Aranya Kanda · Sarga 1 of 76 · 23 verses
The Hermitages of Dandaka
Entering the great Dandaka forest, self-possessed Rama, hard to overcome, sees a circle of ascetics’ hermitages, strewn with kusha grass and bark garments, surrounded by the radiance of brahman, as hard to look at as the blazing disc of the sun in the sky. It is the refuge of all beings, its courtyards always well swept, crowded with many deer and flocks of birds, always honoured by hosts of apsarases who dance there; lovely with large fire-sanctuaries, ladles and vessels, deerskins, kusha, fuel, water-jars, fruit and roots, surrounded by great holy forest trees with sweet fruit; honoured with offerings and oblations, holy, resounding with the chanting of the Veda, strewn with flowers, with a lotus pool. It is graced by ancient sages living on fruit and roots, self-controlled, dressed in bark and black deerskin, bright as the sun and fire; by supreme seers of restrained diet; by fortunate brahmanas who know brahman. Like Brahma’s own abode, it resounds with Vedic chant.
Seeing that circle of hermitages, glorious Raghava of great splendour unstrings his great bow and approaches. The great seers, endowed with divine knowledge, seeing Rama, come joyfully to meet him and glorious Vaidehi. Seeing the righteous one like the rising moon, and Lakshmana, and glorious Vaidehi, those firm in their vows receive them, pronouncing blessings. The forest-dwellers gaze in wonder at Rama’s form and build, his splendour, his grace and fine dress; with unblinking eyes they look at Vaidehi, Lakshmana and Rama as at marvels. Devoted to the good of all beings, the fortunate ones lodge Raghava as a guest in a leaf hut. Honouring Rama according to rule, those fire-like, fortunate ones who walk in dharma bring water, and, pronouncing blessings in great joy, offer roots, flowers, fruit and the whole hermitage to the great soul. Then, with joined palms, the knowers of dharma say: “The glorious protector of dharma and refuge of these people, the king who bears the rod, is an elder to be honoured and respected. He holds a quarter of Indra’s power and protects the people, Raghava. So the king, saluted, enjoys fine and lovely pleasures. We, living in your realm, must be protected by you. Whether in the city or in the forest, you are our king, lord of people. We have laid down the rod, king, conquered anger and our senses; we ascetics, rich in austerity, must always be protected by you as a child in the womb.” Saying this, they honour Raghava and Lakshmana with fruit, roots, flowers and many kinds of forest food. Other perfected ascetics, like fire, of just conduct, satisfy the lord as is proper.
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प्रविश्य तु महारण्यं दण्डकारण्यमात्मवान् । रामो ददर्श दुर्धर्षस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम् ॥ १ ॥
Entering the great forest, the Dandaka forest, self-possessed Rama, hard to overcome, saw a circle of ascetics’ hermitages,
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कुशचीरपरिक्षिप्तं ब्राह्म्या लक्ष्म्या समावृतम् । यथा प्रदीप्तं दुर्दर्शं गगने सूर्यमण्डलम् ॥ २ ॥
strewn with kusha and bark garments, enveloped in the splendour of brahman, blazing and hard to look at, like the disc of the sun in the sky,
शरण्यं सर्वभूतानां सुसम्मृष्टाजिरं सदा । मृगैर्बहुभिराकीर्णं पक्षिसंघैः समावृतम् ॥ ३ ॥
a refuge for all beings, its courtyards always well swept, crowded with many deer, filled with flocks of birds,
पूजितं चोपनृत्तं च नित्यमप्सरसां गणैः । विशालैरग्निशरणैः स्रुग्भाण्डैरजिनैः कुशैः ॥ ४ ॥
honoured and danced around always by hosts of apsarases; with large fire-sanctuaries, ladles, vessels, deerskins and kusha,
समिद्भिस्तोयकलशैः फलमूलैश्च शोभितम् । आरण्यैश्च महावृक्षैः पुण्यैः स्वादुफलैर्वृतम् ॥ ५ ॥
lovely with fuel, water-jars, fruits and roots; surrounded by great holy forest trees with sweet fruits;
बलिहोमार्चितं पुण्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम् । पुष्पैश्चान्यैः परिक्षिप्तं पद्मिन्या च सपद्मया ॥ ६ ॥
honoured with offerings and oblations, holy, resounding with Vedic chant, strewn with other flowers, and with a lotus pool full of lotuses;
फलमूलाशनैर्दान्तैश्चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बरैः । सूर्यवैश्वानराभैश्च पुराणैर्मुनिभिर्युतम् ॥ ७ ॥
joined with ancient sages eating fruit and roots, self-controlled, wearing bark and black deerskin, bright as the sun and fire;
पुण्यैश्च नियताहारैः शोभितं परमर्षिभिः । तद् ब्रह्मभवनप्रख्यं ब्रह्मघोषनिनादितम् ॥ ८ ॥
adorned by holy supreme seers of restrained diet: like Brahma’s dwelling, resounding with Vedic chant,
ब्रह्मविद्भिर्महाभागैर्ब्राह्मणैरुपशोभितम् । तद् दृष्ट्वा राघवः श्रीमांस्तापसाश्रममण्डलम् ॥ ९ ॥
adorned by fortunate brahmanas who knew brahman. Seeing that circle of ascetics’ hermitages, glorious Raghava
अभ्यगच्छन्महातेजा विज्यं कृत्वा महद् धनुः । दिव्यज्ञानोपपन्नास्ते रामं दृष्ट्वा महर्षयः ॥ १० ॥
of great splendour approached, having unstrung his great bow. Those great seers, endowed with divine knowledge, seeing Rama,
अभिजग्मुस्तदा प्रीता वैदेहीं च यशस्विनीम् । ते तु सोममिवोद्यन्तं दृष्ट्वा वै धर्मचारिणम् ॥ ११ ॥
came joyfully to meet him then, and glorious Vaidehi. Seeing that righteous one, like the rising moon,
लक्ष्मणं चैव दृष्ट्वा तु वैदेहीं च यशस्विनीम् । मङ्गलानि प्रयुञ्जानाः प्रत्यगृह्णन् दृढव्रताः ॥ १२ ॥
and seeing Lakshmana and glorious Vaidehi, those firm in their vows received them, pronouncing blessings.
रूपसंहननं लक्ष्मीं सौकुमार्यं सुवेषताम् । ददृशुर्विस्मिताकारा रामस्य वनवासिनः ॥ १३ ॥
The forest-dwellers, with wondering faces, saw Rama’s form and build, his splendour, his delicacy and fine dress.
वैदेहीं लक्ष्मणं रामं नेत्रैरनिमिषैरिव । आश्चर्यभूतान् ददृशुः सर्वे ते वनवासिनः ॥ १४ ॥
All those forest-dwellers looked at Vaidehi, Lakshmana and Rama as at marvels, with eyes as if unblinking.
अत्रैनं हि महाभागाः सर्वभूतहिते रताः । अतिथिं पर्णशालायां राघवं संन्यवेशयन् ॥ १५ ॥
There the fortunate ones, devoted to the good of all beings, lodged Raghava as a guest in a leaf hut.
ततो रामस्य सत्कृत्य विधिना पावकोपमाः । आजह्रुस्ते महाभागाः सलिलं धर्मचारिणः ॥ १६ ॥
Then, having honoured Rama according to rule, those fortunate ones, like fire, walking in dharma, brought water.
मङ्गलानि प्रयुञ्जाना मुदा परमया युताः । मूलं पुष्पं फलं सर्वमाश्रमं च महात्मनः ॥ १७ ॥
निवेदयित्वा धर्मज्ञास्ते तु प्राञ्जलयोऽब्रुवन् । धर्मपालो जनस्यास्य शरण्यश्च महायशाः ॥ १८ ॥
Pronouncing blessings, filled with supreme joy, having offered roots, flowers, fruit and the whole hermitage to the great soul, those knowers of dharma, with joined palms, said: “The glorious protector of dharma for these people, and their refuge,
पूजनीयश्च मान्यश्च राजा दण्डधरो गुरुः । इन्द्रस्यैव चतुर्भागः प्रजा रक्षति राघव ॥ १९ ॥
“the king who bears the rod is an elder to be honoured and respected. Holding a quarter of Indra’s power, he protects the people, Raghava.
राजा तस्माद् वरान् भोगान् रम्यान् भुङ्क्ते नमस्कृतः । ते वयं भवता रक्ष्या भवद्विषयवासिनः । नगरस्थो वनस्थो वा त्वं नो राजा जनेश्वरः ॥ २० ॥
“Therefore the king, saluted, enjoys excellent and lovely pleasures. We, living in your realm, must be protected by you. Whether in the city or in the forest, you are our king, lord of people.
न्यस्तदण्डा वयं राजञ्जितक्रोधा जितेन्द्रियाः । रक्षणीयास्त्वया शश्वद् गर्भभूतास्तपोधनाः ॥ २१ ॥
“We have laid down the rod, king; we have conquered anger and conquered our senses. We ascetics, rich in austerity, must always be protected by you, like a child in the womb.”
एवमुक्त्वा फलैर्मूलैः पुष्पैरन्यैश्च राघवम् । वन्यैश्च विविधाहारैः सलक्ष्मणमपूजयन् ॥ २२ ॥
Having said this, they honoured Raghava with Lakshmana with fruits, roots and other flowers, and with many kinds of forest food.
तथान्ये तापसाः सिद्धा रामं वैश्वानरोपमाः । न्यायवृत्ता यथान्यायं तर्पयामासुरीश्वरम् ॥ २३ ॥
Likewise other perfected ascetics, like fire, of just conduct, satisfied the lord as was proper.