Aranya Kanda · Sarga 8 of 76 · 20 verses
Setting Out Through the Hermitages
Honoured by Sutikshna, Rama with Saumitri spends the night there and wakes at dawn. Rising at the right time with Sita, Raghava touches very cool water fragrant with lotuses. Then Vaidehi, Rama and Lakshmana, having worshipped the fire and the gods at daybreak according to rule in that forest refuge of ascetics, see the rising sun and, freed of sin, go to Sutikshna and say gently: “We have stayed happily, lord, honoured by you who are to be honoured. We take our leave; we will go, for the sages are hurrying us. We are eager to see the whole circle of hermitages of the holy seers living in the Dandaka forest. We wish for your leave to go with these chief sages, ever devoted to dharma, disciplined by austerity, like smokeless fires, before the sun, like an upstart who has gained wealth by a wrong road, blazes too fiercely with unbearable heat.” Saying this, Raghava with Saumitri and Sita salutes the sage’s feet.
The best of sages raises the two who touch his feet, embraces them closely and lovingly, and says: “Go safely on your way, Rama, with Saumitri and with Sita here, who follows you like a shadow. See the lovely hermitages of the ascetics living in the Dandaka forest, hero, their selves perfected by austerity: forests with plenty of fruit and roots, in flower, with fine herds of deer and peaceful flocks of birds; pools and lakes with clear water and clusters of full-blown lotuses, strewn with karandava ducks; mountain waterfalls lovely to see, and charming forests echoing with peacocks. Go, child; go too, Saumitri; and having seen them, come back to this hermitage again.” Saying “So be it,” Kakutstha with Lakshmana walks round the sage and makes ready to set out. Then large-eyed Sita gives the two brothers their fine quivers and bows, and then their bright swords. Binding on the fine quivers and taking their resounding bows, Rama and Lakshmana go out of the hermitage. Given leave by the great seer, the two handsome Raghavas set out quickly with Sita, carrying bows and swords.
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रामस्तु सहसौमित्रिः सुतीक्ष्णेनाभिपूजितः । परिणाम्य निशां तत्र प्रभाते प्रत्यबुध्यत ॥ १ ॥
Rama with Saumitri, honoured by Sutikshna, having spent the night there, woke at dawn.
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उत्थाय च यथाकालं राघवः सह सीतया । उपस्पृश्य सुशीतेन तोयेनोत्पलगन्धिना ॥ २ ॥
And rising at the proper time, Raghava, with Sita, touched very cool water with the scent of blue lotuses.
अथ तेऽग्निं सुरांश्चैव वैदेही रामलक्ष्मणौ । काल्यं विधिवदभ्यर्च्य तपस्विशरणे वने ॥ ३ ॥
उदयन्तं दिनकरं दृष्ट्वा विगतकल्मषाः । सुतीक्ष्णमभिगम्येदं श्लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रुवन् ॥ ४ ॥
Then Vaidehi, Rama and Lakshmana, having worshipped the fire and the gods at daybreak according to rule in the forest that was a refuge for ascetics, seeing the rising sun, free of stain, went to Sutikshna and said these gentle words:
सुखोषिताः स्म भगवंस्त्वया पूज्येन पूजिताः । आपृच्छामः प्रयास्यामो मुनयस्त्वरयन्ति नः ॥ ५ ॥
“We have stayed happily, lord, honoured by you who are to be honoured. We take leave; we will set out; the sages are hurrying us.
त्वरामहे वयं द्रष्टुं कृत्स्नमाश्रममण्डलम् । ऋषीणां पुण्यशीलानां दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम् ॥ ६ ॥
“We are eager to see the whole circle of hermitages of the seers of holy character who live in the Dandaka forest.
अभ्यनुज्ञातुमिच्छामः सहैभिर्मुनिपुंगवैः । धर्मनित्यैस्तपोदान्तैर्विशिखैरिव पावकैः ॥ ७ ॥
“We wish to be given leave, together with these chief sages, always devoted to dharma, disciplined by austerity, like flameless fires,
अविषह्यातपो यावत् सूर्यो नातिविराजते । अमार्गेणागतां लक्ष्मीं प्राप्येवान्वयवर्जितः ॥ ८ ॥
“before the sun, like a man without lineage who has gained wealth by a wrong way, blazes too fiercely with unbearable heat.”
तावदिच्छामहे गन्तुमित्युक्त्वा चरणौ मुनेः । ववन्दे सहसौमित्रिः सीतया सह राघवः ॥ ९ ॥
“We wish to go before then”: saying this, Raghava, with Saumitri and with Sita, saluted the sage’s feet.
तौ संस्पृशन्तौ चरणावुत्थाप्य मुनिपुंगवः । गाढमाश्लिष्य सस्नेहमिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ १० ॥
The chief of sages, lifting the two who touched his feet, embracing them closely and lovingly, said these words:
अरिष्टं गच्छ पन्थानं राम सौमित्रिणा सह । सीतया चानया सार्धं छाययेवानुवृत्तया ॥ ११ ॥
“Go on a safe path, Rama, with Saumitri, and together with this Sita, who follows you like a shadow.
पश्याश्रमपदं रम्यं दण्डकारण्यवासिनाम् । एषां तपस्विनां वीर तपसा भावितात्मनाम् ॥ १२ ॥
“See the lovely hermitages of those living in the Dandaka forest, hero, of these ascetics whose selves are perfected by austerity:
सुप्राज्यफलमूलानि पुष्पितानि वनानि च । प्रशस्तमृगयूथानि शान्तपक्षिगणानि च ॥ १३ ॥
“forests with abundant fruit and roots and in flower, with fine herds of deer and peaceful flocks of birds,
फुल्लपङ्कजखण्डानि प्रसन्नसलिलानि च । कारण्डवविकीर्णानि तटाकानि सरांसि च ॥ १४ ॥
“with clusters of full-blown lotuses and clear water, pools and lakes strewn with karandava ducks;
द्रक्ष्यसे दृष्टिरम्याणि गिरिप्रस्रवणानि च । रमणीयान्यरण्यानि मयूराभिरुतानि च ॥ १५ ॥
“you will see mountain waterfalls lovely to see, and charming forests echoing with peacocks.
गम्यतां वत्स सौमित्रे भवानपि च गच्छतु । आगन्तव्यं च ते दृष्ट्वा पुनरेवाश्रमं प्रति ॥ १६ ॥
“Go, child; and you too, Saumitri, go; and having seen them, you must come back again to this hermitage.”
एवमुक्तस्तथेत्युक्त्वा काकुत्स्थः सहलक्ष्मणः । प्रदक्षिणं मुनिं कृत्वा प्रस्थातुमुपचक्रमे ॥ १७ ॥
Spoken to so, saying “So be it,” Kakutstha with Lakshmana walked round the sage and made ready to set out.
ततः शुभतरे तूणी धनुषी चायतेक्षणा । ददौ सीता तयोर्भ्रात्रोः खड्गौ च विमलौ ततः ॥ १८ ॥
Then large-eyed Sita gave the two brothers their fine quivers and bows, and then their spotless swords.
आबध्य च शुभे तूणी चापे चादाय सस्वने । निष्क्रान्तावाश्रमाद् गन्तुमुभौ तौ रामलक्ष्मणौ ॥ १९ ॥
Binding on the fine quivers and taking their resounding bows, both Rama and Lakshmana went out of the hermitage to go.
शीघ्रं तौ रूपसम्पन्नावनुज्ञातौ महर्षिणा । प्रस्थितौ धृतचापासी सीतया सह राघवौ ॥ २० ॥
The two handsome Raghavas, given leave by the great seer, set out quickly with Sita, carrying bows and swords.