Aranya Kanda · Sarga 15 of 76 · 31 verses
The Hut at Panchavati
Reaching Panchavati, full of many kinds of beasts, Rama says to his brother Lakshmana of blazing splendour: “We have come to the place the sage described; this is Panchavati, gentle one, its woods in flower. Look all round the forest, for you are skilled. Which spot here would be best for our hermitage, where Vaidehi, you and I can be happy, Lakshmana? Find such a place, near water, where the forest is lovely and the water is lovely, and fuel, flowers, kusha and water are close.” Lakshmana, palms joined, says to Kakutstha in Sita’s presence: “I am your servant, Kakutstha, while you live, even for a hundred years. Choose a pleasing place yourself, and tell me, ‘Make it here.’” Very pleased with Lakshmana’s words, the radiant one considers and chooses a place with every quality. Stepping on to that lovely spot for the hermitage, taking Saumitri’s hand in his own, Rama says: “This place is level and splendid, surrounded by flowering trees. Here, gentle one, you should make the hermitage properly. Not far off is a lovely lotus pool, beautiful with sun-bright, fragrant lotuses. As the perfected sage Agastya described, here is the lovely Godavari, lined with flowering trees, full of swans and karandavas, adorned with chakravakas, neither too far nor too near, frequented by herds of deer. Lovely high mountains with many caves, echoing with peacocks, covered with flowering trees, are seen, gentle one, with gold, silver and copper minerals here and there, shining like elephants painted with fine designs, adorned with sala, palmyra, tamala, date, jackfruit, wild rice, tinisha and punnaga trees, covered with mango, ashoka, tilaka, ketaka and campaka trees, bushes and creepers, with syandana, sandal, nipa, parnasa, lakuca, dhava, ashvakarna, khadira, shami, kimshuka and patala. This is holy, this is lovely, this has many beasts and birds. We will live here, Saumitri, together with this bird.”
Spoken to so by Rama, very mighty Lakshmana, slayer of enemy heroes, quickly builds a hermitage for his brother: a very spacious leaf hut, its walls of packed earth, with strong pillars and long bamboo poles for rafters, very lovely, laid over with shami branches, tied firmly with ropes, well thatched with kusha, kasha and reeds and leaves, its floor levelled: a lovely, excellent dwelling for Raghava, beautiful to see. Then glorious Lakshmana goes to the river Godavari, bathes, gathers lotuses and fruit and comes back. Offering flowers and performing the rite of peace according to rule, he shows Rama the finished hermitage. Seeing the lovely hermitage made, Raghava with Sita feels supreme joy in the leaf hut. Delighted, he embraces Lakshmana with both arms and says, very warmly and deeply: “I am pleased with you, lord; you have done a great work. That is why I have embraced you, for it is a gift owed to you. With you as a son, Lakshmana, who understands feelings, is grateful and knows dharma, our righteous father has not died.” Having said this to Lakshmana, Raghava, increaser of fortune, lives happily in that land rich in fruit. For some time the righteous one lives there, attended by Sita and Lakshmana, like an immortal in the world of heaven.
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ततः पञ्चवटीं गत्वा नानाव्यालमृगायुताम् । उवाच भ्रातरं रामो लक्ष्मणं दीप्ततेजसम् ॥ १ ॥
Then, reaching Panchavati, full of many kinds of beasts of prey and deer, Rama said to his brother Lakshmana of blazing splendour:
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The Hut at Panchavati 1 min read.
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आगताः स्म यथोद्दिष्टं यं देशं मुनिरब्रवीत् । अयं पञ्चवटीदेशः सौम्य पुष्पितकाननः ॥ २ ॥
“We have come to the place, as directed, of which the sage spoke. This is the region of Panchavati, gentle one, its woods in flower.
सर्वतश्चार्यतां दृष्टिः कानने निपुणो ह्यसि । आश्रमः कतरस्मिन्नो देशे भवति सम्मतः ॥ ३ ॥
“Cast your gaze everywhere over the forest, for you are skilled. Which place in this region would be approved for our hermitage,
रमते यत्र वैदेही त्वमहं चैव लक्ष्मण । तादृशो दृश्यतां देशः संनिकृष्टजलाशयः ॥ ४ ॥
“where Vaidehi delights, and you and I, Lakshmana? Let such a place be looked for, with a lake near by,
वनरामण्यकं यत्र जलरामण्यकं तथा । संनिकृष्टं च यस्मिन्तु समित्पुष्पकुशोदकम् ॥ ५ ॥
“where there is loveliness of forest and loveliness of water too, and where fuel, flowers, kusha and water are near.”
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण लक्ष्मणः संयताञ्जलिः । सीतासमक्षं काकुत्स्थमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ६ ॥
Spoken to so by Rama, Lakshmana, with joined palms, said these words to Kakutstha in Sita’s presence:
परवानस्मि काकुत्स्थ त्वयि वर्षशतं स्थिते । स्वयं तु रुचिरे देशे क्रियतामिति मां वद ॥ ७ ॥
“I am dependent on you, Kakutstha, while you remain, even for a hundred years. Say to me yourself, ‘Let it be made in this pleasing place.’”
सुप्रीतस्तेन वाक्येन लक्ष्मणस्य महाद्युतिः । विमृशन्रोचयामास देशं सर्वगुणान्वितम् ॥ ८ ॥
Greatly pleased by Lakshmana’s words, the very radiant one, considering, chose a place endowed with every quality.
स तं रुचिरमाक्रम्य देशमाश्रमकर्मणि । हस्ते गृहीत्वा हस्तेन रामः सौमित्रिमब्रवीत् ॥ ९ ॥
Stepping on to that pleasing place for the work of the hermitage, taking Saumitri’s hand in his hand, Rama said:
अयं देशः समः श्रीमान्पुष्पितैर्तरुभिर्वृतः । इहाश्रमपदं सौम्य यथावत्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥ १० ॥
“This place is level and splendid, surrounded by flowering trees. Here, gentle one, you should make the site of the hermitage properly.
इयमादित्यसंकाशैः पद्मैः सुरभिगन्धिभिः । अदूरे दृश्यते रम्या पद्मिनी पद्मशोभिता ॥ ११ ॥
“Here, not far off, is seen a lovely lotus pool, adorned with lotuses bright as the sun, with sweet fragrance.
यथाख्यातमगस्त्येन मुनिना भावितात्मना । इयं गोदावरी रम्या पुष्पितैस्तरुभिर्वृता ॥ १२ ॥
“As described by the sage Agastya, of perfected self, this is the lovely Godavari, surrounded by flowering trees,
हंसकारण्डवाकीर्णा चक्रवाकोपशोभिता । नातिदूरे न चासन्ने मृगयूथनिपीडिता ॥ १३ ॥
“full of swans and karandavas, adorned with chakravakas, neither too far nor too near, frequented by herds of deer.
मयूरनादिता रम्याः प्रांशवो बहुकन्दराः । दृश्यन्ते गिरयः सौम्य फुल्लैस्तरुभिरावृताः ॥ १४ ॥
“Lovely, lofty mountains with many caves, echoing with peacocks, are seen, gentle one, covered with flowering trees,
सौवर्णै राजतैस्ताम्रैर्देशे देशे च धातुभिः । गवाक्षिता इवाभान्ति गजाः परमभक्तिभिः ॥ १५ ॥
“with gold, silver and copper minerals here and there, shining as if latticed, like elephants with the finest painted designs,
सालैस्तालैस्तमालैश्च खर्जूरैः पनसैर्द्रुमैः । नीवारैस्तिनिशैश्चैव पुन्नागैश्चोपशोभिताः ॥ १६ ॥
“adorned with sala, tala and tamala, date-palms and jackfruit trees, with wild rice, tinishas and punnagas,
चूतैरशोकैस्तिलकैः केतकैरपि चंपकैः । पुष्पगुल्मलतोपेतैस्तैस्तैस्तरुभिरावृताः ॥ १७ ॥
“covered with mangoes, ashokas, tilakas, ketakas and campakas, and with those trees joined with flowering bushes and creepers,
स्यन्दनैश्चंदनैर्नीपैः पर्णासैर्लकुचैरपि । धवाश्वकर्णखदिरैः शमीकिंशुकपाटलैः ॥ १८ ॥
“with syandanas, sandal, nipas, parnasas and lakucas, with dhavas, ashvakarnas, khadiras, shamis, kimshukas and patalas.
इदं पुण्यमिदं रम्यमिदं बहुमृगद्विजम् । इह वत्स्याम सौमित्रे सार्धमेतेन पक्षिणा ॥ १९ ॥
“This is holy, this is lovely, this has many beasts and birds. We will live here, Saumitri, together with this bird.”
एवमुक्तस्तु रामेण लक्ष्मणः परवीरहा । अचिरेणाश्रमं भ्रातुश्चकार सुमहाबलः ॥ २० ॥
Spoken to so by Rama, Lakshmana, slayer of enemy heroes, very mighty, quickly made a hermitage for his brother:
पर्णशालां सुविपुलां तत्र संघातमृत्तिकाम् । सुस्तम्भां मस्करैर्दीर्घैः कृतवंशां सुशोभनाम् ॥ २१ ॥
a very spacious leaf hut there, with packed earth, with good pillars, made with long bamboos as rafters, very lovely,
शमीशाखाभिरास्तीर्य दृढपाशावपाशिताम् । कुशकाशशरैः पर्णैः सुपरिच्छादितां तथा ॥ २२ ॥
laid over with shami branches, tied with firm ropes, and well covered with kusha, kasha, reeds and leaves,
समीकृततलां रम्यां चकार सुमहाबलः । निवासं राघवस्यार्थे प्रेक्ष्णीयमनुत्तमम् ॥ २३ ॥
its floor levelled, lovely: the very mighty one made a dwelling for Raghava’s sake, beautiful to see, unsurpassed.
स गत्वा लक्ष्मणः श्रीमान् नदीं गोदावरीं तदा । स्नात्वा पद्मानि चादाय सफलः पुनरागतः ॥ २४ ॥
Glorious Lakshmana then went to the river Godavari, bathed, and, taking lotuses and fruit, came back again.
ततः पुष्पबलिं कृत्वा शान्तिं च स यथाविधि । दर्शयामास रामाय तदाश्रमपदं कृतम् ॥ २५ ॥
Then, having made an offering of flowers and the rite of peace according to rule, he showed Rama the hermitage he had made.
सतं दृष्ट्वा कृतं सौम्यमाश्रमं सह सीतया । राघवः पर्णशालायां हर्षमाहारयत् परम् ॥ २६ ॥
Seeing that lovely hermitage made, Raghava, with Sita, felt supreme joy in the leaf hut.
सुसंहृष्टः परिष्वज्य बाहुभ्यां लक्ष्मणं तदा । अतिस्निग्धं च गाढं च वचनं चेदमब्रवीत् ॥ २७ ॥
Greatly delighted, he then embraced Lakshmana with both arms and said these very warm and deep words:
प्रीतोऽस्मि ते महत्कर्म त्वया कृतमिदं प्रभो । प्रदेयो यन्निमित्तं ते परिष्वङ्गो मया कृतः ॥ २८ ॥
“I am pleased with you; you have done this great work, lord. For that reason I have embraced you, as a gift owed to you.
भावज्ञेन कृतज्ञेन धर्मज्ञेन च लक्ष्मण । त्वया पुत्रेण धर्मात्मा न संवृत्तः पिता मम ॥ २९ ॥
“With you as a son, Lakshmana, who understands feelings, is grateful and knows dharma, our righteous father has not died.”
एवं लक्ष्मणमुक्त्वा तु राघवो लक्ष्मिवर्धनः । तस्मिन्देशे बहुफले न्यवसत्ससुखं सुखी ॥ ३० ॥
Having spoken so to Lakshmana, Raghava, increaser of fortune, happy, lived happily in that region rich in fruit.
कंचित् कालं स धर्मात्मा सीतया लक्ष्मणेन च । अन्वास्यमानो न्यवसत्स्वर्गलोके यथामरः ॥ ३१ ॥
For some time that righteous one lived there, attended by Sita and Lakshmana, like an immortal in the world of heaven.