Aranya Kanda · Sarga 12 of 76 · 37 verses
Agastya Gives Rama Vishnu’s Bow
Entering the hermitage, Lakshmana, Raghava’s younger brother, goes to Agastya’s disciple and says: “There was a king named Dasharatha; his eldest son is mighty Rama, who has come to see the sage with his wife Sita. I am his younger brother, Lakshmana, devoted and loyal to him, if you have heard of us. We entered this very fierce forest at our father’s command and all wish to see the lord; please announce us.” Hearing Lakshmana, the ascetic says “So be it” and enters the fire-sanctuary to announce them. Going in to the best of sages, unassailable through austerity, he joins his palms and tells him at once of Rama’s coming, just as Lakshmana said: “These two sons of Dasharatha, Rama and Lakshmana, have entered the hermitage with Sita, his wife. The two tamers of foes have come to see you and serve you. Please command what is to be done next.” Hearing from his disciple that Rama had come with Lakshmana and fortunate Vaidehi, the sage says: “By good fortune Rama has come to see me at last today. I too had longed in my mind for his coming. Go, honour Rama, with his wife and Lakshmana, and bring him to me. Why has he not been brought in?” The disciple salutes him, says “So be it” with joined palms, comes out in haste and says to Lakshmana: “Who is Rama? Let him come in himself to see the sage.” Lakshmana goes with the disciple to the hermitage entrance and shows him Kakutstha and Sita, daughter of Janaka. Speaking Agastya’s words courteously, the disciple brings the honoured one in properly. Rama enters with Sita and Lakshmana, looking at the hermitage full of peaceful deer. There he sees the places of Brahma and of Agni, the places of Vishnu, great Indra and Vivasvan, of Soma, Bhaga and Kubera, of Dhatri and Vidhatri, of Vayu, of great-souled Varuna with the noose in his hand, of Gayatri, of the Vasus, of the king of serpents and of Garuda, of Karttikeya and of Dharma.
Then the sage comes out, surrounded by his disciples. Rama sees him ahead of the sages of blazing splendour and says to heroic Lakshmana: “Lakshmana, the lord seer Agastya is coming out. I recognise him by his nobility as this treasury of austerities.” Saying this, the mighty-armed delight of the Raghus clasps the feet of Agastya, bright as the sun, as he comes. Having saluted him, righteous Rama stands with joined palms, with Sita Vaidehi and Lakshmana. Receiving Kakutstha, honouring him with seat and water, asking after his welfare, the sage says, “Be seated.” Making the fire-offering, giving guest-water and honouring the guests, he gives them food by the dharma of forest-dwellers. Sitting down first, the best of sages, knowing dharma, says to Rama, seated with joined palms, skilled in dharma: “Having made the fire-offering and given guest-water, one should honour the guest. An ascetic who behaves otherwise, Kakutstha, eats his own flesh in the other world like a false witness. You, king of the whole world, walking in dharma, a great chariot-warrior, honourable and respected, have come as a dear guest.” Having honoured Raghava as he wished with fruit, roots, flowers and other things, Agastya says: “This great divine bow, adorned with gold and diamonds, belongs to Vishnu, tiger among men, made by Vishvakarman. This unfailing best of arrows, bright as the sun, was given by Brahma. These two quivers with inexhaustible arrows, full of sharp arrows blazing like fire, were given me by great Indra. And this sword, adorned with gold, has a sheath of fine silver. With this bow, Rama, Vishnu long ago killed great asuras in battle and brought back the blazing fortune of the gods. Accept this bow, the two quivers, the arrow and the sword, giver of honour, for victory, as the thunderbolt-wielder accepts the thunderbolt.” Having said this and given all these excellent weapons to Rama, the lord Agastya of great splendour speaks again.
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स प्रविश्याश्रमपदं लक्ष्मणो राघवानुजः । अगस्त्यशिष्यमासाद्य वाक्यमेतदुवाच ह ॥ १ ॥
Entering the hermitage, Lakshmana, Raghava’s younger brother, came to Agastya’s disciple and said these words:
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राजा दशरथो नाम ज्येष्ठस्तस्य सुतो बली । रामः प्राप्तो मुनिं द्रष्टुं भार्यया सह सीतया ॥ २ ॥
“There was a king named Dasharatha; his eldest son, the mighty Rama, has come to see the sage with his wife Sita.
लक्ष्मणो नाम तस्याहं भ्राता त्ववरजो हितः । अनुकूलश्च भक्तश्च यदि ते श्रोत्रमागतः ॥ ३ ॥
“I am his brother named Lakshmana, the younger, devoted to his good, loyal and attached to him, if I have come to your hearing.
ते वयं वनमत्युग्रं प्रविष्टाः पितृशासनात् । द्रष्टुमिच्छामहे सर्वे भगवन्तं निवेद्यताम् ॥ ४ ॥
“We have entered this very fierce forest at our father’s command. We all wish to see the lord; let it be announced.”
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा लक्ष्मणस्य तपोधनः । तथेत्युक्त्वाग्निशरणं प्रविवेश निवेदितुम् ॥ ५ ॥
Hearing those words of Lakshmana, the ascetic said “So be it” and entered the fire-sanctuary to announce them.
स प्रविश्य मुनिश्रेष्ठं तपसा दुष्प्रधर्षणम् । कृताञ्जलिरुवाचेदं रामागमनमञ्जसा ॥ ६ ॥
Entering to the best of sages, unassailable through austerity, he joined his palms and told him at once of Rama’s coming,
यथोक्तं लक्ष्मणेनैव शिष्योऽगस्त्यस्य सम्मतः । पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ रामो लक्ष्मण एव च ॥ ७ ॥
just as it had been said by Lakshmana, the honoured disciple of Agastya: “These two sons of Dasharatha, Rama and Lakshmana,
प्रविष्टावाश्रमपदं सीतया सह भार्यया । द्रष्टुं भवन्तमायातौ शुश्रूषार्थमरिंदमौ ॥ ८ ॥
“have entered the hermitage with Sita, his wife. The two tamers of foes have come to see you, for the sake of service.
यदत्रानन्तरं तत् त्वमाज्ञापयितुमर्हसि । ततः शिष्यादुपश्रुत्य प्राप्तं रामं सलक्ष्मणम् ॥ ९ ॥
“You should command what is to be done next.” Then, having heard from the disciple that Rama had arrived with Lakshmana
वैदेहीं च महाभागामिदं वचनमब्रवीत् । दिष्ट्या रामश्चिरस्याद्य द्रष्टुं मां समुपागतः ॥ १० ॥
and fortunate Vaidehi, he said these words: “By good fortune Rama has at last come today to see me.
मनसा कांक्षितं ह्यस्य मयाप्यागमनं प्रति । गम्यतां सत्कृतो रामः सभार्यः सहलक्ष्मणः ॥ ११ ॥
“For his coming was longed for in my mind too. Go; let Rama be honoured, with his wife and with Lakshmana;
प्रवेश्यतां समीपं मे किमसौ न प्रवेशितः । एवमुक्तस्तु मुनिना धर्मज्ञेन महात्मना ॥ १२ ॥
“let him be brought to me. Why has he not been brought in?” Spoken to so by the righteous great-souled sage,
अभिवाद्याब्रवीच्छिष्यस्तथेति नियताञ्जलिः । तदा निष्क्रम्य सम्भ्रान्तः शिष्यो लक्ष्मणमब्रवीत् ॥ १३ ॥
the disciple saluted him and said “So be it,” with joined palms. Then, coming out in haste, the disciple said to Lakshmana:
कोऽसौ रामो मुनिं द्रष्टुमेतु प्रविशतु स्वयम् । ततो गत्वाऽऽश्रमपदं शिष्येण सह लक्ष्मणः ॥ १४ ॥
“Which is Rama? Let him come to see the sage; let him enter himself.” Then Lakshmana, going with the disciple to the hermitage entrance,
दर्शयामास काकुत्स्थं सीतां च जनकात्मजाम् । तं शिष्यः प्रश्रितं वाक्यमगस्त्यवचनं ब्रुवन् ॥ १५ ॥
showed him Kakutstha and Sita, daughter of Janaka. The disciple, speaking Agastya’s words courteously to him,
प्रावेशयद् यथान्यायं सत्कारार्हं सुसत्कृतम् । प्रविवेश ततो रामः सीतया सह लक्ष्मणः ॥ १६ ॥
brought in the one worthy of honour, well honoured, properly. Then Rama entered with Sita and Lakshmana,
प्रशान्तहरिणाकीर्णमाश्रमं ह्यवलोकयन् । स तत्र ब्रह्मणः स्थानमग्नेः स्थानं तथैव च ॥ १७ ॥
looking at the hermitage full of peaceful deer. There he saw the place of Brahma and the place of Agni,
विष्णोः स्थानं महेन्द्रस्य स्थानं चैव विवस्वतः । सोमस्थानं भगस्थानं स्थानं कौबेरमेव च ॥ १८ ॥
the place of Vishnu, the place of great Indra and the place of Vivasvan, the place of Soma, the place of Bhaga, and the place of Kubera,
धातुर्विधातुः स्थानं च वायोः स्थानं तथैव च । स्थानं च पाशहस्तस्य वरुणस्य महात्मनः ॥ १९ ॥
the place of Dhatri and Vidhatri, and the place of Vayu likewise, and the place of great-souled Varuna with the noose in his hand,
स्थानं तथैव गायत्र्या वसूनां स्थानमेव च । स्थानं च नागराजस्य गरुडस्थानमेव च ॥ २० ॥
the place of Gayatri likewise, and the place of the Vasus, the place of the king of serpents, and the place of Garuda,
कार्तिकेयस्य च स्थानं धर्मस्थानं च पश्यति । ततः शिष्यैः परिवृतो मुनिरप्यभिनिष्पतत् ॥ २१ ॥
and he sees the place of Karttikeya and the place of Dharma. Then the sage too came out, surrounded by disciples.
तं ददर्शाग्रतो रामो मुनीनां दीप्ततेजसाम् । अब्रवीद् वचनं वीरो लक्ष्मणं लक्ष्मिवर्धनम् ॥ २२ ॥
Rama saw him in front of the sages of blazing splendour, and the hero said these words to Lakshmana, increaser of fortune:
बहिर्लक्ष्मण निष्क्रामत्यगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः । औदार्येणावगच्छामि निधानं तपसामिमम् ॥ २३ ॥
“Lakshmana, the lord seer Agastya is coming out. By his nobility I know him to be this treasury of austerities.”
एवमुक्त्वा महाबाहुरगस्त्यं सूर्यवर्चसम् । जग्राहापततस्तस्य पादौ च रघुनन्दनः ॥ २४ ॥
Having said this, the mighty-armed delight of the Raghus clasped the feet of Agastya, bright as the sun, as he came.
अभिवाद्य तु धर्मात्मा तस्थौ रामः कृताञ्जलिः । सीतया सह वैदेह्या तदा रामः सलक्ष्मणः ॥ २५ ॥
Having saluted him, righteous Rama then stood with joined palms, with Sita Vaidehi and with Lakshmana.
प्रतिगृह्य च काकुत्स्थमर्चयित्वाऽऽसनोदकैः । कुशलप्रश्नमुक्त्वा च आस्यतामिति सोऽब्रवीत् ॥ २६ ॥
Receiving Kakutstha and honouring him with seat and water, and asking after his welfare, he said, “Be seated.”
अग्निं हुत्वा प्रदायार्घ्यमतिथीन् प्रतिपूज्य च । वानप्रस्थेन धर्मेण स तेषां भोजनं ददौ ॥ २७ ॥
Having offered into the fire, given guest-water and honoured the guests, he gave them food by the dharma of forest-dwellers.
प्रथमं चोपविश्याथ धर्मज्ञो मुनिपुंगवः । उवाच राममासीनं प्राञ्जलिं धर्मकोविदम् ॥ २८ ॥
And having first sat down, the best of sages, knowing dharma, then said to Rama, seated with joined palms, skilled in dharma:
अग्निं हुत्वा प्रदायार्घ्यमतिथिं प्रतिपूजयेत् । अन्यथा खलु काकुत्स्थ तपस्वी समुदाचरन् । दुःसाक्षीव परे लोके स्वानि मांसानि भक्षयेत् ॥ २९ ॥
“Having offered into the fire and given guest-water, one should honour the guest. For an ascetic acting otherwise, Kakutstha, eats his own flesh in the other world, like a false witness.
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य धर्मचारी महारथः । पूजनीयश्च मान्यश्च भवान् प्राप्तः प्रियातिथिः ॥ ३० ॥
“You, king of the whole world, walking in dharma, a great chariot-warrior, to be honoured and respected, have come as a dear guest.”
एवमुक्त्वा फलैर्मूलैः पुष्पैश्चान्यैश्च राघवम् । पूजयित्वा यथाकामं ततोऽगस्त्यस्तमब्रवीत् ॥ ३१ ॥
Having said this and honoured Raghava as he wished with fruits, roots, flowers and other things, Agastya then said to him:
इदं दिव्यं महच्चापं हेमवज्रविभूषितम् । वैष्णवं पुरुषव्याघ्र निर्मितं विश्वकर्मणा ॥ ३२ ॥
“This great divine bow, adorned with gold and diamonds, belongs to Vishnu, tiger among men, made by Vishvakarman.
अमोघः सूर्यसंकाशो ब्रह्मदत्तः शरोत्तमः । दत्तौ मम महेन्द्रेण तूणी चाक्षय्यसायकौ ॥ ३३ ॥
“This unfailing best of arrows, like the sun, was given by Brahma. These two quivers with inexhaustible arrows were given me by great Indra,
सम्पूर्णौ निशितैर्बाणैर्ज्वलद्भिरिव पावकैः । महाराजतकोशोऽयमसिर्हेमविभूषितः ॥ ३४ ॥
“full of sharp arrows, as if blazing fires. This sword, adorned with gold, has a sheath of fine silver.
अनेन धनुषा राम हत्वा संख्ये महासुरान् । आजहार श्रियं दीप्तां पुरा विष्णुर्दिवौकसाम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“With this bow, Rama, Vishnu long ago, having killed great asuras in battle, brought back the blazing fortune of the gods.
तद्धनुस्तौ च तूणी च शरं खड्गं च मानद । जयाय प्रतिगृह्णीष्व वज्रं वज्रधरो यथा ॥ ३६ ॥
“Accept that bow, those two quivers, the arrow and the sword, giver of honour, for victory, as the wielder of the thunderbolt accepts the thunderbolt.”
एवमुक्त्वा महातेजाः समस्तं तद्वरायुधम् । दत्त्वा रामाय भगवानगस्त्यः पुनरब्रवीत् ॥ ३७ ॥
Having said this and given all those excellent weapons to Rama, the lord Agastya of great splendour spoke again.