiva vaidehyaa vinaa taam aham apriyam |

11, 12a. saumya= oh, kind Lakshmana; eSaa godaavarii= this, Godavari; kimcan na prati bhaaSate= anything, not, in turn, talking - replying; lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; vaidehyaa vinaa= Vaidehi, without; aham= I; janakam sametya= king Janaka, on meeting; maataram caiva= mother [Vaidehi's mother-in-law, Kausalya,] also thus; a+ priyam= not, pleasant [word]; [taam= to them]; kim nu= what, really; vacaH= word; vakSyaami= I have to say.

"Oh, kind Lakshmana, this Godavari is talking to me anything but a reply. In the absence of Vaidehi, oh Lakshmana, really what is that unpleasant word I have to say to Vaidehi's father king Janaka, also thus to Vaidehi's mother-in-law and my mother Kausalya, when I meet them! [3-64-11, 12a]

yaa me raajya vihiinasya vane vanyena jiivataH || 3-64-12
sarvam vyapanayat shokam vaidehii kva nu saa gataa |

12b, 13a: raajya vihiinasya= kingdom, one who is destitute of; vane vanyena jiivataH= in forests, on forest produce, surviving; me sarvam shokam= my, all, anguish; yaa vaidehii= which, Vaidehi; vyapanayat= led away [who is a remover]; saa kva gataa nu= she, to where, went to, really.

"Which Vaidehi is the remover of all my sadness who am a destitute of kingdom and surviving in forests on forest produce, such as she is, where has she gone, really! [3-64-12b, 13a]

j~naati varga vihiinasya raaja putriim apashyataH || 3-64-13
manye diirghaa bhaviSyanti raatrayo mama jaagrataH |

13b, 14a. j~naati varga vihiinasya= relative, folk, without [though distanced from]; raaja putriim a+ pashyataH= king's, daughter, not, seen; jaagrataH= awaking [while becoming sleepless]; mama raatrayaH= to me, nights; diirghaaH bhaviSyanti manye= lengthy, they will become, I think.

"Though I am distanced from my relatives I deemed that princess Seetha alone would be an evermore relative of mine. But now when that princess alone is unseen I deem that my sleepless nights would be lengthy. [3-64-13b, 14a]

ma.ndaakiniim janasthaanam imam prasravaNam girim || 3-64-14
sar.hvaaNi anucariSyaami yadi siitaa hi labhyate |

14b, 15a: mandaakiniim janasthaanam= Godavari, Janasthaana; imam= this; pra sravaNam girim= with many, rapids, mountain; sarvaaNi= all [places]; anu cariSyaami= in tow [of Seetha,] I wish to ramble - I will search; yadi siitaa hi labhyate= if [perhaps,] Seetha, indeed, available.

"I will search all these places of Godavari, Janasthaana and this mountain with many rapids, perhaps Seetha may be available somewhere. [3-64-14b, 15a]

River Mandakini is River Ganga and here River Godavari is said as Ganga as there are five Ganga-s panca gangaa Cauvery, Tungabhadra, Krishna Veni, Gautami [namely Godavari,] Bhaagiirathi. in Southern India and these are held sacred on par with River Ganga.

ete mahaa mR^igaa viira maam iikshante punaH punaH || 3-64-15
vaktu kaamaa iha hi me i.ngitaani anupalakshaye |

15b, 16a. viira= oh, brave one; ete mahaa mR^igaa= all these, burly, animals; punaH punaH [muhurmuhuH] maam iikshante= again, again, me, they are seeing; ingitaani anupalakshaye= [when their] body language, on gauging by; me vaktu kaama iha hi= to me, to say [something,] they desire, now - as it were.

"Now all these burly animals are repeatedly looking at me as though to speak to me, oh, brave Lakshmana, this I reckon with their body language as it were. [3-64-15b, 16a]

taan tu dR^iSTvaa naravyaaghra raaghavaH pratyuvaaca ha || 3-64-16
kva siita iti niriikshan vai baaSpa sa.mruddhayaa giraa |

16b, 17a. naravyaaghra raaghavaH= tigerly-man, Raghava; taan= them - animals; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; baaSpa samruddhayaa giraa vai= with tears, stifled, voice, indeed; niriikshan= gazing a them; siita kva= Seetha, where is; iti= thus; prati uvaaca ha= to them, asked, at once.

But on seeing them pryingly that tigerly-man Raghava has indeed asked them at once with a voice stifled with tears, "where is Seetha?" [3-64-16b, 17a]

evam uktaa narendreNa te mR^igaaH sahasaa utthitaa || 3-64-17
dakshiNa abhimukhaaH sarve darshayanto nabhaH sthalam |
maithilii hriyamaaNaa saa disham yaam abhyapadyata || 3-64-18
tena maargeNa gacChanto niriikshanto naraadhipam |

17b, 18, 19a. narendreNa= by king the best - Rama; evam uktaaH= thus, said to [asked]; te mR^igaaH sahasaa utthitaa= those, animals, in a trice, rose to their feet; sarve dakshiNa abhi mukhaaH= all of them, south, towards, faced - keeping snouts; nabhaH sthalam darshayantaH= sky, plane, while showing [with snouts]; hriyamaaNaa= one who is being abducted; saa maithilii= she, that Maithili; yam disham abhyapadyata= in which, direction, she chanced to go; tena maargeNa gacChantaH= by that, path, while going; naraadhipam= at lord of people - Rama; niriikshante= they looked [back and stared.]

When that best king has asked, those animals rose to their feet in a trice and facing themselves southward showed skyward with their snouts. And while running in the direction in which Maithili is taken away they are stopping to look back at that lord of people, Rama. Thus they are repeatedly running, stopping and staring at Rama. [3-64-17b, 18, 19a]

yena maargam ca bhuumim ca niriikshante sma te mR^igaaH || 3-64-19
punaH nadanto gacChanti lakshmaNena upalakshitaaH |

19b, 20a. te mR^igaaH= those, animals; yena= by which [reason]; maargam ca= [southerly] course, also; bhuumim ca= [southerly] terrain, also; niriikshantaH sma= peering at [Rama,] they are; punaH nadantaH gacChanti= again, clamorously, going [adopting the very same southerly course]; lakshmaNena upalakshitaaH= by Lakshmana, [that reason is] ascertained.

By which reason those animals are going in a southerly course on a southerly terrain, and stopping to peer at Rama, and again clamorously adopting the very same southerly course, Lakshmana ascertained that reason. [3-64-19b, 20a]

teSaam vacana sarvasvam lakshayaamaasa ca ingitam || 3-64-20
uvaaca lakshmaNo dhiimaan jyeSTham bhraataram aartavat |

20b, 21a. dhiimaan lakshmaNaH= imaginative, Lakshmana; teSaam vacana sarvasvam= their, sentence [language,] essence [lingua franca]; ingitam ca= body language [lingua persona,] even; lakshayaamaasa= started to notice; aarta vat= striver, as a; jyeSTham bhraataram uvaaca= to elder, brother, he spoke.

On noticing the lingua franca and even the lingua persona of those animals, that imaginative Lakshmana spoke to his elder brother, alike a striver striving hard for some information. [3-64-20b, 21a]

kva siita iti tvayaa pR^iSTaa yathaa ime sahasaa uthitaaH || 3-64-21
darshayanti kshitim caiva dakshiNaam ca disham mR^igaaH |
sadhu gacChaavahe deva disham etaam ca nair.hR^itiim || 3-64-22
yadi tasya aagamaH kashchit aaryaa vaa saa atha lakshyate |

21a, 22, 23a. deva= oh godly brother; ime mR^igaaH= these, animals; kva siita iti= where is, Seetha, thus; tvayaa pR^iSTaa= by you, when asked; sahasaa uthitaaH= quickly, rose up; kshitim caiva= ground [track,] also thus; dakshiNaam disham ca= southern, direction, also; yathaa= as to how; darshayanti= they are showing; gauging by it; etaam nairR^itiim disham= this one, south-west, towards quarter; sadhu gacChaavahe= for sure, we may go; kashchit aagamaH= some, information; yadi tasya [syaat]= whether, about her, [if available, we get it]; atha= or else; saa aaryaa vaa lakshyate= she, noble lady, either, may be seen.

"Oh, godly brother, when you have asked these animals, 'where is Seetha,' they quickly rose to their feet, and as to how they are showing the track on the ground and the southern direction as well, thereby we may, for sure, go south-westward to know whether there is some information about her, or else, even that noble lady herself may be available there..." [3-64-21a, 22, 23a]

baaDham iti eva kaakutsthaH prasthito dakshiNaam disham || 3-64-23
lakshmaNa anugata shriimaan viikshyamaaNo vasundharaam |

23b, 24a. shriimaan kaakutsthaH= illustrious, Kakutstha Rama; baaDham iti eva= yes, thus, that way [on saying]; lakshmaNa anugata= Lakshmana, followed by; vasundharaam viikshyamaaNaH= earth, while seeing [scrutinising]; dakshiNaam disham prasthitaH= towards southern, direction, he sallied forth.

On saying "Yes!" to Lakshmana that illustrious Rama of Kakutstha sallied forth to southern direction followed by Lakshmana, scrutinising the earth on his walkway. [3-64-23b, 24a]

evam sa.mbhaaSamaaNau tau anyonyam bhraatarau ubhau || 3-64-24
vasundharaayaam patita puSpa maargam apashyataam |

24b, 25a. evam anyonyam sambhaaSamaaNau= in this way, one-to-one, while conversing; tau ubhau bhraatarau= those, two, brothers; vasundharaayaam= on ground; patita puSpa maargam= fallen, flowers, walkway - a walkway bestrewn with flowers; apashyataam= they have seen.

Those two brothers who are proceeding while discussing among themselves have seen the walkway bestrewn with flowers fallen from a person. [3-64-24b, 25a]

puSpa vR^iSTim nipatitaam dR^iSTvaa raamo mahii tale || 3-64-25
uvaaca lakSmaNam viiro duHkhito duHkhitam vacaH |

25b, 26a. viiraH raamaH= valiant, Rama; mahii tale= on earth's, surface; nipatitaam= fallen down; puSpa vR^iSTim dR^iSTvaa= flower, drizzle, on seeing; duHkhitaH= anguished one; duHkhitam lakSmaNam= to [equally] anguished, Lakshmana; vacaH uvaaca =[this] word, said.

That valiant Rama who is anguished to see the drizzle of flowers fallen on the surface of earth spoke this word to Lakshmana who is equally anguished. [3-64-25b, 26a]

abhijaanaami puSpaaNi taani imaani iha lakSmaNa || 3-64-26
apinaddhaani vaidehyaa mayaa dattaani kaanane |

26b, 27a. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; iha= here [fallen on walkway]; taani= them; imaani= these; puSpaaNi abhijaanaami= flowers, I recognise; kaanane mayaa dattaani= in forest, by me, given - these flowers; vaidehyaa= by Vaidehi; apinaddhaani= tied -tucked in her bun.

"I recognise these flowers that are fallen here, oh, Lakshmana. In forest I gave them to Vaidehi and she tucked these very flowers in her bun. [3-64-26b, 27a]

manye suuryaH ca vaayuH ca medinii ca yashashivini || 3-64-27
abhirakshanti puSpaaNi prakurvanto mama priyam |

27b, 28a. suuryaH ca vaayuH ca= sun, also, air, also; yashashivini medinii ca= glorious one, earth, also; mama priyam prakurvantaH= to me, obliging, by doing - proffering a helping hand; puSpaaNi abhi rakshanti= flowers, they are carefully safeguarding; manye= I deem so.

"These flowers are carefully safeguarded by the sun, as they are unwithered yet, by air as they are unswept by it, and by the glorious earth, as they are unspoilt by that, thus I deem that these naturals, sun, air, and earth are really proffering a helping hand to me. [3-64-27b, 28a]

evam uktvaa mahaabaahuH lakSmaNam puruSarSabham || 3-64-28
uvaaca raamo dharmaatmaa girim prasavaNa aakulam |

28b, 29a. mahaabaahuH dharmaatmaa raamaH= dextrous, virtue-souled one, Rama; puruSa rSabham lakSmaNam= best of men, to Lakshmana; evam uktvaa= thus, on saying; prasavaNa aakulam= one that is with rapids, uproarious; girim uvaaca= to mountain, spoke [asked.]

On saying thus to best one among men Lakshmana, that virtue-souled and dextrous Rama asked the mountain that is uproarious with rapids. [3-64-28b, 29a]

kaccit kshiti bhR^itaam naatha dR^iSTaa sar.hvaa.nga su.ndariim || 3-64-29
raamaa ramye vanod deshe mayaa virahitaa tvayaa |

29b, 30a. kshiti bhR^itaam naatha= earth, among bolstered ones, lord [oh, lordly mountain / oh, king]; ramye= in beautiful; vanaat deshe= wood, lands; maya= by me; virahitaa= without [left out, foregone] sarva anga sundariim= all, limbs, beauteous one; raamaa= a beauty; tvayaa kaccit dR^iSTaa= by you, somehow, is seen.

"Oh, lord among the earth-bolstered mountains, have you somehow seen a beauty by all her limbs, foregone by me in beautiful woodlands?" [3-64-29b, 30a]

This question contains a reply to Rama in a sort of jugglery of words / parsing as in - able was I ere I saw Elba. kshiti bhR^itaam naatha 'of earth, among bolsterers, lord; oh, lordly bolsterer of earth, oh, king Rama; tvyaa virahitaa 'by you, foregone...' maya dR^iSTaa iti kaschit, kaschit= kaama pravedane ' by me, seen...'

Reply of mountain to Rama:"Oh, lordly bolsterer of earth, lord Rama, I have somehow seen a beauty by all her limbs, foregone by you in beautiful woodlands.'

When the question itself becomes an answer it is citra alankaara and the mountain gave that reply in an echo of Rama's verbiage. Rama takes this as a mere echo of the mountain, but not a clear reply, and thus angering at it he wants to splinter it down, as said in next lines.

kruddho abraviit girim tatra si.mhaH kSudra mR^igam yathaa || 3-64-30
taam hema varNaam hema a.ngiim siitaam darshaya parvata |
yaavat saanuuni sar.hvaaNi na te vidhva.msayaami aham || 3-64-31

30b, 31a. tatra= therein [the matter of unanswered question]; simhaH kSudra mR^igam yathaa= [like a] lion, with a puny, animal, as with; girim= to mountain; kruddhaH abraviit= becoming enraged, he spoke; parvata= oh, mountain; aham= I; te= your; sarvaaNi saanuuni= all, apices; yaavat= sooner than - before; na vidhvamsayaami= not, going to devastate apiece; taam hema varNaam= her, golden, tinged; hema angiim= golden, limbed; siitaam darshaya= Seetha, you show.

Because his question is unanswered he is enraged as with a lion enraging at a puny animal, and then he spoke to the mountain, "show me that golden tinged, golden limbed Seetha, oh, mountain, no sooner than I devastate all your apices, apiece..." [3-64-30b, 31]

evam uktaH tu raameNa parvato maithiliim prati |
darshayan iva taam siitaam na darshayata raaghave || 3-64-32

32. raameNa= by Rama; maithiliim prati= Maithili, about; evam uktaH= in that way, which is spoken to; parvataH= mountain; taam darshayan iva= her, revealing, as though - by its echo; raaghave= to Raghava; siitaam na darshayata= Seetha, not, revealed.

When Rama spoke to the mountain in this way, that mountain echoed as if it is revealing Seetha, but actually it has not revealed Seetha to Raghava. [3-64-32]

When the mountain replied echoing the same words of Rama, Rama deemed it silent on other account of Seetha, but just said 'I have seen Seetha...' Hence, that mountain said anything but a proper indication, thus it has dishonoured Rama - Maheshvara Tiirtha. The mountain appeared to have said something but kept mum on other details - Govindaraja. In either way it silent on other details for fear of later time atrocity of Ravana, thereby Rama wanted to subject it to his arrows atrocity, now itself.

tato daasharathii raama uvaaca shiloccayam |
mama baaNa agni nirdagdho bhasmii bhuuto bhaviSyasi || 3-64-33
asevyaH satatam caiva nistR^iNa druma pallavaH |

33, 34a: tataH daasharathii raama= then, Dasharatha's, Rama; shila uccayam uvaaca= to mountain, hefty one, said to; mama baaNa agni nirdagdhaH= to my, arrow's, inferno, completely burnt; bhasmii bhuutaH= ashes, on becoming [pared down]; satatam= ever; a + sevyaH= not, adorable [unworthy to animals or trees, a meritless mountain]; niS= devoid of; tR^iNa druma pallavaH= grass, tree, tender-leafs; bhaviSyasi= you will become.

Then Rama of Dasharatha said to the hefty mountain, "When the infernos of my arrows will burn you down completely and when you will be pared down ashes, you shall be grassless, treeless and tender-leafless, and thus you become a meritless mountain... hence, show Seetha before becoming so... [3-64-33, 34a]

imaam vaa saritam ca adya shoSayiSyaami lakSmaNa || 3-64-34
yadi na aakhyaati me siitaam adya candra nibha aananaam |

34b, 35b. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; candra nibha aananaam= moon, shine, faced; siitaam= of Seetha; adya= now; me na aakhyaati yadi= to me, not, going to tell, if; adya imaam saritam vaa= now, this one, river [Godavari,] even; shoSayiSyaami= I will dry up.

"Lakshmana, if this River Godavari is not going to tell me immediately about that moonshine-faced Seetha, now I will dry her up... [3-64-34b, 35a]

evam praruSito raamo didhakSan iva cakSuSaa || 3-64-35
dadarsha bhuumau niS.hkraa.ntam raakSasasya padam mahat |
trastayaa raama kaa~NkshiNyaaH pradhaavan.htyaa itaH tataH || 3-64-36
raakshasena anuvR^ittayaa vaidehyaa ca paadaani tu |

35b, 36, 37a. evam pra ruSitaH= this way, one who is highly, infuriated; cakSuSaa didhakSan iva= with eyes, to burn down, as though; raamaH= Rama; bhuumau= on ground; niS kraantam= heavily, trodden; raakSasasya mahat padam= demon's, gigantic, foot [footprint]; [atha= then]; trastayaa= one who was fearful; raama kaa~NkshiNyaaH= Rama, desirous of [his arrival]; itaH tataH= here, there; pra dhaavantyaa= one who ran helter-skelter; raakshasena anuvR^ittayaa= by demon, she who is followed; vaidehyaa paadaani ca= Vaidehi's, footprints, also; dadarsha= he has seen.

This way when Rama is highly infuriated and who appeared to burn down anything just with his eyes, then he has seen on the ground gigantic footprints of a demon, and the footprints of Vaidehi, who appeared to have run fearfully here and there in a helter-skelter manner expecting the arrival of Rama, and which footprints are heavily trodden by a demon who followed her. [3-64-35b, 36, 37a]

sa samiikSya parikraantam siitaayaa raakSasasya ca || 3-64-37
bha.ngam dhanuH ca tuuNii ca vikiirNaam bahudhaa ratham |
sa.mbhraa.nta hR^idayo raamaH shasha.msa bhraataram priyam || 3-64-38

37b, 38. saH raamaH= he, Rama; siitaayaa raakSasasya ca= Seetha's, demon's [footprints,] also; parikraantam= overly trodden - ground by way of footprints; bhangam dhanuH ca= broken, bow, also; tuuNii ca= quivers, also; bahudhaa vikiirNaam ratham= variously, strewn, chariot; samiikSya= on scrutinising; sambhraanta hR^idayaH= baffled, hearted - Rama; priyam bhraataram shashamsa= to dear, brother, informed.

On scrutinising the overly trodden footprints of Seetha and the demon, and a broken bow, broken quiver, and broken and variously bestrewn chariot also, then Rama became baffle-hearted and said to his dear brother Lakshmana. [3-64-37b, 38]

pashya lakSmaNa vaidehyaaH kiirNaam kanaka bindavaH |
bhuuSaNaanaam hi saumitre maalyaani vividhaani ca || 3-64-39

39. saumitre lakSmaNa= oh, son of Sumitra, oh, Lakshmana; pashya= see; vaidehyaaH bhuuSaNaanaam kanaka bindavaH= Vaidehi's, of jewellery, golden, beads; kiirNaam [shiirNaam] hi= strewn around [dropped down] indeed; vividhaani maalyaani ca= many, [bits of] garlands, also - have fallen.

"See Lakshmana, many beads of jewellery and many bits of garlands of Vaidehi have indeed fallen down, and oh, Soumitri, they are strewn around... [3-64-39]

tapta bindu nikaashaiH ca citraiH kSataja bindubhiH |
aavR^itam pashya saumitre sarvato dharaNii talam || 3-64-40

40. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; tapta bindu nikaashaiH ca= molten [golden,] droplets, equal in shine, also; citraiH kSataja bindubhiH= variedly [big and small,] blood, with drops; sarvataH= everywhere; aavR^itam= enclosed [interspersed]; dharaNii talam= earth's, surface; pashya= you see.

"Also the surface of the earth is everywhere interspersed with big and small blood drops that are akin to golden droplets, you see them Saumitri... [3-64-40]

manye lakSmaNa vaidehii raakSasaiH kaama ruupibhiH |
bhittvaa bhittvaa vibhaktaa vaa bhakSitaa vaa bhaviSyati || 3-64-41

40. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; vaidehii= Vaidehi; kaama ruupibhiH raakSasaiH= by wish, guise-changers, by demons; bhittvaa bhittvaa= ripping, riving; vibhaktaa vaa= divided [into poieces,] or; bhakSitaa vaa= gluttonised, or; bhaviSyati= she will be [she would have been]; manye= I think.

"I think Lakshmana, guise changing demons would have ripped and rived Vaidehi, or divided her into pieces, or they might have gluttonised her. [3-64-41]

tasyaa nimittam vaidehyaa dvayoH vivadamaanayoH |
babhuuva yuddham saumitre ghoram raakSasayoH iha || 3-64-42

42. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; tasyaaH vaidehyaaH nimittam= for her, of Vaidehi, on account of; vivada maanayoH= those who are clashing for her; dvayoH= among two of them; raakSasayoH= between two demons; iha ghoram yuddham babhuuva= here, a deadly, clash, occurred.

"A deadly clash has occurred here, Soumitri, while two demons were clashing between themselves on account of Vaidehi... [3-64-42]

muktaa maNi citam ca idam tapaniiya vibhuuSitam |
dharaNyaam patitam saumya kasya bhagnam mahat dhanuH || 3-64-43
raakshasaanaam idam vasta suraaNaam adhavaa api |

43, 44a. saumya= oh, gentle Lakshmana; kasya= someone's; idam= this; muktaa maNi citam= pearls, gems, studded; ramaNiiya vibhuuSitam= beautifully, decorated; mahat dhanuH= great, bow; bhagnam= on becoming fragmented; dharaNyaam patitam= on earth[battlefield,] fallen; vasta= oh, dear boy Lakshmana; idam= this; raakshasaanaam= [perhaps belongs] to demons; adhavaa api= else, or; suraaNaam= of gods.

"Oh, gentle Lakshmana, studded with pearls and gems this great bow of someone is beautifully decorated, but it is fragmented and fallen to earth. Oh, dear boy, Lakshmana, this bow may perhaps belong to demons, or else to gods... [3-64-43, 44a]

taruNa aaditya sa.nkaasham vaiduurya gulikaa citam || 3-64-44
vishiirNam patitam bhuumau kavacam kasya kaa.ncanam |

44b, 45a. taruNa aaditya sankaasham= young [rising,] sun, similar in shine; vaiduurya gulikaa citam= lapis gems, beads, studded; kaancanam= golden one; kasya= somebody's; vishiirNam kavacam= splintered, armour; bhuumau patitam= on earth, fallen.

"Studded with lapis gem beads this golden armour of someone is similar to the rising sun in its shine, but it is splintered and fallen to earth... [3-64-44b, 45a]

Chatram shata shalaakam ca divya maalya upashobhitam || 3-64-45
bhagna daNDam idam kasya bhuumau saumya nipaatitam |

45b, 46a. saumya= oh, gentle Lakshmana; shata shalaakam= having hundred, spokes; divya maalya upashobhitam= divine, festoons, embellished with; bhagna daNDam= wrecked, central-shaft; idam Chatram= this, regal-parasol; kasya= someone's; bhuumau= on to earth; nipaatitam= it is felled down.

"This hundred-spoked regal-parasol of someone is embellished with divine festoons, but oh, gentle Lakshmana, its central-shaft is wrecked and it is felled to earth... [3-64-45b, 46a]

kaancana uraH ChadaaH ca ime pishaaca vadanaaH kharaaH || 3-64-46
bhiima ruupaa mahaakaayaaH kasya vaa nihataa raNe |

46b, 47a. kaancana uraH ChadaaH ca= golden, chest, covered with coverings [breastplates,] also; pishaaca vadanaaH= ghost, faced; bhiima ruupaaH= macabre, in form; mahaa kaayaaH= massive, in frame; raNe nihataa= in war, hewed down; ime kharaaH= these, mules; kasya= whose; vaa= either.

"These ghost-faced mules with golden breastplates are macabre in form and massive in frame, but they are hewed down in war, whose are they, either... [3-64-46b, 47a]

diipta paavaka sa.mkaasho dyutimaan samara dhvajaH || 3-64-47
apaviddhaH ca bhagnaH ca kasya saa.mgraamiko rathaH |

47b, 48a. diipta paavaka samkaashaH= flaring, fire, similar in shine; dyutimaan= irradiant one; samara dhvajaH= war, pennon [having]; kasya vaa= somebody's; saamgraamikaH= one used in combat / combatant's; rathaH= chariot; bhagnaH ca= is broken, as well; apa viddhaH ca= down, battered, also.

"Somebody's combat-chariot is irradiant and similar in shine to the flaring fire with a war-pennon, but it is broken and battered down, as well... [3-64-47b, 48a]

ratha akSa maatraa vishikhaaH tapaniiya vibhuuSaNaaH || 3-64-48
kasya ime nihataa baaNaaH prakiirNaa ghora darshanaH |

48b, 49a. ratha akSa maatraa= chariot's, axle / crossbar, as much as; vi shikhaaH= without [shred,] arrowheads / having very sharp arrowheads; tapaniiya vibhuuSaNaaH= in gold, decorated; ni hataa= down, hit [shredded down by Jataayu]; ime= these; baaNaaH= arrows; ghora darshanaH= frightful, for sight; kasya= somebody's; pra kiirNaa= manifoldly, are strewn around;.

"These frightful looking arrows of somebody are gilded and they are as much as a chariot's axle in their thickness, but their arrowheads are shred and they are manifoldly shredded and strewn around... [3-64-48, 49a]

The sizes of Ravana's arrows are calculated differently. This ratha aksha maatra is taken as the length of chariot's wheel and thus it is said four-hundred inches or some 33 feet, which is unacceptable to some as Ravana did not travel in his chariot with a mega body. In another way aksha is taken as the 'eye of axle...' Then the diameter of his arrow is said, 'as thick as an axle...' Some others said the size of arrow is eighty-four inches according to shilpa shaastra 'science of chariot making...' taking this 'eye of axle' into consideration.

sharaavarau sharaiH puurNau vidhvastau pashya lakshmaNa || 3-64-49
pratoda abhiishu hasto ayam kasya vaa saarathiH hataH |

49b, 50a. lakshmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; sharaiH puurNau= with arrows, packed with; vidhvastau= completely shattered; sharaavarau= two quivers; pashya= you see; pratoda abhiishu hastaH= whip, bridles, in hand; hataH= drop dead; ayam saarathiH= this, charioteer; kasya vaa= whose, either.

"Lakshmana, you see these two quivers packed with arrows are completely shattered, and the charioteer is drop dead with whip and bridles still in his hands... whose charioteer he might be! [3-64-49b, 50a]

The word used here for quivers is sharaavara and for this Dr. Satya Vrat says: 'Another word which is also not noticed by Monier Williams is sharaavara. It means an armour kavaca and occurs at least twice in the Ramayana...' Here and at 3-51-14 of this canto and there it was used in the meaning of armour. If this meaning of armour is adopted here also, then the meaning of the above verse may somewhat be,

Lakshmana, you see... these two armours, one belonging to the combatant from this chariot [that is ripped off by Jataayu and fallen from the body of Ravana,] and the other belonging to this charioteer, both are encrusted fully with arrows [when Jataayu winnowed the very same arrows shot by Ravana with both of his wings and thus shot them back,] thus the two armours are completely shattered... and the charioteer is drop dead with whip and bridles in his hand... either he... whose is he... and where is the presiding combatant of this chariot....

padavii puruSasya eSaa vyaktam kasya api raakshasaH || 3-64-50
vairam shata guNam pashya mama taiH jiivita a.ntakam |

50b, 51a. eSaa= this is; vyaktam= evidently; kasya api= someone's; puruSasya raakshasaH= of a male, demon's; padavii= footprint [approach / modus operandi]; taiH jiivita antakam= their, life, ending - eradicate; shata guNam= hundred, fold; mama vairam= my, animosity; pashya= you see.

"Evidently this is the modus operandi of someone who is a male demon, and you see how my animosity has become hundredfold to eradicate them... [3-64-50b, 51a]

This is the reply to Seetha for she wanted no animosity could be nurtured towards the demons without a cause, in the opening chapters of this Aranya Kanda. When she herself became a cause for that animosity, now Rama is indicating the effect of that cause, in saying: 'I have some animosity towards these demons, but I have not eliminated them sweepingly, but for some demons occasionally... I thought that Seetha strayed her way, or eaten away by some pauperised paltry demon... but on seeing the massive footprints I consider this as a calculated and culpable crime... now that my animosity is multiplied hundredfold, whole of the demonic race will be eliminated...'

sughora hR^idayaiH saumya raakSasaiH kaama ruupibhiH || 3-64-51
hR^itaa mR^itaa vaa siitaa hi bhakSitaa vaa tapasvinii |
na dharmaH traayate siitaam hriyamaaNaam mahaavane || 3-64-52

51b, 52. saumya= oh, gentle Lakshmana; tapasvinii siitaa= saintly, Seetha; su ghora hR^idayaiH= by very, stony, hearted ones; kaama ruupibhiH= by wish, guise-changers; raakSasaiH= by demons; hR^itaa vaa= is abducted, either; bhakSitaa vaa= gluttonised, either; mR^itaa vaa= dead [killed,] or; mahaa vane= in great forest; hriyamaaNaam siitaam= while being abducted, Seetha is; dharmaH na traayate= rectitude, not, saves - has not saved her.

"The highly stony-hearted demons that are guise-changers by their wish have either abducted, or killed or gluttonised saintly Seetha... but, they say that rectitude saves such saintly persons... yet that rectitude has not saved Seetha while she is being abducted in great forest... [3-64-51b, 52]

Dharma or Righteousness does not go on safeguarding either its adherents or antagonists, everyone, everywhere, everlastingly. dharmo rakshati rakshitaH and suchlike sayings are also time-bound and when the time is negative aapatsu raksha ko dharmaH 'in difficulties which rightness safeguards?' is the ensuing dilemma.

bhakSitaayaam hi vaidehyaam hR^itaayaam api lakSmaNa |
ke hi loke priyam kartum shaktaaH saumya mama iishvaraaH || 3-64-53

53. saumya= oh, gentle one; lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; vaidehyaam= of Vaidehi; bhakSitaayaam= whether she is consumed; hR^itaayaam api= whether taken away, or; mama= to me; loke= in this world; ke iishvaraaH= who, are the gods; priyam kartum shaktaaH= benignancy, to do, capable.

"Whether Vaidehi is taken away or taken in by some unknown being, oh, gentle Lakshmana, then who are the gods who can possibly be benignant to me in this world... [3-64-53]

'No god can possibly be non-benignant to me, either in this world or in the other...' Govindaraja.

kartaaram api lokaanaam shuuram karuNa vedinam |
aj~naanaat avamanyeran sarva bhuutaani lakSmaNa || 3-64-54

54. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; lokaanaam kartaaram= for worlds, creator; api= even if; shuuram= Omnipotent; karuNa vedinam= leniency, heartfelt [a lenient one]; sarva bhuutaani= all, beings; aj~naanaat= by unenlightenment; ava manyeran= dis, respect.

"Lakshmana, someone, even if He were a Creator of Worlds, or an Omnipotent, if He were to be lenient at heart or in His actions, He will be disrespected by all beings, owing to the unenlightenment of those beings... [3-64-54]

mR^idum loka hite yuktam daa.ntam karuNa vedinam |
nir.hviirya iti manyante nuunam maam tridasha iishvaraaH || 3-64-55

55. mR^idum= mellowly being; loka hite yuktam= world's, wellbeing, one who is yoked to; daantam= self-controlled one [magnanimous]; karuNa vedinam= mercy, heartfelt [merciful one]; maam= of me; tridasha iishvaraaH= heavenly, gods; nir viirya iti= without, potency [non-Omnipotent,] thus; manyante= they deem; nuunam= definitely.

"I who am mellowly, magnanimous, merciful and yoked only to the wellbeing of all worlds, such as I am, all of the heavenly gods deem me as non-Omnipotent... it is definite... [3-64-55]

Annex: 'Even if I am capable of creating, maintaining, and destructing all the worlds, I am lenient, for I am benevolent... but the unwise are unable to know me, the real me... evil-doers are reverenced by one and all, though negatively owing to scare... but a do-gooder is scoffed off, for his deeds are positive and do not yield quick and instant results... and my Omnipotence is looked down as my impotence...' This concept is amplified throughout Bhagavat Gita.

maam praapya hi guNo doSaH sa.mvR^ittaH pashya lakSmaNa |
adya eva sarva bhuutaanaam rakSasaam abhavaaya ca || 3-64-56
sa.mhR^itya eva shashi jyotsnaam mahaan suurya iva uditaH |
sa.mhR^itya eva guNaan sarvaan mama tejaH prakaashte || 3-64-57

56, 57. lakSmaNa= Lakshmana; maam praapya= me, on getting; guNaH= merits [like mercifulness etc.]; doSaH= demerit; sam vR^ittaH hi= contracted - rounded off - indeed; pashya= you behold - Lakshmana; shashi jyotsnaam samhR^itya eva= moon, shine, by quelling, only; uditaH mahaan suurya iva= arisen, great [sizzling,] sun, as with; mama tejaH= my, irradiance; sarvaan guNaan samhR^itya eva= all, merits, quelling, only; adya eva= now, itself; sarva bhuutaanaam= of all, beings; rakSasaam ca= of demons, also; a + bhavaaya= for non, entity; prakaashte= is irradiating.

"Have you seen Lakshmana how merits like mercifulness, magnanimity and the like are inverted to become demerits on getting at me, thus I am unmerited in forgoing Seetha. As such, as with the sizzle of sun uprisen quelling all the moonshine, now you may see as to how my irradiance radiates quelling all the merits like softness and fairness for the nonentity of all beings proactive to demons, inclusive of demons. [3-64-56, 57]

na eva yakSaa na ga.ndharvaa na pishaacaa na raakSasaaH |
kinnaraa vaa manuSyaa vaa sukham praapsyanti lakSmaNa || 3-64-58

58. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; yakSaa= yaksha-s; sukham na praapsyanti= complaisance, will not, obtain [now]; gandharvaa na= gandharva-s, no; pishaacaa na= monsters, no; raakSasaaH na= demons, no; kinnaraa vaa= kinnaraa-s, either; manuSyaa vaa= humans, or.

"Oh, Lakshmana, will the yaksha-s be comfortable now, no; gandharva-s - no; monsters - no; demons - no; either kinnaraa-s or humans - no, none can be comfortable henceforth... [3-64-58]

mama astra baaNa sa.mpuurNam aakaasham pashya lakSmaNa |
asa.mpaatam kariSyaami hi adya trailokya caariNaam || 3-64-59

59. lakSmaNa= Lakshmana; mama astra baaNa= by my, missiles, arrows; sampuurNam aakaasham= packed with, welkin; adya= now; trailokya caariNaam= in three worlds, for treaders among them; a + sam paatam= not, well, flyable - not moveable - as an impassable sphere; kariSyaami hi= I wish to render, indeed; pashya= you notice.

"Now the welkin will be packed with my arrows and missiles, and I will render it as an impassable sphere for the treaders in the triad of worlds... [3-64-59]

sa.mniruddhagrahagaNamaavaaritanishaakaram |
vipranaSTaanalamarudbhaaskaradyutisa.mvR^itam || - yadva -
sa.mniruddha graha gaNam aavaarita nishaa karam |
vipranaSTa anala marut bhaaskara dyuti sa.mvR^itam || 3-64-60
vinirmathitashailaagram.hshuSyamaaNajalaaashayam |
dhvastadrumalataagulmam.hvipraNaashitasaagaram || - yadvaa -
vinir.hmathita shaila agram shuSyamaaNa jala aashayam |
dhvasta druma lataa gulmam vipraNaashita saagaram || 3-64-61
trai lokyam tu kariSyaami sa.myuktam kaala karmaNaa |

60, 61, 62a. trai lokyam= triad, of worlds; sam ni ruddha= very, completely blockaded; graha gaNam= with planetary, bodies - resulting into quiescence; kariSyaami= I will make; aavaarita nishaa karam= blocked, night, maker [moon]; vi pra naSTa= very, utterly ruined; anala marut bhaaskara dyuti= fire's, air's, sun's, aura; samvR^itam= enshroud - as blackened by darkness; vi nir mathita= completely, down, pulverised; shaila agram= mountain, tops; shuSyamaaNa jalaashayam= being dried up, water, receptacles [rivers, lakes]; dhvasta druma lataa gulmam= as devastated, trees, creeper-plants, shrubberies; vi pra Naashita= very, completely, ruined [depleted]; saagaram= ocean - oceans; kaala karmaNaa samyuktam= Time's, with task [in extinguishing an era,] having [relative to]; kariSyaami= I render.

"I will make the triad of worlds quiescent by completely blockading all the planetary bodies. The night-maker moon will be barricaded, aurae of fire, air and sun will be devastated, and then everything will be overcast with darkness. Mountaintops will be completely pulverised, water receptacles will be dried out, and trees, creeping-plants and shrubberies will be destroyed, and oceans depleted, thus I will bring the triad of the worlds to nought, relative to the task of Time in extinguishing an era... [3-64-60, 61, 62a]

na te kushaliniim siitaam pradaasyanti mama iishvaraaH || 3-64-62
asmin muhuurte saumitre mama drakSyanti vikramam |

62b, 63a. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; iishvaraaH= gods; siitaam kushaliniim= Seetha, safely; mama= to me; na pradaasyanti= not, going to give; asmin muhuurte= this, moment; mama vikramam te drakSyanti= my, onslaught - blitzkrieg, they, will be seeing.

"If the gods are not going to safely restore Seetha to me, oh, Soumitri, they can see what my blitzkrieg is, at this very moment... [3-64-62b, 63a]

na aakaasham ut.hpatiSyanti sarva bhuutaani lakSmaNa || 3-64-63
mama caapa guNa unmuktaiH baaNa jaalaiH nira.ntaram |

63b, 64a. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; sarva bhuutaani= all, beings; mama caapa guNa unmuktaiH= my, bow, string, released from; baaNa jaalaiH= with arrows, labyrinth; nir antaram= without, leeway; aakaasham= in sky; na= not; ut patiSyanti= up and about - they can fly high.

"All beings cannot fly high in the sky, oh, Lakshmana, as there will be a labyrinth of my arrows released from my bowstring, minus an intercolumniation... [3-64-63b, 64a]

marditam mama naaraacaiH dhvasta bhraa.nta mR^iga dvijam || 3-64-64
samaakulam amaryaadam jagat pashya adya lakSmaNa |

64b, 65a. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; adya mama naaraacaiH= now, by my, iron-shafts; marditam= bombarded; dhvasta bhraanta mR^iga dvijam= devastated, dazed, animals, birds; samaakulam= put to turmoil; a +maryaadam= without, order - disorderly - topsy-turvy; jagat= world; pashya= you may witness.

"Bombarded with my iron-shafts this world will be put to disorderliness, Lakshmana, you may now witness how the animals and birds will be dazed and devastated... [3-64-64b, 65a]

aakarNapuurNairiSubhirjiivaloka.mduraavaraiH || - yadvaa -
aakarNa puurNair iSubhir jiiva lokam duraavaraiH || 3-64-65
kariSye maithilii hetoH apishaacam araakSasam |

65b, 66a. maithilii hetoH= for Maithili's, because of; jiiva lokam= mortal, world; aakarNa puurNaiH= up to ear, stretched; dur aavaraiH= not, stoppable [arrows]; iSubhiH= with arrows; a+ pishaacam= without, phantoms; a+ raakSasam= without, demons; kariSye= I will render.

"Because of Maithili I will render this mortal world de-demonical, de-phantasmal by force-stretching my unstoppable arrows up to my ears to release them forcefully... [3-64-65b, 66a]

mama roSa prayuktaanaam vishikhaanaam balam suraaH || 3-64-66
drakSyanti adya vimuktaanaam amarSaat duura gaaminaam |

66b, 67. amarSaat= with irascibility; vimuktaanaam= those that released - from my bow; vi shikhaanaam= of great, crested [blaze-crested arrows]; mama roSa prayuktaanaam= by my, wrath, projected by; duura gaaminaam= distant, going [thoroughgoing]; [saayakaanaam= of arrows]; balam= impact; suraaH adya drakSyanti= gods, now, let them witness.

"Let the gods witness now the impact of the blaze-crested, thoroughgoing arrows of mine, projected by my wrath and released by my irascibility... [3-64-66b, 67a]

na eva devaa na daiteyaa na pishaacaa na raakSasaaH || 3-64-67
bhaviSyanti mama krodhaat trailokye vipraNaashite |

67b, 68. mama krodhaat= by my, anger; trailokye vi praNaashite= when tri-world, while being completely ruined; devaaH na eva bhaviSyanti= gods, not, in that way - that being so, will be there; daiteyaaH na= Lady Diti's progeny [demons,] no; pishaacaaH na= phantoms, no; raakSasaaH na= demons, no.

"That being so, when the triad of worlds is completely ruined by my anger will there be gods, no; demons - no; phantoms - no, none can survive... [3-64-67b, 68a]

deva daanava yakSaaNaam lokaa ye rakSasaam api || 3-64-68
bahudhaanipatiSyantibaaNoghaishshakaliikR^itaaH | - yadvaa -
bahudhaa ni patiSyanti baaNa oghaiH shakalii kR^itaaH |

68b, 69a. deva daanava yakSaaNaam= gods, monsters, yaksha-s; rakSasaam api= of demons, even; ye= whatever; lokaaH= worlds - are there, they; baaNa oghaiH= by arrows, fusillades; bahudhaa= variedly [apiece]; shakalii kR^itaaH= splinters, made into; ni patiSyanti= down, will be falling.

"Whatever worlds of gods, or monsters, or even those of demons are there, they will be splintered and falling down apiece by the fusillades of my arrows... [3-64-68b, 69a]

nirmaryaadaanimaa.Nllokaan.hkariSyaamyadyasaayakaiH || - yadvaa -
nir maryaadaan imaan lokaan kariSyaami adya saayakaiH || 3-64-69
hR^itaam mR^itaam vaa saumitre na daasyanti mama iishvaraaH |

69b, 70a. saumitre= oh, Soumitri; hR^itaam mR^itaam vaa= [either] abducted, killed, or; iishvaraaH= gods; [siitaam= Seetha]; mama na daasyanti= to me, not, if going to give back; adya= now; saayakaiH= with arrows; imaan lokaan= these, worlds; nir maryaadaan= without, civility [incivility, jeopardise]; kariSyaami= I will do.

"Whether she is abducted, or even if she is killed, oh, Soumitri, if the gods are not going to give back my Seetha I will now jeopardise these worlds with my arrows... [3-64-69b, 70a]

tathaa ruupam hi vaidehiim na daasyanti yadi priyaam || 3-64-70
naashayaami jagat sarvam trailokyam sa cara acaram |
yaavat darshanam asyaa vai taapayaami ca saayakaiH || 3-64-71

70b, 71. tathaa ruupam hi= that way, in form, indeed [in fine fettle - in 'as is where is' condition]; priyaam vaidehiim= ladylove, Vaidehi; na daasyanti yadi= not, they are going to return, if; sarvam= in entirety; sa cara a+caram= with, moving, not, moving [mobile, sessile]; trai lokyam= triad, of worlds; naashayaami= I will annihilate; yaavat= as long as; asyaaH darshanam= of her, a glimpse - I am going to get; jagat saayakaiH taapayaami ca= universe, by arrows, I will swelter.

"If my ladylove is not returned indeed in a fine fettle as she was before my running after Golden Deer, I will be annihilating the triad of world in its entirety, together with its mobile and sessile beings, and I will be sweltering the entire universe with my arrows as long as I am not going to get a glimpse of her." Thus Rama gave a vent to his feelings. [3-64-70b, 71a]

iti uktvaa krodha taamra akshaH sphuramaaNa oSTa sa.mpuTaH |
valkala ajinam aabaddhya jaTaa bhaaram bandhayat || 3-64-72

71. iti uktvaa= thus, on saying; krodha taamra akshaH= by fury, reddening, eyes; sphuramaaNa oSTa sampuTaH= jerking spasmodically, lips, lappet-fold; valkala ajinam aabaddhya= jute-cloth, deerskin, girded up; jaTaa bhaaram bandhayat= matted hair, mass, twined up.

Rama on saying thus with his eyes reddening in fury, his lappet-fold of lips jerking spasmodically, he girded up his jute-cloths and deerskin and twined up the mass of his matted-hair. [3-64-72]

tasya kruddhasya raamasya tathaa abhuutasya dhiimataH |
tri puram jagnuSaH puurvam rudrasya iva babhau tanuH || 3-64-73

73. tasya dhiimataH= that, venturesome one; kruddhasya raamasya tanuH= infuriated one, of Rama, physique [disposition]; tathaa abhuutasya= that way, on becoming; puurvam= once; tri puram= three, cities; jagnuSaH= intended to inflame; rudrasya iva= of Rudra, like that of; babhau= shone forth.

When the disposition of that venturesome and infuriated Rama has become in that way holocaustic, it is like that of Rudra, the All-Inflamer god, when He became like this in earlier times, intending to inflame the Triple-Cities. [3-64-73]

lakshmaNaat atha ca aadaaya raamo niS.hpiiDya kaarmukam |
sharam aadaaya sa.mdiiptam ghoram ashii viSa upamam || 3-64-74
sa.mdadhe dhanuSi shriimaan raamaH para pura.njayaH |
yuga anta agniH iva kruddhaH idam vacanam abraviit || 3-64-75

74, 75. raamaH= delighter of world; shriimaan= illustrious one; para puram jayaH= others [enemy's,] cities [fastnesses,] vanquisher of; raamaH= Rama; [iti uktvaa= thus, on saying]; lakshmaNaat kaarmukam aadaaya= from Lakshmana, bow, on grabbing; niSpiiDya= gripping tightly; sam diiptam= verily, dazzling; ghoram= deadly; ashii viSa upamam= serpent, poisonous, similar to; sharam aadaaya= arrow, unholstering; samdadhe dhanuSi= readied, in bow; atha= then; yuga anta agniH iva= era, end, fire, like; kruddhaH= wrathfully; idam vacanam abraviit= this, sentence, spoke.

On saying so that illustrious Rama, the delighter of world, grabbed his bow from Lakshmana and gripped it tightly, unholstered a deadly and dazzling arrow from his quiver which is like a poisonous serpent, and readying it on the bowstring of his bow, that Rama, the vanquisher of enemies fastnesses, who looked like the Ear-End-Fire, spoke this sentence. [3-64-74, 75]

yathaa jaraa yathaa mR^ityuH yathaa kaalo yathaa vidhiH |
nityam na pratihanyante sarva bhuuteSu lakSmaNa |
tathaa aham krodha sa.myukto na nivaaryo asmi asa.mshayam || 3-64-76

76. lakSmaNa= oh, Lakshmana; sarva bhuuteSu= among all, [created] beings; yathaa jaraa= how, ageing; yathaa mR^ityuH= how, dying; yathaa kaalaH= how, time; yathaa vidhiH= how, fate; nityam na prati hanyante= always [at anytime,] not, counter, attacked [counteravailed]; tathaa= likewise; krodha samyuktaH aham= fury, coalesced with, I am; na nivaaryaH asmi= not, stoppable [non-countervailed,] I am; a+samshayam= doubtlessly.

"As to how all the created beings cannot counteract the ageing, dying, fate and the Time at anytime, likewise I too am non-countervailed, when I am coalesced with fury, no doubt about it..." [3-64-76]

Time is the all-transcending factor and none can countervail it. anena m®tyu jara ˜dayo× aþakya pratŸk˜r˜ iti s¨citam | tath˜ ca droõa parv˜õi - na hi eÿa brahma caryeõa na veda adhyayanena ca | na kriy˜bhi× na ca astreõa m®tyo× kaþcin nivartayate | kr¨ra sarva vin˜þ˜ya k˜lo asau na ati vartate | mah˜ bh˜rata - dk

puraa iva me caaru datiim aninditaam
dishanti siitaam yadi na adya maithiliim |
sadeva gandharva manuSya pannagam
jagat sa shailam parivartayaami aham || 3-64-77

77. caaru datiim= suavely, teethed [smiles that sparkle her suavely teeth, occasionally]; a+ ninditaam= [one who will] not, [cause any] reproach - she who will not cause any reproach on my character like the burner of universe, killer of birds and animals etc., - if only I can glimpse her; maithiliim siitaam= [princes of] Mithila, Seetha is; puraa iva= previously, as [she was in fine fettle]; adya= now; me= to me; na dishanti yadi= not, going to show [give,] if; aham= I will; sa deva gandharva manuSya pannagam= with, gods, gandharva-s [immortals,] humans, reptiles [faunas]; sa shailam= with, mountains [and waters]; jagat= universe; pari vartayaami= counter move.

"If that princess of Mithila, who has suavely and toothy smiles and who causes irreproachability to my character if only I can have a glimpse of her, is not returned to me in fine fettle as she was when she was with me, then I will countermove whole of this universe together with its gods, immortals, humans, florae and faunas, mountains and waters... and whatnot... [3-64-77]

.

The ireful lamentation of Rama

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The expressions of Rama throughout this chapter are not just weeps, wails, or moans... but they have aesthetic values of epical hero. But to take up one in the last stanza, it bears inference like this. puraaH iva 'as before...' caaru datiim 'suavely-toothy-smiling Seetha... when she was smilingly asked me to fetch the Golden Deer, the last glimpse I had of her, still remains on my psyche... hence, in that fine fettle she shall be handed over now...' a+ ninditaam 'she is an irreproachable person for herself, no doubt, but she does not land even me into a reproachable situation even if I were to countermove the routine of universe for her, and my action stands rightful, as I am seeking her rightfully...' This argument is supported by Hanuma when he soliloquised on seeing Seetha in Lanka, saying: yadi r˜ma× samudra antam medinŸm parivartayet | asy˜× k®te jagat ca api yuktam iti eva me mati× || Sundara, 16-13. 'Even if Rama is going to make this earth with its oceans, or even whole of this universe topsy-turvy for the sake of this wide-eyed Seetha, I opine that Rama is right...' Such Seetha is siitaa 'one born in a furrow, a better birth than mine, as I birthed from the womb of my mother Kausalya, like any other human...' Besides, she is maithilii 'the daughter of fitly king Janaka and thus she is a fitly consort of mine... such as she is, she is displaced by you gods in the name of fate, fortuity, and fortune... whatever it might be, bring her back to me, or else be prepared for my irreversible counteraction of this universe's routine, which perchance is manned by you, or even for its entire annihilation...' This is viirocita sambhaaSaNa 'brave talk of a braving hero...' and the mood is viira rasa 'adventurousness...' that too, not at earthly humans or animals or demons, but against the soi-disant gods.

So also is the ire of Arjuna in Maha Bharata. A valiantly victorious person does not sink deep into his own sorrow, but tries to counteract. Here Rama is counteracting with gods and nature, while Arjuna of Maha Bharata had to the same with his brothers and relatives. That is why Gita had to be imbibed into the mind of Arjuna, when he was at loss to know why he shall war his own brothers, teachers, grandparents et al. Having heard whole of Gita and having followed Krishna's advices, Arjuna though bewails a lot when his son Abhimanyu was murdered, becomes infuriated at the treacherous murder of the boy, and then escalated were his guts to fight back his enemies. anena þoka samaye durbala iva prabala× þokena na sŸdati | kintu tat pratŸk˜r˜ya ˜graheõa mah˜ ratha× pravartata iti uktam | ata eva mah˜ puruÿasya arjunasya abhimanyu vadha anantaram evam prav®tti× - droõa parv˜õi d®þyate - h˜ putra iti ni×þvasya vyathito nyapatad bhuvi | pratilabhya tata× saÕj˜m v˜savi× krodha m¨rcchita× || kampam˜no jvareõa ni×þvasantu muhurmuhu× | p˜õau p˜õim viniÿpiÿya - - - api droõa k®pau r˜jan ch˜day˜mi t˜n þarai× - - dk so on and so forth... Thus, Arjuna takes a severe oath to eliminate his enemies. Here Rama too has a Krishna like counsellor in Lakshmana, but less are Lakshmana's chances in convincing Rama, as Rama is a 'doer' rather than a 'preacher' like Krishna, or a 'student' like Arjuna. However, Lakshmana pacifies the fury of Rama in the next episode.

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe catuH SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 64th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 65

Introduction

Lakshmana pacifies Rama with reasonable argument in saying that, owing to the felony committed by a single soul, the entire world cannot be put to arrow. But a humanly search is to be conducted first to find him out, who abducted Seetha. If she is unavailable even after a thorough search, then that which is appropriate to the situation obtaining then, it can be effectuated.

tapyamaanam tathaa raamam siitaa haraNa karshitam |
lokaanaam abhave yuktam saa.mvartakam iva analam || 3-65-1
viikSamaaNam dhanuH sajyam niHshvasa.ntam punaH punaH |
dagdhu kaamam jagat sarvam yuga ante ca yathaa haram || 3-65-2
adR^iSTa puurvam sa.nkruddham dR^iSTvaa raamam sa lakSmaNaH |
abraviit praa.njaliH vaakyam mukhena parishuSyataa || 3-65-3

1. tathaa= then; tapyamaanam= one who is searing [by his anguish]; raamam= one who delights world; siitaa haraNa karshitam= Seetha's, by abduction, careworn; saamvartakam= that which is related to the doomsday; analam iva = inferno, alike; lokaanaam a+bhave yuktam= for [rendering] worlds, in non, being [destruction,] twinned with [the notion of]; sa jyam= with, bowstring - stringed to bow; dhanuH= at bow; viikSamaaNam= one who is seeing - concentrating on, kenning; punaH punaH niHshvasantam = again, again, one who is suspiring; yuga ante haram yathaa= at era, end, [seeing at] God Hara [Rudra,] as with; sarvam jagat dagdhu kaamam= entire, universe, to blaze away at, one who is wishing to - Rama; a + dR^iSTa puurvam= un, seen, earlier - unseen is such a wrathful mien; sankruddham= highly infuriated one; raamam= at such Rama; dR^iSTvaa= having seen; saH lakSmaNaH= he that, Lakshmana; praanjaliH= with adjoined palms; mukhena parishuSyataa= by face, dried up [pale-facedly]; vaakyam abraviit= sentence, said [to Rama.]

Lakshmana on seeing Rama who is searing and careworn owing to the abduction of Seetha, blazing like the doomsday inferno, twinned with the notion of rendering the worlds into nonentity, kenning at his stringed bow, keen to blaze away entire universe, suspiring again and again, and who is alike Rudra at the end of era, and whose highly infuriated persona Lakshmana has not seen previously, became pale-faced and spoke to Rama with folded palms. [3-65-1]

puraa bhuutvaa mR^iduH daa.ntaH sarva bhuuta hite rataH |
na krodha vasham aapannaH prakR^itim haatum ar.hhasi || 3-65-4

4. puraa= previously; mR^iduH= [you are] soft - self-collected; daantaH= self-controlled; sarva bhuuta hite rataH= all, beings, wellbeing, delighted in; bhuutvaa= you were; krodha vasham aapannaH= in fury's, control, slipped into [presently]; prakR^itim haatum na arhasi= [your own] disposition, to discard, not, apt of you.

"Previously, you were self-collected and self-controlled and delighted in the wellbeing of all the beings. But presently, slipping into fury you are discarding your own disposition, which is unapt of you... [3-65-4]

candre lakSmiiH prabhaa suurye gatiH vaayau bhuvi kSamaa |
etat ca niyatam sarvam tvayi ca anuttamam yashaH || 3-65-5

5. candre lakSmiiH= in moon, grandeur; suurye prabhaa = in sun, splendour; vaayau gatiH = in wind, motion; bhuvi kSamaa= in earth, composure; niyatam= perpetual; etat ca= this [perpetuity,] also; sarvam= all; tvayi= in you [available]; ca an+ uttamam yashaH= besides, unexcelled, honour.

"Grandeur in moon, splendour in sun, motion in wind, and composure in earth are perpetual and all this perpetuity is available in you, besides an unexcelled honour... [3-65-5]

ekasya na aparaadhena lokaan hantum tvam arhasi |
na tu jaanaami kasya ayam bhagnaH saa.ngraamiko rathaH || 3-65-6
kena vaa kasya vaa hetoH sa aayudhaH sa paricChadaH |

6, 7a. ekasya aparaadhena= of single soul's, by felony; lokaan hantum = worlds, to vandalise; tvam= you are; na arhasi= not, apt of you; sa aayudhaH= with, weaponry; sa paricChadaH= with, paraphernalia; ayam saangraamikaH rathaH= this, one used in war /combatant's, chariot; kasya= whose is; kena vaa = by whom, or; kasya vaa hetoH= by which, or, reason; bhagnaH= shattered; na jaanaami= not, but, I know - we do not know.

"It will be unapt of you to vandalise worlds for a single-soul's felony. It is unclear as to whose combat-chariot is this, or by whom, or by what reason it is shattered with its weaponry and paraphernalia... [3-65-6, 7a]

khura nemi kSataH ca ayam sikto rudhira bindubhiH || 3-65-7
desho nivR^itta sa.ngraamaH su ghoraH paarthiva aatmaja |

7b, 8a. paarthiva aatmaja= oh, king's, son - oh, prince; khura= hooves; nemi= outer circle of horseshoes - like felloies; kSataH= grooved; rudhira bindubhiH siktaH = with blood, drops, wetted with; su ghoraH= very, ghastly; ayam deshaH= this, place is; nivR^itta sangraamaH= fought and stalled, combat.

"This has become a very ghastly place since it is grooved by the hooves of ungulates and by the felloies of chariot-wheels, and it is wetted with drops of blood, oh, prince, thereby a combat is fought and stalled at this place... [3-65-7b, 8a]

ekasya tu vimardo ayam na dvayoH vadataam vara || 3-65-8
na hi vR^ittam hi pashyaami balasya mahataH padam |

8b, 9a. vadataam vara= oh, among articulators, the best; ayam= this [combat is]; ekasya vimardaH = of a single [combatant's,] combat; dvayoH na = among two; mahataH balasya vR^ittam= huge, by army, eventuated; padam= stamps, footptints; na hi pashyaami= not, indeed, I observe.

"This is just a solo-combatant's combat but not among duo, oh, best articulator one among best articulators, I indeed observe that no huge army is eventuated here, nor its stamp... [3-65-8b, 9a]

na ekasya tu kR^ite lokaan vinaashayitum ar.hhasi || 3-65-9
yukta daNDaa hi mR^idavaH prashaantaa vasudhaa adhipaaH |

9b, 10a. ekasya kR^ite= by an individual, done - perpetuated wrongdoing; lokaan vinaashayitum na arhasi= all worlds, wish to wreck havoc upon, not, apt of you; hi= why because; vasudhaa adhipaaH= earth's, lords [kings are]; yukta daNDaa =tenable, imposers of punishment; mR^idavaH= good-hearted ones; prashaantaa= good-natured ones.

"It will be inapt of you to wish for wrecking a havoc upon all worlds for an individual's wrongdoing. Why because, the good-hearted, good-natured kings are they who impose tenable punishment... [3-65-9b, 10a]

sadaa tvam sarva bhuutaanaam sharaNyaH paramaa gatiH || 3-65-10
ko nu daara praNaasham te saadhu manyeta raaghava |

10b, 11a. tvam sarva bhuutaanaam= you are, for all, beings; sadaa sharaNyaH = always, a shelterer; paramaa gatiH= ultimate, recourse; raaghava= oh, Raghava; te daara praNaasham = your, wife's, ravagement; kaH nu= who, really; saadhu manyeta= appreciable [act of grace,] they deem.

"You are always the shelterer for all beings, for you're above all the good-natured and good-hearted ordinary kings, and who can really deem the ravagement of you wife as an act of grace... [3-65-10b, 11a]

saritaH saagaraaH shailaa deva gandharva daanavaaH || 3-65-11
na alam te vipriyam kartum diikSitasya iva saadhavaH |

10b, 11a saritaH saagaraaH shailaa deva gandharva daanavaaH= rivers, oceans, mountains, gods, celestials, cacodemons; te= to you; saadhavaH= gentle people [altruists]; diikSitasya iva= to one who took a vow to conduct a Vedic-ritual [hallowed person,] as with such a hallowed person; vi priyam= without, pleasance [unpleasant, evoke indignation]; kartum= to do; na alam= not, easily - honestly they cannot do so.

"As no altruist can evoke indignation in a hallowed person who is performing Vedic-ritual, honestly, these rivers, oceans, mountains, gods, celestials, and cacodemons too cannot evoke indignation in you, because they are always gentle to you... isn't so... [3-65-10b, 11a]

yena raajan hR^itaa siitaa tam anveSitum arhasi || 3-65-12
mad dvitiiyo dhanuS paaNiH sahaayaiH parama R^iSibhiH |

12b, 13a. raajan= oh, king; dhanuS paaNiH= bow, in hand [you wielding your bow]; mat dvitiiyaH= with me, as second [as standby, me as your squire]; sahaayaiH parama R^iSibhiH= as helping hands, with sublime, sages; siitaa yena hR^itaa = Seetha is, by whom, abducted; tam= him [who abducted Seetha]; anveSitum arhasi= to search, apt of you.

"Oh, king, it will be apt of you to wield your bow and search for him who abducted Seetha, along with me as your squire and standby, and with the help of sublime sages available in this forest... [3-65-12b, 13a]

samudram ca viceSyaamaH parvataan ca vanaani ca || 3-65-13
guhaaH ca vividhaa ghoraa padminyo vividhaaH thathaa |

13b, 14a. samudram ca parvataan ca vanaani ca = ocean, also, mountains, also, forests, also; vividhaa ghoraaH guhaaH ca= divers, dreadful, caves, also; thathaa vividhaaH padminyaH= likewise, different, lotus-lakes; viceSyaamaH= let us search.

"Let us search the oceans, rivers and forests, and even divers dreadful caves and different lotus-lakes... [3-65-13b, 14a]

deva gandharva lokaan ca viceSyaamaH samaahitaaH || 3-65-14
yaavat na adhigamiSyaamaH tava bhaaryaa apahaariNam |

14b, 15a. samaahitaaH = intently; tava bhaaryaa apa haariNam= your, wife, for abductor; yaavat na adhigamiSyaamaH= as long as, not, accessible [apprehended]; so long; deva gandharva lokaan ca= gods, celestial, worlds of; viceSyaamaH= let us search.

"Let us intently search the worlds of gods and celestials as long as the abductor of your wife is unapprehended... [3-65-14b, 15a]

na cet saamnaa pradaasyanti patniim te tridasha iishvaraaH |
kosala indra tataH pashcaat praapta kaalam kariSyasi || 3-65-15

15b, c. kosala indra= oh, Kosala kingdom's, lord of; tridasha iishvaraaH= heavenly, lords; te patniim= your, wife; saamnaa= propitiously; na pradaasyanti cet = not, going to bestow, if; tataH pashcaat= there, after; praapta kaalam= chanced, time [seasonably]; kariSyasi= you may do.

"Oh, Lord of Kosala kingdom, if the heavenly lords are not going bestow your wife propitiously, rather after our humanly effort, then you may do whatever you want, seasonably... [3-65-15b, c]

shiilena saamnaa vinayena siitaam
nayena na praapsyasi cet narendra |
tataH samutsaadaya hema pu.nkhaiH
mahendra vajra pratimaiH shara oghaiH || 3-65-16

16. narendra= oh, king; shiilena= with your traits of good conduct [sincerity]; saamnaa= placating enemies and making friendship [solidarity]; vinayena= humbleness in your behaviour [simplicity]; nayena= gaining in scrupulous way [scrupulosity]; siitaam na praapsyasi cet = Seetha, not, you redeem, if; tataH= then; hema punkhaiH = with golden, the arrow-handles where eagle feathers are stuffed - thereby which have swift egress; mahendra= mahendra' vajra pratimaiH = Indra's, Thunderbolt, which mirrors up; shara oghaiH= arrows, by torrents of; sam ut saadaya= completely, up, heave - put whole of universe to turmoil.

"If, oh, king, you with your traits of sincerity, solidarity, simplicity, and scrupulosity are not going to get back Seetha, then you may you may put whole of the universe to turmoil with the torrents of your arrows which have swift egress as they are with golden-handles which are stuffed with eagle feathers, and which mirror up the Thunderbolts of Mahendra in their trajectories..." Thus Lakshmana appealed to ireful Rama. [3-65-16]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe pa.nca SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 65th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 66

Introduction

Lakshmana reasons with Rama regarding the drastic action Rama is about to take in annihilating the worlds. He says many pithy references in dissuading Rama. This chapter likens to Bhagavad Gita, as its terse version

tam tathaa shoka sa.ntaptam vilapa.ntam anaathavat |
mohena mahataa aaviSTam paridyuunam acetanam || 4-66-1
tataH saumitriH aashvaasya muhuurtaat iva lakSmaNaH |
raamam sa.mbodhayaamaasa caraNau ca abhipiiDayan || 4-66-2

1, 2. tataH= then; saumitriH= Sumitra's son; lakSmaNaH= Lakshmana; tathaa= thus; shoka santaptam= by anguish, scorched; mahataa mohena aaviSTam= by high, passion, possessed by; anaathavat vilapantam= like a forlorn one, who is bewailing; paridyuunam= impoverished; a+ cetanam= not, animated at heart; tam raamam= him, Rama; muhuurtaat iva aashvaasya= for a moment, to say, having consoled; caraNau abhipiiDayan= feet, gripping tightly [in supplication]; sambodhayaamaasa= started to address.

While Rama is bewailing like a forlorn as his anguish is scorching him, rendered impoverished with an inanimate heart as a high passion possessed him, Lakshmana, the son of Sumitra, suppliantly gripped his feet and started to address him. [4-66-1, 2]

mahataa tapasaa raama mahataa ca api karmaNaa |
raaj~naa dasharathena asi labdho amR^itam iva amaraiH || 4-66-3

3. raama= oh, Rama; raaj~naa dasharathena= by king, Dasharatha; mahataa tapasaa= by superlative, ascesis; mahataa ca api karmaNaa= by superior, also, even, acts; amaraiH amR^itam iva= by gods, ambrosia, as with; labdhaH asi= reaped, you are.

"Oh, Rama, as gods have reaped ambrosia after a prolonged churning of Milky Ocean, you are a reap of King Dasharatha's superlative ascesis and even by his superior acts... [4-66-3]

The comparison of Rama to ambrosia is noteworthy. Ambrosia is not self-useful but it is manifoldly useful to every other being. If Rama is useful to all created, animate, or inanimate beings, inclusive of gods, and the thought of that prime mover to destruct what it is moving, is self-contradictory. Next, the prime object of ambrosia is to enliven but not to eradicate, thus that thought itself is self-contemptuous. Next, the very same demons turned destructive from day one, and now if Rama destructs everything, it tantamount to brand Rama to have taken sides with demons. This is again a self-critical phenomenon of his incarnation. And so on...

tava caiva guNaiH baddhaH tvat viyogaat mahipatiH |
raajaa devatvam aapanno bharatasya yathaa shrutam || 4-66-4

4. bharatasya= of [from] Bharata; yathaa shrutam= as to how, heard; mahi patiH= kingdom, husbander of [an enlivener of his subjects, our father Dasharatha]; raajaa= king - Dasharatha; tava guNaiH baddhaH= by your, [rosy] endowments, fastened [beholden to]; tvat viyogaat= by your, separation; devatvam aapannaH= godhood, he obtained.

"Our father was an enlivener of all the subjects and that king was beholden only to your rosy endowments, but he obtained godhood by your separation... this is what we heard from Bharata... [4-66-4]

Annex: 'You know that our father fought demons on behalf of gods and was an ablest and an impeccable ruler... and you said that our father might deride you in saying: 'you are a wilful disobedient, despicable and even that way a dishonest one, such as you are, fie on you...' [as at 3-61-8b, 9a,] but when you resort to undertake still deplorable devastation of worlds, than that of demons, what will he say of you...

yadi duHkham idam praaptam kaakutstha na sahiSyase |
praakR^itaH ca alpa sattvaH ca itaraH kaH sahiSyati || 4-66-5

5. kaakutstha= oh, Kakutstha; praaptam idam duHkham= chanced, this, aguish; na sahiSyase yadi= not, able to withstand, if; praakR^itaH= a simpleton; alpa sattvaH= one with meagre, boldness; itaraH kaH sahiSyati= other man, who, withstands.

"If you are unable to withstand this anguish chanced on you, oh, Kakutstha, then how a simpleton and whose boldness is meagre can withstand it... [4-66-5]

Annex: 'Kakutstha-s are the pure beings shuddha sattva, and you are still purer, because of the speciality of your birth through some divine dessert given by some yaj~na puruSa, a Ritual Deity, therefore you should have some divine endowments, if not all, and why do you compare yourself to a commoner and bewail like this, instead of making humanly efforts... and if a person of your stature sits bewailing and moaning, whereto a commoner has to go in a similar situation...

aashvasihi narashreSTha praaNinaH kasya na aapada |
sa.mspR^ishanti agnivat raajan kshaNena vyapayaanti ca || 4-66-6

6. narashreSTha= oh, best one among men [first and foremost man]; praaNinaH= for living beings; kasya na aapada samspR^ishanti= who is, not, mischance, touches [catches, uncaught]; agnivat kshaNena vyapayaanti= fire [-catch,] like, momently, takes away [lets up]; raajan= oh, king; aashvasihi= tell me.

"Oh, first and foremost man, tell me who is uncaught by mischance, which mischance will be catchy like fire-catch, and oh, king, even that, that lets up momently... [4-66-6]

Annex: 'I am not imparting any maiden version of Bhagavad Gita to you in saying that gataasuuna agataa suunau na anushocanti panNDitaaH; maatraa sparshaH tu kaunteya shiita uSNam sukha duHkhadaa... Gita 2-11, 13; 'This that irks- / Thy sense-life, thrilling to the elements- / Bringing thee heat and cold, sorrows and joys, / 'Tis brief and mutable!' but we are in an era of action, let us undertake some action, rather than bewailing... all this is but brief and mutable...' but think yourself, what to do next, in a human way...'

duHkhito hi bhavaan lokaan tejasaa yadi dhakSyate |
aartaaH prajaa nara vyaaghra kva nu yaasyanti nir.hvR^itim || 4-66-7

7. nara vyaaghra= man, the tiger; duHkhitaH= ruefully; bhavaan= you; tejasaa lokaan dhakSyate yadi= by your radiance, worlds, you blaze away, if; aartaaH prajaa= rueful, people; nirvR^itim= for solace; kva yaasyanti nu= where, they go, really.

"If you are going to blaze away worlds with your radiance in your ruefulness, to where the ordinary people in rue shall go for solace, really... [4-66-7]

Annex: 'A farmer fences his farm to not to allow stray cattle to graze the crop... you are an implicit farmer of this universe and you alone fenced this universe with their respective protective areas or spheres, say stratosphere, troposphere and suchlike... thus you have come here explicitly as a fence to this world, and when the fence alone is trampling the crop of the rightness, who else will come to the rescue of that forlorn elements of crop, called the inmates of worlds...'

loka svabhaava eva eSa yayaatiH nahuSa aatmajaH |
gataH shakreNa saalokyam anayaH tam samaspR^ishat || 4-66-8

8. eSa loka svabhaavaH eva= this is, world's, disposition, only; nahuSa aatmajaH yayaatiH= Nahusha's, son, Yayaati; shakreNa saalokyam gataH= with Indra, egalitarian. on becoming; anayaH tam samaspR^ishat= writhe, him, touched off

"World's disposition is this way only, even if Nahusha, the son Yayaati, has become an egalitarian with Indra, writhe touched him off... [4-66-8]

Yayaati attains heaven after performing many Vedic-rituals. But when Indra asked Yayaati 'who is the best personality in your kingdom?' Yayaati, as a straightforward person replied 'I am the best in my kingdom...' Then Indra said 'Self-eulogisers have no place in heaven, hence you return to mortal worlds...' thus Yayaati met with a mischance. Instead of telling as Yayaati, he is said to be the 'son of Nahusha' which expression suggests disobedience. Once Nahusha made the Seven Sages, the stars in Ursa Major, as the bearers of his palanquin and hastened them saying sarpa, sarpa... where that word means 'move fast, move fast...' besides its general meaning 'serpent...' Then Sage Agastya curses Nahusha, 'be like that...' i.e., 'become a serpent...' taking the general meaning of that word. Then Nahusha, though a renowned personality, for he is accursed he had to fall supine as a big serpent. So Lakshmana is obliquely suggesting Rama, 'you may be a god supreme... but it is in your realm... not on earth... on earth you have to behave like an earthling... wrecking the system from within is meaningless... have some obedience to the set order...'

mahaaR^iSi yaH vasiSThaH tu yaH pituH naH purohitaH |
ahnaa putra shatam jaj~ne tathaiva asya punar hatam || 4-66-9

9. mahaaR^iSiH= great sage; yaH vasiSThaH= which, Vashishta is there; [yaH=who is]; naH pituH purohitaH= to our, father, he is a priest; asya= to him; ahnaa= in one day; putra shatam jaj~ne= sons, hundred, parented; punaH= again; tathaiva= like that; hatam= they are eliminated.

"Which great sage Vashishta is there, who is also the priest of our father, he parented a hundred sons in one day and like that they are all eliminated in one day by Vishvamitra, for which Vashishta also lamented, but not for a long... [4-66-9]

Annex: 'world's disposition is such, a hundred living beings may take birth on one day and even die in hundreds, or thousands in one day... birth entails death... you ordained it to be so, but when the problem has come right under your seat, you go on bewailing without undertaking humanly effort... is this befitting...'

yaa ca iyam jagato maataa sarva loka namaskR^itaa |
asyaaH ca calanam bhuumeH dR^ishyate kosaleshvara || 4-66-10

10. kosala iishvara= Kosala kingdom, oh, king of; jagataH maataa= worlds, mother; sarva loka namaskR^itaa= by all, [beings in the] world, one who is venerated; yaa iyam= she who is, this one - this Earth is there; asyaaH bhuumeH calanam= her, to this earth, movement [undergoes earth tremors]; dR^ishyate= is evident.

"This Mother Earth who is the mother of worlds and venerated by all animate and inanimate, or even celestial beings, oh, king of Kosala kingdom, even she undergoes tremors and earthquakes... [4-66-10]

Mother earth is not only held as a mother of living beings on her surface, but even Moon, Mars etc., planets are said to have emerged from her, and she is lone female in planetary system capable enough to produce offspring, and hence she is regarded as the wife of Vishnu, and hence Vishnu has to incarnate Himself on her periodically, to ease her of her problems. As such 'your weeping for your loss is subjective, while putting your other wife, namely bhuu devi, Mother Earth, to suffering by earthquakes, storms, whirlwinds, twisters, and what not... is it appropriate of you to make her suffer periodically, while you say that your one-time-suffering such as this one is nonpareil... or what... world's disposition is as such... not even you can change it, lest it boomerangs...'

yau dharmau jagataam netre yatra sarvam pratiSThitam |
aaditya candrau grahaNam abhyupetau mahaabalau || 4-66-11

11. yau= which pair; dharmau= duteous; jagataam netre= for world, eyes; yatra sarvam pratiSThitam= wherein [in whom,] all [system of world,] is established [peremptory]; mahaabalau= highly, influential; aaditya candrau= Sun, Moon; grahaNam abhyupetau [iva]= eclipse, draw nigh, [as though.]

"Which duteous pair is the pair of eyes of the world in whom all the systems of world are peremptory, though that pair of Sun and Moon are doughtily influential in this solar system, eclipse draws nigh of them... [4-66-11]

Annex: 'for a while you stop thinking that you as Vishnu are reclining on me, aadi sheeSha the Divine-Thousand-hooded-serpent-recline-bed of Vishnu in vaikuNTha, yon the dwaadasha aadtya-s, 'Eleven Suns' and numerous Moons of this Universes... you are now right under the nose of this solar system, and on earth... and in this solar system there is none supreme than this mighty sun, and mellowly moon, a pair of eyes of this system, where one opens one's eye by day and the other closes that eye with his cooling effect by night... and it is also said in Veda-s: ˜dity˜t j˜yate v®ÿ÷i× - v®ÿ÷i× tato annam abhij˜yate - candramasau oÿadhi vanaspatau 'Sun causes rains, rains cause food, Moon causes herbs and plants of condiments...' and even they, they are eclipsed occasionally, for they are around the mortal world... and what if, your anguish eclipses you, temporarily...'

sumahaanti api bhuutaani devaaH ca puruSa R^iSabha |
na daivasya pramu.ncanti sarva bhuutaani dehinaH || 4-66-12

12. puruSa R^iSabha= oh, bullish man; su mahaanti bhuutaani= very, great, beings [incorporates like earth and suchlike planets]; devaaH ca= gods, also; sarva bhuutaani= all, beings; dehinaH= corporeal beings; daivasya= from the Supreme Being's [predestine]; na= not; pramuncanti= unloosened.

"Even very great incorporates like earth and suchlike planets, oh, bullish man, or even the gods, or even all corporeal beings, cannot get release from the predestine of Supreme Being... [4-66-12]

This verse is held as an interpolate or the problem with copyists, by the use of the word bhuutaani twice, and even the last compound is said to be self-contradictory sarva bhuutaani dehinaH or sarva bhuutaadi dehinaH Hence it is up to the grammarians to decide. Some mms use vedaaH for devaaH in first foot, thus 'even all Veda-s put together cannot transcend the Absolute...'

shakra aadiSu api deveSu vartamaanau naya anayau |
shruuyete nara shaarduula na tvam vyathitum ar.hhasi || 4-66-13

13. nara shaarduula= oh, man, tigerly; shakra aadiSu deveSu api= Indra, et al., for gods, even; naya anayau= in ethical, unethical [course, their resultant agonies and ecstasies]; vartamaanau= as functional; shruuyete= we hear so; tvam vyathitum na arhasi= you, to anguish, not, apt of you.

"Oh, tigerly-man, we hear that whether gods like Indra et al., are ethical and/or unethical, yet they too have the resultant agonies and ecstasies... hence, it is inapt of you to fret thyself... [4-66-13]

The last compound in second foot na tvam vyathitum arhasi is the 'theme instruction' in Gita na tvam shocitum arhasi which again appears in the next verse. This has a near psalm in The Bible: 'Fret not thyself because of the ungodly...' Psalm 37, v 1.

hR^itaayaam api vaidehyaam naSTaayaam api raaghava |
shocitum na arhase viira yathaa anyaH praakR^itaH tathaa || 4-66-14

14. viira= oh, brave one; Raaghava= oh, Raghava; vaidehyaam= Vaidehi is; hR^itaayaam api= stolen, whether; naSTaayaam api= slain, whether; praakR^itaH anyaH yathaa= primitive [commoner,] other person, as with; tathaa= that way; shocitum na arhase= to sadden, not, apt of you.

"Whether Vaidehi is stolen or slain, oh, brave one, it will be inapt of you sadden like this as with any other commoner without tracking her whereabouts... [4-66-14]

tvat vidhaa nahi shocanti satatam sarva darshinaH |
sumahatsu api kR^icChreSu raama anir.hviNNa darshanaaH || 4-66-15

15. raama= oh, Rama; sarva [or, satatam sama ] darshinaH= [always,] all, [equably,] seers [always equable in their outlook]; a +nir+ viNNa darshanaaH= non, without, spirit, [non-dispirited,] seers; tvat vidhaa= your, like; su mahatsu api= in very, high [highly desperate straits,] even; kR^icChreSu= in straits; na shocanti hi= will not, sadden - non-dispirited, indeed.

"Persons of your like who are always equable in their outlook, oh, Rama, they will remain non-dispirited even if they are undergoing desperate straits, and they will not just sadden like this... [4-66-15]

tattvato hi narashreSTha buddhyaa samanuci.ntaya |
buddhyaa yuktaa mahaapraaj~naa vijaananti shubha ashubhe || 4-66-16

16. narashreSTha= oh, foremost among men; tattvataH= objectively; buddhyaa sam anu cintaya= brainily, well [in subtlety,] pursuit, think [ratiocinate]; mahaa praaj~naa= great, brains; buddhyaa yuktaa= with brain, having [with braininess]; shubha= auspicious [good]; a shubhe= not, auspicious [bad]; vi jaananti= they clearly, comprehend; hi= indeed.

"Oh, foremost man among men, you ratiocinate in subtle pursuit, objectively and brainily, and great brains will comprehend good and bad in subtlety with their braininess... [4-66-16]

adR^iSTa guNa doSaaNaam adhR^ivaaNaam ca karmaNaam |
na a.ntareNa kriyaam teSaam phalam iSTam ca var.htate || 4-66-17

17. a+ dR^iSTa= not, seen [indiscernible]; guNa doSaaNaam= rights, wrongs; a +dhR^ivaaNaam ca= not, definite [indefinite,] also [a+ dhR^itaanaam= not, firm - infirm]; teSaam karmaNaam= those, of actions; iSTam phalam ca= cherished, fruits; kriyaam antareNa= action, without [performing any action]; [phalam ca= fruits, also]; na vartate= not, will be in existence [nonexistent.]

"Indiscernible are the rights and wrongs of actions, and indefinite are the cherished fruits of those actions, and without performing any action, fruits also will be nonexistent... [4-66-17]

Vividly: We cannot discern the rights or wrongs of any action we perform now in this lifetime, nor we can recollect the actions done us in earlier births, to asses their rights or wrongs. And they are indefinite and infirm, because any action we perform it ceases to exist on its competition. And if we have not performed such an action in last birth, conducive to yield good result in this birth, its fruition is nonexistent. Thereby we may perhaps muse over our actions basing on the results occurring now. In any case, nonexistent is the fruits of action, may it be right or wrong, if there is inaction. This is according to Govindaraja. He uses word a dhR^itaanaam 'infirm' for a dhR^ivaaNaam 'indefinite' and Tilaka uses word ca vartate 'also, happens' for pravartate 'will be in existence' and in either way the meaning is the same. anena pr˜ptam sukham du×kham v˜ p¨rva karma adhŸnam iti uktam - tath˜ ca bh˜rate - ˜raõyake - y˜ni pr˜pnoti puruÿa× tat phalam p¨rva karm˜õ˜m | dh˜t˜ api hi sva karmaiva tai× tai× hetubhi× Ÿþvara× || dk

Another way of declining the meaning is by ellipting the words from previous verse buddhyaa yuktaa 'with braininess' as below:

mahaa praaj~naa= great, brains; buddhyaa yuktaa= with brain, having [with braininess]; a + dR^iSTa= not, seen [indiscernible]; a + dhR^ivaaNaam ca= not, definite [indefinite,] also [a + dhR^itaanaam= not, firm, infirm]; guNa doSaaNaam= rights, wrongs; karmaNaam= of actions; shubha= rights; a shubhe= wrongs; vi jaananti= clearly, comprehending.

"The great brains with their braininess are clearly comprehending the indiscernible, indefinite or infirm rights and wrongs of their actions, thus they translate their thinking into action... and thus they are undertaking humanly possible action... but not sitting back, unlike you...

There is another shade to this verse with some altered verbiage as below:

ad®ÿ÷a guõa doÿ˜õ˜m karmasu abhirata ˜tm˜n˜m |
na antareõa kriy˜m vŸra phalam iÿ÷am pravartate ||

Oh, brave one, to those that are interested in endeavours, whether or not they are uninterested in the results of their actions, either rights or wrongs, but even to them cherished fruits does not occur, effortlessly...

And the commentaries go on expanding these tenets, till this chapter vies with Bhagavad Gita.

maam evam hi puraa viira tvam eva bahusho uktavaan |
anushiSyaat hi ko nu tvaam api saakSaat bR^ihaspatiH || 4-66-18

18. viira= oh, valiant one; puraa tvam eva= previously, you, alone; maam evam= me, this way; bahushaH uktavaan [anvashaH] hi= repeatedly, you have said [you instructed me,] indeed; saakSaat bR^ihaspatiH api= actually [professedly,] he were to be Jupiter, even [if]; kaH nu= who, really; tvaam anushiSyaat hi= to you, can profess, indeed.

"Oh valiant one, indeed you alone have said this way to me previously and repeatedly, who really can profess you even he were to be professedly the Jupiter... [4-66-18]

buddhiH ca te mahaapraaj~na devaiH api dur.hanvayaa |
shokena abhiprasuptam te j~naanam sambodhayaami aham || 4-66-19

19. mahaapraaj~na= oh, great discerner; te buddhiH= your, thinking process; devaiH api dur anvayaa= by gods, even, impossible, to explicate [non-explicatory]; shokena abhi pra suptam= by sadness, obliquely, utterly, slumberous; te j~naanam= your, to percipience; aham sambodhayaami= I am, addressing.

"Oh, great discerner, your thinking process is non-explicatory even to gods, but now that thinking process is obliquely and utterly slumberous owing to your sadness, hence I am addressing your percipience and this is no schoolteaching... [4-66-19]

divyam ca maanuSam ca evam aatmanaH ca paraakramam |
ikSvaaku vR^iSabha avekSya yatasva dviSataam vadhe || 4-66-20

20. kSvaaku vR^iSabha= oh, Ikshvaku's, foremost among; avekSya= contemplate / consider / count; divyam ca maanuSam ca= divineness, also, humanness, also; evam= that way; aatmanaH ca paraakramam= your own, valour; yatasva dviSataam vadhe= try hard, in abser's, elimination.

"Oh, foremost one among Ikshvaku, oh, Rama, contemplate the divineness of those immortals and their pure being in maintaining world order, also consider the humanness of these mortals and their helpless susceptibility to pain, also count on your own valour that which can annihilate the whole of anything... and then come to conclusion whether or not to annihilate everything... but, before that try hard to eliminate the abuser, lest he may abuse many others... [4-66-20]

Or

"Oh, best one among Ikshvaku-s, oh, Rama, contemplate the divine valour you have derived, also consider the human valour you have inherited, also count on your own innate valour... hence, try hard to eliminate the abuser...

The second meaning is when 'valour' is taken as main principle. This verse has another shade if the compound in first foot is read as, according to some other ancient mms: divyam ca maanuSam ca astram aatmanaH ca paraakramam | where the word aatmanaH is replaced with astram and then the meaning is 'you have missiles unknown to humans and you also have missiles unknown even to gods, by the courtesy of Vishvamitra and Agastya, and you have your own valour, then try hard for the abuser...'

kim te sarva vinaashena kR^itena puruSa R^iSabha |
tam eva tu ripum paapam vij~naaya uddhartum arhasi || 4-66-21

21. puruSa R^iSabha= oh, man, the best; kR^itena sarva vinaashena= by performing, complete, annihilation; te kim= to you, what - what is the use; tam= him; paapam= malevolent; ripum eva= malefactor, alone; vij~naaya= on knowing - on finding out; ut dhartum arhasi= to up, root, apt of you.

"Oh, best one among men, what is it you gain on performing a complete annihilation owing to a single soul's malefaction, hence, mark him... that malefactor and a malevolent of yours, and it will be apt of you to uproot him... him alone... [4-66-21]

iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye araNya kaaNDe SaTs SaSTitamaH sargaH

Thus, this is the 66th chapter in Aranya Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.

Sree Valmiki Ramayana

courtesy from

Sree Brahmasri Desiraju Hanumanta Rao ji

and  Sreeman Brahmasri K M K Murthy ji

 I Humbly bow to the  lotus feet of both of them

for the collection